He wondered who it was that had messaged him. It was a great set up, wasn't it? He wondered how a Sector 05 spy had gotten ahold of that address. No one else knew it, besides maybe Kirie. It could be Kirie, couldn't it? Perhaps her promotion was a way of getting in their favor and investigating them. Perhaps it had not been an abject betrayal.

He took as many twists and turns as he could, flitted in and out of large crowds, entering crowded buildings and leaving through back doors, until he was certain he'd shook the intelligence officer tailing him. Terrible at his job, really. William had expected him to be more tenacious.

The park was the one next to his school. He had not been there since he graduated.

It was public, and it was a sunny day. Even early, it was bustling with activity. He walked through it, observing the life around him. Civilian families with children, lone joggers with the faint sound of music following. People walking pets.

Further back, it was mostly forested, and adjoined a reserve that the military school had used for training. But he didn't want to go that far in.

He sat down on a bench across from a rundown playground, and read a newspaper he'd shoplifted while weaving through the city.

He had not brought his comm, so this seemed a decent enough way to pass the time.

The local news of this division was as cloyingly mundane as it had always been. There were arguments over taxes. A church was buying a new building. The public lawyers' office was being sued for discrimination. Some small business's secretary had embezzled a bit of money.

This was what his father had died for; for people to live senselessly, bicker over selfish goals, and disdain each other.

The morning beat by; the seasonal temperature grid was emulating early summer. He drank a bottle of water he'd brought, since he hadn't wanted to use his credit at a vending machine.

There was still no sign of anyone.

He scanned his eyes keenly over the paved paths, the sports fields, the playground.

He didn't want to be out all day. His tail would be searching for him, and HQ would become suspicious if he didn't contact anyone from his fleet soon. Even on rest days, not having any communications coming from someone in his position would be strange.

A familiar silhouette came to the edge of his vision. Someone leaned against a tree, who had not been there a moment earlier.

William felt ice, coldness.

He stood, and, against his better judgment, went to him.

" Morning, William," General Masterson said to him. " Let's catch up."

He cut straight to the point, dispelling any doubt.

But why?

William's chest tightened.

" Let's," he said.

General Masterson stood straight, and they began to walk along one of many curving trails; one that led towards the back of the park, where they were less likely to be overheard.

" No one else knows that address, correct?" Masterson asked him.

" No one," William said. " Only Robert and Kirie."

Masterson frowned slightly, but continued.

" William, there's been an issue with the investigation I'm on," he said.

" How does that involve me?" William asked, cold.

The look that Masterson gave him was harsh, stabbing.

" Directly," he snapped.

" How so?" William asked, voice tight. He was fucked if Masterson had any intel on him. He had no doubt the man would rat him out to Sector 05 immediately.

" Sector 22 is investigating the rise and spread of a certain terrorist movement," he said. " I've heard that you may be familiar with them."

" Do I look stupid enough to be a terrorist?" William asked, cheery.

Masterson gave him a deathly glare.

" I'm not accusing you of colluding with terrorists," he seethed. " I'm aware you and the Starka prince were injured by them in the past. I'm asking for your cooperation."

William did not let the surprise show on his face.

" You've accused me of colluding with foreign interests before," he reminded him. " Am I supposed to just accept you at your word now?"

" You're infuriating," Masterson said, dislike evident. " Listen to me. The Wave is here. On Hesperia. We're at the very center of it. Their base of operations is here."

" If you know that, what do you need me for, General?" William asked him, flippant.

... He knew it wasn't good strategy to annoy someone who was trying to ally with him. But it was Masterson asking.

" Sector 05 is making your cat go back early, aren't they?" Masterson asked. " They've already announced a parade."

" And The Wave is an anti-Starka organization that wants to destroy the Imperial Storam," William said.

He felt stupid for not considering this. He'd been so ate up with paranoia about Sector 05 that he'd nearly forgotten The Wave. Of course if they were headquartered on this planet, they'd enjoy having the Lyena served up to them on a silver platter. Live TV coverage of a goodwill parade.

" I won't ask for ongoing cooperation, daily check ins, that kind of nonsense," Masterson said. They were looping back to the more populated front of the park. " But have my back and I'll have yours. And don't let Dawson or any of the Sector 05 officers in on it."

" I've been doing my best to avoid letting them into anything," William informed him cheerily. " They don't even know what I eat for breakfast."

A jogger went by.

" Did you ever contact any of the others? From... where you were?" Masterson asked after a moment.

" No. Why should I? It's not like I knew them," William responded diffidently. " I don't even remember what any of them looked like."

" I talk with a few of them," Masterson said.

" Good for you," William said. " I assume, then, that if they wanted to speak to me, they would have reached out already."

" Herahwel required twelve separate reconstructive surgeries and has attended physical therapy monthly, therapy weekly, since her recovery," Masterson said. " Somil had to go through a nutritional recovery program due to his advanced emaciation, and attends group counselling."

William walked a little faster.

" Rosa became a nun at the Stellryx Temple that took her in on Sirius, and Crete-"

William was outpacing him, and did not want to look back.

" Then am I not a success story?" he managed to hiss back at him.

For once, he could see something other than plain hostility in Masterson's eyes as he looked back at him.

" I don't know what you are, William," he said.

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