Regaining Command Read online

  "I can prove it was a Tribunal. If it wasn't you, then it was Lestrano."

  "I know you have a personal reason for hating Tribunal soldiers.” Donny dropped the bomb on Meiner, who turned a sickly white.

  "My sister has nothing to do with this."

  "On the contrary,” Jenia added, “it makes you biased."

  The doctor took a deep breath. “Further consideration has revealed you may be right. I would appreciate if you'd answer a few questions.” Dr. Meiner gazed at the four of them. “All of you."

  "Has Captain Tarune been informed?” Paul asked.

  "Yes, he has. Apparently, there's been some kind of attempt on Ambassador Slavern."

  Elise gasped. “What happened?"

  "He was ambushed in a VFR.” Dr. Meiner turned abruptly and headed back inside the building.

  "No wonder he's not arresting you.” Elise shook her head and stepped forward.

  "Especially if the codes were the same,” Jenia added.

  They rushed to catch up to Dr. Meiner. “How is the ambassador?” Elise demanded.

  "He wasn't injured and didn't see his assailant.” Meiner's pace quickened.

  "Carl, what is going on?"

  Meiner stopped and whirled around. “There's a brutal killer on Asberek. Then, on a tour of the Causeway today, the Dormrelian Ambassador is conked on his noggin by somebody in a VFR using the same codes as the murder scene.” He ran an impatient hand through his curly brown hair. “And the only person on the scene was Jonah Speigler."

  "Jonah? But—” Elise bit her lip.

  "I was going to question him along with you.” He swerved on his heel and started down a corridor with his fist clenched at his sides. “He's suspect number three."

  Jonah was a far cry from the smooth operator Donny had met the last two encounters. His face was red, and his fists were clenched as he glared at Dr. Meiner. “Did you bring me company? How nice,” he sneered.

  Donny was fascinated by Meiner's response. His face flushed with color and something dark and intense passed between the doctor and Jonah. “I've come to question you with people who can tell me if you're lying."

  "You just don't want to be alone with me.” Jonah relaxed back in his chair and smirked. “Not after—"

  Meiner interrupted him. “I am trying to find out who killed Ms. Locke and ambushed the ambassador. Why won't you cooperate?"

  "You haven't asked me nicely.” Jonah's tone was smooth and sexy. Donny's eyebrows shot up, and he exchanged a glance with Elise. She had a faint smile on her face.

  "I am not asking you.” Meiner's face reddened even more. “I'm telling you. You were there, at the Asberek Moon, when Trista Locke was killed and in the Causeway when the ambassador was attacked."

  "I didn't kill anyone."

  Meiner sighed. “I didn't say you did. But you might know something. Why won't you help me?"

  Jonah leaned forward, and his gaze swept over Meiner's body from head to toe. “You haven't asked me nicely,” he repeated.

  Donny rolled his eyes. Jonah was flirting. And by the looks of it, successfully.

  Meiner threw up his hands and spoke to Jenia. “This is what I've been dealing with. He won't answer any questions. All I want to know is the times he was with Elise and whether Donny was present. I'm trying to do my job."

  Jenia shrugged. “Your witness, your problem.” She sat down in one of the chairs and crossed her arms. “Ask him nicely."

  Something almost like fear crossed Meiner's features. “I have."

  Jenia glanced at Jonah. “What's the problem?"

  Donny sighed. “The problem is Jonah is being his usual self instead of answering your questions. Call it a flaw in his character.” Jonah squirmed in his seat and stared at the tabletop.

  As the doctor's eyes swerved to meet Jonah's, Donny thought he caught a flare of desire there. “I'd call it insane."

  "Well, Jonah seems to be a man to take risks.” Donny's tone was dry. “I suggest you ignore his overt sexual innuendos and move on."

  "He needs to answer my question.” Frustration made Meiner's voice harsh.

  Jonah had the balls to look innocent. “What question?"

  Meiner glared at him, and Jonah released a long breath as if he'd been holding it. “I didn't see the ambassador when I was here.” Jonah kept his gaze on the doctor, and Meiner's hand clenched in a fist on the table. “You haven't told me when Trista Locke was killed, but the night she was murdered, I was playing ‘Twisted’ until Elise showed up. Elise, Donny and I used the VFR. Then, I called a pal of mine to continue in my fantasy.” Jonah's gaze rested on Meiner. “I have witnesses that can verify where I was both times."

  The doctor swerved a glance at Donny. “You have an alibi for the second attempt on the ambassador, but I don't know if that gets you off the hook for the Locke killing."

  "I didn't kill her. I was in the VFR for those missing four hours.” Donny took a deep breath. “You have been informed the former ambassador Kliro escaped Dormrela, haven't you?"

  Silence descended. Then, Meiner sighed. “No. Earth Central didn't inform me."

  Jenia spoke up. “Did you find blood DNA that didn't belong to Trista on the scene?"

  Meiner's glance was startled. “Yes, but we couldn't figure out what it is."

  "What system did you run it through?” Paul asked.

  "Earth Central's DNA compilation.” Meiner frowned. “The tech said he'd never seen blood like it. I thought it was planted there."

  "It probably was.” Jenia bit her lip. “At the Gershon murders, we thought Riggo had planted tainted Dormrelian blood to implicate Donny. Riggo's plan seemed to be to cleanse the DNA gene pool and get rid of Donny at the same time.” She glanced at Paul. “We made assumptions.” Jenia gripped Elise's arm. “Those blood samples I gave you to take back before we confronted the Ang at the temple, who did you give them to?"

  "Kevin Tozer,” Elise told her. “He processed the blood."

  Jonah's eyes widened. “Kevin Tozer is Trista Locke's boyfriend. They got together on The Zenith on the way over from Earth."

  "Where's Kevin now?” Donny demanded.

  Meiner's face lost color. “He's here in the complex. He was assigned to the new team that will access Dormrelian files about S.E.X."

  "So it's possible that Tozer tried to kill the ambassador."

  "But why?” Elise shook her head. “It's beginning all over again. And why kill Trista?"

  "You want my opinion?” Meiner's eyebrows rose.

  Elise nodded, and Meiner stared at her. “I think it was practice. He plans to kill you. Why? I don't know."

  "Think, Elise.” Donny stroked her arm with his fingers. “What discoveries have you made in the last two weeks? No one made a move until then. Now all hell has broken loose."

  "You know what.” She glared at him.

  "The formula."

  "What formula?” Jenia's gaze darted between Elise and Donny. “Tell me."

  Elise's finger twisted around each other. “The formula to turn human DNA into Dormrelian DNA."

  "That's crazy. Why would the Dormrela want to change human DNA?” Meiner scoffed.

  "Because of the chemical S.E.X.” Elise answered. “S.E.X. in larger doses killed humans. But when the human DNA was changed by Dormrelian DNA, resistance was stronger."

  "That's why the chemical didn't affect me while I took the injections,” Donny muttered. “And why I went crazy after the injections stopped."

  Elise met his gaze. “Stop that. You did not go crazy. You did what we all would have done."

  "What are they talking about?” Meiner glanced at Jenia and Paul.

  Jenia opened her mouth and shut it with a snap. Paul gazed at the ceiling. Jonah was the one who answered. “Elise and Donny had really great sex six months ago in the Asberek forest while they waited for the shuttle to come get them."

  Elise's face flushed a bright red, and Donny stared at Jonah. “How did you know?"

  Jonah cocked
his head to the side. “She only told me so I'd take your place."

  As Donny pinned her with his gaze, Elise reddened even more. It was true. He was floored by this revelation. “Jonah pretended to be me."

  "Yes.” Elise's voice sounded strangled.

  "That one I didn't know.” A warm feeling snuck through his veins as she met his glance. “I know every fantasy you've had programmed in the VFR."

  "How?” she whispered.

  "I used a backdoor for my Tribunal code so it wouldn't alert anyone but Earth Central.” He glanced at Meiner. “You could check those codes."

  "I already did.” Meiner smiled faintly. “I knew you'd used Tribunal codes to access Dr. Fleming's files, but the codes don't match."

  "Wait a minute.” Elise glared at them, and dropped his hand. “You're telling me you knew what I programmed into the VFR?"

  Donny shrugged a shoulder, a little apprehensive. “Yes.” He didn't make excuses. After all, he'd invaded her privacy, breached her trust and loved every minute of it.

  Before Elise could rip into him, Jenia interrupted them. “Can we focus on the fact that we have a killer loose and worry about your sex lives later?"

  "Unfortunately, it's related,” Meiner announced. “Trista Locke was using Elise's codes when she was murdered."

  "What?” Donny and Elise both said simultaneously.

  The man nodded. “That's right."

  Jonah whistled his shock and shook his head. “So, she was killed in place of Elise."

  "I believe so, yes.” Meiner nodded.

  "Well, that leaves out Kevin Tozer, doesn't it?” Jenia frowned. “He would know his girlfriend was in there instead of Elise."

  "Unless,” Meiner ran an impatient hand through his curly brown hair, “Tozer wanted it to look like mistaken identity. Then the question would be why would Trista need to be killed?"

  "It's no coincidence that a woman resembling Elise was using her identity codes and was murdered.” Donny insisted.

  "No. And it's no coincidence that the person who ran the DNA tests on the vials of blood I sent with you was Trista's boyfriend,” Jenia added.

  "What happened to those vials?” Paul asked Meiner.

  "As far as I know, they're still in the store room."

  "Maybe we need to run the tests again. And find Kevin Tozer,” Donny stated.

  "What do you think we'll find?” Elise asked.

  "Perhaps the blood found at the scene can provide a clue to why you're targeted.” Donny's eyebrows clashed together. “It has to have something to do with what you found at the Temple."

  "Why?” Elise shook her head. “It could just as easily be because the Ang and the Dormrela both don't want us to dig there."

  Donny stared at her. “Why now? We've asked that before. And why did someone trash your room?"

  "I'd forgotten about that.” Elise's eyes flickered with fear. “What do you think this is about?"

  "Racial purity.” The two words snapped out of Donny's mouth. He knew. Kliro had educated him well. Racial purity was the Ang way of life. Destroying that purity had been his life's goal. Was Kliro trying to begin the whole fight again?

  "Explain,” Paul bit out the word.

  "According to Kliro,” the name was bitter on his tongue, “the Ang want racial purity, no mixed DNA. The Dormrela want to destroy the Ang power through convoluted DNA structure."

  Elise nodded. “The formula I found is the Dormrela's plan to defeat the Ang. It is their mantra.” She stopped, bit her thumbnail and frowned. “I should say it was their plan. A hundred years ago, the Dormrela were attempting to change human DNA both through the chemical S.E.X. and through a complicated formula that involved Dormrelian DNA and other additives.” She glanced at Donny. “Kliro must have known this formula."

  Donny's nod was short. “I'm sure he did."

  "But it almost killed you."

  "He wanted results too fast.” Donny's faint smile lacked humor. “I'm afraid the acceleration process destroyed the neural pathways. It was a side effect he hadn't anticipated."

  "And now you think they want to kill me because I know this formula?"

  Meiner leaned forward to stare at Elise. “The peace between the three races is tenuous at best. If the Ang get wind of some formula used to change human DNA, they may react poorly."

  "It's a hundred years old!” Elise protested.

  "And used on Donny,” Jenia stated.

  "The Ang worship the DNA structure and its purity. They won't take kindly to manipulation by the Dormrela."

  Elise squirmed and stared at the table. A cold certainty clutched at Donny's heart. “You found something else, didn't you? Something you haven't told Earth Central."

  Her grey eyes met his, pleaded with him for understanding. “I don't know exactly what it is."

  "What did you find?” Meiner snapped.

  "The formula for the human DNA was straightforward. It's the other formula I found that I haven't deciphered yet.” She lifted her hands. “I didn't want to report it until I knew what it was."

  "What did you find?” Donny glared at her.

  "I think it's a formula to change Ang DNA."

  Silence followed.

  All of them could see the damage to negotiations that discovery would have. The Ang would not tolerate any publication of such a formula, no matter what its historical value. The Dormrela would demand it and claim the Ang DNA to be less pure than the Ang claimed. Chaos would ensue.

  "Are you sure?” Jenia asked.

  "No, I'm not.” Elise crossed her arms. “I was trying to get clarification when the explosions killed Mosely and Fielding. The formula is under the rubble, and I put it off until it was safe."

  "Which means someone else may now have that formula.” Donny rubbed a hand over his face.

  "Who are you thinking of?” Paul asked him.

  "Kliro would love to get his hands on that formula.” Donny closed his eyes. “Either to get reinstated into the government on Dormrela or for his own sick purposes. Neither prospect is very appealing."

  "Who is this Kliro?” Jonah piped in, and everyone stared at him.

  "He was the ambassador to Earth for the Dormrela. His plan was to create conflict between the Dormrela and the Ang. He believed the Ang were responsible for the enslavement of his people."

  "Did he really believe that? Or was that just what he told you?” Elise asked him.

  "Honestly?” Donny met her gaze. “I don't know."

  "So, who killed Trista?” Jonah asked.

  "We still don't know. We need to test the blood sample found at the Gershon murders with the blood found at Trista's murder.” Jenia frowned. “If they're the same, Riggo didn't kill the Gershons, and someone has decided to take out Elise."

  "Do you think the threats she received are related?” Donny asked.

  "They could be.” Paul glanced at Elise, and Donny noted she'd gone white. The threats had been particularly brutal and graphic. She'd only seen one or two of them. Donny had seen dozens.

  Meiner stared at Elise. “We have to find that formula. We'll have to go to the temple.” He turned to Jenia. “You'll run the Causeway while we're gone. I'm putting you back in charge."

  "You're going with me?” Elise's eyebrows rose.

  The doctor glared at her. “You're damn right I am. I'm the one you're supposed to report to, and I didn't know any of this."

  "Carl, Earth Central ordered me to report to them directly.” She stared at him. “I assumed you knew."

  His expression was bleak. “I did not. And I'd like to know why they would have you bypass me in this."

  Donny frowned. Earth Central was very strict about protocol. They treated the colonization of Asberek with military precision. Why would they want Elise to bypass Meiner? “What exactly was your specialty when you came out here, Dr. Meiner?"

  "I was a Geneticist for the government before I was asked to join this group. They put me in charge of the archeological dig when it was clear that g
enetics would be part of the blueprint used to decipher the various finds.” Meiner cocked his head to the side. “Do you think this is some kind of cover up?"

  "It's a logical conclusion.” Donny took Elise's hand in his and stroked her skin. “Earth Central wanted to control what Elise found at the Temple. Why would they break protocol about this? It's a piece of the puzzle that doesn't fit."

  "And now they've put me in charge of this investigation, and Captain Tarune says he never received my urgent message sent two days ago—"

  Elise interrupted him. “So you did send a message to Captain Tarune?"

  "Absolutely.” Meiner shook his head. “In my opinion, murder is not in my expertise. We don't have civilian police here, only military police. I requested that he come down and take charge."

  "But he never got your message.” Paul still didn't seem convinced.

  Meiner's hazel eyes were smoky green. “No. And when I talked to him by vid phone this morning, he said with the attempt on the ambassador, I would have to question the witnesses. So far, I'm not having much luck."

  "Is there any way we can clear you and Donny absolutely so that you can find the killer?” Jenia asked Paul.

  Paul's brow wrinkled. “I don't know. When Donny manipulated the Zenith's VFR, he left distinctive code sequences that were clear and precise.” He glanced at Meiner. “Show me the configuration of the codes used to control Trista Locke's programming."

  Dr. Meiner pulled up a screen in front of him and clicked several buttons. He flipped the screen towards Paul so he could see it. Donny noted the codes as well. He wondered if Paul saw what he saw. They exchanged a glance. Paul definitely noticed it.

  "See this here?” Paul pointed to a scrap of code. “That's a checksum, distinctive and traceable. This is no Tribunal code. Look at that.” He pointed to a back door access code. “A Tribunal wouldn't need that much code to access that back door. This is a civilian. There's no military smokescreen, which any basic operator in the Earth Central army can use. No, this is a sophisticated civilian code, probably terrorist origin."

  "What do you mean by ‘terrorist'?” Elise asked him.

  "Remember the killing of the Chinese colonists who had won the random lottery to come here?” Paul glanced at everyone in the room. “The murders were attributed to a terrorist group that fought against colonization. They tried to bomb The Zenith twice. The upper echelon of Earth Central believed Donny had engineered those attempts, but I always questioned that conclusion."