"I'm going to find a comfy cot and take another nap." Olivia halted her pacing, finally giving up on Annara making an appearance. She gave one last long look at the closed meeting room door and sighed. Turning to leave, a rumble of voices and chairs being moved away from the committee room table alerted her to the end of the briefing. At last.
Olivia summoned her enthusiasm and smiled at the serious-looking committee members filing out of the room and into the corridor. Their faces all possessed a lingering weariness and no doubt explained their hurriedness to depart and find something to eat and a place to relax after such an excruciatingly long meeting. Annara was the last one out the door, her expression thoughtful. She was toying with one of the pepper spray canisters she'd brought back from the scene of their kidnapping. When she looked up, she saw Olivia watching her. Glancing down, Annara blinked at the canister and hurriedly stuffed it in a pocket.
"Finally!" Olivia decided not to mention the pepper spray. "You've been in that briefing forever, Annara. I was beginning to wonder if I'd ever see you again." Her friend's dark scowl indicated she wasn't in the mood for joking. Olivia took a step back and bit her lip, studying her fellow Resistance cell member for hints to why she looked so angry. "What's wrong?"
"Everything."
Annara strode down the hallway toward the council chamber. Olivia found it difficult to keep up and thought best not to quiz Annara further while in such a foul mood, so she followed in silence.
Turning the corner, they bumped into Hernando and Caveman deep in conversation. "Is it like you said?" Hernando asked. Annara nodded.
"Is what like you said? What are you guys talking about?" Olivia felt left out of the conversation as Annara, Hernando and Caveman talked under their breath. They completely ignored her as they walked toward the council chambers. "Hello?"
Hernando finally stopped. "It's all right, Olivia. Why don't you go visit a friend or ask the aides to find you food and a place to rest for a while?"
Olivia pushed his arm away. "How dare you try to treat me like a cranky toddler needing a nap! Why are you running me off? I have the right to know what's going on. I was kidnapped, too."
Hernando frowned and looked askance at Caveman and Annara. "Yes, you were, and you should know what's going on, but you can't be in on these discussions. Not yet anyway."
Olivia cringed. He averted his eyes and acted more hurt and trapped by the situation than angry with her. She could see his side of the argument, too. Did she really have the right to insist she be let in on all matters BloodDark? Was she pushing Hernando away from her by demanding equal rights?
Whatever was happening, she couldn't help herself—she needed to know. An odd feeling came over her... Yes, it was vital she knew.
"I might be able to help," she ventured.
"Look, it's nothing personal, but it's an internal BloodDark matter," Caveman explained. "You're from Earth. You're not officially working for the BloodDark embassy at present, so you don't have the security clearance."
"Security clearance? When did that come into place?" Olivia wrinkled her brow in thought. How could she convince them she wasn't a risk and was already on the same page?
Page. Letters. I know more than they think.
"Annara, you shared information with me about the current crisis here before you came to Earth. It might be considered classified information, wasn't it?" Olivia stood tall to give her words emphasis.
Hernando flashed a puzzled grin at her. Caveman's jaw dropped open.
"So, it's too late to be secretive. The beans have already been spilled." Olivia crossed her arms and smiled. Gotcha.
Now it was Annara's turn to sweat. "Uh, what I wrote to you was supposed to remain just between the two of us." She flashed a stop talking before you get us both in trouble look. "This is another matter altogether."
"I bet it's related, though."
Hernando shrugged and Caveman grunted. "Women don't keep secrets from each other it appears," the older man said. "If she takes an oath not to share any of this intelligence with Earth, I guess we can trust her."
"Trust me?" Olivia wasn't certain she cared for Caveman Charlie's attitude toward her and its implications. "Of course, you can trust me. Didn't we fight alongside each other to bring about this ruling council you now lead? Caveman, I'm hurt."
A loud sniff and a quick dab of her eyes brought about the desired response. Caveman threw up his hands. "All right, all right. You can come with us. Keep up and keep quiet."
Annara let go a long held breath and started down the corridor. Hernando sighed. "Glad that's over with," he said, taking Olivia by the elbow and pulling her to his side as they hurried through one passage after another. Olivia had a strong sense they were spiraling downward beneath the council building. "What you're about to see is top secret and is known only to members of the ruling council and its closest aides."
"I'm glad you consider me one of your closest aides."
Olivia's happiness faded as she noticed her normally good-humored Hernando didn't return her grin. Maybe it's the fast pace keeping him from smiling? He's not usually so serious. It's harder to tell with Annara since she keeps up a tough front, but she's generally more laid back, too. What dire security concerns kept her in the security briefing for hours?
"Quiet, please." Even Caveman's Irish jocularity went missing as he quickened the pace. What had happened as she slept off the effects of the Portal to add to the seriousness of their confusing and frightening kidnap attempt?
Olivia found herself almost gasping for breath by the time they stopped in front
