POV: Lyra
Seeing that I needed nothing more than nutrients and rest, the doctors discharged me before noon. Russell obediently went to education center, leaving the medical station with Annie. Orion, Christian and I grabbed a quick bite before we headed to the security station.
Orion only brought me because he didn't want to let me out of his sight. But he reminded me to use as little strength as possible when I was there, meaning no excessive mental processing with whatever we were about to hear from Chief Dalloway.
The Chief brought us to see Agnes Fitzgerald. We peered through the one-way transparisteel at the tear-stained, exhausted-looking female. When Orion asked why she chose to confess, Chief Dalloway said that she 'regretted ordering the termination' as soon as she found out what really happened.
I asked in a soft voice, "How did she know what happened? I doubt the hired assassin was able to make a holo-call to his employer before he passed out from the blade in his posterior. And there's nothing in the news saying that a youngling was involved. How does Agnes know that it was her contract that went sideways?"
"She said that she hired two beings for the task, my Empress. One to terminate; and one to transport the assassin away after he'd completed his task."
Christian asked, "Chief, are you saying that the second one got away?"
"That's what she is saying, Your Excellency."
I pressed the old male, "But you don't believe her, do you, Chief?"
He looked helplessly at me, and sighed before he said, "I've seen criminals, Your Eminence. And I have to say, this female doesn't exhibit any form of criminal behavior. The evidence fits but look at her, my Empress," he gestured to the transparisteel and went on, "She just looks tired and frightened."
I had to agree. It was like he said, Agnes was just exhausted and terrified. She didn't even look remorseful. Orion then asked Chief Dalloway, "What's her occupation?"
"One of the two personal assistants to the head of audit at the National Audit Department, my Emperor."
"Helena Tanner?" Orion asked, and the Chief nodded but before Orion could ask, Chief Dalloway said, "She denied that she was coerced. She said she wasn't threatened by her employer, her match, her family or anyone else."
"She has a family?" I asked in surprise.
Chief Dalloway didn't see a reason for my reaction so he simply answered, "A match and a youngling, my Empress."
Christian asked, "What is her motive for the termination again, Chief?"
"She said it was a colleague rivalry, Your Excellency. She wanted her colleague's position for cycles now, and she has told the intended victim's maternal unit to swap department positions with her countless times. But it seems her colleague refused."
The three of us exchanged knowing looks, knowing that the whole line of reasoning was utter void-scrap. Ellia had been with Annie and Christian for days and they spoke very often. She shared the ups and downs of her work life there but she never mentioned such pestering or rivalry.
Orion was contemplating on using his Emperor's Authority but he just promised me that he would never use it on anyone innocent. And this female in front of us seemed innocent. Suddenly, he felt a tug on his hand and he was sucked into two large, black orbs like they were singularities.
"Let me talk to her?" I whispered.
His purple eyes widened with panic and concern as he held me by my shoulders and said, "No. Star-heart, you're supposed to be on rest. I wasn't even supposed to bring you here. And we agreed, no mental processing."
"No, we agreed to no 'excessive' mental processing." I said innocently, blinking those black orbs at him.
"Sweetheart, no." Orion's voice was soft and pleading. Everyone there knew that he was going to lose soon. Orion gave one final attempt when he said, "You just woke up hours ago. You're still recovering."
I argued weakly, "She's restrained. I doubt she'll pose any danger. Talking to her won't require much strength. And the Chief will be there with me."
He held both my hands and suggested, "Star-heart, Christian and I can talk to her. You can mind-touch your questions when I'm in there and I'll ask her. How about that?"
I asked rhetorically, "Do you think she would tell you anything differently from what she already told the Chief?" Everyone knew she wouldn't, not unless Orion used the Emperor's Authority, which felt very wrong to use at that moment.
I continued to speak softly, "She's scared, Orion. Odds are, her family's safety is at stake. If we force her to open up, we'll only drive her further away. Let me talk to her."
He thought hard about it. I then mind-touched him, Unless you'd rather use the Emperor's Authority to get the truth?
Orion looked at me in dismay and answered my question aloud, "It doesn't seem right to use that in this case." He sighed, and pondered on his predicament as he looked into my black orbs, which was a guaranteed way of giving into my demands. In the end, Orion groaned and said, "Ten minutes. Only ten minutes. That's how long we'll be in there with her."
"We?" I asked.
Orion smirked, "You didn't think I was going to let my Empress go in there without her Emperor, did you?" I smiled radiantly, and pressed neural contact to his jawline before whispering, "Thank you, my love."
Orion's cardiac pump melted but he tried to remain stern with me. "No over-exertion in there, my Empress, got it?" I nodded like a doting Empress who heeded to the orders of her Emperor but Christian and Dalloway were fully aware of who the real winner was.
Chief Dalloway held the portal open for us, and I stepped in first, followed by Orion behind me. Agnes straightened her back when the portal opened, and she stiffened when she saw who walked in.
She started releasing optical fluid as she pleaded, "P-lease. I'm sor-ry. I-I'm sor-ry."
I got Orion to stand on the side, and I approached the crying Agnes. I took the seat in front of her, studying Agnes's reaction. I then offered a small smile and started speaking in a calm voice, "Agnes, what are you saying? What are you apologizing for?"
My voice had somehow emitted a tranquil energy in the small chamber. Even Christian and Dalloway, who were both listening in through auditory devices, felt the change in the tense atmosphere inside.
Agnes sobbed, and her voice was steadier when she said, "I'm sorry f-for ordering a youngling to be terminated." Her voice cracked towards the end and she broke down again.
I remained calm as I said, "Agnes." I called out to the female but Agnes only hid her face and kept sobbing. So, I reached out for her cold hand and gave it a gentle squeeze as I called out her designation again.
Agnes was surprised by my touch, especially after what she had just said. Her eyes met my comforting black orbs, and I was giving her a warm smile as I whispered, "You didn't do it, Agnes."