“Has Michael sent an update?” Jack asked.

“A few minutes ago, sir.” Marco replied, his Italian accent the only thing that seemed to draw attention to him. “He sent a team on their way here with the POW’s he’s found. The rest of his men were continuing on to make sure the building is cleared. We are expecting the POW’s in twenty minutes. Charlie squad should be rendezvousing with them shortly. I’ll inform you when they make contact.” Marco was an average looking guy; five foot ten, crew cut hair, and even an average, unprepossessing posture. I probably wouldn’t have paid any attention to him if Jack hadn’t called him over.

The quiet mirth coming through the bond was starting to get under my skin every time it leaked across, I thought, only increasing his humor.*That’s one of his Talents kiddo, making other’s eyes just slide right past him. I’d say yours runs a different track, probably something to do with empathy and telepathy.*

Oh, what I would have given to be able to do that at times, but I guess my wings made that impossible. That damn chuckle echoed in the back of my head again as he nodded to Marco and walked off to the line of people along the wall, leaving me to jump to catch up.

He started at the back of the hangar working his way toward the front. He stopped at each person, looking them in the eyes, searching for someone or something. There were soldiers in uniform mixed in among the doctors, scientists, and laborers in all manner of dress. All of them looked away after a short moment under his piercing gaze, the fear and confusion evident on their faces. We had gotten halfway along the line of prisoners before he seemed to find what he was looking for in a man with a Captain’s silver bars pinned to his shoulder.

Jack’s frustration had been growing during this fruitless search, so when it suddenly popped, I was caught unprepared. My attention had shifted to the mental link I felt I could almost see, trying to concentrate on stemming the flow of his frustration coming across it. I looked up at the man, recognizing him, and seeing his recognition of Jack in his own eyes, just as he turned away… and saw me.

Captain Diego Perez was one of the people who had befriended me here, and he looked guilty and ashamed as he saw me. No, that wasn’t right was it? He was as stone-faced as ever, it was more a feeling of those emotions from him. He’s been holding out on me, I thought, suddenly Jack seemed to pounce without moving an inch.

“Captain Perez,” he said, probably pulling the name from my thoughts. *Well you were quite loud about it,* he thought at me with a smirk as Diego snapped his head back in surprise. “Fortunately for you, I don’t know much more than your name… for the moment. Unfortunately, you know who I am, or at least think you do, am I right?” Diego’s nod, and the extra flash of fear that crossed his face made me study him closer. I suddenly very badly needed to know what Diego knew about Jack without his thoughts clouding up my head.

*What are you––?* he began thinking at me, but I pushed it aside focusing on a memory. I brought it to the surface of my thoughts and tried to peek in without getting sucked into it. Yes this should work I thought as I looked over the somber gathering. I pulled back, grabbing hold of his anxious thoughts and dove into the memory. *No don’t do––!* I heard as I released him and ripped myself out of the memory and back into the present.

I felt dizzy for a moment, swaying on my feet as I tried to focus on Diego. Jack’s maelstrom of thoughts had quieted and been confined to swirling in a bubble of a memory floating around my thoughts. I took a deep breath and narrowed my eyes as they finally focused on Diego.

“Now, Diego, you are going to tell me everything you know about this guy,” I said hooking a thumb at Jack. “Oh and whatever it is you’ve been hiding from me,” I added as he opened his mouth to answer and looked at me. “Quickly I’m not sure how long I can hold his attention.”

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“I’m sorry niña, it was in my orders,” he said, glancing at Jack before continuing. “This hombre es loco. He’s supposedly the head of some super-secret multinational organization with their hands in some pretty shady looking operations. All of the officers were briefed on him and some of his known associates as a potential threat to security,” he paused and looked away. “I never thought he’d ever come here of all places, until I saw you walking around here.”

Odd I thought, but none of it really surprised me after the morning I just had. “What about me changed your mind?” I asked bitterly, positive he would mention something about the crimson monstrosities on my back.

“You can hear other people’s thoughts, like he’s supposed to be able to,” he said in answer, “and he supposedly has his hands in some pretty advanced genetic tests with high end tech. He’s known as Jack L’ombre, the Shadow.” He said all of this without looking at me, and it was easy to tell he was still hiding something. I stayed silent waiting. A few moments later he turned his head, still not looking at me, staring at my shoes instead. “He’s fiercely protective of his people and will go nearly any length to recover any that have been discovered and captured… with explicit details to that effect.” He hesitated again, ah, and here we come to his little secret. “You were designated a cooperating hostile with a medium to high flight risk.”

Cooperating hostile? Flight risk? I thought to myself fiercely. It clicked several of the puzzle pieces into place and colored my opinion of this compound that had just truly become the cage Jack called it.

“That’s all I know niña! I swear it!” he said pleadingly, mistaking my silence for anger. Taking control again, I nodded and he relaxed a little. He was still my friend. He had been one of the people bringing me the whispers after all. I would not let Jack throw him out of the plane, he was as in the dark about this place as I was.

Coming to that decision, I opened my mouth to inform Diego just as the bubble of memory pulsed and burst. Jack’s thoughts exploding across my mind made my knees buckle as my eyes lost focus and I started to fall. Struggling to stay conscious, I slowly became aware of an arm around my waist, holding me on my feet. Something metal pressed to my lips as a cool liquid slid down my throat, setting fire to everything it touched on the way. My eyes snapped open as I quickly turned my head to cough at the burning sensation.

The arm left my waist as my knees finally recovered enough to do their job. After the fit of coughing passed, I turned my head to look at who had caught me as I fell. Of course it would be him, he must have moved the moment the bubble popped. He also must have been the one to feed me that volatile brew.

I tried to shove him back, he was still way too close, but he just grabbed my elbow to steady me as my hand refused to obey and slid weakly down his chest. *What the hell?* I thought, my mind still clouded and slow.

“Drink,” he said, holding a metal flask up between us. Why were his thoughts so quiet all of a sudden, just a murmur in the back of my head. “Drink,” he said again urgently, moving the flask up towards my lips.

“No,” I said weakly, “tell me what it is first.” For all I know he could have drugged me with that first sip, maybe that is why I still feel so weak.

He barked out a laugh. “Moonshine,” he said taking a big swig himself. “Here, drink. It will help,” he said, his grey eyes studying me with concern as he pressed the flask into my hand. As I took hold of the flask, I caught one of his thoughts before another replaced it, *Has she made up her mind about me yet?*. The thought was so faint and gone so fast I almost missed it, and I was sure it wasn’t meant for me to hear. Well bottoms up, I thought, realizing I had as I raised the flask.

I took two deep gulps before the urge to wheeze became too great. Pressing the flask to his chest, my arm obeying and remaining stiff enough this time to push him back a step, I coughed and tried to catch my breath. “My god! How do you drink this swill?” I finally managed. He was right though. I could practically see the strength returning to my limbs as the darkness hampering my vision slowly faded into focus.

“Did you think your abilities came without a price?” he asked, still staring at me intently. I had , but before I could get that out he went on. “I’m guessing your body just used up everything it had still stored up from your last meal, so don’t be surprised when you get hungry again soon, the moonshine’s only a quick fix to keep you on your feet. It burns up too quickly.” He fished in one of the pouches strapped to his leg as Diego looked on cautiously. He pulled something out and flipped it to me with a flick of his wrist. I barely had enough time to react when the bright silver packet stopped midair in front of my belatedly outstretched hand. “Hopefully this will hold you over until we can get you something more substantial.”

*Showoff,* I thought at him as I snatched the floating MRE. He flashed me a smile before turning back to Diego.