The double doors of the main house gaped open by several inches—an eerie invitation to enter the dark building. A hand reached through the gap and took hold of one door, pushing it aside only far enough for the slender body to follow.

The automatic lights sensed the movement, and the chandelier flickered on in the foyer. Naaji stared at the room. Rain from outside had blown in and created a puddle on the floor. Blood was everywhere. She looked away from the splatters. The crimson pools were bad enough, but the splatters added a sense of violence and motion.

“Computer, is Devi Kumar in?” She didn’t notice her voice was shaking.

There was no answer.

“Computer, wake.”

She closed her eyes. “Computer, are you online?”

Still nothing.

She dropped everything in her arms. The scattered residue of water from her jacket turned some of the blood pink. Naaji walked from room to room, calling for the senator. At first she used Kumar’s proper title, but after a while, she was yelling Devi’s first name as she dodged into each new doorway.

In her haste, Naaji almost stumbled over the body of Moric Sipos.

She backed out of the dining room, ran to the communication center, and slapped her hand down on the console pad.

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“Chloe Naaji recognized.”

She ordered the system to come online and pulled up the planet communication network. The number she wanted was at the top of the recent call list. She pressed the redial. As she waited, she had to remind herself to breathe.

The connection seemed to take an eternity. The moment it touched the receiver, there was a low electronic buzz. The call dropped.

Naaji tapped the number again. The same result. The next time she dialed, she almost punched the number, as if her brutality might be able to convey urgency to the machine.

The call dropped with the same hideous noise.

“Computer, why isn’t the call connecting?”

“The receiver you are trying to reach is down.”

They’re already there.

Naaji interrupted the computer’s advice for who to call for customer service and demanded it find the number for the peacekeeping unit closest to Devi’s vacation home. She used the senator’s priority codes to push the call.

A man appeared on the screen. He was sitting down at a desk, reading something. “This is Lieutenant Fenn.”

“They took Kumar!”

The lieutenant’s distracted air disappeared. Naaji saw his eyes flick to the side of his screen to check the codes and priority of the call, then he looked at her through the monitor.

“Who is this?”

“My name is Chloe Naaji. I’m Senator Kumar’s personal assistant. There’s blood everywhere!”

“Where are you, Ms. Naaji?”

“I’m at the main house—I’m on Vale.”

“Vale? Ms. Naaji, that’s the other side—”

“Please listen, Lieutenant!”

Fenn shut his mouth.

“Senator Kumar had arranged to meet me here tonight. She’s gone. I tried to call her second home there on Tubesu, but the communications have been locked down. Please send over a team as soon as possible.”

“I will, Ms. Naaji. They’re already being dispatched. We know her address. I’m also going to contact Rishaw over there on Vale. Are you alone?”

Chloe nodded.

“Find a place to stay nearby where you’ll be safe—where you can hide if you need to. Wait there. We won’t be long.”