Home Front (Star Kingdom #7) - Lindsay Buroker Page 0,126

that she almost forgot what she’d asked Naruto for.

“I think it’s almost over,” Maddie whispered over her shoulder.

The weapons fire had stopped. Lights flared to life in the hangar, and Oku squinted as white brilliance flooded the tunnel.

“All clear, Maddie,” Gunther called back.

“Stay here. I’ll check.” Maddie looked over her shoulder. “You still have that stunner?”

Oku showed it to her.

“Good. Stay here,” she repeated, then jogged into the hangar.

Here you go, Princess Oku. That handle belongs to Sir Slayer. Nobody’s supposed to know his identity, but there’s a lot of data to almost prove he’s a Military Intelligence officer. Those guys aren’t the best at hiding their footprints. It’s not like they have to care that much if they’re caught. Yup, Military Intelligence for sure. I’ve traced it back to the base here in town. Oh, this is hot stuff. I could get in lots of trouble poking around with the military. But you’ll rescue me from jail if I’m thrown in right? Princesses can absolutely do that. And I have to finish this semester. I’m super close to graduating.

Military Intelligence? Oku let her shoulder blades thump back against the stone wall.

Try not to get caught, she replied, feeling weak. Why would the military be after her? Of all people who should be loyal to her father’s wishes… But I’ll do what I can if you get in trouble. Thank you for the help.

Welcome! Sorry, I don’t know how much more information I can get. Slayer is hiding himself behind some pretty secure firewalls.

It’s fine. You were great. Maybe once she made sure Chasca was safe, Oku could try speaking with her brother again. Did he even know who had set this all up? Or had he wanted for Oku to disappear so badly that he’d said yes to someone with a hidden identity?

“Princess Oku?” Maddie stepped into view, the harsh light of the hangar framing her. “You can come out here. If you want to.” There was a weird note to her voice.

“Why wouldn’t I want to? This ladder and tunnel are not interesting.”

“It’s messier than Finn’s room,” Maddie said without humor, then walked back into the hangar.

Oku trailed her out with the stunner in hand. Two men in black galaxy suits were down, the dark fabric scored from weapons blasts. One man wasn’t moving—was he dead?—but the other groaned and twitched as Rokuro stood over him, a deadly rifle pointed downward. Next to them, Gunther knelt, gripping his arm. His armor was split from a barrage of fire that had struck him.

Maddie waved for Oku to follow her past them and toward one of three air darters parked in the hangar. The big sliding doors at the front, an exit she knew led out of the cliff and over the water, were closed. On one side of the hangar, four armored ground vehicles were parked near a small exit. She vaguely remembered that it led into a tunnel that eventually came out under a bridge in the city. She’d been eight the only time her father had taken her that way, not because of an emergency but because he’d been making sure that she, Jorg, and Finn knew how to escape if needed.

“Over here, Your Highness.” Maddie stood at the open canopy of the cockpit of a darter and pointed into it, rather than directing her toward the passenger hatch in the back. What did she want Oku to see?

Oku grimaced as she came up to Maddie’s side. A man was slumped forward, his torso and head pressed against the console. He wore the blue and silver uniform of the staff, a hole in the back with a blood stain darkening the fabric around it.

“Dead?” Oku stared at him and then toward the men in galaxy suits. “Did our people do it or…?”

Maddie shook her head. “They fired at those intruders out there, but we believe this man was dead when we came in.” She gently pulled his head up to show his face. “It’s one of your father’s pilots.”

Oku’s stomach twisted as she recognized him. “Hideki. I’ve flown with him before. He has—had—a sense of humor.”

It was an inane thing to say, but it was all that came to mind. The former army captain turned castle pilot Hideki had been easygoing and quick to crack jokes with Oku and her brothers when they’d been younger. So many of her father’s staff were humorless—maybe he preferred it that way.

“I’m confused,” Oku said. “Why was he down here? And