"Penumbra was destroyed that completely."
"People still remember the project, Gabriel. They just don't remember her."
The nurse who worked on the project apparently did. But she was just one mind of many, and a woman with a faulty memory at that. Partially thanks to Alzheimer's, and partially thanks to the military's habit of "readjusting" memories. Gabriel shifted restlessly in the seat. "What if she isn't a reject? What if she's something else entirely?"
Stephan raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
He didn't really know. It was just a feeling. The extent of Sam's memory loss, the depth to which the truth appeared to be buried, and the fact that someone was willing to bomb the SIU in order to destroy her test results—it all spoke of intent.
It suggested that someone, somewhere, was protecting her from her past, whatever that might be.
He actually doubted that it was Hopeworth trying to conceal who she was, even if they were her creators. The military weren't that subtle. Besides, if Sam was one of their creations, they would never have let her go. Not with the potential she was now showing.
"Look," Gabriel said, somewhat impatiently. "All I'm saying is that if Sethanon feared her enough to place a watch on her, we should not risk using her as bait in an attempt to catch the man."
"We don't even know if, in fact, it is a man we are after."
Gabriel leaned forward and glared at his twin's altered features. It was in moments like this, moments when he almost wanted to punch the cold smile from his brother's face, that Stephan being a shapeshifter, who could take on the shape of any male he touched, became a real problem. It was harder to restrain the urge to hit him when he wasn't wearing his own face. "Damn it Stephan, don't play word games with me."
Something flickered through the blue of his eyes. Anger perhaps. Or regret. "Do you, or do you not, agree that we must learn more about Sethanon?"
"Yeah, but—"
"And do you, or do you not," Stephan continued, his voice soft but relentless, "Agree that Sethanon's interest in Sam might be the lever we need to draw him out of the shadows?"
Gabriel rubbed his forehead. This was one battle he wasn't going to win. Not that he ever won many against Stephan.
"The first hint of danger, and I'm going in."
"Samantha can take care of herself. She's proven that time and again."
But this was different. This was leaving her roped, tied and blindfolded in front of an express train. "I won't see her harmed."
Stephan smiled. "And here I thought you didn't care for her."
"I've never said that. All I've ever said is that I don't want her as a partner. That I don't want to see her dead."
"Have you ever considered the fact that this fear of losing partners is irrational and maybe you should seek psychiatric help for it?"
"Considered it? Yes. Acknowledge it? Yes. Am I going to seek psychiatric help? No." He met his brother's stony gaze with one of his own. "If I wanted to talk to anyone I'd talk to our father."
"Because, of course, you couldn't talk to your brother."
Stephan's voice was almost bitter.
Almost.
"My brother has a tendency to put the needs of the Federation and the SIU above the needs of everyone, including his brother."
Stephan didn't immediately comment, just leaned forward and picked up a folder from the desk. "Here's the file on your new partner."
Gabriel ignored the offered folder and stared at his twin through narrowed eyes. "What do you mean, new partner?"
"I've told you before. All field agents, whether SIU or Federation, now work in pairs. There's been too many murder attempts of late to risk solo flights."
"I don't want a partner." What was his brother trying to prove?
"Then you remain at your desk and leave the field work to the agents in your charge."