to say. As a native of Skye, he’d been brought up to be bold and brusque. It was second nature for Highlanders, but Marcus had tempered that somewhat and taught Ciaran to choose his words wisely to get the best response from others, instead of shouting out demands.
Finally, after Marcus and Patrick settled in the window seat and Louisa sat in one of the chairs perpendicular to the love seat, Ciaran sat next to Bannon. He ran his hands down his thighs to his bare knees. “I’m tired of the secrecy.”
Marcus opened his mouth to protest, but Ciaran pointed at him.
“From all of ye. I’m positive we are all on the same side. But if we dinna talk….” He shook his head, and his voice grew more husky. “This enemy of ours killed my father.”
A knot formed in Marcus’s throat. He knew all too well the destruction the IN could do to one’s life. He still wanted revenge for his son’s and Mary’s deaths, so he couldn’t fault Ciaran for seeking revenge of his own, though he knew it probably wasn’t the healthiest way to deal with their losses.
“And at this verra moment, this enemy is building some sort of stronghold on the edge of MacKay lands.” Ciaran stared at Marcus, then shifted his gaze to Patrick. “The two of ye are, and always have been, hiding something, and I have a hunch it has tae do with what is going on now.”
Well, hell. So did Marcus, though neither he nor Patrick could prove it. He felt so damned helpless. Just like he had all those years ago. Instinct made Marcus stiffen up. He wanted to know what was going on too…. He was tired of hiding and playing it safe. He finally had the opportunity to fight back, and he was going to take it. He glanced at Patrick, expecting to see his usual hesitancy, but what he saw was resignation. Just like always, Patrick seemed to read his mind.
Crossing his legs at the ankles, Patrick stretched them out in front of him. “We are from Regelence. I was a lieutenant commander in the Intergalactic Navy.”
Bannon and Louisa both sucked in a breath. Bannon looked on the verge of saying something, but Ciaran grabbed his hand, patting it in reassurance. “Let him finish.”
Marcus was glad. He wasn’t sure he could take the accusations at the moment, but it also erased his doubts about whether Regelens knew something was up with the IN. Question was, how much did they know?
Patrick resumed his explanation. “While stationed in the Yarren system, I started getting reports from a few of my men that they were having to report to the lab for bloodwork and testing. The men seemed rather put out by it, since they were not due for their annual physicals. We hadn’t been anywhere, and all our vaccinations were up-to-date, so I started looking into it. I quickly discovered that the only men being tested were Regelens. It seemed strange to me. I couldn’t find any reason in their records for this, so I went directly to the lab. The head of the lab was not there, but my clearance allowed me access. I talked to a few techs and didn’t discover much. They seemed as in the dark as I was. Then the next day, I got a message from an anonymous source with what looked like DNA reports and telling me to check lab room 2A. I should have had clearance, but I couldn’t get into lab 2A, so I waited until after hours, and I went back and took Marcus with me.” His voice trailed off, and he gripped Marcus’s hand, squeezing.
A chill raced up Marcus’s spine, but he squeezed back. Damn, he could still imagine the babies in those tanks and the horror of knowing they shouldn’t be there. He’d known immediately that something was very wrong.
It got quiet, and he realized that Ciaran, Bannon, and Louisa were all watching him and waiting for an explanation.
“I’m good with computers.” He shrugged. “It’s a talent. I can hack into just about any system.” He’d always found computers fascinating. As an only child, there were times growing up when the family butler had been his only companion.
Bannon glanced at Ciaran.
Ciaran stared back at him, and they seemed to engage in some sort of silent communication. After a few seconds, Bannon motioned to Marcus. “I’m afraid I know where this is going, but please continue. Then I’ll tell you what