own.
"What leads them to that conclusion?" Kira forced herself to ask, trying to be logical about it all.
He pointed to her wrist, before lifting it and turning it so the mark on it was exposed. "Do you know how you got this?"
She frowned at him. "You know the story. You were there when I was discovered."
Their beginning had started with blood and fire. Kira had been near death after doing her utmost to destroy the compound where she'd spent her entire life being tortured and experimented on. Himoto and his team had rescued her from all that, killing the group of scientists who had been trying to train Kira and the others to be the best monsters they could be. Children as young as three taught to fight and then beaten as their caretakers tried to mold them into living weapons.
She and a few others had attempted to escape. The resulting commotion had drawn the notice of the local branch of the military. When they'd investigated, they found Kira and a bunch of dead scientists and guards.
The mark preexisted all that. For as long as she could remember, she'd had it. It didn't match any symbol she’d been able to find. It was tempting to classify it as a birthmark, except the edges were too precise and the shape too detailed.
"Every Tuann I've met has something similar on their body." He drew back her sleeve, and she let him, watching with narrowed eyes, untrusting.
The mark he revealed was in the shape of three crescents over a circle, smaller lines joining some of the crescents.
"From what we can tell, it’s a declaration of their House and lineage."
Kira wasn't willing to believe him. "Humans have known about the Tuann for over a decade. How has no one put this together before now?"
He huffed at her. "You've been gone since the war ended. We knew very little about them then."
And they hadn't wanted to lose one of their aces. Kira had been a legend during the war. She had more Tsavitee kills than any other wave runner. Throw in her special abilities and she could see why Centcom kept knowledge of her to themselves.
She pulled her arm from him. "Sorry, Himoto, I have no interest in digging up the past. I like my life right now. Tell them they're about thirty years too late."
She gestured at Jin and stepped past Himoto.
"You know their weapons are more powerful than anything we have," Himoto warned.
"I'll take my chances."
She approached the airlock and the tube leading to her ship, Jin a silent presence next to her. For once, he kept his opinions to himself. A fact she was grateful for.
"Rothchild."
Kira froze, her hand half lifted, her insides icing over.
"You manipulative bastard," Jin swore.
"Do this for me, meet with them, and all debts are wiped clean," he bargained.
Kira remained where she was, staring at Himoto. She should have known he'd pull Rothchild out as a means to get her to do what he wanted. Her biggest mistake and her greatest victory.
"You don't have to listen to him, Kira," Jin said. His eye swung toward Himoto and narrowed. She could practically read his mind as he readied some of the nastier upgrades she'd given him—nothing that would kill, but it would hurt. A lot.
Kira's sigh was heavy, indecision weighing on her. "I'll meet with them. I'll hear what they have to say."
It was subtle, but she read the signs of relief in Himoto, a slight loosening of the shoulders, the muscles in his face relaxing.
She dropped into his native language, one from a time when humanity was as divided and fragmented as their loyalties. Standard might be the common language now but many kept the languages and traditions of their origin. Himoto was one of them.
"I do this and you never mention Rothchild to me again," she told him.
He gave her a sharp nod. "Done."
The words should have made her feel better. Somehow, they didn't.
Something shifted in the air, telling Kira they were no longer alone. She tensed, but didn't move as the mountain from the interrogation room stepped into view, the same severe expression as last time on his face. He stared at her as if she was a puzzle he didn't know if he wanted to bother solving.
She stared back, the same challenge in her eyes from their earlier encounter. Only this time he didn't seem inclined to move out of her way.
The men and women he'd had with him earlier appeared, one by one, almost