Page 15 of Radiant Exception
In the years I’d spent researching the Phoenix’s operations and trying to take them down, one piece at a time, I’d had a lot of time to think about what they could really be like, and it boiled down to a few characteristics.
First and foremost, someone who could grow an empire so vast, practically overnight, had to be strategic, meticulous, and adaptable with their thought process and planning. None of what the Phoenix built happened by accident.
No.
It had very much been intentional, well-planned, and perfectly executed, which would take someone at the top who knew exactly how to run things.
Another required attribute was influence, whether through existing or developed connections. Whether through charisma, manipulation, or brute force, Meridian’s reach spanned so far and wide that their tendrils went all the way to the farthest outposts on Pluto, and continued to expand across the system by the minute. While it had taken time for them to build such a vast network, that kind of expansion demands influence.
Such an individual must also have incredible and relentless drive, likely for power, but there would have to be a larger motivation behind such a prolific rise. The Phoenix also had a reputation for being rather ruthless, calculated, and pragmatic. There were no second chances in Meridian, under their rule; betrayal on any level, no matter how big or small, was not tolerated, which allowed them to rule through fear and retain utter control over the network. How paranoid must the Phoenix be, hiding in their lair, waiting for the next usurper to rise?
But all of that to say that none of those things would show on the surface, because in order to amass such a grand kingdom and yet remain so insulated, and so entirely anonymous, they would have to be a master at hiding in plain sight. Seamlessly switching between an innocuous and likely benevolent facade, while concealing a savagery that the system has never known, just below the surface, takes skill beyond measure, and honestly, must be exhausting to maintain.
So really, what I was searching for was someone who everyone liked, but who displayed, or was capable of those other traits I had identified. The problem thus far, on theRadiant, was that I couldn’t rule out almost anyone, just yet. The only caveat beingChadwick. His age made it impossible for him to be the Phoenix, and it was equally unlikely that he could be someone integral to the operations with the attitude I had seen thus far. Still, his family made him an attractive recruit, so I wouldn’t ignore him completely, but for the sake of the main mission, I had to take him out of consideration, if for nothing else than to narrow things down.
Vaughn was lucky; he not only had Darren to vouch for him, but his service record on his side. If he was the Phoenix, his skill in hiding his true nature, by taking out his entire squadron during a rebellion Meridian had incited, would have been the perfect way to cover up his identity, but there was something about Vaughn… You just couldn’t fake the impact of the horrors he’d seen. The Phoenix might try to feign such emotion, but it was impossible to do so to the level at which Vaughn appeared to be so deeply affected. He was a man clearly tormented by his past. It was a feeling I was far too intimate with myself…
The others were so much more complicated.
On the surface, Natalie felt too genuine to be involved. I was obviously biased when it came to Cassidy, but he’d always had such a big heart growing up; I couldn’t see him being the Phoenix. I didn’t know nearly enough about the other three—Rion, Jordan, or Ethan—to make any broadline assumptions. And now I’d need Vaughn and Darren to help me rule out past crew members as well.
Still, being able to observe the crew members interacting was helpful. It would allow me to establish a baseline of how each person composed themselves around others, as well as how they perceived one another. Being able to spot anomalies in behavior orout-of-character actions relied on having a solid understanding of who each of them wanted to appear to be in front of the others.
I had my work cut out for me.
The headaches were back.
I hadn’t had one this bad since the press tour I’d been forced to attend after the rebellion.
And I knew why…or rather who had caused it.
Lark-fucking-Sterling.
Despite me overriding the schedule to make sure Lark and I were on opposite shifts so we wouldn’t have to see each other, and certainly wouldn’t need to cohabitate, the woman was calling me constantly to complain about overtaxing the engines. Sully’d never had an issue, so I was sure she could figure it out on her own.
I’d known after seeing her sitting on my bed, big blue eyes staring up at me, that first day on the ship, that I needed to limit our interactions. Because when I was around her, when her small, warm hand kept sneaking into my hold, things inside me began to stir, long-dormant emotions peeking out. And they needed to stay hidden, right where they were.
Our situation was precarious enough without attraction being involved.
Still, I couldn’t deny that I found my wife as fierce as she was mysterious, and damn it if I didn’t want to uncover her mysteries as much as I wanted to do other things to her…
I couldn’t help but replay our interaction in my quarters that first day over and over again in the days since. I had so many questions, some of which she’d likely answer if I only asked, but I wouldn’t give her the satisfaction of my curiosity.
Why had she left IA?
Why didn’t she want me to know?
Why on earth didn’t she want to split the bounty?
What exactly was she hiding? Because she didn’t seem like the kind of woman who hid much, when she wasn’t fleecing someone on a mission. Maybe that was the problem…had Darren sent her to investigate me?
I wanted to know about her family too, but that research could be done without having to talk to her; I just hadn’t had time to dig into any of it yet. There were other things brewing on board that I was concerned about.
My crew was off, and it was making me uneasy.
Jordan seemed more tightly wound than normal. I glanced over at her on the bridge. Her focus was firmly on the screen in front of her, but it appeared as though her entire body was tense. Sure we were on a tight schedule, Lark’s persistent calls were a constant reminder, but we’d dealt with worse before; this was actually a more standard run. Jordan shouldn’t have anything to be anxious about, at least as far as I was aware.
She was a woman of few words, part of why we got along so well, but she knew she could confide in me. We weren’t exactly friends, but we were bonded. She’d had a similar upbringing to mine, and often we understood each other in a way that didn’t require words, sometimes only a sidelong glance.
