Page 21

"Why would he do this?" I murmured, more to myself than to Norn. "He was suspended, yes, but to go this far..."

Norn's eyes narrowed as he examined one of the smashed data drives. "I don't think this was just about revenge," he said slowly. "Look at this. They weren't just destroying data. They were copying it first."

A chill ran down my spine as the implications sank in. "You think there's more to this? A larger conspiracy?"

Norn nodded grimly. "Venn's good, but he's not good enough to bypass our security systems on his own. Someone helped him. Someone with high-level access."

My world tilted on its axis. The idea that someone else in the facility, someone we might have worked with and trusted, could be involved in this betrayal. It was almost too much to bear.

"We need to tell the board," I said, already reaching for my datapad.

But Norn caught my wrist, his grip gentle but firm. "Wait," he said, his voice low. "We don't know how deep this goes. If we alert the wrong person, we could tip off the rest of the conspirators."

I hesitated, torn between my instinct to follow protocol and my trust in Norn's judgment. "What do you suggest we do?"

His eyes met mine, intense and determined. "We investigate on our own. Quietly. Find out who else is involved and what they're really after."

I took a deep breath, weighing the risks. What Norn was suggesting went against every rule and regulation I'd followed throughout my career. But as I looked around at the destroyed lab, at years of work lying in ruins, I knew we couldn't afford to play it safe.

"Okay," I said, squaring my shoulders. "Where do we start?"

Norn's lips formed a small smile. "First, we need to secure what's left of our research. Then, we start digging into Venn's communications, see if we can find any clues about his accomplices."

We spent the next few hours painstakingly cataloging the damage and salvaging what we could of our data. As we worked, I couldn't shake the feeling of betrayal that had settled in my gut. How long has this conspiracy been in the works? How many of our colleagues might be involved?

It was nearly dawn when we finally returned to our quarters, exhausted but wired with nervous energy. I sank onto the couch, running a hand through my tangled hair.

"What a mess," I sighed.

Norn sat beside me, his arm wrapping around my shoulders. I leaned into him, drawing comfort from his solid presence.

"We'll figure this out," he said, his voice a low rumble in his chest.

I nodded, trying to summon up some of his confidence. "I just can't believe Venn would go this far. And to think there might be others involved..."

Norn was quiet for a moment, his fingers tracing soothing patterns on my arm. "On Krixon," he said finally, "we had a saying:The deepest betrayals come from those closest to us."

I shivered, remembering the cold fury in Venn's eyes. "Not exactly comforting," I muttered.

Norn chuckled softly. "No, I suppose not. But it's a reminder to be cautious, to trust our instincts."

I pulled back slightly, looking up at him. "And what are your instincts telling you about this?"

His expression grew serious. "That this goes beyond simple jealousy or academic rivalry. The way they were copying data before destroying it. I think someone's after our research for a specific purpose."

A thought struck me, making my blood run cold. "The neural interface technology. In the wrong hands, it could be weaponized."

Norn nodded grimly. "Exactly. And I can think of a few groups who'd be very interested in that kind of weapon."

"Like Krixon," I said softly, remembering the attack months ago.

His arm tightened around me protectively. "Among others. But we can't jump to conclusions. We need evidence."

I took a deep breath, steeling myself. "Okay. So how do we get it?"

Norn's eyes gleamed with a mix of determination and something darker, a hint of the warrior he'd once been. "We start by hacking into Venn's personal files. See who he's been communicating with, what kind of data he's been accessing."

I bit my lip, conflicted. "That's highly illegal. If we get caught..."