Hello everyone and welcome back to Story Day!! I have something special up my sleeve to reveal in a couple of months – we’ll see how that goes. >:) Anywho, for now, let’s just dive right in. 😀
Recap
Lasha has discovered that the gunar she was tracking on Earth wasn’t named Rushnak Gunitka. In fact, Rushnak is dead and the gunar she sent back was a criminal by the name of Ixshar.
The Caretaker – Part 1.14
“Okay,” she said as her armband flickered off, returning her gaze to Rune. “Was Ixshar taken in alive?”
“Yes, Commander. I questioned him, but he was unwilling to answer until we bargained for his freedom.”
“You threatened him with the Prisons?”
Rune chuckled. “And it worked, too. He told us everything. I have people quadruple-checking what he said at the moment.”
“Give me more, Caretaker. Why did he murder Gunitka? Why did he take his name? Who is he working for? What does he want?”
A sideways glance warned her of his wariness. “All of what I know is untested things Ixshar told me. I cannot prove their truth.”
Lasha narrowed her eyes. “Do you think I became a Commander by believing everything anyone’s ever told me? Tell me what you know.”
A sigh escaped Rune’s lips. “We don’t know why he murdered Gunitka. He hinted at three things and refused to tell more.”
“What things?”
“One, that it was to steal a possession of Gunitka’s. Two, that it was out of revenge for something Gunitka did to his family in the past. Moekinoans are highly loyal to their families and no others.”
Lasha snorted. “Trust me, I know. What was the third?”
Her Caretaker hesitated for the slightest of moments before answering. “That Gunitka overheard something he wasn’t supposed to. Ixshar killed him to keep him quiet.”
“Let me guess: that was the most subtle of his hints.”
“Yes.”
“Hm.” Lasha stored the information away in her brain to think about later. “Do you know why he used Gunitka’s name?”
“He said it was the first name that came to mind when you asked, and he knew you’d pull up records, so he had to use one besides his that he knew already existed.”
Lasha pulled up Ixshar’s file, her curiosity piqued. “That would make sense. Who is he working for?”
At that, Rune hesitated for so long that Lasha had to prompt him to answer. When he did, his words were slow and carefully chosen. “He said that he’d never met the big boss – that he was just a minion for them until he could prove his worth. He didn’t know how big the operation was, only that he was being paid well for it and that it would pay even more if it worked. He only mentioned one name, one that he’d overheard, and I had to work hard to drag it out of him.”
Lasha glanced up from Ixshar’s file at her Caretaker’s holographic face. Worry lines were etched across his forehead. “Caretaker Rune,” she said, more sharply than she’d intended. “I don’t have all day. What was the name?”
Another hair’s breadth of time passed before he breathed it out. “Bennett. He said his bosses were working for Kain Bennett.”
Wrap Up
*cackles* Things are coming together – and about to get a lot worse. 😀 Y’all let me know your thoughts!
Until next time,
Take courage, pursue God, and smile while you still have teeth!
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