Lynn set down the Dataslate, his fingertips icy.
Was this even combat?
This was a ritual "disinfection" carried out with extreme firepower.
Efficiency?
Perhaps that utterly unrestrained, even somewhat obsessive pursuit of destructive power was more chilling to the marrow.
He could almost hear the continuous roar of Heavy Bolters and the shriek of melta beams tearing through the air.
Before these steel giants, even the swarm's ruthless, efficient methods of hunting seemed somewhat "primitive."
"How would I fight them if we ran into each other?"
The thought surfaced uncontrollably, carrying an absurd chill.
He was on the Imperium's side now, at least on the surface.
But deep down, he knew: how long could his and Rena's secrets stay hidden before these "angels"?
In short, Lynn was under a hell of a lot of pressure now.
Cassius's squad carried out their purges with astonishing efficiency.
In just a few local day cycles, the three "high-probability infection zones" they had marked out were purified one after another.
Certain people in the Hive City's upper levels seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, but through Rena's faint perceptions, Lynn knew things were not that simple.
Some deeper, more concealed Tyranid nodes seemed to have been disturbed.
Their activity patterns underwent unpredictable changes, revealing an abnormal restlessness.
Both Lynn and Rena knew full well that part of this chaos stemmed from Rena's existence as an "independent node," which interfered with the local Hive Mind's coordination.
Most of it, however, came from the main nest sensing an increasing external threat and beginning to adjust its strategy.
This "lack of coordination" had clearly not escaped Cassius's notice.
The sergeant's logic was as cold and hard as his Power Armour.
Anomalies meant variables, and variables meant potential threats or gaps in intelligence.
He began working backward through the evidence.
And so, Lynn received an "invitation."
Two Sons of Medusa warriors appeared directly outside his office without warning.
They said nothing, merely gesturing for him to follow.
Their bearing allowed no refusal.
Lynn's heart clenched.
But he quickly arranged his face into an expression mixing surprise, honor, and a precisely measured trace of apprehension.
He straightened his inspector's uniform; these clothes now offered him at least a little psychological cushioning.
Following the two steel giants, he could feel the gazes of every colleague and subordinate along the way.
There was awe in those looks, curiosity, and perhaps a barely perceptible trace of pity.
An "invitation" from the angels could bring either fortune or disaster.
The temporary meeting room was set up in an emptied reserve supply warehouse in District Five.
The warehouse was tall and cavernous, with only a few high-powered lamps casting a harsh, glaring white light.
The air smelled of dust mixed with machine oil.
A lone metal chair stood in the center of the warehouse.
Cassius stood before the chair, the Iron Halo behind him slightly distorting the light beneath the lamps, adding another layer of inhuman pressure to his already towering figure.
Two other Space Marines stood like guardian deities on either side of the warehouse's only entrance, sealing it off completely.
"Sit." Cassius's voice came through his helmet, as level and unruffled as ever.
Lynn sat as instructed. The metal seat was icy.
He forced his shoulders to relax, but his spine involuntarily straightened.
He raised his head, resting his gaze on Cassius's white helmet while avoiding looking directly into the dark red lenses.
Those could supposedly see through flesh and analyze microexpressions, body temperature, and even pulse.
Cassius did not speak immediately.
He simply stood there as the scanner's faint light, almost invisible to the naked eye, slowly swept over Lynn.
From the crown of his head to the soles of his feet, again and again.
Time flowed by in silence.
Lynn could hear his blood flowing in his ears and feel cold sweat beginning to seep down his back.
His soaked lining clung to his skin, cold and clammy.
He had to keep it under control.
Control his breathing, control his heartbeat, control the smallest twitch of his face.
He sank part of his awareness into his faint link with the system.
He used the fact that outsiders could not detect the system's existence to force himself to calm down.
Finally, Cassius spoke.
The questions came one after another, each based on trivial official records Lynn had almost forgotten:
"Tax officer Lynn Corvana.
"According to the records, on standard date M41.998.11.03, you requested access to old pipeline maintenance files for sectors B-7 through B-12 of lower District Seven.
"Reason for request: investigate suspected tax avoidance by suspicious businesses."
Cassius paused for half a second:
"The retrieved records show no trace of registered business activity in those sectors over the past fifteen years."
"Explain."
Lynn's mind raced.
That date fell shortly after he had first bonded with Rena, when he had conducted an investigation to learn the layout of the sewers.
He drew a breath, keeping his voice steady, even adding a hint of thoughtful recollection:
"You are discerning, Lord Angel.
"At the time, I received an anonymous tip claiming that a group was using the abandoned pipeline network for undeclared smuggling and makeshift processing of rare metal scrap, thereby evading mining and processing taxes.
"I accessed the files to confirm the pipeline layout and assess its potential as a smuggling route.
"Although the tip ultimately proved partly inaccurate and no large-scale processing site was found,
"there were indeed signs of recent human activity, which were referred to an Adeptus Arbites patrol for attention in accordance with procedure."
Half true, half false.
He had indeed investigated smuggling, and he had indeed handed over some inconsequential "traces."
The red glow of Cassius's lenses flickered slightly, as though he were cross-referencing data.
He offered no comment on the explanation, moving straight to the next question:
"Three standard days after you accessed those files, at an abandoned water purification plant outside your jurisdiction.
"A large-scale armed clash occurred, accompanied by violent explosions.
"A subsequent examination found the remains of mutant creatures and traces of combat.
"The day before the incident, you investigated that plant's archival information.
"Yet your subsequent work report mentioned no signs of suspicious personnel or biological activity related to your investigation.
"Why?"
Here it comes.
Lynn inwardly tensed. Sure enough, it was the time he had taken Rena to raid the Sharktooth Gang.
"My lord," Lynn said, introducing just the right trace of shame and lingering fear into his voice.
"I was not in the area when the explosion occurred. When I learned of it afterward, I did find it puzzling.
"But the Adeptus Arbites had already intervened swiftly and classified it as an 'accident caused by infighting within a mutant creature nest.'
"Considering that my investigation primarily concerned tax offenses, and that I had not directly found any conclusive evidence related to the explosion.
"To avoid interfering with the Adeptus Arbites' dedicated investigation, I did not repeat the matter in my routine tax report.
"This was indeed an oversight on my part; I failed to report the anomaly promptly across departments."
He deftly shifted responsibility toward "procedural oversight" and "respect for other departments' authority."
This was the most common buck-passing technique in the bureaucracy.
At the same time, it also proved that Cassius did not possess enough relevant evidence.
Lynn could not help feeling fortunate that he had fed all those "living goods" to Rena at the time.
That was what had prevented word from getting out.
"Your personal spending records for the past six standard months," Cassius abruptly shifted his questioning into private matters.
"Show purchases of medical supplies, anti-radiation drugs, and high-specification military power cells beyond the normal level for your pay grade."
"Purpose?"
Lynn felt his throat grow somewhat dry.
Most of these expenses had gone toward managing Rena's injuries and energy needs, with the remainder used to arm himself and his subordinates.
"Lord Angel, the environment in the Hive City's lower levels is harsh. Prolonged inspection duties have caused chronic respiratory infections and skin ulceration, requiring large quantities of medication."
He explained the medical expenses first. There was nothing objectionable about that.
"As for the power cells, public security in the lower levels is poor, and inspectors often have to enter dangerous areas alone.
"To improve my chances of survival, I upgraded my standard weapons kit at my own expense and purchased some high-performance spare power cells.
"In addition, some of the expenditure went toward subsidizing my team members to maintain the team's combat effectiveness."
It was entirely reasonable, even making Lynn sound like a highly competent official.
Paying out of one's own pocket to upgrade equipment in order to survive and work better was not uncommon at the bottom of the Hive City.
Cassius fell silent again.
The scanner's beam focused on Lynn's chest, where his heart was.
Under that invisible scrutiny, Lynn felt as though his heartbeat had been placed beneath a magnifying glass.
Just three seconds.
Yet he felt as though time had stretched more than ten thousandfold, every moment an ordeal.
Just as Lynn felt he could no longer hold on, Cassius finally spoke again.
But this question made the blood throughout Lynn's body almost instantly freeze.