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“Where are their mothers?”

“They are listed as deceased.”

“Confirm those records before anyone speaks to the children about their mothers’ deaths. They will remain in her care while Intelligence searches for their families.”

“Yes, Commander.”

By the second hour, the assault was over and the recovery teams were still finding occupied rooms. We had brought too few medics, too few suitable transports and nowhere near enough accommodation.

I gave Veska authority to change the arrangements and call for whatever she needed, then took two guards to the upper holding level.

The captured Tureen personnel stood beneath the maintenance lights, restrained and separated by guards. One tried to straighten his jacket when he saw me.

I stopped before the nearest prisoner.

“Name.”

He gave it. Lucien answered through my receiver before the man could say more.

“Internal Security. His access records and recovered footage place him in the chained rooms. We have completed his questioning.”

The man began speaking again. I moved to the next prisoner before he finished.

She had supervised transport manifests. Lucien still needed her, along with two administrators who controlled access to accounts and personnel records. A physician accused of treating captives under coercion was moved to separate custody while her account was investigated.

One Alpha had been kept apart from the line. Blood marked his sleeve, although he had no wound.

Recovery had found him assaulting a male Omega. The victim was now with a Beta medic in a quiet transport bay.

The Alpha watched me approach.

“I was following orders.”

Lucien spoke in my ear. “We have the recording and Medical’s findings. His statement has been taken.”

“Does Intelligence require anything further?”

“No.”

The prisoner looked between me and my men.

“I can cooperate.”

“You already have.”

I drew my knife. His gaze dropped to it, and the fear in his scent sharpened. I caught the front of his uniform and pulled him upright against the wall.

“Look at me.”

“Please.”

“Let me show you what it feels like to be penetrated against your will.”

I waited until his eyes returned to mine, then drove the blade into his stomach five times. His hands strained against the restraints, warm blood running over my fingers. When his legs stopped supporting him, I withdrew the knife and let him fall.

The guards remained still. Behind me, one of the other prisoners began to sob.

I cleaned the blade on the dead man’s sleeve before returning it to its sheath.