Storm (Swipe Series)

“Nothing, really, ma’am, I just . . . Any further update on the Erin Arbitor situation?”
    Head Agent Samantha Tate looked at Charles with some strange mix of pity and irritation.
    “Not since the update you received—what was it, now—fifteen minutes ago?” She smiled. “But don’t worry. It’s only a matter of time before we move in.”
    Mr. Arbitor took a deep breath. “Ma’am,” he said gingerly. “You know I hate coming here like this. You know I hate even to bring this up, but . . . well . . .” He chose his words carefully. “In light of all of this . . . have you ever considered the possibility that, perhaps, there’s a good explanation for Erin’s criminal behavior?”
    “Of course there’s an good explanation,” Tate said. “She fell in love with a criminal. What, you think Logan Langly and the rest of those Dust traitors haven’t rubbed off on her by now?”
    “Sure,” Mr. Arbitor said. “Sure, yes, that’s what I’ve always thought too. Except . . . the thing is, ma’am . . . Erin had been working with us. The whole time. She was helping us. Helping us find the Langly boy, doing everything she could to reason with him . . . right up until the moment she disappeared. I honestly believe Erin was on DOME’s side.” Mr. Arbitor sighed. “I guess I just don’t see where her sudden change of heart might have come from, unless a good reason came along with it.”
    Tate shrugged impatiently. “So what are you suggesting, hm? Go on. Out with it.”
    “Nothing in particular, I suppose.” Mr. Arbitor looked bashfully at his feet. “It’s only that, when I came to work for DOME, it was my understanding that our mission here was to promote Unity and peace.”
    “Of course.”
    “And now out of the blue we’re told, ten years later, that our own General-in-Chief Lamson has been assembling a flunkee army of IMPS this whole time? I mean, what kind of government builds an army with another country’s leader? No matter how friendly their heads of state are, you have to agree, it’s more than a little strange.”
    Tate sighed. “The chancellor has always been an ally, Charles. You know that. Our movement toward a Global Union has been well-known—anticipated, even—for quite some time. Its leaders’ shared ownership of the IMPS is perfectly consistent, in light of that.”
    “Okay,” Charles said. “But what does a Global Union need anarmy for? Who are they planning to fight? Wasn’t the G.U. Treaty ratified in order to end wars and violence and conflict? Wasn’t that the point of all of this?”
    “The IMPS are not soldiers, Charles. They’re Moderators. The ‘P’ stands for Peace.”
    “I know that,” Mr. Arbitor said meekly. “But we can call them whatever we want—the fact is, they’re Pledge process flunkees who have been trained to fight. Flunkees , Tate! I was told flunkees were a myth!”
    “And so was I.”
    “Then both of us were duped! Right along with everyone else in this office. And the only reason we know that now is because of Erin.”
    “Everything she’s done has been illegal, Charles. Everything.”
    “I know that, ma’am. I just . . . What else don’t we know? What if there’s more, even, than Acheron and the IMPS? And what if Erin knows it? If there’s even a chance that someone within our ranks is working at cross-purposes with our department’s stated mission of Unity and peace . . . and if Erin has discovered that truth . . . . She’d be a hero , ma’am. Not a traitor.”
    Head Agent Tate lowered her eyes and looked down at her desk for some time. “Look, Charles. I’m going to level with you. I have a daughter too. What you must be going through right now . . . I can’t even imagine. And, hey—this IMPS bombshell blindsided me just as much as it did everyone else in this office. But the fact is, Charles, you’re an agent of the Department of Marked Emergencies. And right now, your daughter’s made her way into the middle of a very big emergency. Sitting here, hoping that her intentions are good . . . it’s missing the point. Current intelligence states that Erin Arbitor has acted treasonously. I have orders totake her in, as soon as possible, for questioning. It’s for the security of the Global Union that I do that, Charles. You must understand that.”
    “I do,” Mr. Arbitor said. “I do.” There was a long pause between them. “And that’s why I came here today to request that I be assigned to her