CHAPTER SIX : THE SET-UP

They took her to the Database room. Quibs removed a bag that covered her face, revealing she was in a dimly lighted part of the room."Where are we?" she asked.

"Why did you let the creatures in the lab escape?" Jeno asked from the shadows.

"What?" she was bewildered " I don't know what you are talking about."

"Were you not the one leaving the notes?"

Quibs leaned forward right in her face.

"Yes I was" She replied.

"Then, you must have had a hand with the breakout." Quibs insisted

"I wasn't even close to the lab when it happened. I was in my room going through the items I took from the aircraft and tents." Detty said.

"She could be telling the truth." Nathan said.

"What? That can't be, we found a wicker and Jacobs' tent was raided immediately after the explosion. The wicker escaped even before the incident, that means the creatures had escaped already." Quibs said.

"If she was in her room when it happened, how did she get to Jacobs' tent? She said she wasn't close to the lab, I doubt that." Jeno said.

He stepped into the light and Detty got startled. She struggled to get up from the chair she was tied to and started shouting.

"Calm down, kid" Jeno cooled her down and asked her softly " What were you going to do with the things you so?"

She stared at him for a moment and moved her head to the sound of Nathan's voice talking to Quibs. She noticed a red beam of light. "We are in the database room, aren't we?" she tilted her head and smiled.

"Oh come on!" Quibs exclaimed "Just turn the lights on."

"You sure?" Jeno asked.

"Yes I am. She knows where we are."

"How?" Jeno turned the lights on and walked to her.

"I know this ship. I have been here a couple of times." Detty replied.

"What were you doing here?" Jeno asked.

"I came here with my mom when she-"

"Wait... who is your mom?" Quibs asked.

"Belta Dickens." she said, distorting her face with an awkward smile.

"Ahhh" Quibs and Jeno groaned.

"We need to get her to Jacobs, he'll know what to do with her." Jeno said.

"Wait...come see this." Nathan said.

They both walked behind him and and leaned to look at the computer before them. "What's in her?" Jeno asked.

"Some sort of energy, similar to the readings from the Maggot." Nathan pauses and tabbed on her bio-data " The Maggot is inside of her." he adds.

Nathan walked to Detty and untied her from the chair. He then took a few steps backwards. She stood up and went to the exit expecting them to say something or do anything. While looking back at them, she pressed a button for the door to open and walked out slowly, going away from the room.

"Why did we let her go?" Quibs whispered.

"We don't know what to expect, she might be a ticking time bomb or a containment unit for the Maggot." Nathan said.

"Or both" Quibs scoffs and tabs Jeno with his elbow.

"She hasn't gone crazy or anything, it's like she is a host. We need to the others, the ship can go down any moment from now" Jeno said.

They went to the ward room and Jacobs was being discharged from the ward. "What's wrong?" he asked, seeing their troubled faces

"The Maggot." Jeno said.

Jacobs stared at him and at the others."How?" he exclaimed. He buttons his shirt and asked "Where is it?"

"It's complicated. The thief we have been searching for..." Jeno said.

"Yeah" Jacobs nods.

"We found her, her name is Detty Dickens."

"Belta's daughter." Jacobs stood in awe.

"The Maggot is inside of her" Jeno told him.

"Does anyone else know?" Jacobs asked.

"Just the squad." Jeno replied.

"Where is she?"

"She is in level forty-eight. We have been tracking her."

Jacobs walked up the nurse."Excuse me."

"Yes" she turned to talk to him.

"Where is my armour?" He asked her.

"It's in the locker, over there." She points to the locker the locker space.

"We have to leave for Endock, now. We get the girl out of the ship and take her with us." Jacobs told Jeno.

"What about me?" Brooks spoke from his bed.

Jacobs ignored him and went to get his armour. He walked back passing Brooks struggling to get off his bed.

"Jacobs, I need this." Brooks said, stopping Jacobs on his tracks.

"You're not ready. And you need to recover." Jacobs said and walked away.

Inside the squad's aircraft. Quibs was on the pilot seat, prepping it for the mission and setting their coordinates, while Jacobs went to the Council's conference room and Jeno was on his way to get Detty.

Jacobs entered the conference room, where Lt. General Bizmah and two other generals were seated on high chairs about two feet above the ground. There were seven chairs surrounding a large table that was made with Grania, the same substance used to make the sentinels' armour. Lt. General Bizmah was seated at the right side, next to the center chair while the other two generals sat at the last chairs, each at the opposite end with a space wide enough to contain an eight chair. They all stopped talking when Jacobs entered and he bowed a knee with his head low, before them.

"What brings you here, Captain?" One of the generals, on the right side asked him.

"The Vatic Squad is leaving for the mission to Krusant." Jacobs said.

The general scoffed and spoke "The Vatic Squad has been relieved of its duty. The Sadon Squadron has the mission and they have left for Endock, eight hours ago. It seems like your Intel is failing."

Jacobs stood up and saluted. He was leaving, when Lt. General Bizmah spoke out, "Wait Captain. The Council trusts in your team's capabilities and you are to go to Endock, but you are to orbit the planet and provide Sadon with support, only when they call for it." The General's voice was reaffirming and deep.

Jacobs puts on his helmet and smiles. The general that spoke to him earlier, casts his eyes at Jacobs and groaned softly.