Disguise

Well Groomed Woman

Flora's POV

"-I hope so. Otherwise we have no leads left." I heard Grey reply to his mate.

"What are you guys talking about?" I asked them, as the doors opened into the room. There were several people in B2, but they'd set up what looked like a command center. On my entrance, everyone stopped their work and gave me a swift bow Startled, I immediately raised my hand and mumbled a quick, "You don't have to do that!" Everyone still held their bow and I looked at Dani and Grey for some help.

Daniella gave me a shake of her head and announced to everyone else, "That's fine get back to your work everyone." Without another hesitation everyone was back into their seats. The entire hall had multiple computers and screens set up. When did we have the time to set this all up? It looked like an entirely different place.

"We generally use B3 for these operations but you both are staying there so." Grey told me and I barely registered what he said. Who cared what room they generally used?

"What are all of them doing?" I asked, overlooking the sea of screens in front of me. They looked like video recordings of different places. "They're looking for Deta. He came up in a hit at a nearby location. We're trying to figure out where he is, because he is the one person who can help us tie heads or tails in all this."

"Not the only one – where's Xena?" I remembered why I was here!

"She's downstairs in B3 with Nate and Noori." Grey answered for me and I nodded, spinning around to make my way back into the elevator that brought me here.

"Wait, what do you mean not the only one?" Daniella asked me, grabbing me by my elbow and I shook my head, pressing the elevator button. "I'll tell you when I have something concrete. Right now, it's just a hunch." Daniella looked like she wanted to push it, but she didn't. Something about them both was wrong. Like a dark cloud had settled in them, some secret they wouldn't tell me.

"Hey, you okay?" I asked her gently and her eyes met mine. I saw something close to guilt swirl in them for a second before it disappeared. What was that all about? Behind her, I could feel Grey watching us closely, but he didn't say anything. The elevator doors opened but I stayed right where I was.

"Daniella, we will catch these people you know that, right?" I thought she was just stressed about the whole scenario. "I know it's serious and all but you can't be tensed or else you won't be able to do your best." I added, placing my hand around her shoulder. She still didn't say anything. Her eyes were now glistening, and I looked over her shoulder at Grey. He had a similar look on his face – guilt and sadness.

Just past Grey, on one of the screens I saw Reece, Hank and Sienna on the screen, next to a sobbing Brianna. She was being handed tissues by Sienna. But I could tell from the way her lips curled that she was smiling. She hugged Hank, she hugged Reece and cried, but it didn't look like a sad cry. I turned Daniella to the screen and said, "Look, it looks like they got through to her!" I spoke excitedly. Daniella looked away from the screen at Grey and he walked closer to us.

"I'm serious Dani. She's smiling and everything. She's talking too! Hey! Do we have audio on this thing?" I asked one of the people sitting right below that screen. His eyes widened as he realized that I was talking to him and it took him a second to do what I'd asked him to do.

Geez, it was like I was a celebrity of some kind.

The audio rose a little, coming through the sound system in the room and we could hear partial words. "Flora, no-"

"Just relax! We'll figure it out with her help." I shushed her and Grey put his arms around her. It looked like an internal struggle between the two of them to stop me, but they didn't. "Hey, sir?" The same brown-haired boy looked at me as if I'd grown two heads and he stuttered, "Yes, Queen?" I frowned at the title but decided to ignore correcting him this time. He was a young man, his formal attire and serious looking face told me he took this job importantly. His hair was curly but kept neatly cut and he had no beard. I walked a little further to him. I noticed other people around him start to look at me too, but I chose to ignore them. They were acting so starstruck.