Path to Becoming the Greatest Space Mercenary

Chapter 570: Chapter 570 Infallible Liar

Avery spent the next couple hours catching up with Kasandra before the Intrepid arrived.

He had wondered how Kasandra knew where to go to help them cut off the escaping Odium Syndicate members, but as it turned out the answer to his question as simple.

She had been on her way back to rendezvous with them when the chase began.

Jasmine had been the one communicating with Kasandra, and so the two had decided to make it a surprise that Kasandra was back.

Which is why she had just suddenly popped up and helped out with stopping the fleeing criminals.

It had all ended well, and Avery was far too happy with reuniting with Kasandra to care about his wives making secret moves.

"I almost wish that they had taken longer. But considering what is going on right now, I suppose I can’t be too greedy and keep you to myself any longer." Kasandra said, a regretful look on her face.

She was currently sitting in Avery’s lap, clinging to him while they had been playing a game displayed on the Dauntless’ viewscreen.

It had felt like old times. Back when it was just the two of them and they were still living together on Avery’s small ship.

Still, as she said, the moment could not last forever.

There was still more work to do before they were done. And even after they finished this job, rest would have to wait until after they had dealt with Douvoi and his allies.

Kasandra had found where their base was, and they were lying low for now after getting on the wrong side of the Alliance Police after failing their attack on the Intrepid.

Nevertheless, it was only a matter of time before more people working for the warlord who had taken over Kasandra and Kaiden’s home planet came looking for them. And Avery planned on going on the offensive against them before they had the chance.

With his carrier ship having caught up, Avery and Kasandra decoupled their ships and made their way to the hangar.

At the same time, the Intrepid collected the remains of the fast escape craft the Odium Syndicate members were using that had not fit in the smaller ship’s cargo holds.

One of the vessels managed to remaining mostly intact after being disabled, and the pilot was still alive and taken prisoner.

"Sorry to put you to work as soon as you get back, but there’s something that I need you to do that requires your particular skillset." Avery said to Kasandra once they had both exited the hangar.

"Ah yes, that woman. I’ve read about her in some of the reports I received, and Jasmine and Liesel are certainly not happy about her presence. Apparently, she made a pass at you basically the moment she came abord the Intrepid."

Kasandra’s eyes narrowed like those of a predator, and Avery felt a chill up her spine.

She had no problems with Avery’s other wives as the three of them got along like sisters, but she still sometimes showed territorial behavior towards him. Especially when a clearly dangerous woman was involved and trying to honeytrap him.

Avery suddenly started having second thoughts about letting Kasandra meet with Delia. He was afraid that she might forgo asking any questions and just skip right to killing the woman.

Frankly, Avery did not like Delia and wanted her gone, but he could not deny how helpful her information had been.

Killing her seemed a bit harsh. He just wanted to be done with her and never see her again.

Still, he knew that Kasandra’s lie detecting skills were too important not to utilize. Delia was still hiding quite a bit from them, and he wanted to know what her true intentions were.

When he arrived at the door, he needed to the two guards that were posted outside.

Delia had very restricted access to the ship, and most of the time was locked in the room that had been given to her. Whenever she was let out, she had to be escorted by either Avery, Ezra, or Olivia.

Thankfully, she did not complain much since Avery had let her use the nicest unoccupied officer’s quarters.

Once the access code had been entered, the doors slid open, revealing the room.

Delia was exactly where she usually was, sitting on the couch in the living area reading something.

She had been given a tablet with several entertainment options on it to pass the time. Though it had no means of external connection to any systems or frequencies. Grito had made certain of that.

"Ah, you’re back. You must have missed me a lot to come to my room the moment you returned. Though, you brought a new woman with you who I’ve never seen before. I’m not sure how to feel about that." Delia said, her words making it sound like she was a jealous lover.

It seemed that she could not help herself from trying to get under there skin now that an opening had presented itself.

Obviously, she knew exactly who Kasandra was.

"Cute, but you aren’t going to get a rise out of me. You could throw your clothes off and shake that large chest of yours in Avery’s face, and he would not feel an ounce of desire for you. I can already hear it. The way his hearts beat, how his muscles have tensed up, and his sharp and shallow breathing. He disdains you and nothing more." Kasandra said, flashing Delia a venomous smile.

This managed to actually break the woman’s mask for a few moments and she glowered at Kasandra.

However, the smile she typically wore soon reasserted itself, and she gave Avery a flirtatious look that made him shudder.

Not because he found Delia in anyway alluring, but because he sensed far more emotion in her eyes than he had felt before. Like she had just identified him as an actual target she would try and seduce.

"Yes well, hate can turn into attraction in the blink of an eye, as can love into resentment. Do be careful that you don’t end up making Avery hate you for some reason."

Delia made it sound like she was genially concerned for Kasandra, but it was pretty obvious that was not the case.

In just the couple minutes in which the two had interacted, Delia and Kasandra had already become more hostile towards each other than anyone else on the ship.

"Okay, enough of that. We did not come here for a fight, but to talk." Avery said, putting a hand on Kasandra’s shoulder to refocus her.

They had come here to try and figure out what Delia was hiding, not get into a verbal spat.

"Let’s start with something easy. What color is my hair?"

Avery posed this question to Delia, and while a normal person would have considered it a very strange thing to ask, she knew already what was going on.

"Ah, trying to get a bassline. Well, your hair is obviously blond. But is there anything else that you want to know?"

"Yeah, what’s your real name?"

"Why, its Delia of course. Just as I told you when we first met."

Avery waited a moment for Kasandra to give him the signal that she was lying, but it did not come. Apparently, Delia was telling the truth about her name.

’I’d have sworn it was an alias, but I suppose it’s possible she gave us her real name. The Alliance Police were unable to find anything on her anyway, so maybe she just did not care about telling us who she is because she knew it wouldn’t lead to anything.’ Avery considered.

He tried asking her various other questions, but each time Kasandra remained still and did not show any signs that she had detected a lie.

Finally, Avery asked what had been on his mind the entire time and what he considered to be the most important.

"Are you planning on betraying me or anyone else on this vessel?"

"No, I have no intention of doing something like that. My treatment under your care might be a bit lacking, but you have helped me in my efforts to bring down the Odium Syndicate. I never would have been able to do so on my own. Truthfully, you have my gratitude."

Avery had surely been expecting Kasandra to give him the signal, but again, nothing.

"That’s all I have to ask. Thank you for cooperating." Avery said, his words coming out dry.

"It’s no problem. I’m here to help. But if you do feel grateful to me, how about a reward?"

Avery agreed to rewarding her but told Delia that he had other things to attend to right now and would discuss it with her in more detail tomorrow.

After that, he and Kasandra left the room, and once they were out of earshot of anyone, he asked her about what was going on. He felt cetin that Delia would have lied about something.

"I’m sorry, I tried. But she’s good. Really good. Probably the best liar I’ve ever encountered. There were no changes in her heart rate, breathing, or expression the entire time. If she was lying to us, which I don’t doubt, she’s found a way to convince herself that it’s the truth."

This naturally came as a major shock to Avery.

He had been counting on being able to catch Delia in her web of lies once Kasandra returned.

Yet it seemed that even her impeccable abilities were not enough to see past the veil the conniving woman had set up.