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Less information this time. Much less.

“The command path associated with Veyr’s assignment has been isolated from active routing.”

“Associated with,” Veyr repeated.

Anik met his gaze. “We are not treating the entire Veil as compromised.”

“Good.”

The answer came immediately.

I looked at him.

Veyr saw me.

“It was not created for this,” he said.

There was something in his voice. Not defense.

Grief.

I understood.

The Veil had given him a place when he had wanted to disappear.

Whatever it became later did not erase what it had once been.

Anik continued. “A formal request was transmitted through known Veil channels for active operatives to report through military-secured routes.”

Veyr frowned. “How many complied?”

“Several.”

“How many refused?”

“We do not know.”

“That is not an answer.”

“It is the only one I have.”

Anik looked down at the slate. “Some identities responded and submitted to questioning.”

“Others?”

“Went dark.”

Veyr turned toward the window. Outside, a transport lifted off the landing pad and climbed toward the cloud line.

“Destroyed relays?”

“Some.”

“Abandoned sites?”

“Yes.”

“Deaths?”