My nostrils flare in anger. “Of course I mean it.”

Officer Oloyu leans forward. He’s smiling, that open, sweet smile, and it makes me want to hit him. He’s glad he’s slipped under my skin. “This is why we need you, Taema. You understand how she thinks, what she’d do. But there’s more than that, isn’t there?”

I say nothing.

“She’s stumped you. She’s managed to keep part of her life secret, and it’s burning you up. You want to believe that she hasn’t done anything, that she’s just as innocent as you want her to be—but she’s lied to you, no matter what. That hurts. So. You can help us, and you can find out the truth once and for all. Whatever it is.” He leans even closer. “There’s not much time. We may have kept the case out of the papers, but she’ll still go to trial. And if she’s convicted…” he trails off.

“They’ll put her in stasis,” I say. “But then if exculpatory evidence comes to light, she’ll be set free?”

“If it’s brought to light, yes.” He gives an expectant pause.

“What do you want from me?” I whisper.

He sighs and rubs his forehead. “Personally, I don’t think your sister killed Vuk. Or if she did, it was an accident or self-defense. She’s been working on her own in the Ratel, I’d gamble. And she’s grown close.”

He’s changed his tune since yesterday. “What if she grew too close, and they already know she was an infiltrator?”

“No sign of that. What we figure is that the Ratel were after someone else that night in the club, and that assignment was interrupted. They don’t know your sister’s been taken. We’ve moved fast and we have kept this a small, tight operation. Only a handful of police officers and higher-ups know who your sister really is. We’re keeping her out of the city. This situation gives us a unique opportunity to get close to the Ratel. They haven’t infiltrated many people with Verve, but if we don’t stop them, it’s only a matter of time. The Ratel are a threat against San Francisco and all of Pacifica. They have to be stopped. So far, your sister has given us some information to work with, but not enough. We need more.”

He looks at me, and I begin to suspect what he’s about to ask of me. He’s read me to the bone. I do want—need—to find out what’s going on with my sister. What she hid from me and why. More than that, I need to get her out of prison, as much for me as for her. The thought of going through life separated from her, alone forever … I don’t think I can face that.