NOVPUBThe infiltrator's hypnosis was affecting my bodyguards, even though I warned them they shouldn't believe whatever they see or even feel!
The infiltrator was still looking entirely unconcerned—as if she was *this* sure about her hypnosis ability!
"Beemarines!" I shouted. "Don't fall for this! She's not the real Ambrosia!"
Hearing this, my bodyguards jolted and squared their jaws. Destroyer shook her head and closed her eyes shut.
"But… but…" Destroyer took a deep breath and suddenly raised her chin. "We won't fall for these tricks, sisters… We are the Father's bodyguards! The most elite Beemarines!"
"Yes!"
"We will obey only his words!"
"She's not the Mother-Queen!"
The bodyguards raised their weapons. My girls were back and their morale was soaring again! I exhaled with relief.
Finally, the infiltrator looked alarmed. Her fearful expression was so like Amby's that I felt compelled to protect her despite knowing that she was a fake…
'Focus, Nectus!' 𝓷ℴ𝓿𝓅𝓊𝒷.𝓬𝓸𝓂
I pointed at the infiltrator.
"This is your first and last chance to give up. Don't resist, and we will let you live. Otherwise…"
Could the infiltrator understand the language of bees? She was interacting with us somehow so far.
"What are you doing? What kind of mind-plague attacked you?!" the infiltrator asked, stepping back. "Why are you threatening me? Stop immediately—tell them, Nectus!"
I squared my jaw and turned to Destroyer.
"Try to take the infiltrator alive. As long as she doesn't give you too hard of a fight."
This was risky, but I had to find out more about this creature and the dangers she and her kin carried. Who knew how many others like her were there, hidden just because we didn't know where to search for them?
"Yes, Father," Destroyer said, sheathing her dagger and taking a wooden bola off her belt instead.
These thrown weapons were not only incredibly effective against flying enemies, they were a great way to capture someone without killing them.
And in the Royal Chambers, the infiltrator had nowhere to escape. The only exit was blocked by Destroyer's team.
Destroyer stepped forward first, raising her hand for a throw, and the infiltrator dashed to the side. There was a door leading to the other rooms of the Chambers—maybe she hoped to hide, at least.
Another bola forced her to stop and dash back. The infiltrator was quite fast… Perhaps as fast as Ambrosia.
"Keep throwing!" Destroyer shouted.
The entire hall became a frenzy of bolas, forcing me to duck while the infiltrator erratically ran around, using sparse furniture for cover, but not even trying to fight back.
With each of her movements, I became more and more sure that the hypnosis was her only defense. The real Ambrosia would've fought much fiercer. The real Amby had a deadly stinger on her that the infiltrator didn't even try to use, although I saw at least a few moments when the infiltrator could've tried to attack me or the bodyguards.
Then, in just a few seconds… The bodyguards ran out of bolas.
"Pick your weapons, soldiers! Let's surround her and pin her to the wall!" Destroyer shouted, deciding to change tactics.
But at this moment, the infiltrator risked a mad dash to the exit.
Before she could reach it, I appeared on her way, tackling her to the ground. Even then, everything I felt was the same as hugging Ambrosia… But I was too determined to turn back, no matter how lifelike this illusion was!
With the infiltrator pressed to my chest, I released a small part of my electrical charge—just enough to shock someone of my size.
〔You deal 4 damage. The target is stunned!〕
There was a scent of smoking clothing, and the infiltrator convulsed in my arms for a second and went limp.
I exhaled and slowly released her. The infiltrator groaned. Her antennae and eyelids were twitching, but she clearly didn't have the strength to rise yet.
Despite my hopes, she *still* looked like Ambrosia, and I *still* felt like having two Ambrosias was normal.
'If I got the fake one wrong…'
I shook my head.
"Father, we apologize for our weakness that didn't us capture the infiltrator without your help," Destroyer said, approaching me. "And for breaking all these items in your Royal Chambers. Punish us as you see fit."
I blinked and looked around.
The room was a complete mess!
While running, the infiltrator pushed around the chairs and the tables, and the chaotically flying bolas broke and threw to the ground many trinkets that were standing on the shelves.
Several wax tablets were crushed and bent, alongside many decorative clay pots and even one of the candles that were lighting up the room!
When I looked at it, a nearby bodyguard noticed, too. She gasped and quickly extinguished it before we had a fire.
I exhaled with relief and turned back to the infiltrator.
"Forget it! The mess was inevitable. Now let's tie the infiltrator up, cover her in a blanket to not raise any eyebrows, and get her to her holding cell."
***
I could give orders to my bodyguards myself, but I didn't know *every* bee in Hive Supremo or what their responsibilities were.
Usually, there was a chain of command. But back then, I couldn't arrange things personally, so I asked Undecided to do it in my stead.
Thanks to her, I had a perfect holding cell prepared for the infiltrator.
It was a spacious stone box in one of the unfinished sections at the edges of the hive cave. Eventually, there will be furniture, decorations and comforts—but for now, there was just a door, ventilation holes, and a lot of gravel strewn around.
A cordon of clueless soldiers cordoned off the entire section of the digging site, not letting anyone but me and my bodyguards in. Undecided herself was waiting at the cell, holding a candle.
We put the infiltrator (still in the blanket) in the cell and one of the bodyguards closed the door behind us. By now, the infiltrator already woke up and continued insisting that we let her go.
I ignored it. I had to find the answers—quickly!
