Kurt’s expression tightened into a grimace. “I sincerely hope not. But why would ONI bother to kidnap some soldiers from the black bag program they already have full control over? They could just transfer them out.”

But Matt had a point. After all, ONI was also behind the Spartan-II program yet Kurt had been shanghaied right out from under theirs and Catherine Halsey’s noses as well. It wasn’t outside the realm of possibility they’d done the same here.

“I do sense there’s something strange going on out there. That’s the reason we have a smart AI. It deigns to share some of its operating capacity to help us out with our needs but mostly, it’s doing something over there. Either way? I don’t want any of our III’s poking their noses in there so be sure to give it a wide berth.”