Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 83040 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 415(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83040 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 415(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
“I… didn’t think about it. Almost never. And if I did, I pictured her with our parents.” Now he squints at me. “How much do you know about us?”
“When I got here? Nothing, Collin. I mean, I’ve heard rumors about you and your team. There were congressional hearings, for fuck’s sake. But if you’re askin’ if someone sat me down and we actually talked about you—and by someone I specifically mean Charlie Beaufort, but also anyone else you suspect might do something like that—then the answer is no. That never happened. Everything that I know about you came right out of Olive’s mouth the last time I saw her.”
“Which was when?”
“Sunday morning.”
“How did you meet her?”
I am careful when I explain this part because things with Olive are really bad already and he just doesn’t need to know that she was gonna take money from me in exchange for sex. But he does need to know about the bar, so I tell him every detail about that place and end with meeting Olive at the Revenant Diner.
“This bar,” Collin says. “It’s a honeypot.” And it’s not a question.
“It is, and this isn’t just speculation. Olive told me, Collin.”
Collin leans back in his chair and crosses his arms. “Here’s my problem, Shep. Why would she tell you that? And why would she be involved with something like that in the first place?”
“Why would she tell me?” I scoff a little. “She likes me. I guess. But she’s…” I look away, gazing off into the distance for a moment, trying to find a way to break it to Collin Creed that his baby sister is a traitor. Not that I’m any better. Hell, not that he’s any better. But it’s different when it’s someone you love and think of as an innocent.
I look at him again. “She’s a spy, Collin. She’s here for you and she was using me to do that. Or, at least, she was trying to use me. I didn’t encourage her. She came here on her own accord. I’m not part of what she’s doing, other than I wound up at that bar in the woods because I saw a flyer in a bar in Revenant.”
He waits, saying nothing. Probably to see if I’ll say anything else. But when I don’t, his question is sharp and very on point. “All right. For the sake of argument, I’m gonna believe you about all of that, Shep. But what you didn’t tell me was who she’s spying for. Do you know?”
“Well, I sort of do. But also don’t. Meaning, I can take a good guess. Mostly on account of things she said. But it’s gonna cast doubt on me, so I’ll prepare you for that right now.”
Collin smiles, then laughs. “Let me guess… you work for a secret underground city. If so, get in line, Shep. That guy’s already part of the team.”
“Really?” I’m surprised at his statement. “Who is it?”
He ignores my question. “So you’re an underground guy too?”
“No. I’m not. But it’s all related. It’s all part of a bigger organization called CORE. And I guess the shortcut through the long story I’ve been telling is this—Olive works for CORE.”
“And you know this how?” His eyebrow goes up. “Because she told you?”
“Well, as unlikely as it sounds, yes. But, that’s not all.” I take in a deep breath and slowly let it out. “I work for CORE too.”
“I see.” It comes out deadpan.
“Well, I did, I mean. Charlie Beaufort really did find me in prison.”
“OK.”
“I am a veteran. But I was a deep-cover double agent.”
“Stop.” Collin puts up a hand. Then he leans in with squinty eyes. “What the fuck are you talking about?”
“Well, you already know they’ve got the deep underground cities. We’re sittin’ over top of one as we speak. This isn’t the only place on the planet with underground cities, Collin. They’re everywhere. Most of them are under the control of the military.” I point at him before he can ask. “No. Not the one you were a part of. The one I was a part of. Anyway, it’s a complicated game, as you can imagine. The whole us vs them thing.
“Mmmhmm. So you were a spy. And my sister is a spy. And both of you are here, in my compound… why?”
“Well, I’m under contract.”
“Contracts made in bad faith can be broken. And if all of what you’re sayin’ is true, then I highly doubt you’re gonna take me to court if I nullify it.”
“You’re right, I won’t. But I’m not here as a spy. I’m here for the same reason everyone else is. Why the hell would I tell you all this if I was deep cover? I wouldn’t tell you the part about the bar, I wouldn’t tell you that your sister was a spy. I’ll tell you lies, Collin. And that’s not what I’ve been telling you.”