Project HALO

Chapter 20

Frank and Will discuss the flash drive for a while. I stay dead silent, trying to pick up any hints that could narrow down the search for its location.

Unfortunately, they seem to be even more clueless than me and Mikey.

"By the way... What were you guys doing with the Detectors?" Frank asks the question I have been dreading. It comes out of nowhere, taking me so off-guard I jump in my seat. I clear my throat and quickly slip into a more neutral expression. I have to lie.

"I have no idea." I shrug. "They burst into Mikey's apartment out of nowhere and drugged us before I knew what was going on... Maybe they were gonna bring us to Regina?"

Will looks at me with a gaze so intense I struggle to hold it. "Really? Then why were you coming out of NIC's headquarters?"

My mouth dries. They saw us? How? "I... We—we were?"

"We followed you from Mikey's apartment to the NIC, so we know you were inside. I'm wondering why. What happened in there?"

Fuck me... What do I say? Will they believe Regina simply let us walk out of there? I can't let them know about her threat, because then I also have to tell them why she would do such a thing. If I tell them one thing, it will lead to another, which boils down to the realization that I can't tell them anything.

I scratch my head in false contemplation.

"Honestly? I don't know. I didn't even realize we were inside any building. We were passed out and handcuffed inside the van." That's as much of the truth I can afford to share.

Will's eyebrow arches. "Nothing? They just left you in the car, unconscious?"

"Yep. Mikey, do you remember anything else?" It's a risk asking him since he's an awful liar, but I hope he'll be able to make my explanation seem more legit. A witness always helps. Well, as long as they stick to the same story.

His eyes immediately widen and I regret my decision. I press my lips together, trying to scream telepathic messages to him: Lielielie!

"I'm... I'm still—My head still hurts from the accident, and I-I," he frowns as he presses the cloth harder against his forehead. "I can't remember much. Everything's dark and... blurry. So blurry."

Will's stare bounces between me and Mikey, her gaze shrinking into slits. She must be searching for tells that we're lying. I relax my body and shrug apologetically.

"Oh, wait!" I say after a few seconds and jolt forward with fake excitement, a grin pulling at my face. "I remember something."

Will's hard expression softens and I continue, "I think I woke up for a few seconds and heard the Detectors talking. It was difficult to hear them, but I think one of them said the boss wasn't there and that they had to drive out to the lab, or something?"

"The lab!" Frank hisses. "Of course she would hide out there. The snake belongs in the forest."

Will's skepticism doesn't disappear completely, but she turns back to face the road, leaving me and Mikey in quiet relief.

"She must be there to force the truth out of Malcolm," Will says, and the words leave the car in a heavy silence.

Malcolm might not be awake yet, but when he is, I have no doubt Regina will do whatever it takes to locate the flash drive.

After a while, Mikey clears his throat. "Can I ask how you found us? Was it TrapWire?"

His face is drained of color, but I'm not sure if it's from the blood loss or from having to lie.