MED: Minor Extremely Dangerous (The Stone Chronicles: Book 2)

Chapter 10

Location Classified. August 4th, 2015. 1830 Hours.

Alex

"How much longer is this gonna take?" I whined.

"We got very... limited information from the bakery." Dean explained through the the speaker on the phone at the safe house, "We're doing all that we can with what you got. Just stay at the house until we have something."

"What do you think I've been doing for the past nine hours?"

I heard him sigh, "There's a lot of information to sort through. We should have something within the next hour or two. Hopefully."

I rolled my eyes, "Yeah, 'cause hopefully's a real sentiment there."

I heard yelling on the other end. There was a pause for a moment, then I heard Eric come back, "M's going ape-shit. I need to deal with this."

"Brilliant! Tell him I hate him with a burning passion!"

"Will do! Tanner's here. He can talk to you about anything else you need."

There was silence, then Tanner's voice came through, "Rider, please accept my sincerest thank you for not dying in the middle of DC. That's been extremely helpful."

I scoffed, "Happy to oblige."

"How's Stone doing?"

I shrugged, forgetting for a moment that he couldn't see me, "She's seen worse, but I think it's all starting to take its toll on her."

"Tough girl." He said, "Dealing with this shit from age seven and it's just now getting to her."

"I couldn't even deal with it for a year at that age, let alone eight."

Maybe you'll see what Research already has. M's words echoed in my head like a song stuck on replay. I was starting to think I knew what he meant.

Eight years, and nothing's gotten to her until now? Could Emily Stone really be a traitor?

I was starting to think he may have been right.

Then again, the so-called flawless Research had given us faulty intel on Frank Moses. Who's to say the intel on Emily wasn't off too?

"Earth to Rider." I heard. "Are we still alive in there?"

"No- Yeah- Sorry, just thinking is all."

"That's quite a dangerous thing to do; you'll drive yourself insane."

"I think I already have..."

"Try not to go all psycho on me." Tanner joked, "Go check up on Emily. We'll call you when we have something."

"Copy." The line went dead.

I watched myself subconsciously as I floated into the room across the hall. Agent Dillard sat at the desk in the corner, pounding away at the computer and looking extremely frustrated by the lines of 1s and 0s that I had no hope of understanding. Emily was sprawled across the couch, her hair tied up in a messy bun and her hazel eyes concentrated on her tiny phone screen.

I scowled, "Are you playing Crossy Road?"

"Yup." She answered without diverting her eyes.

"Seriously?"

She smirked, "You're just jealous 'cause I have Michael Boom and you don't."

I rolled my eyes, "Don't you have something better to do at this point? Or at least something more productive?"

"Eh, no point. Too much time wasted already. Not like we're gonna be able to do anything anyway."

I frowned, "What're you talking about?"

She sighed, "I blew up a bloody building, Alex. Who do we both know that lives in the US?"

"Ella?"

"Other one."

"Max?" I realized, "What's she got to do with all this?"

Emily chuckled, "Lots of people aren't gonna be too happy about that explosion. Who do you think she works for, dumbass?"

It hit me like a rock. Under my breath, I muttered, "CIA."

It was like I'd cued them in. It all came in flashes. A pop. A crack. A yell. Then suddenly, we were surrounded. A dozen of them, all dressed in black SWAT gear, a rifle pressed firmly to each chest.

Emily slammed her phone against the couch, "DAMMIT, guys! You made me get hit by a train. I was about to beat my highscore!"

I felt the coolness of metal as a pair of handcuffs strapped my wrists together behind my back. Emily snuck a look at her watch before being cuffed and said, "Ooh, and Dillard? 12 hours and 17 minutes." She fidgeted as the cuffs were strapped on behind her, "24 hours, my ass!"

We were led into the main hallway of the apartment building we'd been using as our apparently not-so-safe house. Two more SWAT agents waited for us, along with their handler, whose red-streaked hair and multicolored eyes I recognized immediately.

Max shrugged, "Sorry to barge in without warning, but Director Brennan doesn't take very kindly to explosions that could be easily viewed as international terrorism."

Emily smirked wickedly as she was ushered down the hall, "Nice to see you too, babe."

I was led immediately after. Max turned as I was ushered past and fell into step with me and my lovely SWAT entourage, "I should be able to get you out within the next couple of hours. You're damn lucky she didn't kill anyone. What the hell were you thinking?"

I pursed my lips and answered her honestly, "I don't even know anymore."

Authors Note

I'm tired, so I'm gonna keep this short and sweet.

Vote, comment, all that jazz. Thanks for being awesome (as usual). I'm sorry if this sucks (again, I'm tired).

Love y'all!

❤️ ~ Maddie