The Scientist's Cultist

xix. - winging it.

- - - - - - SEPTEMBER 3, 2023 - - - - -

St. Petersburg, Florida 8:53 a.m.

"I'M SORRY, WHAT?" Even though lying had never been her strong suit, Lilia figured it was better to try. Besides, maybe Dr. French was the type to consider her a dumb blonde and move on. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Cut the crap," snapped Dr. French. Well, it was worth a try. "I don't think you truly understand what you've done. So now you, Silas, and I are going to have a little chat."

The only thing stopping Lilia from spinning around on her heels and going straight back into her room was the fact that Dr. French was clearly moments away from dragging her there by her hair. Lilia was good at a lot of things, sure, but she could not take on a man twice her size.

As strange as it sounded, Lilia was thankful Silas would be there. There was absolutely no way she would be able to withstand any sort of interrogation without him.

Dr. French led her all the way across campus to the library at a pace she could hardly keep up with. By the time they made it to the conference room, she was nearly out of breath. Silas was sitting at the head of the table, lazily swiveling back and forth in his chair. He didn't look tired, angry, or nervous. Instead, he just looked... smug.

Lilia took a seat beside him, drumming her fingers on her thighs beneath the table. Had Dr. French just brought them here to scold them?

"Care to tell me what the hell the two of you were thinking?" Dr. French asked. Instead of sitting down, he continued to pace back and forth, like he physically couldn't be still.

Silas crossed his arms across his chest and leaned back into his chair. "Sir, I think I speak for the both of us when I say that we're not exactly sure what you're talking about." The corner of his mouth twitched upward like he was trying to hold back a smile. Lilia didn't particularly find anything about this funny, but she couldn't help but wonder if Silas had some sort of plan.

"You mean to tell me that you had no part in a scheme to undermine the directors, directly disobey orders, and endanger our field operatives?"

"Those 'field operatives' have names," said Silas, uncrossing his arms to make air quotes. "June and Theo."

"They had an important mission to fulfill, which the two of you compromised by bringing them back." Dr. French's eyes looked like they were going to pop out of his skull at any given moment. Was it possible he was nervous?

"You mean your mission to use students to bring a deadly cultist into a present-day American school? Tell me this plan never got approved or tell me this plan never got approved."

Dr. French paused mid-step and glared at them. "The two of you know nothing."

"Probably because nobody told us anything," Lilia said, finally feeling confident enough to contribute to the conversation. "We had to find out ourselves."

"You were told what you needed to know."

Silas flattened both of his hands on the table, the sound of his skin connecting with the surface drawing attention back to him. "Look," he said. "I don't know how much they're blackmailing you to say all of this, but how can you have a brain and not see how psychotic this entire plan is?" Silas's smug look had been replaced with fury. "June and Theo could have died, and you would have just said 'oops' and replaced them with someone else. All so you can introduce a serial killer's cult into present-day?"

Dr. French's eyes narrowed. "I don't need to explain myself to you, not when it clearly extends way beyond your understanding. All I want to know is where they are."