From Pemberley to Manhattan [COMPLETED]

Chapter 50

Nat

After two hours, two hundred, forty three questions, and the worst headache ever, the "Special Agent" (who should be called pain-in-my-ash Agent) finally let me go.

On one hand, I couldn't be more relieved to be out of the room of torture. It was windowless, with white walls, a metal table, and a huge two-way mirror, which covered half of one of the walls. The chair was really uncomfortable, but a piece of cake if compared to the overwhelming feeling of being judged and analyzed by people I couldn't even see.

On the other hand, I left that room with my chest tight; they'd just told me this whole mess was related to Ethan's latest – and secretive – project. The fact his family knew nothing of it made the Feds even more worried, which left me in panic. Ironically enough, I'd just been talking about Ethan with Darcy at the museum.

The Feds had said Ethan had been using government equipment for illegal experiments. Even though he'd never been a government fan, I was skeptical about Ethan going as far as committing federal crimes the FBI suspected he and his team did.

Agent Dupin had claimed Ethan was on the run, which I knew to be completely untrue, since he'd been sending me e-mails every week, as usual.

Now, as I thought about it without the pressuring questions from the Feds, I remembered some peculiar details about my older brother's messages from the past month.

For instance, Ethan had written "dude" in one of them, which wasn't common for him, although it seemed to be Bobby's favorite word in the world, along with "weed" and "pot".

Furthermore, there had been one other time when I had a strong impression Ethan had been on something when he sent me one of his e-mails, but then I ignored my suspicions, since he was such an uptight person... He was the cutest nerd, crazy about technology devices, his work, and his TV series and movies.

If the Feds hadn't lied, and Ethan had ran away to be off the grid (the Agent had used the word "vanished", as if my brother were Harry Potter and had apparated), someone else must have been aware of the mess he'd left behind and was trying to cover his tracks, pretending to be him to save his sorry ash.

But who in the world could it be?

The elevator shaft stopped and its metal doors slid open soundlessly, forcing me to put that question on hold until I made sure my family was safe. I walked down a white, dull aisle that opened to a huge – and equally spotless and dull – lobby with huge windows facing a street that was familiar but, at the same time, I couldn't name.

My walk turned into a run when I saw Mom and Dad conversing, with grandma a few steps back, talking to an agent (or was she flirting with him? Seriously, grandma? These people practically kidnapped us!). Darcy was a little farther away from the group, talking to Bobby.

Bobby? All became clear in a heartbeat.

No. Ducking. Way. The bastard!

"ROBERT ESTEVEZ BROWN!" I yelled and attacked.

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