As soon as we'd gotten back to Thomas' house, silence filled the house like a cold blanket we couldn't untangle ourselves from. All there was to be heard was the sound of the creaking wood and howling wind outside.
Dante, Cole, and Joseph were all too stunned to even remember that Shelly was here before we left. And it hurt to think that Dante or Joseph had to be the one who was still working for Lucille.
I had my thoughts on who it was but I couldn't bring myself to say it out loud or in my head. If I did, that meant it was real. That it was a real possibility that he really betrayed me and I wasn't ready to face that truth.
One thing I was sure of was that I had to get away. Now. Shelly's life was on the line and I couldn't risk losing another friend. Not after what happened to Mark. He shouldn't have died and now his family will never get closure on what happened. They'll just know he was shot. Now both Mark and his dad were gone. I couldn't imagine what his family must be going through.
And that gave me all the more reason to save Shelly. She didn't deserve the same fate Mark got. Hell, he didn't deserve it. He just got wrapped up in something he couldn't control.
The three boys headed to the kitchen, Joseph leading the way since Dante held onto Cole who could barely walk. Watching his best friend get shot to death was something that would never leave Cole.
That was a feeling we now shared. I watched my dad die and he watched his best friend die. It would change him forever. I knew that because I changed after watching my dad die. Plus, the look on Cole's face was something I couldn't unsee. As soon as Mark fell to the ground, I could see the dark clouds taking over Cole's eyes. He would never be the same again.
"I'm going to check on Shelly," I announced to the three of them.
Dante's red eyes glazed mine, too focused on his brother to register what I'd said. Cole didn't even react. The only one who nodded their head was Joseph.
My stomach began to knot as I watched the kitchen door close behind them. This was my chance and I had to take it.
*****
The sky darkened around me as I stood in front of an old, two-story rotten building that looked like it was on it's last leg. Broken windows were barred up along with graffiti painted on the yellowing brick. Weeds grew everywhere, even through the cracked pavement leading up to the building's steps.
I'd texted back whoever sent me the text as soon as I'd snuck out of the house, taking the truck Dante had stolen a couple of days ago. Immediately after, I was sent a text with a location, so here I was. With no plan and no flash drive, I didn't know what to do besides show up and try to save Shelly. As far as I knew, Thomas had gotten the flash drive to Gracie. I hadn't heard from him since Cole and I left to go and try to save Mark.
I shook my head to rid the thought. I needed to focus and I knew going in alone without any backup wasn't safe, but at this point I wasn't sure who to trust. The only thing I was sure of was saving Shelly. I couldn't let anymore innocent people die.
Walking up the steps, I pushed open the heavy and creaking door. A chill ignited my body as soon as I stepped inside. Goosebumps prickled my arms as the door swung shut behind me.
My heart started to pound in my chest as I walked through what I assumed was once a lobby. Papers littered the floor with toppled over chairs. Whatever had happened in this building before wasn't something I wanted to know about. The atmosphere screamed satanic.
One by one, overhead lights started to flicker on, illumination the hallway connected to the lobby. My sneakers squeaked as I followed the trail of lights.
Everything in me fought the urge to runaway. I was here to save Shelly, but part of me wanted to give in to the cowardliness that clawed at me. To just leave. To take off and not tell a soul where I was going. It'd be much easier that way, maybe even safer, but I'd have to live with the guilt of leaving and I knew I couldn't do it.
Eventually, a pale red light came into view. I sprinted into the room and saw it was empty except for a piece of paper on the ground with a brick on top of it, keeping it in place.
I looked around the room, wondering if I was being set up somehow. It seemed too easy. But there was also no sign of Shelly.
By the looks of the room, it looked like it used to be a dance room if the wooden floors, the handrail, and the mirror covering the entirety of a wall were anything to go by.
I picked up the brick to see what the piece of paper said. It told me to leave the flash drive and go.
As much as I wanted to leave, I couldn't. Lucille needed to be stopped and I had to save Shelly.
But there was more to this that I wasn't seeing. I knew there was. I was missing a piece to the puzzle but I couldn't tell what it was.
Then a thought occurred to me, so I did the only thing I could think of doing in the moment. I flung the brick at the glass wall and watched as it sailed through the mirror, flinging fragments everywhere. A piercing sound rang out as the pieces fell to the floor, reflecting the light and temporarily blinding me as the room expanded just like I thought it would.
Once the glass had stopped falling, someone started to clap. The claps were slow and drawn out as the person walked out of the dark corner of the room. Slowly but surely, Lucille made her presence known. "A two way mirror. Clever girl. Just like your mother."
"Where's Shelly?" I asked.
Lucille smiled that annoyingly perfect smile of hers. "Due time, my granddaughter. We have some things to discuss. For one, you don't seem surprised to see me?"
Another wave of chills hit me. I'd thought it was Joseph working with Lucille. If that was the case, she would've known I thought she was alive after all. Did that mean Dante was the one working for her all this time?
I did my best to play it cool, trying to remain calm. "I pay more attention to detail than you think."
She breathed out slowly. "I'm guessing Angel couldn't help herself and made a few comments while trying to kill you?"
My hands formed into fists, my knuckles turning white. "Something like that."
"That girl was always trying to please me, to be something to me. It's sad honestly. She had much more training than you, but yet you ended up killing her. Interesting, isn't it?"
Her tone was scary and mellow, like killing someone wasn't a big deal. But it was. It was to me.
"Why?" I asked.
"Why what?" She had genuine confusion written on her face.
"Why have Angel write the fake clue, giving me your phone number? Why have me come visit you for you to just kill end up killing me? Why would you kill you own daughter? Why for all of it." I was breathing heavy by the time I finished. I was angry and I wanted answers.
She shook her head, placing her hands behind her back. "We have a lot to discuss. You may want to sit."
"I'm good here," I replied, keeping my stance firm.
Lucille waved her hand in the air like a bug was flying around her head. "Suit yourself. Where would you like to start?"
"Why go rogue from the FBI and start killing innocent people?"
My question froze her in place, causing her jaw to drop. "I'm guessing the flash drive wasn't the only thing you found?"
I shook my head. "My dad said you used TIA for personal gain after breaking ties with the FBI."
She gulped. "The FBI took everything from me, Nina. My parents were on a mission that the FBI needed them to be on. It was the FBI that wanted them on this mission and I told them not to go, but they did and they died in action. You want to know what the FBI did?"
I knew it was rhetorical, but I also knew she wanted me to ask. "What?"
"Nothing. My parents created TIA for the FBI, and they got nothing in return for their deaths. They got a simple memorial and were swept under the rug like dirt. The FBI took no actions to get my parents justice."
A similar fire raged in her eyes, one I was very familiar with. "So you decided to take matters into your own hands? Using your agents to kill innocent people?"
"No, not innocent people, the people who brushed my parents death aside. I took it upon myself to kill anyone who had anything to deal with that mission and let them die. I needed justice." Her pleas were desperate.
I backed away. "You needed revenge. You're even sicker than I thought. I'm glad my dad got me away when he did."
"They took my parents, Nina." Her voice cracked, showing a human quality side of her I didn't know was possible. But that didn't change what she did.
"And you didn't take mine from me?" I asked.
A/N: All I can say is sh!t's about to get real in the next chapter, so hang on tight. ;)
And also, I just posted a new mystery/thriller story called 'Truth Be Told' if interested haha.