Chapter 20

"So... did you guys screw again yet? Or are you prolonging it until the tension gets too high?"

I elbowed Francis from where I was sitting beside him against the garage wall. I knew it was only a matter of time until he teased me or brought up something like that. He did it constantly before. Why would three years change that?

"I knew you were going to say something like that! Only took five minutes of sitting next to you and a beer until you said it," I said, taking a swig from my own can.

Looking up to Francis, he smirked down to me and shook his head. "You can't blame me. It was always fun teasing you about that."

I was loving this already. Francis and I were already back to our comfortable and teasing selves with each other. I missed him a lot since I've been gone. I knew Francis longer than anyone in his family, including Luke. We have been friends for a long time and it felt great returning to that.

It was nice too that we didn't have to worry about Carter and could focus on talking. He was getting tired from where he was sitting in the driver's seat, slumped back. One hand cuffed to the steering wheel, the other clutched the bag of chips I retrieved for him. He slowly continued munching on them but I could see his eyes were getting heavy.

"Oh trust me, I remember. You were always relentless when it came to teasing me about Luke."

"It was always so amusing," Francis said, taking another drink before setting it down on the cement next to him. "So. I want a recap of everything that happened tonight. I missed out on all the drama. I was stuck talking to Brooke then coming out here."

I let him in on all that occurred the second Luke and I walked in and faced his family. Francis didn't look surprised when I elaborated about everyone's reactions when they saw me.

"I knew mom would go crazy. When she first learned you were gone, she reacted like a mom would to her kid disappearing."

"I could tell. I mean, just a second ago when I went in the house, I saw her. She told me she and your dad were heading to bed but insisted I would see her tomorrow morning. She said she would be up to see us off." That was emotional too along with what else she said. Jan told me again how thankful she was that I was here.

He smiled. "What about dad and Shannon? How did they react?"

The way Francis asked made me raise an eyebrow. "Well, Mike gave me a hug after Jan did. Shannon gave me a hug too but she wasn't that welcoming."

"She flipped out on you, didn't she?"

"You knew that was a possibility?"

He nodded. "Did you talk to her about it?"

"Yeah. She told me everything about what happened. About Luke," I said under my breath, looking down. I still was having a hard time with what I she told me. "I can't believe what he went through."

"He had a rough time, that's for sure." His words made me wonder if he knew as much as Shannon did. She did say that Luke didn't go to Francis with some things. However, what he said next made me rethink that. A light hit his eyes when his gaze found mine in curiosity. "Did she tell you about Clare's grave? I always did wonder if she found out about that."

My heartrate spiked instantly. I sat up straighter, facing him more directly. Was there more that Shannon didn't know? "No. What are you talking about?"

He was slow to answer. "Well... do you know what happened to your mom's body?" When I shook my head in answer, he continued. "Turns out, after the news spread about what your mother did to you, it brought her family - distant family too - a lot of attention. A lot of negative attention and they wanted to defend their name. So they paid for Clare to get a nice burial and headstone."

That was unsettling. She didn't deserve a nice grave. Clare deserved to rot and for nobody to care. "Okay," I nodded, waiting for him to go on.

"Luke didn't come to me about his issues often. But with this instance, he felt Shannon was stressed enough by his behavior. That's why he came to me after he did it."

"Did what?"

"You gained a lot of supporters after the truth came out. There were these kids in particular that wanted to do something in your honor. They wanted to vandalize Clare's grave but they were caught. Luke was on duty that night and responded to the call. He went to the cemetery and talked to them about what they were doing. He eventually escorted them away but their idea stuck in his head. After he was finished working that night, he went to the cemetery and trashed it himself. Vandalized Clare's grave. He told me about it afterwards and that he didn't regret it. I know he still doesn't regret what he did."

My jaw nearly dropped. "I can't believe that he did that and wasn't drunk."

"He hated Clare and knew she didn't deserve a respectable burial. He said he needed to do it."

"I guess I can understand that," I said, scoffing. Hell, who knows, I might have tried vandalizing it too.

"Will you ever look at him the same after all you learned?"

I thought over it and shook my head. "No. This impacted my take on him. Not in a bad way though. It gave me a better understanding of how he is now. Makes me wish I could help him."

"I'm sure you already are helping. He is helping you and is around you. That eases the distress and guilt for sure." He smiled sweetly down to me and sighed. "You know it's only a matter of time until you two get back together."

"I don't know about that." It reminded me of what Shannon said earlier, about us being perfect for each other. Though I didn't disagree, I knew it couldn't happen. I didn't want to cause any more pain either.

He watched me carefully for a moment. "Where do you see yourself after all this is over? Let's say everything works out somehow and you are free. What will your life be like?"

I glanced down to my lap as I fiddled with the hem of my shirt, comprehending his question. I didn't really think about it since all this craziness began. Maybe because I didn't see a good end or maybe because I was scared of what that future would hold. "I don't really know. Maybe move back here. That way all the people that teased and abused me will readily kiss my ass."

Francis chuckled and nodded. "That's probably the best thing you could do. You would have it made."

In a more serious voice, I gave my honest answer. "I really don't know though. Hopefully, I could start over and live my life. Before, as Morgan Honeywell, it was normal and nice. I didn't have to worry about getting killed or taken. So a normal boring life sounds good."

"Ever think about getting married and having kids?"

I smiled sadly at the thought. "Of course I think about those things. Reality and what I will allow is different though. I don't know about marriage but having kids is a big no. That's one reason why Luke and I can't get back together. I know he wants kids and I don't."

"Just because your family history is fucked up, it doesn't mean you will repeat it."

"Right, but I don't know if it's worth the risk. I'm level headed and can't see myself doing what Clare did. However, that could change. I'm scared that everything that happened to me is going to ambush and change me. I know it sounds crazy but how can I be this... mentally okay? I feel like it's only a matter of time until it hits me and I crack. That's what happened with Clare. All was fine. Then my dad left and she went nuts."

"That's a fair point I suppose. But the difference between you and her is that you are strong. You are the strongest person that I know. I understand though where you are coming from and support you either way."

"Thank you." I sincerely meant that. It's rare for us to talk feelings and that shit. So I really appreciated his words.

There was silence between us for a long moment. Until Carter interrupted it with his light snoring. I noticed he let the bag of chips go slack in his free hand as he was fully leaning back into the seat. I cracked a smile. Now we're talking. I got to my feet and walked towards the open truck door. I saw he drank the whole water bottle that I gave him but didn't eat too many chips. These chips were mine.

I grabbed the bag and returned to my spot next to Francis. I took a few and threw them into my mouth. He offered me an amused but grossed-out expression. "You really haven't changed."

"When it comes to food, you're damn right," I said as I watched him grab a handful of chips too. It helped put all of my attention on him. "It's your turn to tell me what happened with you and Brooke after I left."

"A lot of the time was honestly spent recovering," he said casually. "Besides that though, not too much went on. Spending time with Brooke became my priority after I was able to start doing things again. In three years, she grew a lot - physically and mentally. I'm proud to say that I'm still her best friend," he said before eating another chip.

"That's good. You at least need one friend. But that's assuming she's not doing it because she feels bad for you," I teased.

"Shut the fuck up, blondie. At least I'm not constantly changing my hair to be 'cool' and keep friends," he said in a dramatic voice, running his hand slyly through his hair.

Going back and forth like that was a relief from all the drama and stress. We fooled around like that for a while. Joking about the past and what could come in the future, it was seriously nice.

When our laughter died down after going back and forth about something else, I spoke up with a smile. "You think you are so awesome, why don't you tell me what your plan is for the future?"

"Oh, I will live in an even bigger mansion than I am now! Because I'm rich, sexy, and cool of course." In a less joking voice, he gave me a more sincere answer. "Actually, in the future, I want to travel more. I want to see new places. I won't do that until Brooke gets older and is done with school. But when that happens, I would love to explore the world."

I smiled at the picture his words painted in my head. "That actually sounds really nice. Plus, you can make it happen!"

"Exactly. I don't work so I have time and I have money. All I need is a woman to see it all with me."

I was slightly hesitant with the subject I wanted to tease him about after he said that. But I knew we both had a good sense of humor. "Well hey, just do what you did to me. Kiss a lady and see what happens."

He groaned and looked ahead of himself and away from me. A smile spread across his face along with a slight blush. "Why did I know you would remember that?"

"Because it was shocking and caught me off guard. And I knew I could give you so much shit for it," I laughed. Honestly though, I always was curious about that kiss he gave me in the hospital after I told him I was leaving. "Luke would've beat your ass," I said with an amused grin.

"No shit," he laughed. Then, he walked me through his reasoning. "I did it because I knew you were leaving. I knew there was no getting in the way of you two; that wasn't my goal anyway. I was just afraid I was never going to see you again I guess."

I couldn't hold back my amused grin despite how sweet that was. "You shouldn't encourage my ego like that. I don't want two brothers fighting over me," I said, teasing him with my over exaggerated words, though I knew that was nowhere near accurate.

"Don't get ahead of yourself," he scoffed. "There is a reason I didn't pursue you. I didn't have enough money to support your food habits," he joked, making me crack up laughing.

Staring up into his amused face after my laughter died, I could see slight embarrassment there. It allowed for me to reassure him. "In all seriousness though, it's fine. I just wanted to tease you about it is all."

"I figured as much," he nodded, grinning. Though I didn't feel the same as Francis had, he always would have a special place in my heart. The reason was evident in how awesome this night was turning out to be.

Unfortunately, I knew we couldn't both stay up all night like this. Luke, Jackson, and I were leaving early tomorrow. Plan or no plan, we couldn't risk dragging everyone else into a dangerous situation like this. So between the two of us, I needed the most sleep. Francis needed to be alert if he will be watching Carter until dawn. That's how I managed to convince him to take an hour nap first. I was staying out here until then. It wouldn't be bad; Carter was asleep and it was only going to be for like an hour.

"Promise me you won't goof off. Or uncuff him," Francis joked as he stood up, staring down at me with a purposefully serious expression.

"I promise. Cross my ass, hope to die," I said, getting more comfortable. I sat up and crossed my legs. I set the gun in front of me that Francis had when watching him. Better safe than sorry.

With that, Francis moved to the door and into the house. However, a second after he shut the door, I internally groaned. The sound of the door closing interrupted Carter's sleep. He shifted from where he was and cleared his throat. I had hope that he wouldn't wake. But you know how lucky I am.

Watching intently, Carter's heavy eyelids flickered open slowly from where his back was against the seat. He slowly moved to sit up, groaning from how sore and stiff he was. The man moved his legs so they hung out the door. He stretched as much as he could being bound by the handcuffs. That was when his eyes became more alert and found me.

"Good morning, sexy," he said in a tired voice, looking slightly more awake now that he saw me. "I see the big boys left you in charge."

I didn't say a word. My twisted mind at work though, I deliberately grabbed the bag of chips and set them in my lap. I grabbed one and ate it slowly, staring at him. I knew he had to still be hungry; he didn't eat much from the bag before he fell asleep.

He stared back at me in a disapproving manner. We sat in silence like that for a while after I set the chips aside. Until he spoke up in a small voice. "Can I have those back?"

I raised an eyebrow, surprised by his reasonable tone. "Fine. Get ready to catch. I'm not going near you," I said, rolling up the bag of chips as tight as I could. I wasn't stupid; I wouldn't go near him when he could be trying to trick me.

He shifted more and outstretched his free hand, not seeming to care if I came closer or not. When he did, I threw the bag and he caught it. "These are the best kind too. You know me well," he sighed, opening the bag. I didn't respond, mainly because I wasn't sure how to.

As he started snacking on the chips, there was nothing but silence again. It gave me time to observe him. He was quite fascinating for someone who we were keeping prisoner (and for someone who tried taking me or killing me). Who acts this calm and okay if bound up and trapped? He didn't try to escape yet and he wasn't hostile.

It led to me debating with myself if I should open up a dialogue with him. Trust me, I understand how that sounds like a bad idea. And sure, I already knew we had the answers we wanted. Jackson interrogated him and so did Luke for a bit. I was more curious about him and if we could truly trust he wasn't lying to us. It was his word we were relying on. It's why we came back here and that fact made me uneasy.

"Why are you so calm?" I finally asked. Whether this was a good idea or not, I wanted to know. I was the one with the gun so I didn't see the issue with finding out more.

His stringy blonde hair was pushed back and it gave me a chance to take in his bright blue eyes. They found mine with interest, but amusement was more dominant. "Why do you wish to know?"

"Curiosity," I answered curtly.

He scoffed. "What would the point be in not staying calm? That's the most logical thing to do."

I didn't want to argue that. It's not like I was trying to convince him he shouldn't be calm. That's why I moved onto my next question that entered my mind. "In the truck, you said that you worked here for this one man we are after. But why were you hired? Why did you work for them and do this?"

His eyes searched me, calculating. Almost in wonder too with low hanging eyebrows. Setting the chips aside, he put all attention on me. "Why should I tell you? It's irrelevant to your cause."

"It is relevant," I said in a blank voice. "Understanding the motive behind people coming after me is something I am trying to achieve. I don't get it or see why people would do this."

Carter said nothing - and I didn't think he was going to. After a few long moments though, he finally did. "What do you know about Reid Taylor?"

I could inform him on what I knew if it meant a better chance that he would return the favor. I took a moment, assessing what I knew. "I know he takes people and is a kidnapper. Takes women and turns them into sex slaves. He either sells them off or keeps them around as servants." The FBI informed me of all this. Despite my trust in them shaken, it's hard to argue what they told me about Reid. What was more interesting was the information they gave me about the men that would work for Reid. That's why I was interested to hear Carter's background.

My long pause compelled him to raise an eyebrow. He looked more amused than before. "That's it?"

"No. I understand there are many reasons why someone would work for him. One being that Reid will trick people so they are in his debt. Somehow, he takes control of these people's lives. He will somehow or another force men to give up their own children. Or people will sell their kids into the system and be paid for it," I paused and sighed. "I don't know how that happens or the way that system is set up. I don't see how he has all that power and can trick people into doing things for him like that.

Carter watched me intently. He squinted his eyes towards me as his lips tilted up into a small smirk. "The way it's set up is complex. I don't even know the extents to it. I don't work directly under Reid but through someone else. But I can say that is all accurate. Reid has his ways, that's for sure."

"How were you hired?" I asked. I was more than interested in knowing how it worked and these men got involved. I figured his reason would offer up a good explanation. It might allow me to understand how my father wound up in this mess.

"I was offered a large sum of money. That's how I was introduced but it's not like just some job. If you work for these people, you need to be loyal. You need to know what you are doing. Because if you screw up, if you don't do your job well, if you get scared and back out... you will pay for it. That's why we know what we are doing and are trained in this work. Because if we aren't good enough, if we aren't loyal, it will bite you in the ass."

I kept my face straight as I listened. But all I wanted to do was allow my eyes to grow and to demand for more. Getting these kinds of answers called for a party! I mean learning this was better than dinner and that's saying something. I've been wondering about these people coming after me for years. Finally, I was getting answers.

Taking in a deep breath, I slowly looked up to his eyes, knowing mine were ready and guarded. "How will it bite you in the ass if you aren't loyal or a good shot?"

"They take away everything. You see, they draw in people like me easily. People that are broke. They don't just offer to take care of you financially, they give you a lot of money after that. So once I signed the contract, I had it made. They gave me so much money, you fall in love with it. You become addicted to this new lifestyle. So much so that you will do anything to keep it, including whatever we are asked. And if you still have a heart and are uncomfortable with a task - let's say kidnapping a child - you will lose it fast. Because they have the right to not only take away your money, but they can find you and kill you. They have that right. So it keeps you in line."

Whoa. I had zero idea that that's how it worked. I've never heard of anything like that before and already knew it would be hard to wrap my head around. Beyond the surprise of hearing this, it instantly demanded more questions from me. "You're telling me all these people will do it just because they are selfish and want money and to live? That's all? Wouldn't there be a lot of people who would rather die than do these awful things? Why do this at all if you know you will be stuck?"

"That's why only certain people are introduced. This is not advertised and well known as a job opportunity for a reason. It's very secretive. They narrow it down to people who have corrupted morals and are happy that way. They will favor a criminal background in some cases, men that want to do this. And those men agree with Reid's ideals of taking whatever you want and praising chaos. See, there is way more to it than just being stuck in that spot to do it. Loyalty is high for more reasons than one. Not to mention, it's not like a day job. You get all the time in the world sometimes to live your life. But when a task needs to be done, we are expected to do it, no matter what it is."

"So you had corrupted morals and a need for money?"

"'Corrupted' isn't the word I would use but in your eyes, yes. The reason I was hired was because I didn't have anything to lose, I had no money, I wanted a new life, and agreed with their morals and could prove it. That established true loyalty. And to keep that loyalty in check, there is the safety net of taking away your money and your life if you aren't careful."

I couldn't believe I was actually having a conversation with this guy in the first place. What was even more mind-blowing was the fact that he was cooperating. I was interested, wanted to know more, and shocked by all he revealed so far. It made me want to pat myself on the back for asking these questions. This was a big part of determining if we could trust him.

Staring at him, searching him, I did my best to pay attention to the way he was responding. Because this next question was important and I needed to know he was telling the truth. "That's where you are now, right? You messed up in their eyes. You were captured by the enemy and you didn't accomplish your objective. Does that mean you would be killed and have everything taken from you if you were to escape from us?"

He smirked and looked slightly amused over my assumption. "Huh. Maybe that would be a reason to not fight you people," he said with an obvious tone. "Or in other words, stay calm," he whispered, winking at me in reference to my earlier question.

I took in what he said and watched him carefully. Took in his body language, voice, and eyes. His voice sounded honest, especially with those last words he spoke. His tone offered amusement to what he was saying and it gave credibility. The whole time, his eyes rested in mine and didn't look away, body relaxed as well. Though I obviously couldn't know for sure if he was being truthful, the explanation alone made sense. Why would he struggle or fight us? At least here, he is alive. If he goes back and is free, he would be killed (if his story was true).

However, the last bit of skepticism I held rung loud in my head. "That makes sense. But if you were truly loyal to them like you said, wouldn't you still be trying to make us fail? Wouldn't you lie to us instead of telling the truth?"

I knew that whatever he said, there was a big chance he was lying. My point was a strong one. However, he didn't hesitate in answering. "If I'm being loyal to my morals, no not at all. Ironically, my morals involve taking what I want and doing whatever I must to live my life. But it now differs from what the system promotes. It differs from most of these men because their morals are not their own. It's the system's beliefs and our higher ups. Unlike them, I skewed away from true loyalty through the years I've spent chasing you. I did my work because of that safety net and threat of my money and life being taken. So that's why I wouldn't stop you people from tearing down this whole institution. That's why I don't object to helping. If I go back to those people, I die. I die with no loyalty to them anyway. With a chance to maybe get out alive, you can bet your pretty little blonde head I won't lie."

His answer spawned more questions. Wrapped up in all he was telling me, I needed more. I believed him. Watching him, he showed the signs that he was telling me the truth. Obviously though, I was staying stubborn because it could be complete BS. I let my questions fly.

"How did your ideas and loyalty start to change from theirs?"

He pursed his lips. Even though I was yards away from him, I could see the distance in his eyes. See the thought and recollection in his blank stare. "I was inspired by the fact that they had the same ideas and thoughts about life. However, after a while, it reminded me more and more of a cult. It wasn't about doing a job because of the money and because you agreed with everyone. Morals started to drive the whole thing. I hated that," he gave a wicked grin and his eyes returned back to the present as he continued. "You see, they draw us in with money and security. These men with a criminal background look for something more though. They look for a greater meaning in their lives and it's why they could treat this institution like it's everything to them. I was not that way. My 'true loyalty' faded. My reason for anything after that was to keep my wealth and my life. It's not like I could leave. But I couldn't complain when we had the job of looking for you. That was compelling."

His smile widened as he stared at me and it made me want to cringe under his stare. I couldn't stop myself from looking down, trying to stay composed. It wasn't just that purposefully creepy smile that was getting to me. His words alone scared me. Did I even want him to elaborate on that?

Taking a deep breath, I allowed for that silence between us to stretch out. Mainly because I was trying hard to let it all sink in. At this point, a foot up my ass would be easier to handle than all this information swarming in my head. I felt like a fucking therapist and I hated therapists. That's all I've been doing tonight, listening to people talk. First Shannon, now this guy. I was still trying to deal with all she told me. And now, I was learning all this. I couldn't complain though. It was all very valuable information that could help.

Knowing I could get more, I forced myself to ask. "Why did coming after me help you?" I muttered in a disgusted voice. I was scared of the answer but wanted to know. These people after me seemed especially dedicated to finding me, like it would be a personal achievement. Right when we took Carter, he told me I was a jewel and belonged to them.

Looking back to Carter now, his big smile was gone. A smirk remained, representing the amusement he felt. "Remember how I mentioned Reid doesn't have as many people working for him as you probably thought? Well, Reid put all his men onto this job. All sects came together to find you. It was a huge deal and therefore thrilling. Especially after knowing your story and hearing everything. To know that you were one of the kids that were promised to Reid, it was exciting. We all wanted to be the ones to deliver you to him.

"After you slipped away and there was no sign of you for years, Reid stopped the search. All except for our district in Ohio, which was to watch your boy-toy," he snorted, rolling his eyes. "We were the only ones left on the job and it was our focus the whole time. It inspired everyone to find you that much more. A lot of men, like myself, became obsessed. Our jobs usually don't last long so it was the first time we really became attached on a personal level. It motivated me to try my hardest. It wasn't just the money or threat of dying but also the thrill of looking for you that made it easier to push through working under my bosses." He paused, shifting in his seat as he tried getting more comfortable. He let out a long sigh as he stretched his legs as much as he could.

All this information was crazy. Hearing the other side's story of what they did, how all of Reid's men came together, it was overwhelming. It was also overwhelming thanks to the fact that these guys became obsessed with finding me, like it was a game. That had to be one of the more disturbing things that he's told me so far. Not just that all these men became personally obsessed with finding me. The fact that it helped him get a thrill and cope with his spot in this screwed up group of people was disturbing too.

I could imagine the disgusted look on my face because Carter's expression grew more pleased. "This is all fucked up," I said. That is, if he wasn't lying. I had a strong feeling he wasn't though and I wasn't sure how that was going to sit with me. Wait until Luke and Jackson hear this.

"Of course it is," he nodded, resting his eyes for a moment before they found mine again.

"Can you tell me anymore about the process of getting involved and introduced into that screwed-up system? These men basically give themselves to this service in exchange for money and a foundation of similar morals. Do you know anything about how kids gets sold and dragged into this?"

"I don't know much. Some of the people, some of the higher-ups, give their children to Reid. It's how they keep their positions in some cases. I do know that instead of basically signing over your life to these people, there is another way. People can sell their children to Reid and in return, they are paid like I was. Only difference is they aren't stuck here under a contract like me since they gave their kid up. The only reason I say that I don't know much is because there are so many ways that can work, so many different deals that can be made."

An unexpected thought crossed my head. My father had somehow been involved with Reid. I was trying to pinpoint any ideas of what might have happened. The more I knew about this process, the better. "What kind of different deals?"

"Well I don't know many. Most men do what I did. I haven't met many that were so screwed up to drags their kids into it. But I guess of what I know, a more common example is men will sign the same contract as me, except it's a little different. You see, the contract I signed is indefinite. The one that some men will sign are a bit different. They will get money and offer service like I did. However, their contract is different. The contract some men sign expires so they are free to leave after a certain amount of time working. In exchange for that though, they need to give up their child to Reid."

"That just sounds retarded," I said, compelled and disgusted all at once. "You said some people will sell their kid for money. Why would some bother condemning themselves to working for Reid AND giving up their kid?"

"Unlike men who are free the whole time and sell their kids, the men that put in years of working for Reid first get more money. More benefits too. Like security--"

Hearing all this about kids getting involved... I shook my head and interrupted him, unable to take it. It seriously sounded too crazy. "You're telling me people will willingly do this? Like it's no big deal?" I understood that this happened. My father was an example, after all. But it was so hard to believe that this happened enough to the point where there were contracts! What the hell kind of world is this?!

"That is rare. It happens, there are contracts, sure. I haven't seen many cases at all and that is a small number compared to the number of men that work under Reid. Plus, you must remember that these people are desperate anyways. They lost hope, are criminals.... The emotional factor of that is often removed. When they promise their kids to Reid and sign this contract, their child in most cases haven't even been born yet. Money will drive people to do that kind of shit, even if it's a small number of these people. It didn't help if they were hooked on drugs and needed money for that, which many men were. But it is very rare compared to how many people actually are involved."

I didn't know if any of what Carter mentioned matched what my dad actually did. Like he said, there were many other ways to form a deal like that. Despite that, I was thoroughly disturbed. I felt sick all over again, this time for a different reason than earlier.

Eyes unmoving from each other's gaze, I saw him smile again. This time, without the intention of creeping me out. "So, did you figure it out yet?" he asked.

"Figure what out?" I raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to explain what he was talking about.

"If I am lying or not to you," he said, scoffing to himself.

Some might suspect that those words would hint that he was lying and was playing with me. But it was the humor and carelessness behind it that added to the credibility in my opinion. Which really just made me want to smile. If he was telling the truth about all this, he could help so much more than he already did.

I didn't say anything to him for a moment. Somewhat because I didn't expect him to see that I was studying him. Instead of answering, another question entered my head at the idea that he could help. "Would you be willing to describe the layout of the base - this warehouse - we will be going to? Where this boss is?"

He nodded. "I'll tell you whatever you want to know."

Carter could tell us what to expect when we go to kidnap and question his boss, one of Reid's partners. After all, if he isn't lying, he will help. The advantage of that was crazy to think about.

It was at that point that I realized Luke or Jackson needed to know this right now. Not just how the whole system is set up, but more that this guy is really willing to help. It made sense why he would help too. He has information we still don't have and could fill us in on so much more. Carter knows the place we were planning on going, inside and out. The place where we needed to go in order to kidnap Carter's boss. That could save us a lot of trouble. Carter could be the key to our success.

That's why I wasted no more time. I got up and went inside, woke up Francis, and let him know that I needed him to watch Carter now. I apologized for cutting his rest short but needed to talk to Luke before he goes to sleep. This was really important. As was the idea that began racing in my mind of what we needed to do now.

I moved up the stairs and to where Luke was probably still packing his things. Heart clenching, I knocked on the door of where his old room was. I took a deep breath, closing my eyes for a moment. I needed to push out everything that Shannon told me. We could deal with that later.

I pushed open the door to Luke's old room after I heard nothing. Sure enough, he was there under the bright ceiling light. I couldn't even bother taking in his old room. All I took notice of was the clothes scattered on the bed and the man that caused it.

Luke didn't look to me when the door opened. I can only imagine why. "I need to tell you something important," I said.

Approaching his side, I looked up and took in his pursed lips. His eyes were down at the clothes he was folding on the foot of the bed. His thick eyebrows slowly dipped in distress as I observed him. And the only reason I stopped to observe him was because I couldn't help it. Shannon's word hit me again. Of all the stress he experienced and all the unbelievable pain he dealt with. It made me want to just cry, apologize, and comfort this beautiful man in any way I could. Unfortunately, it wasn't the time to get all girly yet. Not when my mind was pulsing in so many ideas that I needed to share.

"Hey," I said, resting my hand on his arm. He took a hard breath and turned to face me. Before he let out his words that he was preparing, I got out mine first. "I know what we need to do. More specifically tomorrow. We need to somehow give Carter a lie-detector test."

Luke was caught off guard by my words. He turned more towards me and raised a curious eyebrow, his green eyes turning serious when he looked down to me. "What are you talking about? To make sure he isn't lying about what he told us?"

I nodded. "Yeah but to validate more answers he gave me. I talked to him and he knows more that could benefit us. He gave me some very private inside information. How he was hired, how the system works, why these men are loyal to Reid. He validated our hope of killing Reid. If we kill Reid, I think their entire system will collapse. Carter isn't just willing to help us. If he is telling the truth, he wants to help. We need to know for sure if he is being truthful because this could change everything."

He stared at me with shock the shade of green. Luke's lips parted as he tried saying something, but it took a bit. His thoughts kept him occupied. "You talked to him? Just now and he told you all that?" he asked in genuine curiosity.

I nodded. "Yes. This could be a game changer. There are already so many ideas that I can think of."

"Ideas for what?"

"Of how we are going to kidnap Carter's boss and get this done."

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Hey guys, so happy I got to upload! Just to let you know, I didn't intend to give so much information out in two chapters like this. I mean you just learned about what Luke went through and now everything with Carter. I really tried thinking of how to split all this information up. Even just Francis talking with her. But thinking about the story and where I want it to go, I didn't see another option of how to do it and make it natural. So I am sorry that there was so much to take in but it had to go here. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter!