After being read the note, everyone was silent for a minute. Alvin seemed to be in deep thought as Melissa and I tried to determine whether or not this was the real deal. It was hard to believe.

How in the world would Victoria have been able to find Melissa, discover where she was living, trace my computer's IP address and do it all while being held captive?

I mean, I knew she was intelligent but that would be... other-worldly.

"Do you really think this is her?" I asked Alvin. "Do you think it's really Victoria?"

Al stood from my desk and swallowed hard. There was a look in his eyes that told me there was more to this message than he was letting in on. He knew something we didn't.

"Y-Yes," he stammered. "But this message... it makes it all real."

Melissa moved closer to me as we tried to determine what the hell he was talking about.

"It makes what real?"

"Everything," he whispered.

When he finally snapped out of his daze, he saw that we were genuinely confused.

"Hackers like Victoria and I... there are very few of us, and for a reason," Al revealed. "It was about a year ago when some guy made a claim, or more of a conspiracy theory, to the hacker community that he had been a tech hired by some of our top government officials to do exactly what this note explained."

The air was still.

"He said that there were people in our government, and in our military, that were planning on starting another world war." Al looked up at us. "Then, after just a few hours, the video was gone and this guy just... disappeared."

After the past few months, I no longer believed in coincidences. Now, I believed everything had a reason for happening, and this instance was no different.

"After the guy disappeared we wrote it off as a hoax, but... if this is Victoria, and what she's saying is true..." Alvin paused. "Then that guy wasn't lying."

"And it's possible that man was killed for doing exactly what Victoria just did," Melissa included, pointing to the decoded letter.

Alvin just nodded.

My heart pounded in my chest. Suddenly everything was a lot more serious now that Alvin had barged into our lives and started making these accusations. But was it true? Was this really what they had wanted Victoria for all along?

"Is that why you need that external-drive?" Melissa asked. "Because there's something on there that has to do with this?"

Alvin's eyes were locked on the crime board I had made for Anna's case, which stood behind me. I could tell he wanted to ask about it.

"That's what I'm starting to believe," he answered. "Like I said, I never got the chance to look at it. But Victoria never did anything without a damn good reason."

My hand continued to play with the key card in my jacket pocket. The key card that could grant us access to anything in the NIA building. Including the evidence room.

I looked at Melissa, who seemed to be thinking the same thing I was.

"Let's say we do get you that drive," I continued. "What are you willing to do for us?"

He took in a deep breath.

"Anything," he replied. "Whatever you need."

That's when he walked up to the board on the other side of the room. He studied the red yarn and looked back at me.

"Which it seems like you do..." He touched the picture of Paige. "Are you looking for someone?"

"My sister," I revealed. "She was kidnapped about a week ago by that woman."

I watched a look of pity flash across Alvin's face. His light blue eyes locked with mine. "Cortez... I should've put two and two together."

So, he had heard about my sister's kidnapping. At this point, the entire state of California had.

"I'm sorry..." Al apologized.

"I don't need apologies," I stated. "I need your help, just like you need mine."

The tension in the room shifted.

His eyes locked on the board again, but this time he touched the note Paige had left in Anna's jacket pocket. My heart clenched at the sight.

"She's religious," he murmured. "This is a quote... Isaiah 57:1. Do you know what she wants you to find in Myrtletown?"

That's when it all clicked.

I rushed to my computer and pulled up my web browser. I typed: Isaiah Mrytletown, CA, and hit search.

A church. There was a church in Myrtletown with the name Sacred Heart of Isaiah. This had to be what she had wanted me to find. But what could be there? What did this have to do with finding Anna?

I looked at Alvin. "The day Anna was kidnapped, a blocked number texted me. It was the woman that took my sister. And the police took my phone for investigation purposes..." I stood from my desk. "Is it possible for them to trace the location of the phone that texted me?"

"Yes and no," Alvin answered. "Reason being is that all cellphone carriers have a privacy agreement that even the law can't break, regardless of probable reason. It's unethical and an infringement upon the privacy of being a US citizen. Basically, it's against the law to open up a cellphone's internal data and use it for an investigation without consent from the carrier."

"But if I got you the cellphone... would you need consent from the carrier?" I asked.

"Nah." Alvin smirked. "I'm a criminal. I don't need permission to do anything."

I looked at Melissa and realized she knew exactly where this was going. Suddenly, the hopelessness I had felt over my sister's investigation was disappearing now that Alvin was here.

"Here's the plan," I started. "I'll get into the NIA building and steal back my cellphone so you can trace the number that texted me. And in return, I'll get you your external-drive."

"Sounds like a fair trade," Alvin said.

"Do you know the agent that confiscated it?" Melissa asked.

"His last name was Mc-Something." Alvin shrugged. "Kind of pasty white, really tall and buffed..."

Melissa nodded. "I know him."

Alvin seemed satisfied, and for now, so was I. There wasn't much we could do at the moment, besides wait for the NIA building to shut down for the day. Then Melissa and I would break into the evidence room to retrieve what we needed.

In a hurry, Alvin jotted down an address.

"This is where you can find me. For now," he claimed. "Once you get what we need tonight, come over. Your cellphone should only take me until tomorrow."

I accepted the slip of paper. "Alright."

He smiled, then turned to leave the house.

Melissa and I stood in the attic, almost dumbfounded over the past fifteen minutes. So much had been said that it was taking me a minute to wrap my head around it.

Victoria was most certainly alive and working for the government, against her will, to start another war for reasons we weren't aware of. And Paige was sending me to some church over in Myrtletown, California that was ten hours away from here just to continue to toy with my life.

Things hadn't stopped spiraling out of control, but at least the fog was starting to clear up.

"Looks like I'm going to Myrtletown," I said as I stepped out the attic.

Melissa followed me. "When?"

"As soon as Al gets me what I need from my cellphone." I shoved more of my clothes into my suitcase and rushed to the bathroom. "It's obvious Paige has something to prove, and I can't stand the thought of Anna being with her any longer."

Melissa watched me gather my things from the door. "You know Chapman is gonna come looking for you when he realizes evidence is missing."

"I don't care," I stated. "I don't care about Chapman. I don't care about the NIA. And I don't care about being the good guy. Not anymore. All I care about is finding my sister and ending this shit with Paige."

I was being harsh again. It happened often, and I knew Melissa was only looking out for me. She was so patient. I was beginning to believe I didn't deserve her. Maybe me leaving would be the best for us.

"How do you plan on evading the people who know where you are at all times?" Melissa wondered.

"I'll figure it out."

"Do you have a gun? A car? Money?"

I slammed my toiletry bag into my suitcase. "I will get those things, Melissa. But right now, I need to go home and pack more clothes."

Maybe she was worried about me. Hell, I would be worried about me if I were her.

I had basically lived in the attic of her home, blamed it on the fact that I couldn't be in Derik's house anymore because Anna was gone, and had probably lost ten pounds in the process. I wasn't myself, or at least who I used to be before my life had been ripped away. So, blaming Melissa for being overbearing seemed wrong.

"Then I'm coming with you."

I looked up from my bag. "What?"

"I'm coming with you," Melissa repeated. "You're not doing this alone."

"If you disappear Chapman will know we've gone rogue and that'll ruin everything," I argued.

"Or maybe he won't." Melissa stared at me. "Maybe he'll let us go."

"I doubt that very seriously."

"Tonight, when we go to the NIA headquarters, we'll leave the decoded letter," Melissa said. "We'll return his card and maybe he'll realize we can handle Anna's case while he focuses on Victoria's."

"Yeah, and I'm sure he'll just forgive us for stealing evidence," I jabbed. "Courtesy of his key card, that we stole today."

"Then that's even more reason for me to leave." Melissa sat on her bed and looked up at me. "I'll be in just as much trouble as you, if not more."

I realized I wasn't getting out of this. Melissa had been my rock since my sister's disappearance and she wasn't stopping now. The more I thought about it, the more I realized her coming with me just made sense.

"Fine," I complied. "You're right."

She lifted herself from the bed and stood close to me. Her hands cupped my face as she gave me a small smile. I allowed my eyes to meet her own. Those silver pools made me realize I needed to slow down and breathe, regardless of the circumstances.

"We are going to find her," Melissa promised.

"We have to," I stated.

We allowed a moment of silence to settle between us as I tried to calm down. Once Melissa deemed me mentally stable, she dropped her hands.

"I will go and talk to Willi. I'll explain what we found and that we're leaving Los Angeles." She took a breath. "He knows a guy that can get us a few guns. I'll also run by the ATM and get some money."

I nodded. "I'll go talk to Derik, see if he has a spare car over at his shop that we can use. And I'll also grab some money."

Melissa grabbed my suitcase and hoisted it off her bed and set it upright. "The headquarters is empty by ten, so pick me up around nine-forty-five."

I agreed as Melissa's phone rang out.

"Dad," she answered.

I waited.

"No, yeah, go ahead. I'll be fine," she said. "I won't be alone, Alexa will be here."

Her gray eyes flipped to me and she smiled.

"Alright. Yeah. I love you too. Bye."

She hung up and sighed.

"Where's your dad going?" I wondered.

"Phoenix, to pick up a semi-truck," Melissa answered. "Shouldn't be back till early tomorrow morning."

"Perfect," I said. "So, we won't have to lie about what we're doing tonight."

She sighed. "Yeah."

"I'll see you later," I dismissed before I grabbed my suitcase.

I left the house in a hurry and jumped into Mia's car, grateful that she had allowed me to borrow it until she came back from visiting her family. Derik, on the day he had learned the news about Anna, flew back immediately but told Mia to stay in Texas, even though she had wanted to come.

"There was nothing she could've done," Derik had told me.

I agreed with him. Mia just would've been an emotional wreck until Anna was brought home, and having her and my mother sulking around the house just would've made things worse.

My heart tugged at the thought of mom. The image of her lying in Anna's bed from sunup to sundown scared me. I was afraid she would relapse. I was afraid that if we didn't find Anna...

No, I told myself. I am going to find my sister, or I would absolutely die trying.

It didn't take me long to pull up to Derik's auto-shop, where he now spent most of his days. It was a new gig he was trying, but so far, it was working in his favor.

When I rolled up, he posture straightened as he wiped his oil-stained hands with a dirty rag. I shut off the car and joined him.

"Lex," he said. "Why do you look so-?"

"Do you have a car I can borrow?" I blurted. "One that can't be traced back to me and you?"

He frowned. "If you plan on skipping town-"

"Derik," I interrupted. "It's important."

"Well, is it also a secret?"

I allowed our gazes to meet. His dark brown eyes were worried. They always seemed to be nowadays. I couldn't help but feel guilty.

"Victoria contacted me." I thumbed Mia's car key. "She sent a coded message that this man, Alvin Murphy, decoded. He knows Victoria from way back and he's gonna help trace that number that texted me-"

"Woah," Derik said. "Slow down."

I took a deep breath and started from the beginning. Derik listened as he tried to make sense of everything I had just recently come to terms with. When I was finished, he just stared at me for a while.

"Please, Derik," I begged.

"Do you have protection?"

"Melissa's talking to Willi about guns."

"Money?"

"I'm going to the ATM after this."

I studied the lines on his face that seemed to have been put there over the past week. His coarse, curly black hair was getting long as he raised his hand and scratched the back of his neck.

"Come," he ordered.

I followed behind him.

The shop had two garages, one of which remained closed and locked. Derik may have been on the better path since prison, but he still had his secrets, just like I did.

He unlocked the door and pulled it up, revealing a dark gray coupe with tinted windows. I followed Derik into the garage as he grabbed the set of keys.

"This should do." He placed the keys in my hand. "Can that Alvin guy print up a fake title and insurance, too? Just in case?"

"I don't see why not." I twirled the keys. "Can it go?"

"What do you mean can it go?" Derik huffed. "I worked on it. It can go."

"It's a Hyundai," I deadpanned.

"Don't doubt the car." He patted the hood. "And bring it back in one piece, please."

A silence settled between us as we realized what Melissa and I were about to do. It didn't feel wrong. I knew that much. But was it? Was I walking into a death trap? Did I even care at this point?

I didn't care. The only thing I cared about was my sister. And if saving her life came at the expense of mine... then that would be good enough redemption for me.

"You call me," Derik demanded. "You call me if you need anything."

Even when I wasn't leaving yet, Derik seemed to believe I was already gone. Why did he look so scared? Why was he so worried? I wasn't going to come back without my sister. There was no way.

"Derik, I'll be fine," I reassured. "That bitch doesn't know what's coming for her."

Everything we had done it the past... All the jobs and the guilt I had felt hurting those people and doing the things I did no longer mattered to me anymore. The murders, the stealing, the lying... it was like I was numb to it all.

And when I killed Paige, because I would kill her, there would be no guilt.

"Will I see you again before you go?" he wondered.

I shrugged. "Maybe. Maybe not."

Then I hoped in the car and shut the door.

Everyone tip-toed around me like I was the one who needed saving. It was beyond annoying.

I didn't need compassion and understanding. I needed to get my sister back. I needed them to stop questioning how I went about things. That's what I really needed. Not this "Alexa's-hurting-because-her-sister's-gone" bullshit.

I sped out of the garage and realized Derik wasn't lying when he said this thing could go. The engine purred as I headed to get the rest of what I needed before tomorrow.

After I withdrew the max amount from the bank I headed home to pack. When I walked inside, it was quiet. I had expected it to be. I wondered if mom was here, which was likely.

I didn't bother to check on her. Not yet, anyway.

I shoved multiple pairs of dark jeans and shirts into the duffel bag Chapman had given me for training camp. The memories I had there were all lies. Fake. Double-sided and false. Everything there had been a setup from the start and it was still a miracle I had gotten out alive.

I rolled my eyes as I restocked my toiletry bag and shoved that in there too. Then I glanced at the clock. Jesus, how was it already almost seven? Time seemed to be flying.

Once I was done packing, I debated whether I should check on mom. I knew where she was. I just wasn't sure if I could bring myself to the room I hadn't stepped foot in since Anna went missing.

I couldn't bring myself inside her room while mom couldn't seem to leave. I guess we all had our ways of coping.

I stood in the hall and stared at my sister's room. It was surreal. Like, if I opened the door, she would be in there, curled up in her pink, flower comforter reading a book. Ignoring the world with her music while she remained lost in her teenage mind.

Then she would look up from the text she was sending her boyfriend and say, "Hey, Lex. What's up?"

The burning in my eyes appeared but I clenched my jaw and blinked it away. It was getting easier to do that. I knocked on the door before I opened it.

Mom was there, lying in Anna's unmade bed as she read a book Anna had been reading when I had come back from camp. My mother's hazel eyes found mine, which made me believe that for a second, Anna was there.

"Hey, Alexa," was all she said.

"Hey mom," I greeted. "How are you?"

It was such a loaded question. A question I knew the answer to. It was stupid of me to ask, but I felt like I had to. As if it was common courtesy.

"I think you know." She set the book down. "What about you?"

Eggshells. Tip-toeing. Walking on thin ice. It was all too much. I couldn't deal with it.

"I'm an absolute shit show, mother," I stated. "I'm not okay. You're not okay. No one is okay. But don't worry... it won't be like this for much longer."

She sat up. "Has Chapman found something?"

I shouldn't tell her. Derik already knew and that was one too many people. The more people I told, the more at risk they became. The more at-risk Anna became.

"Yes," I lied. "I went talk to him today and he's lifting my temporary leave. Melissa and I are going to Paige's hometown to gather some information from the police station there."

She seemed to buy it, which I was grateful for.

"That's good news, right? That means they're getting closer?"

I forced a smile. "Yeah, mom."

"Have you eaten today?" she wondered.

I thought and realized that I had, had nothing but a pot of coffee. But I couldn't tell her that.

"Uh yeah, earlier, but I'm starving," I lied. "Fix me something?"

It was more of a ploy to get her out of Anna's bed, but it worked. Lying to her was for the best. No one had to walk on eggshells around me. I didn't care. But my mom? It was a different story.

The last time she had to deal with loss was our father, and she had known he would disappear. Granted, she hadn't expected ten years, but it had been a bumpy road to recovery. If she relapsed for Anna, I wasn't sure she would be able to pull herself out of it again.

She fixed something quick and sat at the table with me. I watched her force the food into her mouth as I did the same. I felt guilty eating. I felt guilty doing anything pleasurable nowadays.

She looked up. "How is it?"

"Great," I said. "It's great, mom."

AndI ate it all, knowing that there was a possibility I would never eat anothermeal from my mother after this was all said and done.