Page 376 of Lodestar

“Why would she be speaking with the CIA about you?” I questioned.

“I don’t think she was speaking to Reinier in his capacity of CIA director.”

Fury flashed inside me as Conor winced then blew out a breath. “This is a mess.”

“Tangled webs often are,” Anton intoned. “However, we are coming to the end of this web. You will be relieved to know that Jorgmundgander is now defunct.

"Upon my arrival in the States, I will be interceding with the FBI to make sure Reinier, Smythe, and Foundry become statistical anomalies. And Interpol will make their moves and rid the world of the trash heap that are the Sparrows. The only thing left to do is to help their victims return home.”

The words settled so deeply inside of me that they became a part of my DNA.

I stared at him a little blankly, unable to accept the truth of what he was saying yet feeling a relief so virulent that I sagged in my seat, knowing he was right.

This was dusk for the Sparrows but the dawn of a new day for Conor and me.

What was that saying?

The sun shines on the righteous?

For the first time, I felt as if that could apply to me too.

PART 2

Nobody noticed until all my pain turned into anger and now I’m the bad guy.

- Unknown

26

TEXT CHAT

Lodestar: You won’t fucking believe it.

Dead To Me: Give me a hint.

Lodestar: I shot him in the ass.

Dead To Me: Ah, Muñoz. I shot him in the head. Does that mean I beat you?

Lodestar: Technicalities. That piece of shit was a goddamn Sparrow.

Lodestar: Now I’m just pissed that you had the kill shot and not me.

Dead To Me: How do you know he was?

Lodestar: He has the app on his phone. The one they use to communicate.

Dead To Me: Jesus. You’re lucky Temper warned me. God knows what their endgame was.

Lodestar: Nah, he's always been a shit shot. He missed me the first time in Dubrovnik. And don't talk to me about Temper and her treacherous ass.

Dead To Me: Hmm.

Lodestar: What are you doing?

Dead To Me: Stuffing hair into a small space.

Lodestar: I don’t want to know.

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