Page 12 of Exposé

"I can see that."

We walked through the alleyway leading out to my sedan, and I popped the trunk.

"Hey, man. You saidifyouhadto carry me." He backed away from the trunk, my fingers digging into his arm, jerking him back to stand beside me.

"Relax. It's for the bag." I tossed his backpack in and slammed the trunk, then opened the passenger door and tossed himinside. "Do anything stupid, and you'll require a lengthy hospital stay and a team of doctors…"

I slammed the door and took a deep breath through my nose as I rounded the front of the car. Plopping inside, I blasted the air conditioner, drying away the sweat soaking into my gray t-shirt with the local school logo printed on the chest.

"Don't take me back there. They'll give me life in prison."

"Should have thought about that before."

He twisted in his seat and maneuvered around, reaching for the door handle as I pulled onto the street.

"Manuel." I reached over and twisted his ear between my forefinger and thumb, causing him to freeze like a kitten grabbed by the scruff. "Think long and hard about the next move you make."

"I won't survive in prison."

"You won't survive out here. Did you know they planned on dumping you in the river behind the district when you handed over the list?"

"How…how do you know that?"

I released his ear as I turned left on Bronco Boulevard. "I've been watching you and studying everything you've done for the last five months."

"But I never…"

I shrugged and sped onto the freeway. "You made it easy, what with you blabbing to your sister Cheryl how you were going to run away with Emily and the list." I rolled my eyes and took my exit.

"Cheryl told on me?"

"No, Manuel. You talked about it at the bistro, where anyone could hear you. What did you think would happen?"

"She was busy at work, and I wanted her to know before we left, so we had lunch—"

"I know. I heard and saw it all. How are we supposed to stay under the public's radar when there are people like you blasting our secrets outside of a SCIF?"

"That wasn't my intention." He shook his head as I pulled into the unmarked underground parking garage, scanned my badge, and waited for the bar to lift.

"Well, you'll answer to the director for it."

The bar lifted, and I found a space closest to the double gated door with two armed men in black, long sleeve shirts and tactical pants standing beside it.

Opening my door, I tipped my chin at the men. "Chip. Give me a hand here, would you?"

The eager twenty-something stepped forward with his military-styled haircut and black boots. "Sure thing. What do you need?"

"Take Manuel here up to holding. I need to debrief Director Brentwood." I tossed him my keys. "And leave the keys on the wheel well when you're done, would ya?"

"I'm on it."

Popping the trunk, I grabbed the black bag next to my hyperbolic microphone and tossed it over my shoulder.

"Better luck in prison, Manuel."

I slammed the trunk shut and walked towards the double doors, slipping my ID out and showing Trey.

"Busy day?"

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