Page 82 of Don't Game Me
“Not yet.” Quan paused their trek down a new hallway, one lacking in both cubicles and people. “I’m really sorry about the rush to get this done right now. I had to beg a friend to let you in because I knew this was important to you. They’re about to transfer her to Virginia.” He glanced to her abdomen. “You sure you’re okay enough to be out of the hospital?”
“They discharged me hours ago. I’m fine.” Big lie. She’d checked herself out AMA. The world teetered every few steps like she’d stepped off a spinning merry-go-round, and her body felt like she’d been hit by a train.
Quan’s eyebrows rose. “Really? They kept Jake there, didn’t they? You both got injected by the same sedative. How come you’re better off than him?”
“Maybe my metabolism is better than his, or I got a different dose. I don’t know. I’m here. This is important.” She needed an explanation from Lisi. Her as Symphis didn’t feel right. Only by looking into her eyes when she asked could she gauge if the woman was lying. Her mind argued Lisi might be too accomplished as a liar for Becca to figure anything out. She wasn’t a trained interrogator.
“I might need you to help me read her,” she said to Quan.
“That’s why I’m here. I’m primarily parked at a desk, but from time to time they let me talk to detainees. Gotten to see more action recently since this case with illegal gaming has exploded.” Quan’s eyes glowed with excitement.
Becca’s mind spun. Maybe she should’ve stayed in the hospital. A sense of danger pressed in the closer they got to their endpoint.
“We’re almost there,” Can said. “You ready?”
Her breaths came shallow, and she tried to calm herself. “Sure.”
“You look like you’re about to hurl. Bathroom’s that way.” He pointed back down the hall.
She shook her head, although he wasn’t far from the truth. Her stomach rolled, but not from nausea. A sour taste filled her mouth, one she experienced every time right before she stepped into the Stadium.
“Maybe you should reconsider speaking with her. Why don’t you sit outside while I ask her some questions? You can watch through the glass. There’s no need for you to face her. We’ll find out what we can from her and confirm she’s been running the operation.” His lithe body blocked her view down the hallway.
“I’m good. I’m here, aren’t I?”
“I’m just worried about you.” His eyes crinkled as he smiled, but worry remained in the depths of his gaze. “All right, come on.” Quan led around another corner. He waved at a window of one-way glass, which showed Lisi with her hands cuffed to a table. An agent with an FBI badge nodded to Quan.
Becca caught her reflection in the glass. No wonder Quan thought her not doing well. Her ponytail wasn’t centered, and she’d neglected to pull a few larger clumps into the binding. She pulled it out and redid it.
“She say anything?” There was a terseness to Quan’s tone as if he was warning the FBI agent rather than asking out of curiosity.
The agent whose name badge readSmithsonshook his head. His gaze darted to Becca for an instant. “She’s been pretty tight-lipped. Not sure she’ll be any better for you.”
Smithson held open the door for her to enter. “You can go on in, if you want. Don’t get too close to her. Stay standing. You joining her, Quan?”
“No. I’ll stay out here for now.”
The moment Becca stepped into the room, Lisi glanced up. “You’re looking good for a dead woman.”
She’d said it without surprise, as if she didn’t expect her to be dead. Becca asked, “Why’d you drug me if you thought you killed me with the shot?”
Lisi’s gaze shifted to the window and back to her, but she didn’t answer.
“Are you really Symphis?” Becca asked.
For a moment, the arrogance Lisi kept in place dropped. She leaned forward as if about to reveal an important truth.
The door opened and shut. A side glance revealed Quan had stepped into the room. Unexpected. She thought she’d be alone for this. A part of her felt relieved not to be alone with this viper.
Lisi’s face blanched, as if she’d recognized Quan. But he’d said he hadn’t spoken with her. Lisi covered the show of emotion to throw them an exasperated smirk.
Lisi glanced between Quan and Becca. “I could be Symphis, but then again, so could so many people.” Her gaze fixated on Quan. “I’m not playing any more games.”
“There are no more games to play,” Quan said. “You are done with games.”
Were they talking in some sort of weird code? Her mind wouldn’t kick into its normal gear to figure out if she’d missed something.
Seconds later, Lisi began seizing, her body jerking with such strength it knocked her out of the chair. Her head whacked against the table in a cringe-worthy thwap. The spasms finally stopped, leaving her lower body limp and hanging over the edge of the desk, held upright by the cuffs. Blood-tinged spittle dribbled from her lips.
