Page 7 of The Lost Melody

Sighing, I call my father, already deciding I’ll tell my dad I was hunting tonight and turned off my phone. My dad’s message was sent an hour ago, which means they don’t know I was part of the infiltration.

“Hi Dad,” I say nonchalantly when he picks up. “Where’s the fire? I went hunting and didn’t check my phone all night.”

The person driving me glances over, but otherwise doesn’t react. I am a killer with a few values, however it makes me wonder how much Greg has told his team about me.

“Are you kidding me right now? That’s cute…”my father grumbles. “Mr. X had an experiment go wrong today, and we had to abandon the hospital. All of that work and money down the drain, and his experiment escaped,” he sighs. “Grant is on the run, so I’m going to lie low in the meantime. Xav split the money from his latest business venture with Grant already, so he has cash flow.”

My stomach rolls as I realize the business venture he’s talking about was selling Lennon’s body. My father is oblivious as he continues, “It may be months before we can recover. This shit just blew up in Grant’s face, and I doubt he’ll be able to run for governor now. The only thing to do is to keep busy and out of the way, son.”

My lips twist, the only outward sign that I dislike what he’s saying. “I can lay low, possibly pick up an IT job in the meantime so I don’t have to leave the house,” I tell my father to pacify him. I typically pick up hacker jobs when I’m bored. Computers have always made sense to me, though I noticed I could learn some things from Greg.

“Alright son, be sure to call Grant back, he’s losing his shit right now,”my father tells me and hangs up.

Grimacing, I pull up Grant’s number.

“Before you make your next call, Greg texted that I should take you to the safe house to rest,” the agent who’s driving me says. I can’t remember his name, I'm too buried in other things.

I shake my head. “I don’t think I’ll need it, based on what I just heard my father tell me. He said to lay low, though I can do that from anywhere, I guess,” I mutter. I dislike being unable to go where I want, and I really don’t think they know we were part of the break in and current dismantling of the hospital.

The agent shrugs. “Do you have any information that’s important to the current investigation?” he asks.

I sigh. “Yeah, I do. I’m about to call Grant Williams now, since he’s been blowing up my phone. It doesn’t appear as if he knows Derek and I were part of today’s activities,” I explain.

“You’re… beg your pardon?” he says, his jaw dropping.

Apparently, Greg plays his cards close, even from his team. Noted.

“You know what, nevermind. Greg is well aware of what I’m up to, but if your plan is to drop me off at a safe house, he may want to come have a chat with me,” I tell him.

I press my finger to my lips as the agent opens his mouth again, as I connect the call to Grant.

“It’s been hours since I called you,”he growls and I keep my face impassive so my voice will reflect the same.

There’s been too much emotion around me today, and I’m starting to feel the effects.

“I went dark for a bit, and didn’t have my phone,” I explain. I don’t want to tell him I didn’t have a signal, as it may lead to more questions. I also wasn’t expected to be on call for him today, either.

“Ah, fuck, it’s just really bad timing is all. I can’t get in touch with Derek either today. We had a fuck up at Hidden Hills, and Lennon attacked and killed some of the staff. We were so damn close, but the bitch still has got some spirit in her. Xav didn’t break her enough it seems. You were there when he was performing his ‘therapy’ with her right? What went wrong?”he asks.

Fuck, this poor agent is going to get an earful this morning. “I don’t know if anything went wrong, at least not the night I was there,” I begin. “Xav showed her a video of her boyfriends cheating on her, and told her that everyone had moved on. No one missed her, no one would be saving her, and she was his to play with, sell, and break. He whispered things in her ear afterwards, while I suffocated her with a plastic hood.”

“Fuck yeah, I knew Xav was a kinky fucker, but I didn’t know you were as well,” Grant crows before sobering. “Lennon O’Reilly should have been putty in our hands, and she’s too valuable to let her walk away. Government operatives invaded the property and we had to leave, but they shorted out the cameras so we have no idea who they are. If we can’t recapture her, she’ll need to be eliminated.”

I fist my hand, because that’s not going to happen. I am going to hunt and kill every one of these fuckers… including my father. He will not let this go, he wants the power too much.

Taking a small breath so it won’t travel through the phone line, I say, “Of course, sir. I spoke to my father, and he suggested that I lay low, so that is my plan. If you don’t hear from me immediately when you call or text, this is why. Though, I do not plan to be out of communication.”

Grant grunts in approval. “Have you heard from my son today?”he asks, and I thank god that I can nonchalantly say yes without a problem.

“I did, and he seemed fine,” I respond.

“Good, good, let him know his old man would appreciate a phone call, would you? Derek knows exactly what’s at stake by staying in my good graces. I will keep you apprised of my needs,”he says before he hangs up.

“Asshole,” I mutter.

“Who the fuck are you?!” says the man beside me and I roll my eyes.

“I don’t really think you want to hear the answer to that, or you’d already know. Let’s get moving, so you can get me out of your car, yeah?”

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