Page 53 (1/2)

I swear to God, if this kid coton Beach, I will not be held responsible Already thisshe’s complained about the lack of breakfast, her lack of clean clothes, and her sore body

"It’s soooo hot"

The air-conditioning is on full blast, but even though the sun just carees outside

"I’ Christ, do you ever shut up? I’m ready to drop your ass off on the side of the road"

Sasha lets out a big sigh and I glance over at Harper She’s been quiet the entire ride I reach across the center console and tap her on the shoulder She pulls her distracted gaze away from theand smiles half-heartedly at me "You OK? You haven’t said ry" She looks away again

"OK" I scan the horizon and see soet off at the next exit"

I knohy she’s quiet I told her I was going back to the OC to get some files That has to be it She has them stashed so place, otherwise she would’ve taken them with her But I checked her backpack There is no flash drive or papers or any otherinfor is proof enough Those files are stashed and we are headed right for them

When she escaped, as she calls it, she hopped a plane to Hawaii, changed her name and credentials, and then hopped another plane to LA From there she was tracked to the UCLA library And that’s as far as they got Meaning the Company forensic surveillance teae at the library that day About three , to be precise And even though the general power kicked right back on, the security systems went down All ca about that day was coordinated by Nick All the surveillance footage show a confident and purposeful Harperidentities, accessing a cab in LA, a city she had never been to before Then navigating her way around UCLA campus like she’s been a student there for years In fact, she had a UCLA ID, she earing it around her neck just before she entered the library There was no footage of her co out

After that she was back on the record New cab procured, ride out to Huntington Beach, dropped off at the Main Street Pier Paid with cash She got out, walked north one block, turned up Fifth, and from e can tell by the street caht to the aparte at that point Obviously she took the apartment, she technically still lives there for another feeeks But I didn’t find her right away And I was not given orders I learned all this way after the fact My original explanation about why I atching her was true I’m obsessed I want her She’s mine

My infor The Adet her

OK I had not expected that, to be honest The receptionist thing Merc and I share is not a secret I’ve had the saement with lots of different operatives over the years So it does not surprise ured it out… it’s just… Why would he care about this one little girl? That part makes no sense