Project HALO

Chapter 34

As I lie alone in the bedroom with my pounding hand resting on my chest and I close my pounding eyelids, my thoughts drift off.

It's the first of June already, and Mikey's had no luck locating the flash drive. I offered to help him, but me staring at him work isn't exactly helpful. But if he can't locate it, we have to search for it physically. I know I said I'd give him until the fourth, but I don't know if we can afford that.

Nervous energy runs through my every nerve, making them tighter and itchier with every passing hour. Another hour that passes is another hour I could have spent running from storage unit to storage unit. Running around like that would take forever, and logically I know that, but it still feels like I'm not doing enough. Mikey is working on tracking down the flash drive every day, and I gave him my word. But I also gave Malcolm my word. And Regina gave me hers. They all gather into the same conclusion: find the flash drive.

But before I do anything, I need Will to tell me the truth. The entire truth. If I'm to play this game, I need to learn the rules to know which ones I can break.

I have tried looking for her, but Will's been busy. I'll ask her at dinner if she's there. If not, I'll ask Maya or Katia. Or maybe even Frank. The ones Will trust the most.

With the groan of an eighty-year-old man, I rise from my bed and stagger to the kitchen.

Phantoms are talking and eating dinner when I enter the room. I spot Frank and Mikey, but then I see Will. She's at the end of the table with Maya and a couple other Phantoms. My frustration builds the longer I think about it, about how we've been here for three days and she still hasn't told me everything. Every limb in my body prickles with anticipation.

The clock on the wall shows 5:51 PM. Dinner is ending.

"I'll see you bright and early tomorrow morning," Will says as the Phantoms closest to her start to leave. "I know the training sessions have been hard so far, but they'll get even worse from here on."

The group groans and Will shrugs, a tiny grin touching her lips. "Sorry."

When everyone but me, Mikey, Frank, and Will have left the kitchen, she pushes away from the table and throws her paper plate into the trashcan. I walk over to her and grab her by the shoulder before she can exit the room. I haven't seen her since she refused me to leave, and the taste of old resentment reaches my throat.

You're no better than Regina, I want to say, but I need answers first. Even Regina told me everything she knew. So why won't Will?

"Wait," I say. Will pulls away from my grip, but stops.

"I need answers," I continue. She opens her mouth, but I know only excuses will come out, so I interrupt, "Now."

Her dark eyes dart from me to Frank and Mikey at the table behind me.

"We'll talk later," she says and steps to the side. I walk in front of her and block her way.

"No. You owe me this," I say. "I won't stop asking until you answer. Until you tell me the whole truth." It's difficult to suppress the anger bubbling in my chest, but I somehow maintain a steady voice.

"Tomorrow." She looks up at me under lowered eyebrows.

"You know, it's kinda funny..." I shake my head. "I thought Phantom was all about telling people the truth. Wouldn't that make you the biggest hypocrite around here?"

She sighs, hesitates.

"Fine." Her jaw ticks. "We might as well get it over with."

"Yeah, I agree."