Whisper

Chapter 20

This compound was massive compared to the facility. A full blown military operation was happening here.

As she said, Mateo and Clarise were separated, Clarise being put right into a containment cell, right beside a few other projects that she quickly got to know. Not that she needed to spark conversation with them.

Mateo was put into a dark room with one overhanging lamp and a metal chair, a two way glass allowing him to get a good look at his roughed up form. His hands were now cuffed to the table, his ass sore from being tossed around all day and now on a still metal chair.

"Mateo Alaveraz," a voice came over the speaker, echoing in the room, "What can you tell us about the corporation you work for?"

Mateo stayed dead silent, staring into the mirror. He really wanted to take a shower, he looked and felt dirty. His hair desperately needed a wash as well, seeing how it basically just picked up every dirt and dust particle in the vicinity.

"Mr. Alaveraz, are you even away what your corporation does? I would assume so given your proximity to that woman."

That woman, Clarise, was probably just talking up a storm to herself. Mateo let out a small chuckle at the thought.

"Is there something amusing?" The door suddenly swung wide open to one of the men who was part of Conrad's team. Kevin Ming. Mateo got a glimpse of him when they were all being escorted out of the van.

Watching him with a plain expression, Mateo intertwined his fingers, leaning onto his elbows in a very relaxed position. He's been in a situation like this, usually there are three ways to get through it.

You confess everything.

You lie.

Or you just stay silent.

He usually goes for the third option, and usually it works.

"Well since you're not talking about yourself, let's talk about that woman," Kevin made himself comfortable, sitting across from Mateo with a less-than-amused smile. He had a file on the table like they actually had information on her, but it was basically empty. "What can you tell me about her?"

Silence.

"What's her name?"

Nothing.

"Her age?"

A blank stare.

"What about her powers? I heard that you said she can answer any questions?"

A single blink.

Sighing, Kevin leaned back in his seat, opening the file and pretending to read something. Once again, it's blank. "Maybe we should bring her into the room, she'll have answer to our questions. Right?"

Mateo remained expressionless, just the slightest tension in his jaw that the keen-eyed Kevin picked up. Smirking Kevin threw the file back on the table, "Stay here for me, will you Mateo? I'll be back."

"Hold on!" Mateo finally piped up, but Kevin had already walked out. "Damn it!"

According to her file, she always answers questions directed at her no matter what. He'd seen it first hand, so she will spill everything to them. He was told the confidentiality of his job, of course his knowledge was very limited. In fact, he was the only man from his company that was actually given higher level clearance and access to one of the Projects. He wasn't made aware of this fact, and neither was Clarise.

Well, until she questioned it that was.

"Hello Miss," Conrad stood on the other side of the yellow tinted glass, his arms crossed as he watched Clarise. "I'm Conrad Carson, but I have a feeling you already know that."

Clarise remained sat on the cot. All things considered it was rather comfortable and she was rather tired. She didn't realize it, but she had agitated the injuries on her feet, and before she knew it she was bleeding right through the bandages and staining her brand new socks, or sock, considering the foot bleeding the most is the one where she's missing some toenails.

"This is where you introduce yourself," Conrad voice was firm. He was still awaiting for news of the team in Alaska to touch down. His friends pulled a few strings to get a team together quickly, but everyone wants his brother and his brother's team to return safely.

He noticed her gaze went to her feet, noticing the dark stain spreading from the tip of her foot, "Are you injured? I'll get medical for you."

He walked over to a nearby intercom, calling for a doctor.

"He'll be here shortly," he met her eyes again, but this time she was visibly exhausted, no longer trying to analyze him. "Are you hungry? Mealtime already passed, but I could get you something."

Now that he brought it up, she was starving again. Mateo never got dinner and that sandwich she had was long digested. So she nodded, letting out a little yawn in the process.

Conrad went off to call for a meal for her, thinking about how he's going to deal with her. Kevin was currently interrogating Mateo, but he doubts Mateo was going to say anything. Maybe he should've questioned the pair in the van, they seemed more talkative then.

The doctor arrived swiftly, carrying a well-packed medical kit. Waiting for Conrad to punch in the security code before he entered the cell with Clarise. His movements were sporadic and nervous, his eyes shifting between Clarise and Conrad. He was acting like she was a ticking time bomb, but he also seemed equally terrified of Conrad.

"U-Uh I'm going to remove your socks now."

Clarise had dangled her feet towards the anxious man, watching him closely as he took off her socks and slowly began to unwrap Mateo's handy-work.

"T-this may hurt," he shakily took out a bottle of rubbing alcohol, the liquid shaking along with him, "Oh shit!" He dropped it as he tried to soak a cotton ball, spilling the contents all over her open wounds.

Conrad watched for any reaction, anything at all, but she remained still not even blinking. A small woman like her looks like a single flick would knock her out or at least she would faint at the sight of blood. But this woman stared at the fumbling doctor with so much indifference you'd think she was a robot.