Nevada Confidential

Revealed

"You know that guy?" Eli asked in disbelief.

"What do you mean- of course she knows me!" Simon growled, stepping out from behind the storage shelf. "Who do you think you are?"

Eli stood up taller, as if trying to make himself look more intimidating. "Maybe you should start explaining yourself- not asking me to," he spat.

"Brinley, can you please explain what's going on?" Simon asked, his narrowed eyes not leaving Eli's face.

Eli turned to Brinley in surprise. "Who the heck is Brinley?"

She hesitated. "... I am."

"What... what do you mean?" Eli sputtered.

Brinley bit her lip. She couldn't lose Eli- she couldn't lose her friend. Would he understand, if she explained? Didn't he like her as her- and not 'Emelda', or 'Jacqueline?'

"It's... kind of a long story..." Brinley mumbled.

"Well you had better explain it," Eli exclaimed. "Because I'm not moving until you do."

Brinley sighed. "Can you at least move to the bunk bed and sit down?"

Eli looked toward it hesitantly, before reluctantly taking a seat on the lower bunk of the bed closest to him.

"Brinley, what are you doing?" Simon hissed. "Why would you tell this to a stranger? He'll turn us in!"

"No, he won't," Brinley said angrily. "He's my friend."

"You don't know him, Brinley... how can you trust him?"

Brinley shook her head. "Simon, just trust me, okay? And anyway, he already knows that something is wrong now- don't you think it's better just to make the situation clear?"

Simon dropped his gaze, and sighed. "Fine."

Brinley turned back to Eli, who's eyes asked a million questions. He sat patiently, with his hands clasped tightly together.

"My... real name is Brinley," she began. "Not Jacqueline... or Emelda."

Eli swallowed, before nodding slowly. He believed her. "So... are you a spy or something?" he asked quietly.

Brinley shook her head. "No. And I'm not actually eighteen... I'm sixteen."

"Can you just cut to the chase?" Simon asked bitterly.

"Where did this mood come from?" Brinley glowered.

When Simon responded he wore a sarcastic, sour smile. "I don't know, Brin," he spat the last word, and Brinley winced. He never spoke to her that way. "It could be because I've been down here for about, let's see, a week, just waiting for you to come get me."

"Give her a break!" Eli scowled. "She's been sick. She could have died."

Brinley felt touched that he could defend her, even when he wasn't completely sure who she was loyal to..

Simon turned to her, his eyes wide. "You were sick?"

"Yeah, this is the only chance I've had to get away," Brinley responded, her voice sullen.

"Oh," Simon whispered, looking guilty. He avoided the other sets of eyes, and instead found a point on the floor to gaze at.

"Continue... Brinley," Eli said slowly, trying out the new word.

She started from the beginning. She told him about the day in West Virginia that seemed so long ago, about the call from Simon, the trip- until the point when they got on the plane looking for help. It was only then that Eli spoke- and even then, it was only a comment.