The Collective

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Ethan

     Regan sat at her desk, smirk firmly in place when Max dragged me through.

     "Sorry," he muttered, as he tossed me into the chair across from Oversight. He squeezed my shoulder on his way out. The guard, Nick, from the elevator, stood in front of the door.

     It slammed closed, and the room fell into silence. I shifted, zip-ties grating against my skin. They were already bleeding. Evidently, Regan wanted to make sure I couldn't get them off if I wanted to.

      Oversight seemed to materialize out of nowhere. She sat across from me, completely at ease. She had all the cards, and she knew it. "Ethan, you've made quite the mess, haven't you?"

     I remained silent.

     She continued, nonplussed. "What would you do in my shoes? One of my most trusted employees betrayed me."

     "Betrayed you? How did I betray you? You've had my whole life since I was 18."

     She slammed her fist down on the desk, knocking off some of her files. "You betrayed me the moment you brought that vixen into our lives!"

     She was jealous?

     Oversight regained her composure. "I made you. You owe me."

     The last 7 years weren't enough?

     "Don't forget I have your precious Ms. Turner."

     I stiffened. Alex was fine. All I had to do was get us out. Oversight may have been the one pulling the strings, but I was the one with all the connections. I could get us into England or Myanmar, or even West Africa, all places The Collective refused to go because they had no sway.

     I just had to play along a little bit longer. Find an opportunity to get out.

     Oversight stood up. "Have you figured out who the mole was?"

     I nodded, playing a hunch. "I have everything. If you don't let me walk out of here, it's all going to release. The whole world will know it was you."

     She laughed, the sound completely unnatural. "You've been in the field for two years. You've had endless resources at your disposal, and you come to me with that? I'm the mole? In the organization I've spent my life trying to build. You have nothing. Regan will take care of it."

     I was afraid of that. "Think about it. You taught me well. I have hard copies and emails with their locations ready to be sent out. If I'm not there to stop them, then..." I had nothing of the sort. Up until a couple days ago, I thought it was Max.

     Her smile faded. She flicked her wrist towards the door. "Maybe a few days in the Hole will change your mind."

     Nick froze mid-step. "Are you sure that's necessary? I'm sure I can make him talk."

     Oversight stiffened. "Would you like to join him?"

     Nope. Time to go. I moved, forcing Nick to come with me. I didn't stop pulling until we were in the elevators. He was young, bright-eyed, naïve. Oversight would break him of that soon enough.

     I slumped against the wall, focusing on breathing. The Hole was reserved for the worst of the worst. It was made to break people, and 90% of the time, it did. As for those that didn't... they became the conductors.

     "Can we go by the infirmary?"

     Nick nodded, paling. He'd only been here for a few months. He wasn't completely calloused yet. Telling him this wasn't his fault wouldn't help, even though I didn't blame him. We all made choices here, and some of them haunted us for the rest of our lives.