Agent X admired the bandage on her shoulder, glad that she hadn’t bled through it yet. Chase had been kind enough to take her to Helen. Were they just friends, or was there something there? Agent X couldn’t tell. Chase was hard to read, and he seemed more standoffish now that she had eliminated the Recovery Room scientist.
Chase dropped her off at her hotel room and she promised to be in touch. However, Agent X wasn’t planning to see him any time soon. He was fascinating, but she had other things on her mind that didn’t involve Chase. For example, she needed to figure out WHY Triumphia went to such extreme measures to capture Sebastian. Were they on a time crunch? And why hadn’t her superiors trusted her with Sebastian’s entire file? She barely knew anything about him, and now her communication devices were malfunctioning, meaning that Triumphia had cut her off. She was a free agent now.
Maybe the police had a file on Sebastian, but it was unlikely. If he had power and influence over the entire city, he definitely had the police department under his thumb. Agent X had a feeling Sebastian would have destroyed any incriminating records that gave away his identity. He was a master manipulator, and asking him questions had been like pulling teeth.
Had Agent X made a mistake releasing him from prison? Maybe she should have taken him to the executive council herself and accepted the accolades. But something told Agent X that both parties had deadly secrets. She thought back to the guard’s kindness as she dealt with night terrors in the Citadel, and how much she longed to be free like a bird. She could never be free, as long as Triumphia existed…
She froze. What if she wasted her time looking into Sebastian, and Triumphia tried to kidnap her next? What if they tortured and killed her for betraying the tyrant’s orders? Agent X hadn’t even THOUGHT about that. Malum had paid for her hotel room, and they knew where she was. She wasn’t safe in this room. She wasn’t safe anywhere.
Agent X took some calming breaths and came up with a plan. She would allow herself some much-needed rest. Set an alarm for five o’clock and put on a new disguise. Leave the hotel before the sun rose, and take the bus to Heathrow Heights, so that she could remain anonymous. There, she would try to land an interview with Sebastian’s security detail.
If Sebastian had a single brain cell, he wouldn’t go anywhere near Bash Industries while his security measures were compromised. It was the perfect time to infiltrate his space and find any personal documents that revealed what he was up to. But there would definitely be a heightened security on the hundredth floor, and Agent X would need an excuse to get near the penthouse. If she got a job, she could establish herself in Corver City, and get prime access to Sebastian’s lair.
Agent X went to the restroom and splashed her face with water, her shoulder stinging as the anesthetic wore off. She’d lost her fake glasses somewhere in the fight, and her eyes looked too big for her face. When she looked in the mirror, it was like looking at the words Agent X rearranging themselves into a question mark. She tried to replace that word with a name. Braya. How long would it take to sink in?
Tomorrow she’d pick a new name, and the name Braya wouldn’t even matter. The thought made her feel lonely, and the loneliness brought a fresh wave of exhaustion. Braya was done asking questions. She was ready to get to the meat of this mission, and she would figure out Sebastian’s plans if it was the last thing she did.