Torn (Deep 8, #5)

47. Harlow

FORTY-SEVEN

Harlow

When I finish delivering the message that might save us, I tear apart the flip phone piece by piece and flush it down the toilet. If they want to go sewer diving, be my guest. I won’t do anything to jeopardize the mission or lead them back to the team. Roger needs to stay safe long enough to come back, burn the place to the ground, and save me.

Save me.

I’m not the rescuer this time. I’m the one who needs to be rescued. It’s not very often I’m in this position—almost never. I have to trust Roger and the team to reach me before Deep 8 has their way with the world.

Timing will be everything. I hope I’m not having some hallucinogenic moment, and my father did make a virus to destroy whatever Deep 8 has going on. Where there’s a way in, there’s a way out. Always leave yourself an exit.

The extra cigarette burns a hole in my pocket. I pull it out, run it across the bottom of my nose, and inhale. The sweet smell of tobacco lights up my taste buds, a nasty habit formed in high school when my life took a turn. This might be my full circle moment.

I step onto the balcony as the ocean breeze curls around my shoulders like the wind of change, leaving goosebumps in its path. Snagging the lighter with the phone comes in handy as I light up and take a long drag. Thoughts of Roger never leave my mind. He doesn’t need rescuing. He’s going to save himself and me.

By the time they dragged me up to see the battle between father and son, Roger had changed. His eyes were harder, his stance was stiffer, and his attitude had done a one-eighty. I wasn’t there to see it, but I knew what it looked like. All bets were off when he realized who Lucas was in this game. He put himself into protective mode. I know what that feels like, looks like, and acts like.

I take long drags on my cigarette, knowing it will be the last cigarette I’ll ever have whether I live or die. Sorry is not a word I would use to describe how I feel about things I’ve done, the people I’ve killed, or the souls I’ve saved. Now it’s time to save myself.

The door to the room slams open, but I don’t turn around. I expected them to come sooner or later. Chills run across my skin as Lucas appears next to me.

"Do you want to tell me where the phone is and who you called?" Lucas appears calm with his hands in the pockets of his white stainless suit.

I’ve already prayed to the acting gods and Roger to help me get through this. It won’t be a stretch to pretend to be someone else, just as Roger instructed me.

My lips suck on the filter and I take another hit. "I don’t know what you’re talking about?"

He rips the cigarette from my fingers and throws it over the railing. "That durry might be your last. My guard said you asked for a smoke and now his phone has gone missing." His Aussie accent thickens.

I turn in his direction and look him in the eye. "I’m sorry, I fail to see the connection. What does his phone have to do with me?"

He grabs me by the back of my head and shoves his face in mine. "You are a shit liar and not the actor my son is. Where’s the bloody phone?"

"You’re a shit father. I don’t have it, but feel free to look around." For an instant, there’s a look of regret in his eye, but it disappears.

He lets me go and tells the men to search the suite. I lean on the railing, face the sun, and close my eyes with a smile on my face. My eyes open and he’s staring at me with curiosity. I’ve thrown him off balance. I always played my role with reserve.

He leans in. "I’m the best father Roger will ever have."

I turn away from him and look back over the ocean view without a reply.

"Boss, there’s nothing here. We searched everywhere." One of his guards informs him.

Lucas leans back with his hands folded in front of him. "Take her to the basement. Maybe you can beat it out of her, but nothing else. I want that pleasure to be mine."

I get in his face. "I don’t do charity work, not even for the criminally insane."

The back of his hand makes contact with my face, and I laugh. Once his guards get me downstairs, I won’t be laughing but I will persevere.