“I didn’t expect you to just… hack your way in there,” Diego grumbled, “they can easily back trace you, West. That was reckless, and you need to cover up your tracks well.”
West snickered. “Do you even know who you’re talking to? I don’t do anything without covering my tracks. Besides, even if they did try to trace us…”
The two of them made their way inside and took their conversation with them. But I crouched there, rooted in shock. West had hacked the cartel’s email account?! That…! Actually, wasn’t too bad. It would’ve been one of the first things I would have attempted to do as well.
I wanted to know what I had found, but I couldn't waste the utter silence that greeted me. The wind kicked up, rustling the trees and the tall grass around us, which silenced my footsteps as I pried myself from the prickly bush. I picked at the spikes that embedded themselves into my jeans and my hoodie. I walked around to the front of the warehouse, sticking to the shadows the trees cast as I made my way toward the shadowed area where all of their bikes were.
Until, that is, my name was called.
“Chloe? Is that you?”
Lexi’s voice sounded against the shell of my ear and I had two options: one, I could make a break for it and hoped that she didn’t follow; or two, I could turn around and acknowledge her all the while hoping to convince her to leave me alone. The former left me with the risk that she’d go tell someone I had just run away, but the latter risked her finding out what I was doing in the first place.
“Chloe? What's wrong?” Lexi asked as she approached me from behind.
I turned around and put on my best smile. “Girl, you really know how to scare a woman.”
She studied my face. “You good? What are you doing out here?”
I motioned to her. “I could ask you the same thing.”
She tilted her head. “Just wanting to get some fresh air.”
I sighed. “Is it bad that I just wanted to take a walk through the woods? Just to feel not so…?”
Her face filled with sympathy. “So surrounded?”
I snickered. “Yeah, that.”
She placed her hands on my shoulders. “I know that last night was hard. I mean, I’ve been struggling with it and it’s not like it’s anything new to me.”
“Girl, you were a fucking rockstar. I was so proud of you last night.”
Her smile beamed its way across her face. “Well, I’m simply proud of you for not shrieking and freaking the fuck out. That’s what most people do.”
“Yeah, isn’t that insane?”
She squeezed my shoulders. “But you’re my best friend, Chloe, and I know you’re not out here for fresh air. So, what are you doing, and what can I do to help?”
I shook my head softly. “It’s better if you don’t—”
Her hands slid down to mine and she took them softly within hers. “Chloe, just spit it out. Let me help. Whatever it is, you’re not alone in it.”
“You have no idea what you’re asking of me.”
“Try me, beautiful.”
So, I drew in a deep breath. “Back in high school, before we met, I got into some trouble.”
“Uh huh?”
“And in order to sidestep the consequences people wanted to rain down on my head for what I did, there were other entities in play that decided I could be of use to them.”
She furrowed her brow. “What the hell are you talking about?”
Just spit it out.“Lexi, I’m a technological informant for the FBI, and I’ve got a meeting with my handler that I can’t put off. Otherwise, he’s got every right to throw me in jail.”
Her hands released mine. “You’re a what?”
