Host:we dont like people knowing what we’re doing, what’s wrong with that
Guest:Why was Margie Brooksfield sending Paradox money?
Host:its exactly like she said. they were donations from willy grooms. grooms saw a uap crash and castillo was putting
together a group to go into the mountains to investigate. grooms was funding it. it was only forwarded through brooksfield’s account because grooms was paranoid as shit.
Guest:Why did Castillo steal the relic?
The messages had been coming in one right after another, but after this one, Cash noticed a pause. Khachatryan—or whoever was sending these messages—seemed to be thinking before answering this one. Finally, a message came through.
Host:do you have it
Cash wondered if she should tell the truth, and decided she should.
Guest:Yes
This was followed by another long silence. Then:
Host:what are you going to do with it
Guest:Return it.
She waited, but there was no response.
Guest:If you want us to find who killed Castillo, now’s the time to tell us what you know. I think you know a lot more than you’re telling me.
Another pause:
Host:before you give it back, sequence the dna
Guest:What for?
Host:just do it. everything i mean *everything* depends on sequencing that dna
Suddenly, the text from their conversation disappeared and the phone went blank. Cash swore, trying to type something else, but it had turned into a useless hunk of plastic and metal.
“Remotely wiped, looks like. Guess he was done chatting,” Standish said, staring at the dead phone. “Who the hell are these people—Devotio?”
Cash narrowed her eyes. They had a name now. “No idea, but we’re gonna find out.”
