“A lamp post at the corner of Dalvey and Evans Road,” Sydney answered, nodding at a row of similar posts near the market, all mobile network towers in disguise. “He must have been passing through. Maybe on his way to the botanic gardens for a nice stroll.”
Niall chuckled humorlessly. “And when did you get that location?”
Niall’s questions were always designed to poke holes in a poor lie, even if he was speaking to his own team. Sydney kept her voice smooth. “Just an hour ago,” she said. “What do you want us to do?”
There was a brief silence from Niall, and for an instant, Sydney imagined the conversation that could happen next.
Where is he?Niall would say.I know you’re lying.
And Sydney would break down and tell him everything. A part of her ached to confess—to just let Niall know about Tems’s plans, about the danger the president was in.
But instead, Niall said, “Stand by and keep trying. Nothing changes. If we connect, I’ll confirm with you. Otherwise, plan to be at the gala.”
“Yes, sir,” she said.
Niall chewed thoughtfully, studying her from under his bushy eyebrows, before he returned to his chicken. Sydney watched him, gauging his mood.
“You’re unhappy,” she said after a while, taking a sip of her sugar cane drink.
He grunted. “Surely you’re used to that by now.”
“No—I mean, you’re really unhappy.”
He finished his bite before he leaned forward against the table and lowered his voice. “I haven’t been able to ID your attacker,” he muttered.
Sydney felt her chest tighten. “I figured.”
“And there haven’t been any other incidents since?”
“No.”
He nodded. “Good.”
Sydney put her drink down and forced a smile. “Stop worrying. I’ll be fine.”
“You’ve never been on your own like this before,” Niall said.
“I’m not alone. Winter’s with me. And I’ve been through years of training.”
“You know what I mean. You’ve always had someone back at headquarters wholly dedicated to following your whereabouts.”
“You think I’m silly enough to get myself into trouble like Tems has?”
“I’m not saying anything of the sort. Tems has always been more… emotional than you, more reactionary. But I’m saying that anything can happen. Anytime.”
Sydney folded her arms against the table. “Niall, have you ever aborted a mission because things didn’t go as planned?”
He shook his head.
“My point exactly.” She quieted. Her words to Winter last night came back to her now.I feel like I’m the reason why Niall was unable to be a part of his own daughter’s childhood.“You deserve to take a break… from all this.”
“Sure. But for now, I’m still on your mission.” He pointed his chopsticks at her. “And I expect you to remain careful. Don’t go off chasing wild leads or doing something stupid, not without running it by me first.”
Sydney felt another pang as she looked at the man. How long had Niall been in Panacea? More than twenty years? And yet here he was, dragging his feet toward freedom. “Were you always like this with Quinn, too?”
The mention of his daughter made him pause, and for a moment, Niall just ate in silence. “Back at headquarters, I tracked her whereabouts all the time.”
“You had surveillance on her?”
