❝ They say, who loves first, falls hardest, but what if this story is she fell first, he fell harder. ❞
Truths hurt, lies are a blasphemy in a relationship. But have you ever felt it? When everything feels like they're infinitely stretching your sou...
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29 Hours Earlier Lunch Break
"So, what's the deal?" I probe, my mind racing to calculate why May's company would even produce such things in the first place.
An EMP disrupter, diffraction spectrum glasses, a resonant frequency micro-emitter, and what? Gas bombs?
"What are we supposed to do with these?" I turn to Garrett, who's engrossed in his MacBook, likely poring over the latest assignment.
"It's quite simple," this time Elijah, with his shit-eating annoying voice, replies. "The Thirty-Six Stratagems. Chapter 1: Winning Stratagems."
Make noise in the east, then strike in the west.
In any conflict, the surprise element can tip the scales. By feigning an action, you plant seeds of expectation in the adversary's mind. Lead them to concentrate their forces in one place, then hit them where they're unguarded. This tactic is known as an 'open feint.'
And the East in this scenario?" I inquire, the plan piquing my interest.
"The East and West Buildings," Garrett responds, finally closing his MacBook. I expect him to continue, but he just sits there staring at me.
"Can you hurry the fuck up and talk, Garrett? We only have 14 minutes left of break," I press, fixing him with a stare.
He stands, smoothing his shirt, and says, "May will fill you in on the details. You two have a lot to discuss."
May's head snaps toward him, her glare sharp. He simply nods and exits, followed by Elijah and a reluctant Aiden. I get up and wipe the sweat from her forehead. "I know I shouldn't force you to tell me things you don't want to, but I can't keep on living in the dark, May."
My voice is a desperate plea, one she seems to recognize. She starts to speak, then stops, her conflict evident. "If I tell you, you'll despise the real me."
She stands abruptly, and before leaving, she calls back, "Meet me tonight."
Hope swells within me, only to fracture as she adds, "I'll explain the plan then."
And she's gone, leaving me alone in the grimy, yet surprisingly well-stocked, storage room.
"Now what do I do? Lock the door and keep the keys? Aren't they trusting me too much?"
