Beyond The Lie

Chapter 24: Her Casual Dismissal

Eryx

I pulled up to the Omnia Investigators' office, my mind still reeling from the events of the past few days. I had just dropped Aunt Susan off at her place, and now I was here to meet Reno and discuss the latest developments in the Vector case.

As I stepped out of the car, my phone buzzed with a text from Reno. "I've got something," he wrote. "Meet me inside."

I quickened my pace, my instincts on high alert. What had Reno found?

I pushed open the door to the office, and Reno looked up from his workstation, a hint of excitement in his eyes.

"What is it?" I asked, striding over to him.

"We cracked Vector's phone," Reno said, his voice low and urgent. "We found a cryptic message that might be our next lead."

I leaned in, my eyes scanning the screen as Reno brought up the message.

"Echo-1 compromised. Eclipse protocol initiated."

My mind was already racing with possibilities. I started typing away on my own computer, pulling up databases and running searches.

"Reno, I need you to dig deeper into Vector's connections," I instructed. "See if you can find any links to Echo-1 or the Eclipse protocol."

Meanwhile, I started analyzing the message, looking for any hidden patterns or codes. I also pulled up a map of the city, searching for any locations that might be connected to Echo-1.

As we worked, the tension in the room grew. We both knew that we were getting close to something big, and that the stakes were higher than ever.

As the day drew to a close, Reno and I sat back in our chairs, exhausted but exhilarated by the progress we'd made.

"Alright, let's recap," I said, rubbing my eyes. "We've got a possible location for Echo-1, and we've identified a few potential connections to the Eclipse protocol."

Reno nodded, his eyes scanning the notes on his screen. "We've also got a lead on a shell company that might be linked to Vector's operation. If we can track down the owner, we might be able to get closer to the kingpin."

I nodded, my mind racing with the possibilities. "I think we're getting close. I can feel it."

Reno leaned forward, his eyes locked on mine. "We need to be careful, Eryx. We don't know what we're up against, and we can't afford to make any mistakes."

I nodded, my jaw clenched in determination. "I know. But I also know that we can't back down now. We have to see this through, no matter what it takes."

Reno nodded, a small smile on his face. "Alright, boss. What's the plan for tomorrow?"

I leaned back in my chair, a plan already forming in my mind. "We'll start by tracking down the owner of that shell company. And then... we'll see where the trail takes us."

I glanced at the file on Vector's operation. "Vector's still not talking, but we're keeping the pressure on. Grant's company is getting nervous, too - we've had reports of them shredding documents and wiping servers."

Reno raised an eyebrow. "They're getting desperate. We need to move fast before they cover their tracks completely."

I nodded, my eyes locked on the file. "We're close, Reno. Let's keep pushing."

I stood up, stretching my tired muscles. "Alright, Reno. That's enough for today. Let's regroup tomorrow and see where we are."

Reno nodded, already shutting down his computer. "Sounds good, boss. I'll see you tomorrow."

I headed out of the office, my mind still racing with the case. But as I drove home, I couldn't shake the feeling that we were getting close to something big.

I pulled up to the house, and my dad was waiting for me in the living room. He looked up as I walked in, a hint of a smile on his face.

"Hey, son. How was your day?"

I shrugged, dropping onto the couch beside him. "It was fine. Just working on the Vector case."

My dad nodded, his expression serious. "I know you're working hard on this, Eryx. But I need to talk to you about something else."

I raised an eyebrow, curious. "What is it?"

"The family event is coming up," my dad said, his eyes locked on mine. "And I want you to bring Adeline."

I hesitated, unsure of how to respond. "I don't know, Dad. I'll have to check her schedule."

My dad nodded, his expression firm. "Do that. And let me know as soon as possible. I want to make sure she's there."

I nodded, feeling a twinge of unease. What was my dad's real motive for wanting Adeline at the family event?

I walked into my room, a small smile still playing on my lips as I thought about the events of the day. I pulled out my phone and opened the chat with Adeline. As I scrolled through our previous conversations, memories of our encounter at her office flooded my mind. Her awkwardness, her attempts to ignore me, and that sudden "love you too" that had caught me off guard.

I typed out a message, my thumbs flying across the screen. "Hey, what's your schedule looking like for June 15th? My dad's been bugging me about this family event, and he wants you to come with me."

As I hit send, I couldn't help but think about Adeline's reaction to the family event. Would she agree to come with me? And what would it be like, pretending to be a couple in front of my entire family?

I leaned back against the pillows, my eyes fixed on the screen as I waited for her response. A part of me knew it was all just a show, a way to keep up appearances and make my dad happy. But another part of me, a part I didn't want to acknowledge, wished that it could be real. Wished that Adeline could actually feel something for me, that we could be more than just two people pretending to be in love.

I shook my head, chuckling wryly to myself. Don't be ridiculous, Eryx. You know it's all just a game. But as I waited for Adeline's response, I couldn't shake off the feeling that maybe, just maybe, there was something more to it.

My phone buzzed later with her text.

Adeline: It's the week of final preparation for launch.

Me: Will you be able to make it for the event? It's on the 15th.

A while later, she texted again.

Adeline: I'll try. Anyway, that's all we needed in this drama. All act and adjustments.

Her words stung, and I couldn't help but feel a pang of hurt. It was ridiculous, really – I knew our relationship was all just a show. But somehow, her casual dismissal of our arrangement still managed to get under my skin.