Twisting the Truth Doesn't Make It Real

Chapter 7

-Present Day-

She needed a break. She needed to step back from this and breathe. Except she was running out of time. They had two days before the pattern repeated itself and Ward was taken from his cell. Each time that happened, there was a risk whoever was doing this would get what they wanted and then they wouldn't need Ward anymore. Then he'd be dead. He'd be dead, it would be her fault and dammit, why was this upsetting her so much?

I need that break, before I break.

Leaning back in her chair, Skye checked the decryption software she'd been running on the FBI files before pulling up her internet browser and typing in a URL. Immediately, the central Rising Tide forums appeared, the bare-bones structure oddly soothing compared to the normally over-active and confusing websites she routinely visited. It helped her relax just a little.

Idly, she began scanning the various postings and posters. Most of these people she knew, though there were unknown names thrown into the mix. Then again, people were joining the movement every day, so the random newbies weren't exactly a surprise. It just meant more people were getting on board, which she totally supported.

Then, a name on the list caught her eye: Poli-mole.

It had literally been a year since she'd seen that user name pop up anywhere. Most of them had assumed Poli-mole died in the New Mexico incident- the last time any of them had heard from her, she was interning in Puente Antiguo with some astronaut or astrologist. Or something related to space.

Poli-mole had been one of the other Rising Tide members Skye had truly connected with. She'd been sneaky and independent, going so far as to get a degree in Political Science just so she could spy on Washington. That the other girl was alive shouldn't have been a surprise.

Skye didn't even think before she had the chat window open, a system set up to run along with the forums, and shot off a message to Poli-mole. [Wow, so you are alive. I was wondering if a god fell on you.]

It took a moment before a return message reached Skye, but she knew instantly it was, in fact, her friend and not someone pretending to be the other girl. It was a huge relief to Skye. [Nope, dodged the falling gods. Twice, I might add. Did you know gods aren't immune to tasers?]

Skye almost laughed at that. Of course Poli-mole would claim she had tased a god. Then again, she'd been in the middle of that chaos, so maybe she really had tased some powerful extraterrestrial being. [That is a story I've gotta hear. I'm calling bullshit until then.]

[If I had a glory shot, I'd share] returned Poli-mole. [But a group of jackbooted thugs stole my iPod and all electronic devices I could ever want. Then the asshole who stole the stuff up and died before I got any of it back.]

Well, that explained the radio silence. Still, it made Skye wonder what the hell her friend had gotten tangled up with. [Who'd you piss off?]

[Apparently, the boss lady pissed off some group called S.H.I.E.L.D.. The assholes came in, stole all of her equipment, our phones, my iPod, everything digital. Then, after it turned out the crazy homeless dude who the boss lady hit with her car was actually a god and he demanded all our stuff was returned, S.H.I.E.L.D. came in and transferred us to Norway. There is no cell signal in Norway! Plus, they were monitoring our communications. Couldn't exactly log in under that heavy scrutiny.]

Okay, that actually explained everything. Skye knew that pain all too well. She was pretty sure they monitored everything she was doing, too. It was why she'd used a back-door hack in her phone to talk with Miles. Then again, she'd also had her own phone. Poli-mole's was probably confiscated based on what she was saying. [That's kinda funny. Apparently two of us got picked up by S.H.I.E.L.D..]