Tais-Toi

Chapter Forty-Seven

Our HQ isn't much of an HQ, really. It's just temporary. On the outside, it just looks like a four story high apartment building. On the highest floor, Peters installed all his computers and screens. He can work at three screens at a time. I have some minor hacking skills, but they aren't as extended as being able to work on three screens and who knows, maybe more. There's also one big screen, so he's able to brief everyone on what's happening and what's expected from each one of us. Furthermore, there are a few desks and servers.

The floor underneath the computer lab, we have the kitchen, a storage area for weapons and a giant wardrobe. It's easier to have a wardrobe than to live out of suitcases. The clothes are the CIA's property and we all kinds of clothes hanging in there. Just casual clothes, easy clothes to fight if necessary (We probably won't be fighting, but it's a nice extra), and even clothes for going out some time. This wardrobe... what is Ryan expecting? And with the weapon storage room too, what is he expecting? I'm just trying to figure out who my biological father is. I'm not going to bring Visioned down!

One floor down, you have the bathrooms and the bedrooms. They aren't luxurious, but they are better than the actual HQ in Washington. The bedrooms are divided in two and three: two girls, three boys. And at the ground floor is our personal gym. You can compare it to the slim version of the one in the other HQ.

I arrive at our HQ, I take a shower and I go all the way up to bring everyone up to speed about what agent Mestoeva wanted and what we're going to do about it. But apparently, agent Talin was faster because when I come in, the whole team is looking at the big screen.

"Just in time." Agent Peters says. I greet everyone and let my gaze wander to the big screen too. "Dear Willow, I'm not stupid. Of course I know how to get the CIA's black box. Here it is." Peters pads on a little box that's as big as a full-grown hand. I look up. They all agreed on stealing the black box? Even Talin? Isn't that illegal? Won't they get punished now? "With a little help of Andrews, we got it. Fernando Roberto's enemy list." He seems to be waiting for a compliment that he won't receive. Not from me at least. He stole a black box! Well, I would have done it one way or another, but they did it behind my back! And they all agreed! Even agent Talin! "Right." He ends the awkward silence. "And all that talk about Mestoeva having they key, that's crap. Of course I can crack my own creation. Not easy though and it took some time."

"Says the guy who made it..." Andrews mumbles and makes me smile.

What did you find, Peters? I ask to change the subject. I don't want a discussion flowing out of that comment.

"Just psyche things: photographs and a transcript of a phone call where Gaspar goes all nice and sweet on Layla... I actually enjoyed that one."

"So Layla lied to agent Mestoeva too. There's nothing useful on that thing." Satori concludes.

"Yeah, there's nothing really interesting on Gaspar in this dossier. Nothing she didn't already know. But there is something about you, Willow." I look up, but I'm not surprised. First of all, Heather told me this before. I stood on the enemy list because I'm Merel Thirlwall daughter. She was Visioned biggest threat, when she was still alive. She was the reason that two of their leaders were killed. And second, agent Mestoeva literally told me I have the possibility to steal my mother's file.

"You would be on the enemy list." Andrews notices. No kidding. So, I lift my shoulders and I'm planning on leaving the room. I have all the info I need to contact agent Mestoeva again.

"You might want to take a look. There's some personal stuff in your dossier about your father."

No thanks, Peters. These past few months have been traumatic enough. I don't need to relive it. My dad lied to me so many times, I really don't want to read things I didn't want to know in the first place.

"I mean your real father."