Secret Sniper

Chapter Ten

CHAPTER TEN

I hesitate to say her name aloud. I slightly open my mouth then close it, and do this several times before gaining some initiative to actually say *something*.

"There's.. I.." is all I could get out. The energy it would take to say just her first name is not enough to push away the amount of thoughts that are rushing through my mind right now. I just can't believe it's her.

"Cal..?" I almost stutter. A few seconds pass, and her expression totally changes as I look down at her in my tight grip. It's the expression of defeat and clearly shows she's now flustered. Her features now change, mentally, that I can see it's really her. "Callie Parker," I finally state.

"Who's that?" she snaps. I can see she's trying, with every ounce of pride she still has left, to convince me to think that she's Courtney. But, she knows deep down that I'm not falling for it. I can see a little piece of skin falling off the bottom of her chin and realize it's a mask. I look at her straight in the eye.

"You know you can't fool me. You never could," I respond, lowering my voice, and inch my face closer to hers. I can also see I'm am intimidating her, which is good, because that means I'll get answers more easily out of her. She soon grows limp, indicating she's given up. She stops struggling, and I order she take the mask off.

"What mask?" she questions, playing dumb.

"Take it off now before I rip it off," I demand. She hesitantly does as I ask, pulls off the mask, and as if on cue, Michael shows up.

"Courtn-" Michael starts.

"No. An imposter," I interrupt as I harshly lead Callie back into the warehouse.

Once back inside the almost-destroyed warehouse, I sit Callie down on the ground. I tied her hands and feet with ropes using a knot that I know she'll never to be able to get out of. I want answers. Many. Right now. And I intend to get them. I caught Michael up with what just happened: me realizing Courtney wasn't actually Courtney, and how it connected to all this weird behavior. The only thing I still can't explain is where did Natalie go if Callie was really posing as her sister? Is Natalie really still alive? Did she run or escape? Or is she dead, hidden in some dumpster? I'm so terribly confused and everything that just happened by Natalie's pool of blood is sort of a blur.

"So what're you going to do with me now?" she demands, glaring at me and Michael.

"Why would we tell you?" Michael spits.

I glance at him and can tell his attitude toward her has completely changed ever since I informed him that she's an imposter. I pace back and forth, gathering my words to say to her. I start to open my mouth to speak, but close it back only because I'm just not ready to hear an answer to all the questions I've been wanting to ask. I stare hard at the ground and keep repeating in my head, *Why is she here? How did she even sneak herself into this operation? Is she a real agent of some sort or is she really a complete imposter? If there are still FBI agents outside my house at this minute, was she the actual person who placed them there? If she was, why would she tell them to watch Adriana's every move?* There are so many other unanswered questions that I'm anxious to ask, but I continue pacing in silence. I can feel her stare on me. As I turn around on my heel, now pacing toward Michael, I look up at him and he's looking down at his shoes with the most intense stare. He seems to be zoned out, focused on something else, just as I am. I pivot on my heel and continue pacing back and forth.