A STUDY IN BLACK ✓

XVII

Debby's husband Max was still at work, and her twin daughters Jessie and Bailey were fast asleep in their room on the second floor, so Debby let Josh and Tyler sit on the dining table as she grabbed beers for the three of them.

"I saw you on the news," Debby spoke flatly.

It was obvious that she didn't trust him, and Tyler was starting to grow uncomfortable under her glare. He shifted in his seat, looking down at his hands.

"What they're saying about him isn't true," Josh insisted. "We're being set up."

Debby's mouth curled. "We?"

"Look, Miss, we're truly sorry to be bothering you, but we need your help."

"Like I'd ever help the like of you," Debby sneered.

Normally, Debby was the sweetest person you could ever meet. She was nothing like the way she was acting now. Josh wanted to ask her what her deal was, but Tyler beat him to it.

"You know me," Tyler said it like a statement rather than a question.

Debby laughed coldly. "You don't remember, do you?" She looked at Josh. "Neither of you."

"What are you talking about?"

"Our missions in Afghanistan," Debby said.

Tyler just looked even more confused, but Josh's stomach had turned into a knot. His right arm began to ache almost by the sheer memory of Afghanistan.

"What missions?" Tyler asked.

Josh didn't answer, so Debby took charge.

"My unit was a kill squad sent to take you and the Way brothers out after the fiasco in Paris," she said. "We raised your camp in Kabul, but you knew we were coming. You killed all of them but me."

Tyler blinked. "I don't remember."

"Probably because your the Templar's puppet, and they're the puppeteers."

"But you said our missions. Was Josh part of this kill squad?" Tyler asked.

"No," Josh answered. "I wasn't a part of any certain unit. I was just a sniper. I don't... I can't remember any of my missions."

Debby pursed her lips in concern. "I didn't know you forgot. I'm sorry for how I've been acting, but you can't blame me for being cautious around the man who killed an entire group of military trained killers within minutes."

"You don't remember either?" Josh turned to Tyler.

Tyler shook his head, his eyes searching as if he'll find his lost memories in the palms of his hands. "I have impeccable memory. But I can't remember."

"Not surprising. The only reason I remember is because Max snuck me out of the hospital before they could do anything else to me."

Josh did not like where this was going. Why couldn't he remember his missions? Weren't they just... rounds around the city? Wasn't he just escorting Debby to a hospital when they crashed? How come Tyler couldn't remember either?"

There were so many things floating around in his head, disconnected from one another, that nothing made any sense. Tyler grabbed his hand under the table, squeezing it for reassurance. Josh squeezed back. It seemed that the only thing keeping them sane was the fact that they were in the same memory loss boat.

"What about my missions?" Josh asked.

Debby tapped the neck of her beer. "You didn't tell me much, only bits and pieces. You told me you hunted down other members of Heaven's Templar and take them out. Then you just... vanished."

"Out of the hospital?" Tyler gawked.

"Yup." Debby reaches over and squeezed Josh's forearm in a gentle manner. "I was scared to death that the Templar got you."

"What if they did?" Josh let go of Tyler's hand.

Tyler pulled away, looking at Josh with borderline fear. "You don't mean-"

"I was one of their supposed recruits. They wanted me to join. So what if they did? What if they're in my head like they're in yours? What if I have my own Winter Soldier words?"

"Winter Soldier words?" Debby echoed, but neither of them were paying much attention anymore.

"That would explain why you're so trustworthy of me," Tyler mumbled. "Why you're so skilled for someone so young... why they were able to hunt us down in Dhaka."

"You went to Bangladesh?" Debby questioned.

Josh smiled awkwardly. "It's a long story."

"Miss Ryan, were you able to kill the Ways on your mission?" Tyler asked, refocusing on her.

Debby shook her head. "Nope, but they died later on, so why does it matter?" She narrowed her eyes. "And if you're not a serial kidnapper, why is the media trying to set you up as one?"

"Because that's what I was under the control of the Templar," Tyler replied. "And now that I've betrayed them, they're coming after me and everyone I care about. Which is Jenna, Weekes, and..."

Tyler's hand slammed the table, making both Josh and Debby tense up and clench their fists. He didn't apologize, only looking at Josh with dismay.

"My sister."