Page 107 of Never the Same

I quickly explained everything, then waited for them to process my sci-fi-ish remarks. “It’s not so wild, is it? Mind control.”

Julian jumped in to defend me, reading their unsure looks. “It’s already happening naturally and organically because of the internet. The power of suggestion.” He opened his palms, surveying the room. “You see and hear something over and over again, even if it’s a lie, and people quickly believe it to be the truth. Trust me when I say some governments and agencies are already weaponizing that strategy to use against people to divide them. Throw in a drug on top of it . . .”

“He’s not wrong,” Easton said, as if it pained him to agree with my brother on anything.

“Regardless,” Ryder interjected, “Gideon said he didn’t trust himself. I don’t blame him for that. I’d feel the same, and he’s not exactly in a prison cell. Maybe we hold off for now on letting him out?”

“I still need to talk to him,” Julian muttered. “Also, call my parents. Warn Mum and Lyra they’re at risk. Let them know the drugs from that book are real, and they’re clearly effective.”

“Make it fast,” Carter said to Julian while removing his phone from his pocket.

“You and Gwen need to stay locked in on this source code and go through the raw footage,” Ryder added. “Whoever’s behind this doesn’t realize you found a way to see where it’s been used and when it’s being used. The second they try again—”

“I’ll pick up on it, and we’ll have their location. That’s bloody brilliant.” Gwen smirked.

“Coming from you, I’ll take that as a compliment,” Ryder said wryly.

Julian gave me a quick Everything will be okay nod, then took off from the suite.

“Did you all come up with an infil plan to go after the Putcheskis?” I asked at the memory. “I assume that’s still on the agenda tonight?”

“We’ll talk to Benjamin on the phone. Give him a chance that way first. Plus, we’re short on time,” Carter said steadily. “He can tell us what we need to know the easy way.” He shifted toward Sebastian. “And if he doesn’t, or he lies, then I guess that means your wife is putting you in time-out when you’re back in Dublin.”

“And that’s supposed to mean?” Alex asked, cracking a smile.

Sebastian casually adjusted his red tie. “Translation: I might have to kill people if he doesn’t cooperate. My wife hates when I do that. Carter finds it feckin’ hilarious when I get in trouble.”

I had no clue whether this was true or some inside joke, but both men seemed equally intimidating and about a hundred shades of morally gray.

Carter’s grin came and went fast before he recalibrated, mission-focused again. “Pull up Benjamin’s house in Austria. Access his security feeds.”

“Give me a minute.” Gwen’s fingers moved fast.

Everything was suddenly moving quickly now that we were working as one united front. The enemy had tried to divide us, to turn us on each other, because we’re stronger together. That’s how the devil operates, my subconscious whispered in my ear.

Jason mouthed, “I got you, don’t worry.”

Before I had a chance to say the same, Gwen announced, “We’re about to go live. They’ll be able to hear you, but we won’t be able to hear them.” She blocked the lens with her palm, scanning the room. “Who’s talking?”

Carter tipped his chin at Sebastian. “You run these parts. He’ll recognize you.” He unlocked his phone and handed it to him. “Already programmed Putcheski’s number in it if he’s willing to take the call.”

Sebastian stepped into the frame as Ryder and Alex shifted back, aligning with Jason and me just out of camera range. Gwen angled the laptop to capture only him and hit a button to show our camera and unmute the screen.

“You know who I am. Sebastian Renaud, League leader,” he began, his voice low and commanding. “We can speak like civil men about what happened in Rome at the rave last week”—he held up the phone, his expression hardening—“or you can imagine what happens if I have to come to your house myself.”

Chapter Forty-One

Reed

Sebastian set the phone on the table in the dining area and hit the speaker button as we all gathered around. Julian was still MIA, but Hollis could fill him in afterward.

I stared at the black rectangle between all of us like it might explode if the wrong word was said, then took Hollis’s hand in my own once again. She grounded me in a way I didn’t know how to put into words.

I still couldn’t believe I’d wanted to kill her brother not even thirty minutes ago, and now it was looking like he was innocent. I wasn’t so sure I’d ever believe my own eyes about anything going forward.

“Carter Dominick is also with me,” Sebastian announced, knowing that would hopefully seal the deal on getting Benjamin to talk. The two men weren’t known for using butter knives when it came to peeling back information.

My team was lucky we had their assistance. Then again, was it really luck? More like the Almighty had our backs and had brought us here together for a reason.