Page 17 of Harris

“Nothing.”

“Nothing?” Brick asked.

“Absolutely blank. That’s impossible,” Conor said as his eyes widened.

“Impossible?” Woodley asked.

“Yeah, I always get something. A feeling, a stray thought, but this guy’s a ghost.”

“I don’t like it,” Jennifer said. “I’ve relayed everything to my brother. He’s aware of the situation.”

“Could it be the distance or something blocking you?” Spencer asked. “You might be too far away from the hotel.”

“I don’t think so. I can get a read on that Joe guy, but as I’ve said, Joe isn’t his real name. He’s easy to read. Full of deceit and a bit fearful of Harris.”

“Likely because he knows my brother’s a former test subject and has abilities.”

“True enough,” Woodley agreed. “Civilians fear what they don’t understand.”

“It’s human nature to avoid or destroy what scares them,” Conor said.

“Like us,” Jennifer said, her tone expressing her sadness.

“I know which side this Joe is on, and it’s not avoiding,” Conor stated.

“Jennifer, can you let Harris know I’m sending Fletcher in and to play along,” Brick said.

“Done,” Jennifer answered.

Themundaneconversation continued between Harris and Joe as Fletcher’s camera came online on the second screen. He entered the restaurant, made an appearance of looking around until he spotted Harris,and headed in that direction.

Woodley kept his eye on the stranger as Fletcher sat on the barstool beside Harris. The guy didn’t react, which was odd, considering the big redhead always got looks whereverhe went.

“Found you,” Fletcher said.

“I wasn’t hiding,” Harris said, acting annoyed. “What’s up?”

“Brick wants us back in the suite.”

“He’s not my boss.”

“Man, do you always have to do shit the hard way?” Fletcher asked, falling into his role as peacekeeper.

“It’s part of my sparkling personality.”

“Let’s go before he comes down here looking for us.”

Harris huffed, pulled out his twenty-dollar bill, and looked at Joe. “Thanks for the conversation, Joe.”

Joe waved off Harris’s money. “It’s on me. Maybe we’ll have a chance to talk again.”

“Yeah, maybe,” Harris said with a nod before standing and following Fletcher out of the restaurant and up to the elevators.

Both men visibly relaxed once the elevator doors shut behind them, and they were alone.

“Any idea who the new guy is, the one who looks as if he could bench-press a bridge?” Shaw asked.

“Working on it,” Spencer said, and Woodley watched as the information specialist went to work on his tweaked-out laptop.

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