Page 19 of Cup of Lies

Kaitlyn, too smart for her own good, rushes over to me and yanks the remote out of my hand. With a few mashes of buttons, she has a music app open and is scrolling through the trending hits.

“Kaitlyn,” Seth says, voice low and sharp, “go get changed out of those wet clothes.”

“Thank you,” I whisper to her, patting her damp hair. “You’re good to your mommy.”

She gives me and the baby a wet hug before leaving for her room. I’m unable to move as Seth prowls over to me, tracking muddy footprints across the floor. The brainwashed me cringes at the cleanup she’ll have to do later. The real me knows she’s not cleaning that crap up ever again.

Thunder rumbles, close enough to make our windows rattle, and I shiver. Seth’s eyebrows furl together for a moment as if something’s just come to him.

“Wi-Fi,” he mutters. “Storms always make it spotty.” He taps his jaw thoughtfully. “You know, that may be why…”

He pulls out his phone and chuckles under his breath.

Is that why his stupid app doesn’t work on me right now?

Because the internet is not working correctly?

If that’s the case, my time is even more critical than before. As soon as this storm passes, I might go right back to being his mind slave.

Hell no.

I have to get out of here.

“Tomorrow morning, we’re going to the lab. I’m going to check some things. You girls are going with me. No arguments, you hear?”

“Of course,” I say, beaming at him. “I need to get back to making dinner.”

I skirt away from him, eager to not be suffocating on his cloying cologne that now makes me nauseous. The water is boiling, so I add spaghetti noodles to it and then get started on browning the hamburger meat for the sauce. Hopefully, everything appears “business as usual.”

He thinks he’s going to take me to the lab and fix my glitch.

Joke’s on him.

While at the lab, I’m going to make my escape.

Caius

“Does Dad know you’re bringing your sister to work?” Theo jerks a thumb toward the back seat of his vehicle. “Does she even want to go?”

I ignore both questions as I memorize our route toward the facility. Theo, clearly used to my asshole behavior, sighs in resignation.

It doesn’t matter if Calista wants to go or not. I need her close to me, and without Dad here, I feel like it’s best she comes along for the ride. I’m on edge and prickly awareness is beginning to blow the dust around in my head. The story they fed me about the bump on my head is flimsy.

I’m pretty sure my mind is being manipulated.

I just can’t figure out how.

Hopefully, at the facility, things will become clearer for me.

The facility is nondescript. Other than being tucked neatly in the woods, unable to be seen from the main road, the building is a typical one. Brown brick. Three levels high. Parking lot with a sparse number of cars.

Theo pulls into one of the reserved spots. We all climb out and I note that I’m not the only one who’s feeling unnerved by what’s to come. Calista frowns at the building with her thin arms crossed over her chest.

I walk over to her and pat the top of her head. “I won’t let anything happen to you, kid. Got it?”

She jerks her head to meet my gaze. Finally, she nods, relaxing. I may not know what the fuck is going on right now, but I do know I’d do anything to protect my sister.

We follow Theo up the steps and to a keypad at the door. He inputs a series of numbers that I easily memorize: 567321. I don’t know if I’ll need it, but I’m not taking any chances. It feels good to actually exercise my fatigued brain.

---