Page 15 of Code Name: Reaper
“Both.”
“Do you think Mercury’s hiding or…?”
“Working with Prism?”
Amaryllis flinched. “She wouldn’t do that.” I wondered if she was trying to convince me or herself. “It’s more likely that she discovered the corruption and went underground.”
“Two days ago, Prism requested a meeting with Delfino and Hornet. I don’t know if you’re aware that Jekyll left behind a request that Delfino take his place on Minerva’s council of twelve.”
“I was not.”
“Prism told them Mercury was ‘being held somewhere in Eastern Europe, likely within FSB-controlled territory.’ She also showed them proof of life.”
Amaryllis processed what I’d told her, then raised her head. “She was lying.”
“I agree, but about which part?”
“They don’t have Mercury.”
“And the proof of life?” I reminded her.
“Easy enough to fake.”
“Irish thought the same thing.”
She cocked her head.
“He’s consulting with the coalition.” Not wanting to get sidetracked by Argead and Romanov now, I stuck to the original subject. “If Jekyll somehow knew Mercury was hiding rather than captured, his urgency makes more sense.”
“He’d want someone to find her before Prism did.” Amaryllis turned to look at me. “Someone she could trust.”
“What’s the next step?”
She pulled up a spreadsheet that cross-referenced dates and locations, I leaned closer to read her notes, and our knees bumped under the small table. She went very still but didn’t pull away.
“Here.” Her hand shook as she pointed at a series of documents on the screen.
The evidence she’d collected painted a clear picture of Prism’s betrayal, but with her nearness, all I could think about was the way she’d fisted her hands in my jacket.
“Reaper?”
“Kingston,” I demanded.
“Okay, Kingston.”
My name spoken from her lips made my chest tight.
“The timeline,” she prompted softly.
Right. The timeline. The mission. The search for Mercury.
“We should map out the connections.” My voice sounded gravely, and I cleared my throat, then stifled a yawn.
“I can monitor watch alerts,” she offered.
“I’ll do it. You need rest more than I do.”
Her eyes scrunched as though I’d insulted her, but the fight went out of her almost instantaneously.
