Page 118 of Web of Lies
“The mother fucking Apocalypse,” I declare, nodding my head.
“So,” Chase says, putting his face into his hands. “These nut jobs have named themselves after the four horsemen…”
“That means, whoever the Apocalypse is, isn’t one person….”
“It’s four.”
Well, so much for sleep tonight.
After our revelations about the horsemen’s names, we acted. Chase successfully stole Zoe’s phone during calculus class and handed it over. Unfortunately, there wasn’t any additional information on it, like Hadley’s phone. Zoe was low on the totem pole and didn’t haveAntiEyes, so we had all access. Alpha had sent a few messages, but nothing incriminating—yet. Carter’s phone messages have been MIA. I mirrored her phone too and dropped it in the library for her to find.
“This is the second stupidest thing I’ve ever let you three talk me into.” Zepp’s chastising voice crackles through our Bluetooth earpieces. Poor Zepp, he’s stuck behind the scenes again, our ever-watchful eye monitoring the cameras.
“We gotta have eyes in the sky, man.” Seger snickers back, clutching tight to my hand, pulling me along the outside of the apartment building.
The sun sits low in the sky, filling the skyline with pink and orange hues. Not exactly ideal for a B and E, but it had to do. We watched Piper for a few days, memorizing her schedule. She went to class religiously, practiced with her cheerleaders nightly, and went to her assortment of after-school activities. She is a busy girl, but she always found her way home to her apartment and stayed there. She didn’t socialize much. In fact, I’m not sure who her friends are. Her cheerleaders? Her apartment-mates? I know she went to the Twin’s party in the maze the one night I made it, but they haven’t had one since. Well — only that one-time Seger stole the phones for me. What a guy! He makes me swoon.
So, tonight is the night—again. We’re using the only thirty-minute window available within the next week, and we want answers now. If I can find any trace of technology in her room, I’m taking it. Or I’m using Zepp’s USB to extract information.
“This is so exciting. I can’t believe I slept through the first heist, and here I am!” Chase bounces on his toes like the adorable puppy he is. Practically panting, with his tongue lolling out of his mouth, with the biggest grin on full display. A warmth settles in my chest at the sight of his happiness. Chase lights up a room with that intoxicating grin of his, and I hope he never loses his sunshine.
“Shh, calm down, man. We’re supposed to be incognito and shit. Security could come.” Chase nods at Seger. Fake saluting us with two fingers while making a motion like he’s zipping his lips.
My heart pounds against my chest as my fingers tremble. We each have our jobs to do this time, it’s more planned out and better researched, so no more close calls. I can’t fit under Piper’s bed or hide in her closet. This time around, we have spread around strategically. Chase is our outside lookout, alerting us of anyone coming our way. Seger is my door lookout if someone comes down the hall, and since I’m apparently the expert thief, I have room duty. And a minimal amount of time to get in, look through everything, and get the heck out before Piper comes back. Can you imagine the look on her face if she caught me? Oh no. And the words that would fall from her lips?
“How long do we have again?” I whisper to Zepp. My eyes bounce all over the place, tension rising high inside of me.
“Maybe thirty minutes. She’s still down at the football field, talking to the other cheerleaders. It looks like their practice is over. So, you need to get in and out. Grab her phone if you can or anything useful.” I nod, even though he can’t see me.
“Got it, Captain,” I say, making Seger chuckle. I think he’s more into it this time than last time. He’s my partner in crime.
“In and out, you stubborn ass woman.” Seger scolds me, holding tighter to my hand.
“Yes, Sir,” I mock as we make our way to the front entrance of the apartment building.
“Keep an eye out, Chase,” Zepp says through the line as Chase bobs his head.
We leave Chase sitting on an iron bench next to the entrance. He takes a casual stance, leaning back into the seat with his phone in his hand and an arm across the back. But I know his eyes are looking around, and his ears are on alert.
Sparse darkness descends on us during our short walk across campus, finally hiding us in the murky shadows. We finally have a suitable cover, thanks to Autumn falling on us and forcing the sun to retreat earlier and earlier.
“You’re clear,” Zepp says as we step through the main doors. “The guards are in the break room, talking. I can see them through the cameras. Take the stairs on the right, and you should find her apartment on the 2nd level. Its number…”
“217,” I say, pulling Seger towards the stairs’ entrance. The metal door separating us from the main lobby creaks as we open it. Seger pulls me behind his back, gently closing it behind us and blocking anyone’s view of seeing me.
“Why do I feel you’ve done this before?” Seger murmurs, turning to look back at me with a critical eye, searching for the answers on my face.
I smile and shrug, stepping into the darkened stairwell, sending adrenaline through my veins. It’s like riding in Chase’s fast as hell car, as the speed soars over my body. My head spins. My palms sweat. But I live for this. This moment in life when everything teeters on the edge of the world. One wrong move and you’re made. Ka-splat. Anxiety soars through me, too. I’m not immune, but I let my flight-or-fight take over. I let it overpower every word screaming inside of my head to turn back.
The moist smell of mold and mildew wafts through the air, proving how little the students use the stairs, opting to use the elevator instead. Do they clean in here at all? Dirt sits in the cracks of the stairs, and an oily substance greases the railing. It reminds me of the disgusting bathrooms. The school makes millions on enrollment, and they can’t clean? It’s ridiculous. And gross, very, very gross.
“Do you want the truth or not?” I whisper, slinking along the stairwell. Seger’s gaze jerks towards mine in alarm, eyes wide from my admission.
“Oh man, you suspected us. Did you go through our rooms, Sunshine? I swear those magazines aren’t mine, just holding them for a friend.” I wrinkle my nose, suppressing a laugh at Chase’s fake outrage.
“Not yours,” I say breathlessly as we climb the stairs.
It’s one of those things. I shouldn’t be as winded as I am. It’s only a few flights of stairs, but holy hell, my lungs burn. My throat dries, feeling scratchy. Dang—I need a drink and less walking. Maybe my mother was right. I need to get out from behind the computer more and exercise. Perhaps I should convince my boys to go jogging with me or something. I’m pretty sure Chase does it daily, being the quarterback and all. He has to run all the time. Exercise needs to become a priority sooner than later because I’m dying. Literally dying. They’ll find my blue body later, cause of death, lack of oxygen. Rest in peace out of shape, Kaycee. Ugh.
