Skip ahead to what happened today.
OK. So today we were in town. Angelica—that’s her name—Angelica was in the drug store getting Grandfather’s medication. Nate and I were in the hardware store because Nate needed some nails and glue to fix the carpet that was coming up in his living room, and when we came out, she was gone.
Gone where?
That’s what we said. So we went looking for her and found signs of a struggle in the alley where I first talked to her. Then we saw a trail going into the woods, and we followed that too. That’s when we saw them. They were screaming at each other down by the river. Angelica was bleeding from her nose and her mouth. I think he hit her in the face. But she hit him back because he was leaning to the side, clutching his ribs. Like maybe she got in a good kick or two. His lip was swollen and he was wiping a little bit of blood off it. So we missed the first part of the fight. But I knew she was putting up a good one. I started going in. I figured two of us against one of him? Those odds weren’t bad. But Nate grabbed me by the arm and put a hand over my mouth and dragged me away. And then that Nicholas guy, he tackled Angelica, and knocked her out with one punch. He threw her into a boat and sped away. I was so mad at Nate. So angry that he didn’t let me help her. But I didn’t want to hurt him so I couldn’t fight back. But I heard something, Donovan. And it scared me.
What? What did you hear?
He said Adam.
Tate did?
Yes. He was ticking off names to this girl while they were fighting. Telling her he knew everything. And he said… Jack or Jacks—something like that. And Chek, and Adam. I heard it. So he knows about us. He knows, Donovan. He knows about Wendy, and me, and Angelica. Do you think he got Wendy too? Do you think he’ll come back for me?
…
Donovan?
I’m thinking.
OK. But… Should I go and get Adam now?
Yes. Go get Adam.
SESSION #87 cont.
Close the door, Adam. And where’s McKay?
He took Indie outside.
Nicholas Tate jumped a girl upriver and took her.
What?
She was Company.
Wait. What the fuck are you talking about?
Indie just told me that she and Nate have been hiding a Company kid—a goddamned twelve-year-old Company assassin called Angelica—in Nate’s house, since last fucking summer.
…
Did you hear me?
…
Adam!
I fucking heard you. I just… don’t understand what you just said.
He came for her, or maybe Indie, I’m not quite clear on that. And he got this Angelica girl. You ever heard of her?
No. But how the fuck is Nicholas Tate in goddamned Louisiana? He’s supposed to be down in Honduras running drugs.
Well… I don’t know what you want me to say about that. Indie said this girl came to her and Nate last summer talking about how she was on the run from Nicholas Tate. They hid her in Nate’s house, and today, while they were upriver in some town getting supplies, Tate came, knocked the girl out, shoved her into a boat, and took her away.
…
He said your name.
What?
You heard me. He said your fucking name. Indie told me three names. Jack, and your dude Chek, and then he said Adam. This was your plan, remember? Nicholas and Harper Tate. James Fenici. Sasha Cherlin. This was your fucking plan and the whole thing is in play and you never told me a goddamned thing about this. What the fuck is going on?
I haven’t talked to Sasha in ten years, Donovan. This is not my plan.
Well, this has Sasha’s name written all over it. She and Nick are a team like McKay and Indie are a team. And he said your name, Adam.
I haven’t talked to Nick since we were kids. You know that.
I don’t know shit right now. We had a deal, remember? We were gonna do this together. Our way. And this is not our way and it is most decidedly not together.
I’m not a part of this. I swear to fucking God, I’m not.
When Nicholas Tate comes to steal a Company kid and says the name Adam… what can I do but assume?
…
Nothing to say about that?
It wasn’t me. Remember? Remember that time you told me there was another Adam in play? It must be him. Not me.
Hmm. Or… there was never another Adam and it was always you.
Donovan. Believe me—
I don’t know what to believe right now. I feel a huge disconnect with the team. I’m away at school and you three are here doing who the fuck knows what. I don’t know what else to tell you, Adam. I don’t even know what we’re doing anymore. I don’t know why we’re doing it, or what we’re getting out of it. And Indie… she needs help. You and I both know—have known for a long fucking time now—that I’m not going to be able to keep her sane.
Donovan. Listen to me. You’re all she’s had. I get it. You’re feeling responsible—
Fuck you, Adam. You’re responsible for this shit show. Not me.
You’re the one who told me to buy her.
You’re the one who’s been running her for the past four years. Not me. I’m just a way to ease your guilty conscious.
I don’t even know what you’re going on about. You wanted this, Donovan. For your stupid research paper.
Go get McKay. I’m done with you for now.
SESSION #87 cont.
DONOVAN: Where the fuck have you been?
MCKAY: Why are you taping this?
Because this is an Indie debrief.
Exactly. Indie’s debrief. Turn it off.
…
Turn it off, Donovan. Or I walk out.
SESSION #87 NOTES - PRIVATE
SESSION #87 NOTES – PRIVATE
I think it’s time to stop. I’m not even sure why I started this shit.
I’m not certified, I’m not equipped, and I have a really bad feeling that this girl’s mind has been fucked with by someone who knows a helluva lot more than I do.
And if this is Carter… well, he certainly had better teachers than I did.
Who am I kidding? No one taught me shit. I’ve been following a training manual twenty years out of date and making this shit up as I go.
It needs to stop.
CHAPTER TWLEVE - ADAM
NINE YEARS AGO
There is a really big part of me that wants to stay out of it. All of it. But this was my plan. I bought Indie with this endgame in mind.