Page 6 of The Unravelings

“Agent Zero,” I retort through the pain, trying to stand under his scrutiny, but failing miserably.

“You’re not in disguise?” he questions, quirking a brow. “Is this how you were found out?” He waves a hand at my wardrobe and the missing glasses as disappointment twists his expression.

I cross my arms over my binder-less chest. “No,” I say, attempting to hold back my panic from his judging stare. “I was in my room, watching TV, and JJ marched in and knew exactly who I was.”

I lick my lips when Jonathan nods, rubbing at his chin. Panic consumes me at the thought of JJ. He knows my secret. He could be sitting Hux and Mack down right now and informing them I’m Olivia. Not Oliver. Even though I asked him to keep it a secret. Fuck. They’ll know I’m not dead, either.

Or would JJ keep his word? Would he hold my secret close to his chest and keep it to himself? It’s been so long since I’ve trusted them. I don’t know what he’ll do or if he’ll keep his word.

“Agent Seven,” he says calmly, holding up a hand to stop me. “You’re saying that Jasper Jones found out your identity through other means? You didn’t inform him? And no one else knows?”

AKA, did you do your job well enough to conceal yourself? The answer is yes. Only Simon and Jordy know who I really am. But Jordy doesn’t count. And Simon? Well, he’s not in the business of telling others’ business.

“Yes, Agent Zero.” I barely breathe, pulling my shoulders back and my chin up. My muscles protest, begging me to lie down. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to get caught.” I hold my breath when he nods a few times.

“It’s an unfortunate part of the work, Olivia,” he says in an unnaturally calm tone.

There’s no chastising there or any hints that I’m in trouble. Yet. Thank fuck. It’s not like I walked up to JJ on my own, spread my arms, and sang I’m alive. He somehow found me out. How, though? That’s the mystery to me.

“We all get caught eventually. It’s the nature of the job. You’ll always find someone eager to unravel the newest arrival in town or in their organization. Even I’ve been found out a time or two. It’s a learning lesson.”

A lesson. Right. A lesson between life and death. If you get caught in the wrong situation, you’re as good as burnt toast.

My shoulders sag with relief. “So, who will be my replacement?”

There’s no way in hell he’d willingly send me back into a dangerous situation. My cover has been blown by someone who used to know me. Intimately.

“Replacement?” Jonathan asks sharply.

Every sense of relief disappears into thin air, especially when his eyes narrow at me with contempt.

“Yeah. Replacement. I thought you’d⁠—”

“What?” he interrupts, his voice filling the abandoned warehouse and reeling me back a step. “Pull you from the case?” Irritation fills every molecule in his body, raising and lowering his shoulders with every haggard breath. “Why would I pull you from the case?” he yells again.

I flinch when he raises a hand, quickly running it through his chopped hair, taking his scorn-filled eyes off me and down to the floor.

Breaths pour through my nose, finally escaping my lungs when his eyes squeeze shut. Taking his scorn away from me and locking it away.

“Yes, sir,” I breathe. “I thought…” My voice trails off.

This isn’t going how I thought it would. I expected the hard but understanding Jonathan I’ve grown accustomed to. Not this. He’s practically vibrating with rage and a hint of desperation.

“I’ve been seen. JJ knows who I am and that I’m not dead. Or Oliver. He could alert the other two and Franco. They’d hunt me down again and make sure it’s done properly this time.” I swallow the lump in my throat that tells me I’m not going to like whatever Jonathan has to say by the look on his face.

“Then find out what he knows. Use it to your advantage, Olivia. Use your damn brain!” His voice ricochets off the thick metal walls and knocks into me, piercing directly into my soul.

Every muscle in his body shakes. And for a brief second, the only thing that hangs between us is silence and a massive amount of tension that I could slice with a knife. I want to turn and run.

Jonathan always holds his emotions close to his chest. Never letting anyone get too close to rip off his mask. So, witnessing it slip off completely, revealing the man beneath, has my hackles rising.

Do I need to be worried? In fear for my life? Maybe not from him, maybe from the future of my life at Greenwood.

You’re supposed to spy on them.

An all-consuming pressure presses heavily down on me, shrinking me into nothing. He doesn’t want to replace me. He wants to send me back to the hell that is Greenwood University and live through the consequences of JJ finding me out.

“You… You want me…” I stammer over my heavy tongue, bile rising in my throat. “You want me to go back?” I whisper, hoping that he’s joking. That he’s not about to send me back to my death sentence. “To Greenwood?” I nearly gag on the name of this town again. The very place that sent me packing before, with scars from ruined friendships and my entire family decimated.