Seeker (Shadows) by Jolene Perry Read Free Book Online Page A

will see past any BS I try to push off, so I figure direct is best.
    “What do you know about your daughter and where she’s going?” I ask.
    “I know a lot of things about my daughter. I know that she’s a lot stronger than she thinks, and that maybe she’s getting an inkling of that power now. I know that she’s thrown away two hundred dollar jeans because she didn’t like where they’d been. Is that what you’re looking for?” A corner of his mouth quirks up, and he’s still completely unbothered.
    Ocean and I are silent.
    “You do realize that you’re sitting in the chair that’s my specialty, right?” He stares.
    Right. Mr. Prince has questioned probably more people than anyone else in The Middle Men. Manipulator. I’m suddenly not sure why my parents asked me to come in here. Did they honestly think that he’d tell me something he wouldn’t tell them?
    “You know that she’s headed south , right?” I retort. Anything to hide how completely intimidated I am being in the room with him.
    Ocean blinks a few times and glances my way , probably because he doesn’t know the implications yet and is trying to hide it. If he’d have let me finish my story earlier, he’d get it.
    “Good for her.” Mr. Prince leans back and crosses his arms.
    Good for her? He can’t possibly mean that. He’s just better at interrogation than I am.
    “I don’t know if you understand the seriousness of your situation,” I say as I stand. I’m not sure if I understand the seriousness of his situation. What will they do with him? It’s not like we can let him go.
    “ Since I’ve been in your chair many times, I’m actually wondering why I’m still alive. So, I would say yes, I understand the gravity of my situation.” His eyes bore into mine and then he checks Ocean’s reaction, which means I check Ocean’s reaction.
    Ocean’s jaw is clenched, and even though I don’t know him well, I can tell he’s pissed and maybe a little shocked. I’m a little shocked. Mr. Prince has interrogated other people and is wondering why he’s still alive? Does this mean that The Middle Men have… No. Prince is trying to fluster me. Trying to make me think The Middle Men would do things I know they’d never do.
    “I figured that the way I was half attacked simply because I wanted my daughter to make her own decision as to whether she worked for The Middle Men or not, that you wouldn’t bother keeping me around for all that long. So yes, my dear, I absolutely understand the seriousness of my situation.”
    Instead of letting the implications of what he’s saying soak in, I feel the need to defend The Middle Men. The actions we take—I still think he’s just trying to make me believe the impossible.
    “The Middle Men made you who you are.” A rich, powerful businessman with connections all over the world.
    His hand slams down on the table making me jump, which makes me cringe because I’m supposed to be the one in charge here.
    “ They made me who I am?” His voice booms. “The Middle Men half tied my hands behind my back. I made me who I am.”
    Ocean’s jaw flexes again as he grabs his watch and turns for the door.
    I follow realizing what I already knew—Mr. Prince isn’t going to help us, and I’m glad it’s not my decision whether or not he sticks around.
    The moment I step outside the small room and the door closes behind us, Ocean’s in my face. “What am I into here?” he spits.
    “What?” Even though I’m sure this isn’t going to go well. I’ve been around this organization my whole life and understand the imperative need for secrecy. None of us want to be put to work for the government—that would mean we’d end up as war tools like everything else they spend money on. We have enough “good deeds” on our tally for me to know we’re in the right. And to know we’re allowed a lot more freedom than we would be as government pawns—which is exactly what would happen if we were found