ratcheting release sound and felt
the pressure abate. After walking back around the table,
Maynard
dropped the cuffs and his key in a pile and sank down into one of the hard, metal chairs. He motioned for me to do the same. Warily rubbing my wrists, I swung my leg over the back of the chair and slipped in. "You can't just attack people,” Maynard growled, “especially other Seekers." "That wasn't Elena,” I countered. “It was an imposter, some kind of pod person." "I know,” Maynard replied coolly.
The next words clogged in my throat as my brain registered what had just been admitted. I hit rewind, pause, and began to actually listen instead of thinking of my next defense. "Elena missed her check-in time this evening,” Maynard explained. “That isn't like her at all. Unlike you, she's a by-the-book Seeker."
I let the not-so-veiled knock at me slip past without retort. "Then she just shows up like nothing happened,” Maynard continued, “but she's acting a little strange, not at all like herself. She even knocked over her altar candles." My eyes widened. “The small ones on her desk she won't let anyone touch?” One of the cleaning personnel had accidentally tipped the candles once. When Elena found out who it was, they were promptly terminated.
Maynard nodded. “With all the weirdness, I posted heavily armed Cleaners at all exits and had two Seekers shadowing her."
"The Werewolves?” I asked, painfully remembering the beasts that yanked me out of the elevator. Maynard nodded. “I was going to tell you but you found her before I could,” he paused, “and overreacted."
"Overreacted?” I echoed angrily. “She pulled a cross on me in the elevator!" "Oh,” Maynard replied. He looked up at the mirror behind us and waved. “What tipped you that it wasn't really Elena?"
"That she pulled a cross on me in the elevator,” I repeated. “The real Elena would've known that doesn't work. I also saw her throat,” I added, pointing to my own. “No bruises." Maynard understood. “From your little scuffle with her." "Right.” I nodded.
The door pushed open revealing Toby and Karl. They had apparently been the ones in the observation booth.
Toby patted me on the back as he moved past. “You really hate that Witch, don't you?” He leaned against the back wall with a laugh.
dropped the cuffs and his key in a pile and sank down into one of the hard, metal chairs. He motioned for me to do the same. Warily rubbing my wrists, I swung my leg over the back of the chair and slipped in. "You can't just attack people,” Maynard growled, “especially other Seekers." "That wasn't Elena,” I countered. “It was an imposter, some kind of pod person." "I know,” Maynard replied coolly.
The next words clogged in my throat as my brain registered what had just been admitted. I hit rewind, pause, and began to actually listen instead of thinking of my next defense. "Elena missed her check-in time this evening,” Maynard explained. “That isn't like her at all. Unlike you, she's a by-the-book Seeker."
I let the not-so-veiled knock at me slip past without retort. "Then she just shows up like nothing happened,” Maynard continued, “but she's acting a little strange, not at all like herself. She even knocked over her altar candles." My eyes widened. “The small ones on her desk she won't let anyone touch?” One of the cleaning personnel had accidentally tipped the candles once. When Elena found out who it was, they were promptly terminated.
Maynard nodded. “With all the weirdness, I posted heavily armed Cleaners at all exits and had two Seekers shadowing her."
"The Werewolves?” I asked, painfully remembering the beasts that yanked me out of the elevator. Maynard nodded. “I was going to tell you but you found her before I could,” he paused, “and overreacted."
"Overreacted?” I echoed angrily. “She pulled a cross on me in the elevator!" "Oh,” Maynard replied. He looked up at the mirror behind us and waved. “What tipped you that it wasn't really Elena?"
"That she pulled a cross on me in the elevator,” I repeated. “The real Elena would've known that doesn't work. I also saw her throat,” I added, pointing to my own. “No bruises." Maynard understood. “From your little scuffle with her." "Right.” I nodded.
The door pushed open revealing Toby and Karl. They had apparently been the ones in the observation booth.
Toby patted me on the back as he moved past. “You really hate that Witch, don't you?” He leaned against the back wall with a laugh.