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“I've never hurt anyone”

“You gave us strep throat,” I said “And you rigged a football gaerous” I turned, facing a wall of baby food but unable to stop uys were dangerous Yet you've done far s that could have killed someone”

“You don't knohat they're doing to you,” he said

“I'o that far to prove some point you haven't made yet What is it? You want to smoke them out? They've never hidden their faces They've always been in plain sight You're the one hiding Because you knohat you're doing is wrong”

Silence on the other end I wasn't totally being honest about the guys There were tis, and I didn't always know the end result, but it never involved harer was on them, not others Despite the couple of ti s he did

I'd once questioned the Academy and its purpose, but when I compared Volto to what the Academy did, the difference was very clear

Eventually, Volto's voice returned “I want to talk to you In person”

“I think you've done enough,” I said “Return the Jeep”

“I'll bring it back when you talk to me”

I considered it for aer I didn't want to do this now

So instead of answering, I hung up, folding the flip I kept it inat it

Whenthat the act put irl

I put the phone to my ear and listened

It was silent at first, but the mechanical voice came back

“I'et you,” he said

I hung up again, my heart in my throat I couldn't reach out to the Academy He'd cut off the one connection I had If soet me, Volto could interfere once they arrived

What now?

How to Shake a Tail

Nathan

Nathan continued to follow North's Jeep through neighborhoods He sent word once abouton Volto's tail to Mr Blackbourne, but he didn't get word back

If he didn't respond, it wason and he didn't want Nathan to alter his course

With no other indication he should do otherwise, he re, the leather of the seat squeaking as his pants slid against the material The air was a little cold, but it kept him aware and focused

After a while of following, the clouds above finally broke Rain came down in a drizzle, and eventually Nathan had to start the windshield wipers

“Co”

As if Volto had heard hi at the end of a cul-de-sac and heading out of the neighborhood He took the main road, opposite the school

It was a long lane with lights above the both vehicles into the dark, but then looked like they started again a few hundred feet later There was alane was e, there were hborhoods and eventually they'd hit a main road in an area that had shops and car dealerships

“What are you doing?” he asked to his windshield and the back tire of North's Jeep “Wherever you're going, I can follow”

He i this ended cleanly Maybe Volto was looking for a place to ditch the Jeep after he threw his smoke bo Volto think he lost hiot into traffic Maybe someone could take over pursuit, soh to ditch it

The Jeep suddenly picked up speed Nathan thought to let hiet a distance ahead, but he decided to wait on that until he could get so noay, he may as well stay in view

The Jeep took turns in the street at a couple dozen miles above the limit The vehicle leaned to one side, and then the other as he made the turns too fast

Nathan kept as close as he dared

When he thought they were al road, the Jeep ave access to an unmarked road

Volto took that road, following a slope down