Page 14 of Peripheral Vision (Tethered in Darkness Duet #1)

Chapter

Nine

FLETCHER

N athan paces back and forth in front of me, running his hands through his messy blonde hair, and I keep waiting for him to say something.

We’re having a few beers at a local bar to debrief about what’s going to happen next.

A few more moments pass by before I can’t take it anymore. “Spit it the fuck out.”

He pauses his progress on the hole he was walking into the ground to glare at me. Three. Two. One?—

“What in the ever-loving fuck were you thinking agreeing to that offer? We don’t make decisions like that without all parties agreeing first. You know that. But instead, you chose to be a selfish prick, not considering the repercussions for such an action, and?—”

Holding my hand up, I glance around at the people who have started to look in our direction.

“I’m gonna stop you right there. First, shut up and keep your voice down.

You can be pissed at me all you want but you will not set suspicion on us.

Second, I never agreed to anything. I did leave a window of chance open in case it was something we wanted to pursue, but you know as well as I do that it was too good to pass up on right away not knowing the next time we were going to get an in like that.

I finally have a chance to know or to narrow down what happened to Riley.

” He starts to interject, but I stop him again.

“I know it isn’t all about Riley, and I know I can do nothing to change the past. But here is what I do know…

we might not be able to take down the entire network, hell, we probably won’t take down even ten percent of it, but if we can stop a major trafficking ring to this region and save all of those kids…

” I sigh. “To us it sure as shit ain’t the whole enchilada, but to them—to the hundreds of innocent lives, kids and otherwise—it’s the world, and you know it. ”

He finally sits down at our table and takes a long pull of his beer.

“That may be true, but we still haven’t cracked how deep this runs or who is at the top.

I would prefer we don’t get involved until then.

Because if this goes south… we risk a lot more than ourselves.

We have to sit back and consider not only the kids, but the adults that are also taken, the families that are relying on us, as well as everyone else involved in our organization.

Besides, how do you even plan to keep them out of the room when the procedures are supposed to be performed?

” He emphasizes his air quotes when he says “supposed”.

Truth is, I’m still thinking about how to prevent that from happening.

It’s been par for the course that the sellers join us because it isn’t usually the kids we’re actually paying for, it’s their organs.

But the sellers are always under the impression that they will be taking the kids back with them after the settled upon organs are harvested so they can do whatever other horrible things they do with them.

Nathan sets his beer glass down a little too loudly, snapping me out of my thoughts.

“You don’t know. That means we can’t, Fletcher.

Trust, if there is anybody that can figure it out, it would be you.

But the fact that you can’t is raising all kinds of red flags.

Let’s just run this one like we have been.

Lives are still being saved, traffickers are still being taken down.

” He’s right. I hate when he’s right. He knows I hate when he’s right based on the shit-eating grin that spreads across his face. “I’m waiting,” he sing-songs.

I narrow my eyes at him, wishing I could ignore his taunts, but he is nothing if not relentless in his pursuits. “You don’t have to look so pleased with yourself, Nathan.”

“That’s half the fun though, working with the great Fletcher Collins. But don’t worry, I’m patient.” He leans back, still wearing the shit-eating grin that makes me want to throw my own beer at him.

“Fine. You’re right.” I mutter the words under my breath, tasting bitter on my tongue. I’ve learned to pick and choose my battles with him.

Nathan raises his beer in a mock toast. “Now that is music to my ears.”

I ignore him, focusing on the unsettling feeling that’s been gnawing at me since we started this mission.

“I just don’t like not knowing who the head honcho is or why this is happening, why anyone thinks this is okay.

Feels different this time, you know? The more we do it, the more of an, I don’t know, like an itch I get.

” The last several jobs that have been assigned have all been in our region, with us being the only team able to bring them down.

“I feel like we’ve been targeted in some way.

As if someone is testing us for once, to see how far we are willing to take things, what we’re willing to expose.

Tonight was the first time we’ve ever been propositioned for more. Don’t you wonder why?”

He nods, his grin fading into something more grim. “Maybe. But it’s as we always do; keep our heads down, get the jobs done, stay on high alert, and move on. We will catch a break eventually. These networks are large, but they aren’t endless.”

My phone buzzes suddenly, but it isn’t my traditional cell phone, it’s the burner phone. I open the message, no name or number, just a line that nearly stops my heart.

I know what you’re planning, Fletcher. Watching you squirm is half the fun. Let’s see how clever you really are .

Noticing the look on my face, Nathan leans in. “What is it?”

Not saying anything, I turn the phone where he can see it and his expression immediately darkens. “Fuck.”