Page 66 of Shifter for Brains

Aaron’s car wasn’t in the parking garage but this man was. I almost stepped right into him.

"We have to stop meeting like this," he said.

“Do we know each other?”

"Ouch. I used to make more of an impression in my younger years." His hair showed less grey in the dim parking garage, and with so much on my mind, the recognition was delayed.

This was Hodge, the man I met earlier. The man who…

"Oh, you’re him." Whoops, that was out loud.

"I am?" His eyebrows rose.

"Uh, the agent from before. That’s you. Hodge?" Was he the man who betrayed the others, the person Merritt was determined to make answer for his crimes?

"That’s me, the one and only."

"Formerly," I added.

"Hmm?"

"Former agent, you were an a-agent,” Nothing changed yet I was sure I said the wrong thing. “And now…"

Only having the barest hints to go on, I might be totally off base, seeing things that weren’t there. I lacked any conclusive evidence. Still…

The man spoke politely, he smiled at the right moments, but the picture didn’t line up quite right. The image he presented was the friendly retired man, not as sharp as he used to be, but those hands were steady as a surgeon’s, those eyes never blinked. He was watching everything, there were words under his words, and I wasn’t fluent enough in his brand of double speak to translate everything.

"And now?" he prompted. “What happens now?”

"Um, you-you…" I stepped back reflexively. He followed me and my heartrate skyrocketed.

"Do you want to sit down? You’re so jumpy.” Hodge sounded concerned until he laughed. “Gosh, you’d think that there’s something dangerous down here. Something that terrifies you.”

“Is-is there?” I whispered.

I kept stepping back. He kept following.

When my back hit a concrete wall, I jumped. His lips twitched, like he barely stopped himself from smiling.

"I certainly hope there’s nothing to fear,” Hodge said. “Alone in a dark corner with only this old timer for help? You’d be screwed.”

The words were chilling but his tone was so casual. I had no idea whether I was making a fool of myself and overreacting or if a threat really existed, but my instincts pointed firmly in one direction.

Hodge laughed, a sharp bark of sound. I jumped again. This time, he did smile. His eyes met mine and a chill went down my spine. “Isn’t being helpless the worst feeling?”

My instincts? Spot on. I really should listen to them more. I wanted to listen to them now as they chantedrun away.This is a dangerous situation. Leave immediately.

But I was frozen. Alone and helpless. Trapped between him and the wall.

Suddenly we weren’t alone.

"Back the hell off." Chase stepped in between us.

"Agent Slate, how nice to see you." He morphed back to polite and friendly in an instant, the strange tension evaporating.

"Walk away or I’ll see how far I can throw you.” Chase stared him down, sounding more cold and unfriendly than I’d ever heard him.

“I have no idea what I’ve done to offend you, Agent Slate.”