Anna and Justin walked around, and Justin introduced Anna to a few rich and famous people. She couldn't believe how many people recognized her from the Martel case, but no one seemed upset with her about it. The big crime bosses congratulated her, but they told her she was not to breathe a word since she was part of the circle. Cop or not.
Justin spoke with one of the bosses privately and led Anna away.
"Thank you," she whispered.
He looked into her eyes and raised an eyebrow.
"What were they congratulating you for?"
"Can we talk about that later? It's a long story. Besides, I see Xan."
He smiled, touched her chin, and nodded.
"Sure, gorgeous, but I'm holding you to storytime."
She grinned, bumped him with her shoulder, and sighed. She straightened and saw Xander walking toward them with a beautiful brown-haired woman.
"Anna, is that you?" he asked.
He took her hand, looked her over, and she smiled, nodding.
"Wow. You know you should dress up more often. You look beautiful."
"Thank you, Xan," she said, hugging him.
He broke the embrace and turned to the woman.
"Anna, this is Helen. Justin, she, and I go way back," he introduced, and the woman smiled.
"Hello."
"Hi," said Anna, and Justin nodded.
Helen was Anna's height with long brown hair and stunning hazel eyes. Anna wondered where his pain-in-the-ass fiancé was and looked around.
"Where's Victoria?"
Helen gave Xander a knowing look, and he chuckled. She didn't like Victoria, and the woman was why Helen stopped talking to Xander. That woman came into his life like a tornado, but she was happy Xander finally saw the truth about her and cut her loose.
"Victoria is on a plane back to her home country. She and I didn't work out. She was hired by her father to spy on me. I found out and sent her on her way. What was I thinking? Right?" Xander explained.
Anna and Helen exchanged looks, and Anna pressed her lips together.
"I wasn't going to say it. But yes, that was a very dumb move on your part," she said, and Helen and Justin agreed.
Helen looked at Anna and smiled.
"So this is the famous Anna Simone I have heard so much about," said Helen, and Justin nodded.
"Hopefully, all good."
"Yes, actually, and you, Justin. But I am surprised to see you two together on a date. Aren't you two rivals?" she asked.
Anna chuckled and looked at Justin as he touched her back gently.
"Well, we have decided to become friends now that we are all adults," he said, and Anna wrinkled her nose, nodding.
An announcement was made that the presentation was about to start, and this was Anna's window to begin executing the plan.
She smiled at Xander as he finished his sentence and looked at Justin.
"Would you hold this for me, please?" she asked, handing him her beer.
"Sure."
"Great, if you would excuse me," she said, heading towards the restroom.
"Nature calls," said Xander, and they all laughed.
*******
Anna walked into the restroom, locked the door, located the vent above the sink, and slipped off her shoes. She balanced on the bathroom sink, pulled the vent cover off, hoisted herself into the tunnel, and shimmied toward Maverick Senior's office.
She pictured the blueprints in her mind and knew which way to go. As she shimmied closer to the office, she heard voices and stopped.
"Mr. Maverick, everyone is seated, and you will begin your presentation soon, sir!"
"Yes, yes. Just give me a second."
She heard him pick up the desk phone and push buttons.
"Amelia, how is the testing going?… They what?…sedate them immediately…I will fly to Guatemala first thing in the morning…okay."
He hung up the phone.
"Come along, Hector. It's time to show the world that I am a god!"
She heard them leave and lock the door. She quickly shimmied to the vent, popped off the cover, jumped out, and padded toward the desk. She opened the desk drawers, skimmed through the files, saw a folder that read Guatemala, pulled it out, and another file stuck to it. Project A and T. She grabbed the files and quietly closed the drawer.
She heard footsteps, ran to the ventilation duct, hoisted herself up, and replaced the vent, hearing the door open and someone walking inside. Then she heard voices.
"We have a problem with the bathroom on the second floor. We believe that someone might have passed out."
Anna knew she had to get back to the bathroom, so she worked her way back, and when she returned, someone was banging on the door.
"Hey, are you okay in there?"
She got out of the vent, placed the cover back on the duct, quietly crawled off the sink, and began putting her shoes on. There was more banging, and she quickly texted Paul to meet her out front.
"Yes, I'm in here, can't a girl take a shit in peace?" she asked.
She slipped the files into the secret compartment of her purse, sprayed mist on her face to make her look a little flushed, unlocked the door, and saw a security guard staring at her.
"I'm sorry I took so long. I think I have a little food poisoning from a restaurant I dined at earlier this afternoon," she explained.
"I'm sorry, miss."
"Could you please do me a favor? Could you tell Mr. Hardy that I went outside to get some air?"
The security guard nodded, and she walked to the elevator, rode to the first floor, and got in the car. Paul drove, and she looked through the files and saw the kids were being held in a facility in Guatemala. Things were beginning to make sense.
Either Leonard, Justin, or the military kidnapped them to run their trials and serum and opened the file labeled Projects A and T. Project T has already begun, but Project A has yet to be tested on subjects three, four, and nine. She saw another file inside the file and saw a name.
Anna Berson. There was a file about adoption records and a picture of a baby with red auburn hair and beautiful blue eyes. She looked at the baby momentarily, and Paul watched her zone out.
Could this be a picture of her when she was a baby? And was that her real name?
"Anna?"
He snapped his fingers, and she looked at him. He parked on the side of a side street near the old station and gave her a questioning look.
"What is all this?" he asked, gesturing to the files.
She put all the papers back in the folders and shoved them into the glove box.
"It's everything we need to know to find your brother and the other kids."
She noticed that Justin's signature was also on the paperwork and felt her gut churn. She needed to keep him around but at a distance until she found out how he was involved.
"Anna, are you feeling okay?"
She looked at him as the color drained from her face and took a couple of deep breaths. She was so confused her mind raced.
"Yeah, I will be okay. Take those files back home. I will see you in the morning."
The color came back to her face, and he shook his head.
"You are staying the night?"
She raised an eyebrow and gave him a knowing smile. That look meant to mind his business, and he put his hands up.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry."
He pulled in front of the building and stopped at the door.
"Anna, please be careful."
"I will."
She got out of the car and reached the second floor, and Justin smiled at her, put his arm around her, and pulled her close.
"There you are, you missed the whole presentation," he said.
"Yeah, I wasn't feeling well," she said, and a look of concern came across his face.
"We can get out of here and go over to the penthouse."
She shook her head and waved her hand.
"No, it's alright," she giggled, and Helen gave her a thoughtful look.
"Well, that is where we are planning to go."
"That is where we go unwind and relax. These presentations can be a bit boring," said Xander.
"Oh, okay, sure," agreed Anna.
She needed to go to the downtown station and grab some clothes and sneakers. She gave Justin a thoughtful look and touched his chin. He smirked and held her waist.
"I have to make a short trip. Meet you back here in about twenty minutes?"
He only nodded and watched her leave.
********
"Simone?" asked one of the officers behind the desk.
It was a Friday night, and the holding cells were packed.
"Hi, Patrick, how are ya?" she said, walking past him.
She walked into the storage closets, grabbed a pair of the police department's logoed sweats, and grabbed socks. She pulled out one of the backpacks, threw the clothes inside, and walked out to the front.
"Any sneakers?" she asked, and one of the female officers looked at her.
"Hi, Simone. Yeah, there are a couple of pairs over here. They are probably your size, Miss Little Feet."
Anna laughed and saw the sneakers.
"The high tops."
The officer tossed her the sneakers, and she pulled off her heels and slipped her feet inside.
"Perfect fit! Do they need these back?"
The officer looked at the shoes and shook her head.
"Nope, the girl has a very high bond and is going upstate."
Anna twisted her mouth, smiled, and nodded.
"Thanks, guys," she said, and her old work buddies smiled.
She returned to the Maverick building and found Justin waiting outside for her.
"Hello gorgeous," he said when she reached him.
"Hi."
He slid his arm around her waist, and she studied his face.
Anna, stop it!
Justin smirked and steered her toward the door.
"Shall we."
She nodded and smiled.
"Sure."