Collateral

Chapter Seven - Arsen

Arsen had tried to lie to Reyna before. It didn't turn out well.

He didn't have high hopes for this time, either, but the stakes were higher than just a question of why he didn't want to go home. 

It was the truth. And the truth mattered more.

The truth was everything.

But the hostility between him and Magnus was normal. They'd fallen into some sort of routine. Every day, Arsen couldn't find any evidence against him. And that angered him because he knew that it was Magnus. And the longer he couldn't find any evidence against him, the less evidence there would be.

America was in a panic. Protests rang out all across the country and President Douglas hadn't spoken since the assassination, which was something Arsen could understand. Losing someone you loved wasn't something easily overlooked or dealt with,

It would all work out, though, America had come back from worse before and were stronger for it. Arsen felt a pang of pity for Ilana's son, even though he didn't know his name. In some other life, he and Holly might've been friends. 

There was no time for grieving, though. Not for the President. He needed to hold it together and hold his country together, too, no matter how wrong it sounded in Arsen's mind. 

There was no time.

"Earth to Arsen," Reyna said. "You still with us?" 

Arsen snapped back to attention. "Sorry. Yes." He flashed an apologetic smile. "What's going on?"

Magnus snorted. "It's been two weeks and you still can't pay attention?"

"Magnus," Daren said in a low voice. "Lay off. We don't need this right now."

Magnus gave Arsen one last glower. 

"Is anyone any closer to a suspect?" 

"Actually," Hunter said, "yes." He paused for a moment as if to emphasize his next words. "There's a man named Frank Tisdale. He fits the profile and is Secret Service. He was supposed to be one of the guards at the speech but no one has seen him since. It's like he completely dropped off." 

"Look more into him. Everyone. Just find him, this is the first solid lead we've had, and if ADAM is going to trust us more with larger missions, we need to do this." 

No one moved. Magnus glared at all of them. 

"Find him!"