Cumberland, Maryland

  “There are conditions of your release, you understand,” Agent Smith informed him, and Xander stifled a yawn.
 “I imagined there would be,” he replied dryly. “Let’s see what you’ve got for me.”
 “You’re certain you don’t want a lawyer present for this?” the woman, whose name, Xander recalled, was Catriona. He had yet to spring the fact that he knew it on her. He wanted to hold onto the element of surprise.
 “You’ll forgive me if I don’t have much faith in the legal system,” Xander replied easily. “You may have noticed that I am in prison for crimes which I didn’t commit.”
 Catriona looked down at the table and Mr. Smith laughed heartily.
 “Yes,” he said with feigned cheer. “Your sister is responsible for that little train wreck, isn’t she?”
  Xander could tell he was not going to like the man.
 Through his insightful green eyes, Xander was able to see that Mr. Smith needed to be the center of attention. He did not pick up on Catriona’s subtle hints, hints which Xander could read with blinding clarity, even without projecting into her mind.
 And they are lovers too. What a shame that he can’t read her. I bet if he tapped into her properly, they would have amazing sex.
 Xander already knew how it would all work out…if he played his cards right.
 But I must approach this cautiously; Sarah’s life is at stake and something tells me that Mr. Smith has no issue throwing her and me back into the slaughterhouse if I fail. I can’t fail Sarah, especially if I don’t know what I’m fighting against.
 “As you can see here in your terms, Mr. Van Hoyt – “
 “Please, call me Xander,” he told them again, extending his smile to Catriona. “What can I call you which would be more familiar than the Smiths? I feel like we’re building a relationship here and I hate to enter it with such sterility.”
 Catriona’s head popped up at the word and she seemed to blush pink as if he had made some openly lewd remark to her.
 “Sam and Cathy,” Mr. Smith offered and suddenly Xander had the sense that he was not dealing with the level of professional of which he was accustomed.
 The French, he decided instantly. They were hired by the French.
 “All right, Xander,” Sam continued. “As you can see, the terms and conditions are quite straight forward. You will be monitored at all times and expected to check in twice a day. If you fail to do so, a manhunt will ensue but most importantly, your sister will be immediately arrested.”
 Xander tensed, his jaw locking. It would be easy to disappear but hiding Sarah would be another matter. Who could tell what surveillance they had on her?
 He eyed Sam Smith and waited for him to continue.
 “You will be provided an expense account and passport for your travels. We have provided you with a file containing the last known whereabouts of Ashtyn Deveaux, and other possible information if you think they will be helpful, but we know from our experience that she can be rather elusive. She is loyal to no one, double crossing her handlers, selling and re-selling product to the same buyers. To be frank, I’m surprised no one has taken her out before – she has no shortage of enemies, but she is almost impossible to pin down. She is unpredictable at best, and we know she is motivated only by money. As it is the underground, it is impossible to tell who will offer her the most, but it is rumored that she has some loyalty to a drug smuggler by the name of Khan .”
 Xander nodded thoughtfully, reading the paperwork before him.
 “Which begs the question,” he started. “How is she on your radar if she has never been arrested?”
 The Smiths seemed surprised by the question and they exchanged a nervous look.
 “Cathy” decided to answer, speaking only for the second time since she entered the interview room.
 “Her associates are known to us,” she replied quickly. “Her name has come up many times.”
 This is like taking candy from a baby, he thought, supressing the urge to roll his eyes.
 “Which associates would those be?” Xander questioned innocently and watched as they tried to maintain a nonchalant look.
 They knew there was a good chance he would be familiar with the names; so that meant they couldn’t just make something up. Caught ya, he thought with a satisfying smirk. 
 Xander stared at them guilelessly a moment longer before letting them off the hook.
 He would project into them later anyway and know everything he needed. But it didn’t stop him from wanting them to feel uncomfortable.
 And to think I will be stuck traveling with these two idiots until I find her. Hopefully she will be as simple minded as the Smiths. But he doubted that.
 “Ah, never mind,” Xander said graciously, clicking the pen to sign. “I’m sure it’s not important. I see here that when I deliver my end of the deal, you will consider this matter and the matter of my parents’ untimely demise closed. Is that accurate?”
 They nodded in unison and Xander smiled.
 He did not trust them as far as he could throw them, but it was the best shot he had for getting out and keeping his sister safe. If these two could find Sarah, then it meant others could as well.               

  And if they betrayed him, he had options.
 Xander scrawled his name onto the page, dating it and pushing the papers back toward the couple who seemed to exhale simultaneously.
 “When can I look forward to getting out of here then?” Xander asked, sitting back to study their faces.
 “We will file this today and hopefully by tomorrow we will be here to take you out. This matter is most pressing,” Sam explained. “So obviously the sooner we can get you on your way, the better. We will provide you with our contact information so we can do live chats but for the most part, you will be on your own.”
 Xander sat up straighter, his suspicion growing suddenly. 
 “You’re sending me on my own?” he echoed, his dark brows knitting.
 “Well not entirely,” Sam laughed. “We want to trust you, Xander, but you have to admit it would be pretty stupid to send you on your way without some sort of monitoring. You will have a tracking device.”
 He groaned inwardly but did not allow his annoyance to show.
 It still beats having to travel with Dumb and Dumber here. I am okay with that. I am sure they would only slow my progress anyway.
 “Of course I understand,” he said cordially. “I’m looking forward to wearing a normal pair of pants.”
 He rose, extending his hand.
 “It’s been nice doing business with you,” he told them.
 “No,” Catriona interjected. “It hasn’t been. Not yet.”
 “Touché,” Xander replied, casting Sam a surprised look. He desperately wanted to pop into Catriona’s mind at that moment to read her thoughts but there was no easy opportunity with both of them present.
 I will do a full probe soon, he thought, turning to leave. Maybe in more ways than one.

_______________________

Xander did not sleep that night.
 Instead, he closed his eyes in his pitch-dark cell and allowed himself to wander.
 He reached out to Sarah first, but she was somewhere out of range, or somehow blocking his projection still. He grew angry thinking about Aiden teaching her how to do that.
 What do you want to bet that my brother also has her locked up somewhere, he thought with some annoyance.
 Aiden was his second attempt to connect psychically, but unsurprisingly, his twin cut off his attempted forced entry in seconds, briefly battling him as he tried to enter.
 What are you doing here, Xander? His brother asked, anger in his silent voice. You should not be contacting me.
 I missed you, Xander replied slyly, sensing Aiden’s tension. Anyway, how will anyone know if I’m contacting you?
 Stay away, Xander. There is nothing for you here. Do your time and forget about me.
 I need to speak with Sarah. Where is she?
 Silence met his question and Xander tried to focus on breaking in, but Aiden was too strong.
 Sarah needs to be free of you too. If she wanted to see you, she would come for you.
 Anger rose in Xander’s body as he tried to push harder but he knew he wouldn’t get through. Aiden was just as strong as he was, especially when he was determined.
 Xander took a small measure of joy in throwing his younger twin for a loop with his next statement.

I’m getting out.
 He could feel the shock in Aiden’s body, so he tried to seize the moment and overtake his brother’s form, but Aiden stopped him.
 If you escape, you will bring danger to everyone, Aiden warned. You claim to care about our sister. What do you think will happen if the police come around again? You know she can’t handle that.
 I am getting out legally, Xander sighed. But I need to find Sarah. Where is she, Aiden? Where have you put her? It’s imperative I speak with her.
 There was a scoff which annoyed the older twin, but he waited for Aiden to communicate again.
 I can’t help you. Stay away.
 There were no further messages from Aiden and when Xander tried to reach out, his brother was gone.
 Furiously, Xander opened his eyes, noting the pale light of grey dawn streaming through the window.
 He didn’t need Aiden. He needed Sarah.
 A plan was forming in his mind, one which would get his sister away from the probing eyes of the government but he wouldn’t be able to do anything if someone else found her first. 
 I will keep trying until I reach her, he decided. Hang on, Sarah. I’m coming.
 In the meantime, he had packing to do.

___________

When Gary appeared at the cell door, slipping his breakfast through the slot, the goofy guard grinned happily.
 “I hear you’re leaving today,” he said, his face registering more pleasure than it should have. “Finally a free man, are you?”
 Xander peered at the idiot and wondered how he tied his shoelaces in the morning.
 He does know I am in here for pulling a Menendez, right?
 He didn’t ask. If he wanted to know what marbles were rolling around in the lumbering man’s mind, he would simply visit.
 Xander had a feeling he would be dumber for having made the mental trip.
 “The paperwork has come through?” he asked the officer and Gary stared at him blankly.
 “What?”
 “I am leaving today for certain?” he sighed.
 Gary nodded enthusiastically.
 “Your chaperones are here. Good luck, boss. I’m gonna miss you around here.”
 For a fleeting second, Xander realized that Gary meant it and he felt a shot of pity toward the man.
 If I think he’s a moron, how do the others feel about him? He wondered.
 Xander put the question out of his mind.
 Gary was the least of his concerns at that moment.
 He had to find Ashtyn Deveaux.
 And then his sister.