"They're all just playing nice to you," Agent A said, a smirk playing on his lips. "Deep down, they're laughing at you and regarding
you as a total fool. You might think you're skind of a shrink because you took a psych class, but that doesn't mean you can
see through everyone. Sfolks are just born actors. They'll have you chasing your tail and you won't know what's real and
what's a trick."
Skyler shot him a mischievous grin and stuck out his tongue in playful defiance. "Nice try stirring the pot. But that's not gonna
work on me. I've noticed you're not the brotherly type, always trash-talking them behind their backs. That's pretty low, dude. They
never bad-mouth you. | wonder if you're real Raines or maybe an imposter?"
The words hit Agent A like a bullet, causing a shiver to run down his spine. His heart raced. Could Skyler have stumbled upon his
secret?
"What are you blabbering about? You've got an overactive imagination there, buddy. You've been binge-watching too many of
those cheesy mystery shows, huh?"
Skyler took a few confident strides forward and stopped inches from Agent A, bending down so his chiseled face was close enough
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtto scrutinize. His eyes, wide and intense, scanned Agent A's face.
"Are you really Raines?" Skyler asked again.
A chill raced down Agent A's back, and he felt a bead of sweat trickle down his spine.
Skyler was piercing his gaze like an X-ray vision, seemingly able to see right through Agent A.
"Cut it out, will you? Don't get ahead of yourself just because you're Jessica's nephew and disrespect me."
"Are you Raines?" Skyler pressed again.
"Damn right | am. If anyone dares to impersonate me, I'll make them wish they hadn't," Agent A snapped and clenched his jaw,
desperately trying to keep his composure.
Skyler's piercing eyes didn't waver, remaining fixated on Agent A's face.
"Did you know," Skyler began, "When people lie, their eyes tend to flick to the upper right? It's like their brains are working
overtto fabricate a sound or an image, in other words, lying. If they're trying to remember something that happened, they'll
look up to the left. This eye movement is a reflex. Unless you've had sserious training, you can't fake it."
Agent A's blood pressure spiked with the tension, his heartbeat thundering uncontrollably.
When Skyler was serious, he was not naive but was frighteningly sharp.
Agent A couldn't help but start to suspect that Skyler's childishness was all an act.
"I've been poisoned, remember? You said it was skind of neurotoxin. My whole nervous system is out of whack and my brain
can't function like a normal person's!"
Skyler straightened up, stroking his chin as if pondering something deep.
"Though you've got a point, why should | trust you if you don't trust me? You're trying to frme and that ticksoff. So maybe
I should return the favor."
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm
In an instant, Skyler reverted back to his troublesand childish antics.
Agent A felt like he was caught in a whirlwind, a cold gust sweeping past him.
"They all say you're the hotshot in microbiology and can cure any poison. If you can whip up an antidote for me, I'll make sure |
repay the favor."
Skyler pouted. "How will you repay me?"
"What's your biggest wish?" Agent A queried.
Skyler pondered for a moment before replying, "lI want to meet Geoffrey, the real Geoffrey without any masks."
"Deal," Agent A said firmly. "If you can helpwith the antidote, I'll make sure your wish comes true."
Skyler playfully stuck out his tongue. "Don't make empty promises. You don't even know Geoffrey. How could you helpmeet
him? Besides, if you knew where to find Geoffrey, what do you needfor? Just go straight to him and get the antidote yourself,
right?"