Page 35 of Desecrated Saints
“Trained for?” Hudson chips in.
“I’ve come to understand that Sadie was assisted in her search for answers,” Kade answers for her. “Her employer enabled her to hide her true reason for being in Blackwood.”
“Employer?” I repeat.
“She already blew her cover during the riot,” Kade continues to fill in the blanks. “Now, she’s planning to infiltrate Harrowdean Manor under a whole new identity to find more evidence to corroborate our stories.”
The room explodes with disbelief and countless questions. Sadie seems uncomfortable, avoiding looking at us now that the truth has been revealed. I always found her presence too convenient, but this takes the biscuit. She’s a fucking spook.
“Is Sadie your real name?” I blurt out.
“Does it matter?”
“Well, if we don’t know you or your employer, who can we trust? Seems rather convenient that they’re able to simply slip you inside a secure institution, no questions asked.”
“You’re suggesting I actually work for Incendia?” Sadie splutters.
“They could be on their way right now.”
“So after sneaking into Blackwood under a false name, helping you stage your escape, killing Augustus, breaking out several patients and burning down half the institute, you think I work for the people that did this to you?”
I reluctantly admit defeat and back down. Even if I don’t trust her as far as I can throw her, there was no faking her pain when she realised Seven was still alive. All of this is far too elaborate for one of Augustus’s lackeys to pull off.
“Who do you work for?” I try again.
“That’s classified.”
“Why are you going back inside?” Hudson questions.
“Augustus’s laptop was linked to an external server that’s controlled by Incendia. The information I stole from that server is with my team, but it’s heavily encrypted. Without that, all we have is some grainy phone footage and a story that no one will believe.”
Her team. I file that information away. She’s a lot more than she has let on. I feel like we’ve been living with a stranger for the past three weeks.
“You’re saying no one will believe us,” Phoenix surmises.
Sadie nods. “We can’t bring Incendia down with our stories alone. They have more connections than you know. Investors, private sponsors, government authorities protecting them.”
“If the government is protecting Incendia, who’s your employer?”
“I’m sorry. You already know too much. This is for your safety, as well as mine. I’m under strict orders.”
Kade rubs his temples, looking defeated. He isn’t accustomed to not being in control. Weeks of work have yielded no results and we’re back to square one.
“Incendia is looking for us. We’re public enemy number one,” I point out.
“Which is why I have to do this alone.”
“Not exactly,” Kade speaks up.
Sadie rounds on him. “Absolutely not. It’s too dangerous! We just got you guys out. There’s no way I’m letting you go to London. I’m handling this alone.”
“We lost our one lead. Let us help.”
“No!”
“That’s not your decision to make.”
“What’s in London?” I interrupt.