Keeping Me (Spy Chronicles Book 2)(18)

“Explain,” Sebastian says.

Brett looks at me and then at the boys. “Protocol Lex Luthor.”

Before the words are completely out of his mouth, Sebastian is running from the room. Brett jumps out of his chair and follows him.

“What’s going on?” I ask Sander.

“We don’t have time,” Sander says. “But I promise you’ll get answers soon.”

He grabs my arm and pulls me towards the door. When we get there, Sebastian and Brett have all our luggage.

Wow.

He was prepared.

“Where are we going?” I ask.

But nobody answers. They’re just all rushing out the door, dragging me along. I have no idea what Protocol Lex Luthor is, but it sounds really scary.





Frustrating.





“Who is Lex Luthor?” I ask, once we’re in the car.

Sebastian is driving and Sander is in the front seat with him. Brett is sitting beside me, but all three guys are on high alert. They’re all looking around. Nobody responds to my question.

“Brett,” I say, tapping him on the shoulder.

He turns to me.

“Who is Lex Luthor?” I ask again.

His mouth hangs open.

Sander turns around to look at me. “Did you just ask who Lex Luthor is?”

I nod.

“Have you never seen any of Superman movies?” Brett asks, then pauses. “Why am I even asking? Of course you haven’t. Lex Luthor is one of the villains on Superman.”

“Only the best villain of all time,” Sander says.

“Depending on the version,” Brett says.

“We disagree on which version of Lex Luthor is the best,” Sander says.

“Okay, but what does this all mean?” I ask. “Why did we rush out of there so quickly? And what do you mean it’s not Nolan? Who else is after me?”

Nobody answers. Instead, they all avoid looking directly at me. Sebastian grips the steering wheel so tightly his knuckles are turning white.

“Bass, come on,” I say, knowing that if anybody will tell me the truth, it’ll be him. He’s brutally honest.

“A lot of people are after you,” Sebastian says. “Not just Nolan.”

“But why?” I ask. “I’m not anybody special.”

“You’re a Sinclair,” Brett says, like it’s an explanation. I guess in their world, it is. “That alone makes you the number one target on everybody’s radar.”

“You know that I don’t understand what that entails,” I say.

“Michael Sinclair controls the most powerful organization in the world,” Sander says, trying to explain. “There are agents that were trained at Spy School all over the world. There isn’t one country that we’re not in.”

“Seriously?” I ask.

“Yeah,” Sander says.

“So, what exactly do people do after they leave Spy School?” I ask.

“Some people stay working for your dad’s organization. A lot of them do,” Brett answers. “But not all of them. Some go to work for the CIA, just because it’s less dangerous. Some graduates become assassins because they can make a lot of money. Or whatever they want.”

“Assassins? Like, they get paid to kill people?”

I know what an assassin is; I just can’t imagine anybody ever wanting to be one.

“Maybe you shouldn’t be telling her all this,” Sebastian says.

“We’re not keeping secrets from her anymore,” Sander says.

“Oh, really?” Sebastian asks. “So, you’re going to tell her what Protocol Lex Luthor means?”

Silence falls over the car, and I’m once again left in the dark.

I have really got to get started on my training so I don’t have to be left out anymore. Just when I feel like I was becoming part of the team, they put up a wall. I hate it.

“When can I go home?” I ask.

“I don’t know,” Sander answers.

“We’re going home now,” Brett answers.

“What? Why?” Sebastian asks.

“Orders from the boss,” Brett says, looking at something on his phone. “Apparently Nolan got whatever he was after and he’s gone.”

“Wait, I thought he was after me,” I say.

“I think Nolan was just going to use you as leverage.”

“Oh,” I say. I don’t know why, but that hurts. “So, what happens with Nolan now?”

“We keep looking for him, but he’s not a threat to you anymore,” Sander says. “At least, according to your dad.”

“I still don’t want that guy in the same country as her,” Sebastian says.

“You’re really protective of Karlie,” Brett says.

“Serenity,” I correct.

“She’s eighty pounds,” Bass says. “Somebody needs to protect the girl.”

“Eighty-four pounds,” I say, correcting him. “Probably more now because I’ve been eating so much. Speaking of food, I’m hungry.”

“You’re always hungry,” Sebastian says, his eyes meeting mine in the rearview mirror. “But we can’t stop right now.”