Free Down to the Wire by Shannon Greenland

five, but I would’ve known. My dad would’ve known.”
    TL cupped his shoulder. “I know this is a lot to take in.”
    Wirenut shrugged away. “Don’t talk to me like I’m stupid.” He paced a couple of steps. “Let me get this straight. You’re telling me that maniac slaughtered my family and has been roaming free ever since?”
    “Yes.”
    “Son of a bitch!” Wirenut spun and crashed his fist into the stone building.
    I took a step back. I’d never seen him so angry.
    “Look at me,” TL requested.
    Wirenut hit the building again. “Why didn’t I know? Somebody should have told me.”
    TL grabbed his arm. “Look at me,” he commanded.
    Wirenut opened his eyes.
    “We’ll get him. You hear me? I promise.”
    Anger visibly vibrated through Wirenut’s body. He stared at TL, shaking, clenching his jaw, his fists, seeming barely to control his fury. “You knew, didn’t you? That he never made it to death row.”
    TL nodded once. “Obviously, though, I had no idea Antonio and Octavias Zorba were one and the same. His identity was hidden deep. I’ve never even met him. He sent a representative to hire us. And believe me”—TL narrowed his eyes—“I’m extremely irritated that I’ve been duped.”
    “But you knew,” Wirenut gritted, “that he never made it to death row. You should have told me!” Wirenut reared back and rammed his fist into TL’s jaw.
    I sucked in a breath.
    TL barely moved with the impact.
    I glanced from TL to Wirenut, and then back to TL. My heart broke with the hurt and sorrow I saw in their eyes.
    A split second later, Wirenut bolted down the alley.
    I looked at TL and started to go after Wirenut.
    “GiGi,” TL murmured, “let him go.”

    Wirenut stayed gone the whole day. TL didn’t seem to be as worried as I was. As evening approached, I wondered what we would do. According to intel, we had to break into theMuseum of Modern Art that night to retrieve the first encrypted message. Even with all my notes, I knew I couldn’t penetrate the Rayver System. We needed Wirenut.
    I disconnected the scrambler from the laptop as TL stared at the screen. He’d said barely a word to me since the episode this morning in the alley. Normally, I didn’t mind silence, but this was driving me mildly insane.
    “What are we going to do if Wirenut doesn’t show up?”
    TL shook his head. “He’ll come back.”
    “What about Octavias Zorba?”
    “He doesn’t know that we know he stole the toxin. He doesn’t know that we know he’s Wirenut’s uncle.” TL rubbed his hand across his jaw. “We’re going to do the only thing we can do. Decipher these encrypted messages, find the neurotoxin, and bring Octavias down.”
    “But what if it’s all a trap?”
    TL sighed. “It probably is. That’s why we’ve got the best people on our side. We’ll stay one step ahead of Octavias.”
    Someone rapped on the hotel door six quick times (our secret knock). Wirenut. Thank God.
    Sliding my glasses to the top of my head, I looked away from the laptop as he let himself in. Poor guy. He looked so worn-out. Being on an emotional roller coaster does that to a person. I just wanted to hug him.
    TL didn’t move from his spot next to me, just kept studying the screen. “We move out in one hour.”
    “What if I hadn’t come back?”
    TL still didn’t look at him. “I knew you would.”
    All of us, actually, had been on an emotional roller coaster since joining the Specialists: being recruited by TL, settling into our new lives, forming trusting friendships and family-type bonds. But Wirenut…this first mission connected to the single most horrible event of his life. How huge. Was there anything else TL was hiding from him?
    Wirenut trudged across the room and settled right behind us on the edge of the bed. He studied his lap.
    TL finally turned.
    Wirenut brought his eyes up. “I’m sorry.”
    “Apology accepted.” TL tapped his jaw where Wirenut had hit him. “That was your free one.