Free H.A.L.F.: The Makers by Natalie Wright Page A

friend of mine is fond of saying, there’s never a good reason to kill someone.”
    Anna showed no surprise at Jack’s reference to killing. “Your friend sounds like he views the world overly simplistically.”
    “She,” Jack corrected. Heat rose to his face. Anna didn’t know that she was speaking badly about the woman Jack loved, and he wasn’t about to tell her. He wanted to keep that information safe from the Sturgis clan.
    “I can see that I offended you. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to. Look, I feel like we’re getting off on the wrong foot here. I’m not your enemy, Jack. And if we’re going to work together, you have to trust me.”
    “Um – no, I don’t.”
    Anna let out a loud, exasperated breath and looked him square in the eyes. “Okay, you don’t trust me. Fine. I’ll earn your trust. But we need to move forward, so how about I’ll give you some information then you give me some. Deal?”
    Jack wasn’t sure anymore where being appropriately wary ended and being paranoid began. Erika would likely have told Anna to pound salt. But Erika wasn’t a ‘plays well with others’ type. And she’s not here.
    Jack tried for a cool, nonchalant tone. “Sure. Whatever.”
    “Okay. I’ll start. My father, Robert A. Sturgis, is Commander Sturgis’ brother.”
    “That doesn’t count. I already knew that.”
    “I’m not finished. The A stands for Auguste, which was my grandfather’s name.”
    Jack rolled his eyes. “I thought you wanted to share relevant information not a genealogy lesson. Great, your grandpa’s name was Auguste. Mine’s name was Richard. Whatever.”
    Anna’s eyes went from two calm, glistening pools of water to skies that threatened foul weather. “The first rule of espionage is patience. Learn it.”
    “Is that what we’re going to be doing? Spying?”
    Anna continued to stare evenly. “My father, like his father before him, is a member of a highly secretive worldwide organization known as the Makers. Maybe you heard of it during your time in the cave.”
    Jack had heard of it. He’d tried to pull more information about the Makers out of Sewell but had gotten nowhere. “You mean the group that the Croft guy is a part of?”
    Anna nodded.
    “So your dad is in cahoots with that guy?”
    She nodded again.
    A sick feeling rose in Jack’s stomach. “Then you’re all in this together.” But as soon as he said it, Jack knew it wasn’t entirely true. He’d seen the way Croft treated and spoke to Commander Sturgis. And Sturgis seemed genuinely surprised by Croft’s actions.
    “Neither my aunt Lilly nor I are members. In fact, I’m not supposed to know they exist.”
    “So conspiracy and covert ops are like your family business?”
    “Officially, my dad is a mogul of industry in the high-tech sector. Unofficially, my family specializes in lies and countermeasures.” Anna’s face wrinkled up in disgust. She sipped her coffee. “I’ve said a lot. Your turn.”
    Jack didn’t know where to begin. His time at A.H.D.N.A. was a nightmare and he didn’t relish revisiting it. And he wasn’t sure what she was angling for. “What do you want to know?”
    “Let’s start with the basics. Why were you at A.H.D.N.A.?”
    “Oh, you know. Thought I’d take a little vacation a mile underground. Very restful, what with the isolation cells and all.”
    Anna’s pupils were so dilated that her eyes were nearly black. The soft lilt of her voice was gone. “This isn’t a game.”
    “What happened to the first rule? Patience, Anna.” Jack smirked at her.
    For a minute Jack feared she’d come over the counter and punch him in the face. But she settled for glaring at him. She gripped the counter and took a deep breath.
    She might not have hit him, but the glare was enough to make Jack decide he’d pushed her far enough. He didn’t have the stomach for games, and he got the feeling Anna Sturgis had been playing a game her whole life. “I wasn’t there by choice. My friends