The Curator: SG Trilogy Book 2 (Abby Kane FBI Thriller 8)

by Ty Hutchinson

  I never did mention my visit with Xiaolian to the family. I wasn’t sure if it was a good idea, especially after my meeting at Camp Parks. I was still perplexed by what Kang had said—that the government thought Xiaolian was a spy. Hearing this also got me thinking about my own stay at the facility. Were they suspicious of my allegiance as well?

  The lights were off in the room; just a sliver of light shone through the square viewing window in the door.

  On the floor next to the bed, Xiaolian lay on her back with her fingers interlaced behind her head. She sat up and twisted her torso from side to side.

  “Forty-six.”

  Perspiration bubbled on her face and cheeks.

  “Forty-seven.”

  Her hair was pasted to her cheeks, and a determined look graced her face as she counted breathlessly.

  “Forty-eight. Forty-nine. Fifty.”

  She fell onto her back, her chest rising and falling with every breath. She rested for a few moments longer before flipping over onto her belly. She placed the palms of her hands flat against the floor and began counting off push-ups.

  Chapter Eleven

  The next morning, as I drove to the office, my thoughts returned to the meeting at Camp Parks—a room full of men treating me like an instrument in their precious task force. How could Reilly not have known what was going down? It just made no sense to me. He had to have known. Besides, I was the Assistant Special Agent in Charge at the San Francisco FBI office, not some eager beaver out of Quantico, trying to make a name for myself.

  “You don’t need to know their names. Pretend they aren’t here,” I singsonged, mimicking Cargo Pants.

  He’s lucky I didn’t slap that smirk off his damn face. The more I thought about the way those men had treated me, the more pissed off I became. Plus, they had treated Kang just as badly, like a complete nonentity.

  I managed to cool down somewhat as I took the elevator to our floor. I walked over to my desk, dropped off my things, and then headed straight toward Reilly’s office.

  “Hey, what’s the rush?” Kang called out.

  I stopped and turned around. “You should be in on this meeting. Come on.”

  Reilly was typing on his laptop when I stepped into his doorway. “You got a minute?”

  “Sure.” He closed the laptop and pushed it off to the side. “You’re here about the meeting, aren’t you?” He motioned for us to sit, but Kang and I stayed standing.

  “You knew who would be in that meeting, didn’t you?”

  “If I told you, you wouldn’t have gone into it with an open mind.”

  “I’m an investigator. When I signed up with the Bureau, it was for the sole purpose of investigating crimes.”

  “You are helping in an investigation… theirs.”

  “It’s not the same. This secret, clandestine bullcrap? It doesn’t fly with me. Those spooks over in the CIA can play all the secret games they want, but I’m not interested.”

  “My understanding is that you agreed to join the task force.”

  “I changed my mind,” I said with a shrug. “You do know what they’re asking, right?”

  “Why don’t you fill me in?”

  “They want me to buddy up to Xiaolian because they think she’s a spy.” Of course, that wasn’t what they’d actually said, but Kang and I were pretty sure that was their motive.

  “Is she?”

  “What?”

  “You housed her, Abby. You know her better than anyone else. In your honest assessment, is there a chance they might be right on this?”

  I held my tongue and took a moment to really consider what Reilly had asked. Did the CIA have reason to be concerned? Had Xiaolian fooled me… fooled everyone? Was the whole point of her being dropped off outside our offices in a suitcase so that I would find her? Was I really her mark?

  “This is preposterous—you know that, right?”

  “Answer the question, Abby.”

  I glanced at Kang and then back at Reilly. “It could explain why she was left outside our offices. I’ll give them that. Most of the reasons we came up with didn’t quite fit the puzzle.”

  “And this one does, doesn’t it?” Reilly pushed.

  “So you also think she’s a spy? What exactly could she possibly want with me? What State secrets do I possess knowledge of or have access to? I can’t be the end-all. Or better yet, why don’t I just come out and address the bigger elephant in the room? Does the government think I’m a spy?”

  “What?” Reilly and Kang said it at the same time.

  Reilly leaned forward over his desk. “Why would you think that?”

  “I was kept in that same facility and interrogated. Sure, they passed it off as trying to understand what I knew about Xiaolian, and our DNA connection, but come on… it makes total sense now. And treating my gunshot wound? That could have been handled at any hospital.”

  “Abby—” Reilly started.

  “No, wait. Let me finish. I’ve thought about this. It’s all I did last night, thinking about this. It’s clear to me now that part of the reason the government kept me there is to find out if I was a spy. I get it. I’m originally a Chinese national. Maybe I’m really a sleeper spy inserted into the FBI, and Xiaolian, the twelve-year-old girl, is my handler who activated me. Better watch out—I’ve been spilling secrets left and right.” I flicked my thumbs out to the left and to the right.

  “Enough, Abby,” Reilly snapped. “Both of you take a seat and calm down. The three of us are on the same side. Let’s not forget that. Now, for the record, I do not believe you are a spy. Never did, never will. Even if they came to me and told me so, which no one has, it would be hard to convince me, and I’d probably laugh in their faces.”

  “I second that,” Kang said and then turned to me. “But we know you, Abby. Those guys don’t, and with a lot of unanswered questions circling around Xiaolian, I can see how they might think you could be a spy. But they did let you go, so it’s obvious they’ve seen the errors of their ways.”

  “Or maybe they’re still watching me.”

  The room fell silent for a few moments before Reilly spoke. He drew a deep breath. “My advice is to continue doing your job. Do what they ask of you.”

  “Abby, I’m sure they looked at me too, to some degree,” Kang said. “I’m Chinese, and I know a lot about Chinese history and culture, but you brought Xiaolian into your home to help the investigation, which it did. I’m guessing that’s what made them take a harder look.”

  Reilly cleared his throat. “Whatever their reason for holding you for so long in that facility, they’ve now released you and asked you to resume your relationship with Xiaolian. If they think she’s a spy, you need to let them finish their investigation. And if she is, she may not have been after you. You very well could have been a stepping stone.”

  I shifted in my chair and let loose a drawn-out breath. “Okay, look. Let’s assume Xiaolian’s a spy. She’s not a very good one if she is, because she basically got herself caught from the very start.”

  “Did she? Or was that the intent?” Reilly countered.

  I let out a breath of disbelief and looked away. I simply couldn’t believe that little girl was recruited… wait, strike that, was created for the sole purpose of infiltrating the FBI through me.

  Or was she? Dammit, now I’m second-guessing myself. Listen to your gut, Abby.

  I looked at Kang. “What do you think?”

  “I think you need to do what you do best, Abby. Investigate every lead. Cozy up to her. Be her best friend. Get her to confide in you like you did for our earlier investigation. And if it turns out the spooks were all wrong, fine. No harm. But if they’re right, you’ll be in the perfect position to flip her.”

  I buried my face in my palms and rubbed while groaning.

  Reilly added, “Kang’s right. This really is no different than what you did earlier.”

  I looked up. “The intent is different.”

  “Who cares what the
reasoning is behind the questioning? We’re trying to find out if Xiaolian is guilty of espionage.”

  I shook my head. “I get what you two are saying. And I’m trying not to get caught up in the details, but still, I mean, let’s not forget about the three-parent thing. Did the Chinese really go through all this trouble twelve years ago to create a girl who looks like me so that I would be interested in her and bring her into my home?”

  “Someone did. Xiaolian’s proof of that. And you did take an interest in her, and you did bring her into your home.”

  I wasn’t sure why I was being stubborn. I was usually the one with an open mind to all theories. Maybe it was because I had treated Xiaolian like family. If she really was a spy, then the hard truth was that she had played me. Was that it? My ego? Was I too embarrassed to admit I’d been hoodwinked by a twelve-year-old?

  “I know exactly what you’re thinking, Abby,” Reilly said. “I know you all too well. There’s a possibility that we were all fooled. Come up with evidence that supports either claim. It’s all we can do.”

  Reilly and Kang were right. Whether I liked it or not, I’d have to join in on the mind games.

  Chapter Twelve

  After our morning meeting with Reilly, Kang and I made the drive to the government facility where Xiaolian was being held. It wasn’t the same drive, filled with nonsensical conversation through mouthfuls of food. This time, we strategized while eating.

  “Aside from you continuing to take the lead, any other thoughts on our approach to questioning?” Kang asked before taking a sip of coffee from his travel mug.

  I swallowed the remaining bite of my muffin. “We need to keep reinforcing that we’re on her side. She’s unhappy there. There’s no hiding that she’s being kept beyond the whole treatment/recovery excuse. She asked to come home with me the last time.”

  “What did you say?”

  “I told her that decision wasn’t mine to make.” I brushed a few crumbs off my jacket. “Really, I think we have to play this according to which Xiaolian we encounter. She’s already demonstrated she has two sides.”

  “But didn’t you say it was because she was unhappy there?”

  “She said it was all an act. It felt genuine when she said it. I had no reason to question her words, but with what we now know, I can’t be sure.”

  “Assuming she still thinks you’re on her side, you really need to keep playing that angle. Don’t let on about anything. If she’s been trained to handle advanced interrogation techniques, there’s a good chance she’ll pick up on any type of shift in your body behavior or tone of voice.”

  “I agree, but knowing what we know certainly makes it harder.”

  “Forget what you know for now. Treat her exactly the same way you did when she was staying with you. Think back to those moments, and let that lead you.”

  At the facility, Yates met us in reception instead of Watkins. He remained pleasant and positive about us being there. Kang and I weren’t sure if anyone at the facility had been clued in about our meeting at Camp Parks or even if they were aware that the CIA thought Xiaolian was a spy.

  As we followed Yates, I whispered to Kang, “I wonder if the whole spy angle was developed here.”

  “You think the doctor is the one behind the accusation?”

  “It’s a likely way to come to that conclusion.”

  At the next security door, while Yates swiped his key card, I asked him, “Any new developments with Xiaolian we should know about?”

  “Not really. She still continues to exhibit exceptional intelligence and physical prowess.”

  “Will you be implementing any other type of tests besides those? I imagine that, after a while, it’ll become pointless.”

  “It’s never pointless.”

  “Let me be a bit clearer,” I said. “Right now it seems like most of your time has been spent discovering what she can do. At some point, wouldn’t the focus turn to why she has been trained to do them?”

  “I believe that’s where you come in. You can help to answer that question by finding out what Xiaolian isn’t telling us.”

  Yates led us down the hall to the same room where I’d met with Xiaolian during my last visit. Kang followed Yates into the observation room, and I entered the recreation room.

  A change in Xiaolian’s personality was immediately visible. She was curled up on a beanbag, reading a book.

  “Hi, Abby,” she said, closing the book and rising to her feet. She hurried over to me and gave me a hug.

  Now this is the Xiaolian I remember. “It’s good to see you again, sweetie.” I planted a kiss on the top of her forehead. “I see you have some new additions here.”

  The room no longer looked like a gym. The equipment was still there, but added to that was a bookcase lined with books and a couple of beanbags on an area rug.

  “Yes, it’s much more comfortable now,” she said, grabbing hold of my hand and leading me over to the beanbags.

  We plopped down on one together. “What are you reading?”

  She sheepishly lifted the book so I could see the cover.

  “The Hunger Games.” I gave her an approving nod.

  She set the book on the floor and grinned. “Katniss kicks butt.”

  “Yes, she does. Is that how you see yourself?”

  She threw her head back as she laughed. “Noooo, I can’t shoot a bow and arrow.”

  But I bet you’re just as tough as she is. I glanced over at the bookshelf and saw there was a variety of books that would suit any girl her age. “I’m happy to see you have other ways to fill your time.”

  “Do you want to play a card game?” she asked.

  Before I could answer, she fetched a deck of cards from the top of the bookshelf.

  “We can play Go Fish.” She sat cross-legged in front of me and began dealing the cards.

  We played quietly for a bit. I didn’t see the point in questioning her right away when it was so clear she was enjoying her time with me. She was lonely.

  “Abby…” she said, allowing her thoughts to trail off.

  I moved a few cards around in my hand. “Yes?”

  “Um, I was wondering… Did you have a chance to ask about me coming home with you?”

  I glanced up and saw that she had her gaze focused on her cards. “I have, yes, but I don’t have a definitive answer yet.”

  “I see.” Her shoulders slumped a little.

  “Ryan, Lucy, and Po Po all miss you. They asked about you and told me to tell you hi.”

  “Really?” She looked up from her cards with wide eyes.

  “Of course.”

  “I miss them too. I really miss Po Po’s cooking.”

  “They don’t feed you well here?”

  “It’s okay, but it’s not Po Po’s cooking.”

  “I tell you what: I’ll ask her to cook you something special, and I’ll bring it the next time I visit.”

  She smacked her lips and rubbed her belly. “I can’t wait. I’m hungry already.” She lowered her hand and cocked her head slightly to the side. “Where’s Uncle Kyle? Is it okay if I call him that? That’s what Ryan and Lucy call him.”

  I smiled. “Yes, it’s fine. I think he would like that very much.” I glanced quickly at the mirrored glass partition in the wall.

  Xiaolian drew a sharp breath. “Is Uncle Kyle here?” She jumped to her feet and ran over to the window. Her palms slapped against the glass, and her face squished up against it. “Uncle Kyle, are you there?”

  As she continued to press her face against the glass, the door opened, and in walked Kang. In an instant, she ran over to him. Kang’s face lit up from her enthusiasm.

  “It’s great to see you, Xiaolian,” he said as he bent down to hug her.

  She grabbed his hand and led him over to where I was sitting. “I’m so happy we’re all here.” She quickly reshuffled the cards and dealt all of us a new hand.

  We spent the rest of our time there playing cards and talking about ev
erything except what we should have been talking about.

  Chapter Thirteen

  By the time we left, I was convinced we needed to figure out a way to spend time with her away from the facility. While we never once discussed the constant testing she had to endure and why she was being held there, the whole process was obviously taking a toll on her. When we’d said our goodbyes and started to leave, Xiaolian had gripped my hand tightly and refused let go. For a brief moment, her eyes had watered, but she’d contained herself. Heck, I’d struggled to keep my composure.

  “Maybe we can get clearance to take her out for the afternoon for a few hours,” I said to Kang as we drove away. “You know, just someplace other than that place.”

  “Yeah, I think that’s a good idea. We can grab lunch, take her to a park or something,” Kang said.

  “And more importantly, we can talk without prying eyes and ears. I mean if it’s up to us to crack the code here, then surely we need to do it in the way we think will yield results.”

  “I agree, but the question is: how do we get permission?”

  “You leave that up to me. I have an idea that might work. In the meantime, I need you to step on it. Lucy has a parent-teacher meeting today, and I can’t be late.”

  Kang did his best to get us back into the city and to Lucy’s school with minutes to spare before my scheduled time. Of course, when I checked in, I found out they were running about forty minutes late. Great.

  The Girl Scouts of America were also there that afternoon, recruiting. Lucy had expressed some interest, so we went and listened to their spiel and took a bunch of pamphlets. Since Lucy was eight, she would be a Girl Scout Brownie, which she instantly fell in love with. I suspect it was more for the name than what the Brownies did.