"It's done a lot more than change. The world has officially gone mad, Sheena. I just don't know what to do about it."
"Neither do I," Sheena said, dropping into a chair.
Nate slid into his chair and stared across the desk at her. "If my father hadn't wanted your deaths to look like an accident, you and Bri would both be dead right now. And I just let him waltz right into your room and shoot you."
"Nate, he's not a known serial killer. He's your father."
"Maybe that's a lie too. My mother's been lying to me all along. She told me so."
"And I told you first, but that doesn't help the hurt you must be feeling," Sheena admitted.
"Yes, you did tell me first. You told me a hundred years ago, but I didn't fucking listen." Nate drew in a breath. "Well, I'm listening now and you deserve the whole truth. Angus and Erin are from another universe. The Guardians are using the alien travel portal to jump between our mirror worlds. The current Angus and Erin were abducted for the sole purpose of replacing your parents."
"Yes, I know all that."
Nate snorted. "Of course you do. Did Angus tell you everything?"
"No," Sheena answered, shaking her head slowly, mostly because it still hurt. "Angus never said a word. Neither did Erin. I found out from a more knowledgeable source."
"Montgomery?"
"No, not him either. Scott doesn't know anything. Why are you grilling me over this? Maybe I found out from my father's notes. Did that ever occur to you? He left me all his private research."
Nate narrowed his gaze. "I might not be a genius like you, but I'm good at reading people, well-other than my parents. So I'm not buying that either. I understand why you might refuse to tell me such a thing, but at least stop lying. I hate myself enough already."
Sheena chuckled at his remorse. "You're right. I'm a terrible liar. That's why I don't do it. I just say nothing and hope no one asks me questions."
They stared at each other across the desk. Nate sighed and nodded, coming to the right decision for once. He felt it in his gut.
"I love you, Sheena. I always have and I probably always will," he said finally. "If you want the real truth from me, I don't even care how you found out about Angus and Erin. But if you have any clue about what's going on with my parents, I'd really like to know at least that. My mother may be a habitual liar, but my father doesn't usually try to kill people I care about. I figure there has to be an explanation that makes sense somewhere in the mess of my fucked existence."
Sheena nodded. "Your mother likes power and she lies to get her way. Stop pretending that's not true and you'll be fine. Follow your own gut. Here's what I know about your father-Bri said he was at the execution she witnessed. Six people were incinerated while your father and the Novus Prime director watched. What none of us knows is who those people were. We need to find out. I think that answer will tell us what kind of political shit show we're dealing with."
"My father will tell you nothing. I tried to talk to him. All I got out of him were slurs and he's currently denying his part in my creation. He blames my mother for what he feels are my weaknesses. I liked it better when he simply ignored me for half a century."
Sheena smiled at the man she adored. Nate was her weakness. God help her if anyone ever found out. "I can get your father to talk to me. I just need your cooperation."
"Will what you do hurt him?"
"You have him locked in a cell because he intended to kill me, Admiral Tiberius. Do you honestly care if it hurts him?" she asked.
Nate sighed heavily. "Not really, but I'm not used to being this much a hard-ass. You're going to have to let me ease into the role. The bastard is still unfortunately my parent."
"What I plan to do won't hurt him. In fact, he won't even remember our conversation, if I don't want him to."
"Are you talking about some kind of brainwashing? Is that what you did to Montgomery?"
Sheena raised an eyebrow. "Novus Prime paid General Scott Montgomery to seduce me. I was his target and his job was to keep tabs on my activities. He's lucky he still has all his man parts."
"Right. Fucking bastard. What was I thinking? He deserved to have his mind violated."
Sheena shrugged at Nate's sarcasm. "I'm angry that the organization I worked for all these years thinks I'm some kind of problem that needs such close monitoring. Well, I just became one because their actions makes me wonder what else they've been hiding from me."