Chapter 24

****

"Well?"

Toni grins, "We uh...I, uh he kissed me."

Selina's eye widen, "What? Toni it wss the first date!"

Toni holds a finger up, telling her to be quieter. "W-well we've known each other for a while now...besides I kissed him back."

Selina groans and shakes her head, "Oi...just, please be careful."

"Do you not trust him?"

"No I do. That's the problem, I don't trust anyone. I don't even trust Neo completely."

"Its probably because we like each other that you trust him so much."

Selina nods, "That's what I'm afraid of Toni. Just, please be cautious. This isn't the best time to have a relationship right now."

Toni's grin fades, she nods. "I know. I want to talk to him about it. I know it's dangerous for us especially. Obviously we are going to give it our all, but...I'm okay with the worst happening."

Fury takes over Selina's face. "Shut up Toni. It won't come to that. I-I just....ugh! Please don't say stuff like that."

Toni grabs her hand, "Selina, we are all getting out of this. Together."

Selina shakes her head, "Don't tell anyone I acted like that."

Toni smiles, "So we are hacking what tonight?"

"Every screen we can, then, I'm going to take Atlas with me and check out the Hamino Plaza. To the south."

Toni frowns, "Why?"

Shadow's face turns hidden and dark. "This is way to easy. In the past May has been spotted going there several times. Something is very off about all this."

"I think I know what you mean, it's almost...too easy."

Shadow nods, "I don't like it. We are great hackers but even Ashe admitted before, we aren't perfect."

"What are you hoping to find?"

Shadow pops her knuckles anxiously. "I hope I don't find anything. I've got a suspicion. Atlas has been tested, I trust him. I trust you. I'm not sure about Ashe and Neo."

Toni leans forward slightly, waiting to hear what she's going to say.

"You don't tell this to anyone, not even Atlas. I will talk to him...is that okay?"

Toni nods, "Yeah Selina."

She takes a shaky breath in and exhales slow. "May had a rat in our system. I think I know who it is."

Toni's eyes widen, she looks at the door and back. Chills run down her spine. She looks at the door again and back to Selina.

"You're convinced?"

Selina nods, "I'm...93% sure."

"O-oh crap. Who is it?"

****

Ashe slams her fist into Atlas's shoulder. He shouts and grabs it. "Please don't do that."

She grins, "You sly little dog! I can't believe you kissed her."

Shadow opens the door and walks out, "What was that?" she asks,

"Ashe being an idiot." Atlas says,

She smiles brightly, "Just playin!"

Shadow looks at Toni, "We'll finish later." she whispers,

Toni nods, "Okay."

"Sooooo? What are we doing until tonight, cause I'm Hecka bored!" Ashe says,

"Sorry to inconvenience you. Atlas and I will be running recon."

Neo frowns, "What? Tonight?!"

"Yes, tonight. Just me and him, we can handle it easy."

"Wait wait! Hold on! Since when do you do solo missions?"

"It isn't a solo mission. Atlas is coming. There is a place that popped into my head, May used to hang out a lot at, I want to find out why."

Ashe frowns, "What place?"

"Louis and Don's bar grill."

"She goes there after a hard day. Like always."

"Does she? Why always that one? There are others closer to her apartment and equally far. Something is just...weird."

Neo thinks for a moment. "A-alright. You don't want us in your ear?"

Shadow shakes her head, "No. Just make sure the signal stays hidden. Help set up Ashe. If anything happens, Atlas and I can take care of it."

It seems to convince them. Ashe brushes it off, Neo seems to have questions, but she decides to bury them for now.

"Sweet. Sounds cool."

Atlas turns, "Talk about Toni." he says soundlessly to Neo,

Her skepticism seems to disappear. As if she is thinking, 'Obviously, how could I not see that?'

Atlas knows something is up, but that's only because of Toni. With Shadow's permission when they were in the room, Toni walked out and folded her arms. Luckily Atlas caught the very subtle Morse code she gave with her twitching finger.

'Go along'

Go along with it. "Alright, that's fine. Ashe come on, let's work out what you're going to say."

Ashe follows Neo to a bedroom with a bag of chips, Toni follows too and shuts the door for space to think.

"Okay, Shadow-"

She holds up a finger, silencing him. "We aren't going to a bar. Though that place might not be a bad idea either. We're checking out a plaza. I want you there. I don't trust you as much as Toni."

Atlas narrows his eyes, "Gee, thanks."

"What I mean is, it probably looks less skeptical that I'm bringing you and not her. Plus, if something happens here, I want Toni to be here."

Atlas nods, they walk over and sit on the couch. "Okay...so what's the deal?"

"I told Toni, I don't plan on telling Ashe or Neo today, it's going to stay as such."

Atlas hesitantly agrees, "O-kaaaaayyy?"

"Atlas, this has been too easy, they went right under our nose and took Harvey. Yeah we have something to block their signal, but when we rescued those three."

"Did you really trust them?" he asks,

"Yes. Totally. That's the problem. Soldiers were there, it was way too easy. SGA is planning something, I want to find out what."

Atlas nods, "Tell me where you want me."

Shadow sighs with relief. "Thank you Atlas."

"I'd be an idiot not to trust you Shadow, you can't fake your level of devotion to the Syndicate."

She snorts, "I'm not sure if that sounds stupid or od I should feel flattered."

Atlas shrugs, "Both?"

"Atlas, I'm not sure what we will find. But I got a bad feeling."

"Okay, why are you so set on this plaza?"

"May has gone there religiously. It's been sparatic, to throw us off, but she's definitely been coming back for a reason."

"Hmm."

"I'm really sure about this Atlas. She's going to this one for a reason, once she's inside, she goes into a store and disappears for hours."

Atlas frowns, "Now THAT is weird. Shadow, you said it yourself, May isn't dumb-"

Shadow nods and cuts him off, "Yeah, I think it's a trap too. But...we need to figure out what they are thinking. What they are planning."

Atlas nods, "Shadow, if you're set on going, I'm behind you."

She grins, even though he doesn't see her face. She doesn't think she's ready to admit it to him, but she considers him a true friend. If it was more natural, she might even have hugged him just now.

"I owe you for your loyalty Atlas. But this might get some pretty bad publicity for us, in other words, this might turn into a serious fight. I need you to agree on this too. If you don't want to risk it, we will go to the bar. Waste time."

Atlas smirks, "Let's get to know each other more after. Deal?"

She nods, "Alright. We will wait till it gets dark and we will head out."