Chapter 38

"How did you get my number!?"

"Hm... That wasn't the response I was expecting. Don't you know it's polite to start with a, 'Hey, how are you,' or even a normal, 'Hi,' will suffice. But to answer your question, let's just say that I have my ways."

"Your terrorist ways?"

"Woah, who told you? I was pretty sure that no one told you my identity."

"You did." Jean reminded Josh about how he had been "kidding" with her before and telling her that he is a terrorist when he really is.

"Huh, I intended that to be a joke. Never thought that you would take it seriously."

"I didn't until I saw you getting chased around the school by those people in uniforms."

"Oh. Yeah, I guess that would be pretty suspicious, wouldn't it?" Josh gave a soft chuckle before explaining to her, "They weren't there to apprehend me for being a terrorist you know. Those two were my dad's way of saying that he wants me back. If you think about it, it makes sense since the terrorists are targeting me and him."

"Aren't you a terrorist? Why are you targeting yourself."

"Er- There are two groups out there. There's the one you know which is also the one I'm in. Then there's the bad one."

"And what makes yours not bad?"

"Because we're fighting for justice?"

"What? What does that even mean." It sounded like something out of a children's show or book. Fighting for justice... What justice? Jackson told her that I.C.E. is doing something "bad," but no one has yet to explain to her what "bad" things I.C.E. is doing. So they strayed away from their goal of turning the earth back to its original state. So what? They might just be taking a break and researching something else as they aren't making much progress. Or, they could still be working on it and are choosing to start from the very beginning again since the last path met a dead-end.

"Well, for starters, the other terrorist group doesn't care about civilian casualties as you might have already heard about on the news. If you're unfortunate enough to be there when they carry out their operation, you're not more than collateral damage."

"Yes, I know." Jean has heard all about it all over the news. What she wanted to know is what exactly their terrorist group does. So far, she has heard nothing on the news that related to them at all. "What do you guys do that is different from this bad terrorist group?"

"Us? That is what I'm calling to tell you about. That and your mission."

"My mission?"

"Yeah, you're being assigned one. I mean, you can't just sit around and do nothing while the rest of us are sweating our butts off right? And before you tell me that you're not one of us, you now are," Josh tells her, predicting her response to him telling her that she is a terrorist too now.

"And what makes you think I will do what you say?" Jean asks him. No matter what orders Josh gives her, hearing and doing them are two different things. She is not about to actually become a terrorist and carry out their bidding no matter what they say. They can threaten her all they like but she won't comply.

"Well... I'm just going to tell you about the mission anyway. After hearing it, it's your choice if you want to do it or not."

"Fair enough."

"To start off, your father works for I.C.E., yes?"

"Yes..." Jean wasn't going to question how he knew that information anymore since the only thing that he will tell her is that he "has his ways."

"Huh, so that guy wasn't bullsh*tting me. Ahem, anyway, you should be able to go up to all the floors in the building right?"

"No." Jean only had access to the floors that her father had access to. She wasn't allowed anywhere in the building other than those floors and the public floors.

"Wait, don't you still have my keycard?"

"Your card?" Jean looked at the card lying on her desk. She still had it since she hasn't been able to return back to Josh as he is never in school. She picks the thick and heavy card and examined it. It was still a little hard for her to believe that something like this can access the entire building. It didn't look that much different from a normal one. But that isn't the only thing that she found hard to believe. "Did you steal this?" she asked Josh. She had a feeling that he stole this card and that he wasn't actually the son of Torrie Bailey.

"Me, steal? Course not! I received this from my father. Hm... Actually... It's more like 'took.' It's not stealing if it's from family right?"

"Did you ask for his permission to 'take' it?"

"Well... no."

"Then it's stealing."

"Aw darn. You got me red-handed. I stole this from my father. He's never going to forgive me now."

"Are you even his son?"

"Why yes, I am. Believe it or not, that stern-looking man who's serious about everything has me as his son."

"I don't believe it."

"I-" Josh was about to say something but Jean hears another voice in the background yelling at him about something. After it is gone, Josh is silent for a moment. "Hello?" Jean checked to see if Josh is still there.

"Look here. We're getting side-tracked super hard right now. Do you want me to tell me your mission or not? I'm pretty sure we're both busy and have our own things to do." Josh's tone suddenly changed and he sounded like he is in a hurry.

"What happened."

"Stuff. It's complicated. We got found and we need to move."

"Got found? By who?" Or what?

But Josh didn't answer Jean's question and explained her mission to her. "Anyway, here's the thing. I need you to use my card to go up to the 100th floor of the laboratory. Go around and find a black folder," Josh quickly tells her. In the background, Jean can hear more yelling and stuff falling down as whoever or whatever found them is likely responsible for it.

"Get off the phone already! We need to go!" someone shouts at Josh. The voice was very muffled but Jean somehow managed to make out the words clearly.

"Give me a moment Kevin. Almost done," Josh tells the man. Jean's eyes widened when she heard that name. Kevin? That was her father's name.

"Wait, did you say-"

Jean's voice was cut off by sudden screaming over the phone. "Give you a moment? Do you think that they will give you a moment!? They're coming in!" the voice shouted at Josh. It was hard for Jean to distinguish if that was her father's voice since it was so muffled but it did sound a little like him. Beads of sweat began to form on her forehead as she started to believe that the person on the other side of the phone with Josh might just be her father.

Even though she has never heard him speak in that manner before, it was still possible. He is normally always so calm and collected, but that is only when he is with her. Outside of that, she has never really heard him talk to anyone before.

"Welp. We're in trouble. Jean, you still there!?" he frantically asks her over the phone.

"Yes.

"Alright, so go up to the 100th floor. Find the black folder. If anyone asks who you are, just show the card and they won't bother you. While you're at it, grab anything else that might be useful. I'll call you back soon. Good luck!"

"Wait, don't hang up!" But it was too late. Josh already ended the call, leaving Jean sitting up on her bed staring at the phone in her hand and the keycard in the other.

"..."

There was so much that she wanted to ask Josh. For starters, was that person her father. No, it can't be. Why would his father be working for a terrorist group? But then again, Jackson did mention that a lot of people quit a while back because of something I.C.E. did and turned rogue. Even though her father is still working for I.C.E., there is the chance that he is a spy and is keeping an eye on I.C.E. on the inside...

Jean didn't want to believe it, but everything made sense if it were true. How did Josh find out about her phone number and the fact that her father worked for I.C.E.? Unless... it was her father who told him those things. B

"Ugh!" Jean shook her head in frustration. The only way to find out for sure is by calling Josh and asking him about it but she knew that he won't be able to answer her right now. He was busy dealing with whatever found them.

But there was another way to find out. Jean quickly went through her phone and opened her contacts. She then clicked on the one that she wanted and the phone automatically dialed the number for her. It rang a couple of times before timing out. "The phone number you've dialed for 'Dad,' is not available right now. Please try again later."

Jean stares blankly at the screen for a few moments before letting her phone drop to her bed.

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