“Is something happening over there that I need to know about?” There was a deep suspicion in Silva’s voice.
“Nope,” Queenie lied. “Everything’s great. Sasha doesn’t know what’s happening with the prototype. As far as she’s concerned, we’re here collecting samples for her useless model. I mean, how naïve does someone have to be to believe that eco-fuel is the wave of the future?”
Both women laughed, and I felt my breaths growing short.
What the hell was this? If we weren’t working on my prototype, what were we doing?
“Stupid liberals,” Silva agreed. “They don’t look at the big picture.”
I could almost hear Queenie’s eyes roll from across the room.
“We’re away from civilization, so no one knows about the testing. There should be a minimal effect to the wildlife if the water gets polluted, but even if some minks die, no one will be the wiser and we’ll have a new chemical fuel.”
“That’s why we sent you out there, Amanda. I knew you’d do Mirror, Mirror proud. Just make sure your team is none the wiser.”
“I’ve got Hunter under control,” she smirked. “Don’t worry about Snow.”
I sank back into our room, trying to make sense of what I’d learned, but what had I really learned?
I chewed on my lower lip, my heart racing. If the Environmental Protection Agency was onto us, Mirror, Mirror was doing something to harm the environment, not protect it as I had always believed.
Poisoning the water? Chemical fuel?
Bile rose in my throat, and I struggled to control my emotions. I needed to do something, but what could I do? My resources were limited in the middle of nowhere, but I had one resource, which was invaluable.
Alex.
With trembling hands, I pushed my way out of the bedroom, but Queenie had already logged off her video call.
“What are you doing up?” she demanded, guilt coloring her face. I forced a nonchalant look onto my face and shrugged.
“I didn’t know I needed to check in on you when I needed to pee,” I retorted, sauntering toward the bathroom.
Queenie scoffed at me, but she turned her attention back to the computer, and I slunk into the bathroom, my phone in my hand. First, I dug out the medical kit and found a Vicodin which I downed without water before sinking onto the toilet lid and dialing Alex’s number.
“What’s wrong? Are you okay?” Alex demanded without preamble.
I lowered my voice to a whisper. “I need you to do me a favor,” I breathed into the phone. I doubted that Queenie could hear me beyond the door, but I didn’t want to risk it.
“What? Do you need to come home?” I could hear the stress rising in her tone.
“Not yet,” I mumbled. “But I changed my mind. I need you to start looking into Mirror, Mirror after all.”
I heard Alex inhale sharply. “Look in how?”
“I’m not sure,” I replied slowly, keeping my words quiet. “But I think they’re poisoning the environment under the guise of doing eco-friendly research. They may even be taking government grants for this. I don’t know. That’s why I need you.”
“Sash…even if you’re right about this, I’m going to need more than just suspicions. I’m going to need proof.”
“I know that,” I sighed. “But my hands are a little tied at the moment, Al.”
“Where is this coming from? Did something happen over there?”
“I’m not sure,” I answered evasively. “I’m going to see what I can find out from my end, and you see what you can do from yours, all right?”
“Sash, are you in trouble? I’m coming over there—”
“No!” I had said that much louder than I had intended, and I lowered my voice instantly.
“It won’t do you any good to come,” I insisted. “You do what you can, and I’ll do the same.”
“I don’t like this.”
“I know.”
I hated myself for worrying Alex even more than she already was, but I needed her. I couldn’t exactly use the company computers to investigate them, and Alex certainly had more contacts than I did as a journalist.
“Maybe this will be your big break,” I teased even though my pulse was racing erratically. I was terrified about the position I’d put myself in, but I needed to know who I was working for.
“I’ll call you tomorrow, okay?” I said, realizing I’d been in the bathroom for a while. I didn’t want Queenie getting suspicious.
“You better,” Alex growled.
“I don’t need to tell you that Mom doesn’t need to know about this, right?”
Alex scoffed. “Obviously, although I’m starting to understand exactly how she feels, Sash.”
“Love you, girl.”
“Love you, too.”
We hung up, and I stared at the cell in my hand nervously. I’d just committed to being a whistleblower for a company I’d worked at for years.
And based on what? A conversation I’d overheard that I could have misconstrued?
Suddenly, I felt ridiculous, and I wished I hadn’t been so hasty calling Alex.