Foreboding Skies (The Skybreaker Saga Book 1) by Connor Taylor Page A

attention.
    “Mr. Smith, John Smith. You have a near spotless record with only a few minor offenses. Steadily employed since college, a roof over your head, and no record of mental illness. You have never traveled to the Middle East and there is nothing suspicious in your family background. All in all you seem to be an unlikely candidate for a terrorist. You also have significant legal representation, which is unnecessary. I do not think you are guilty, but I need to be thorough with my investigation. If you cooperate with us we can have you out of here in under an hour.”
    I hadn’t expected the douche to play the good cop of the duo. If they were trying to pull that played out shit then the Blonde, Agent Maranis, was the bad cop. However, she didn’t come across as threatening. She came across as jittery. As if she was being overwhelmed by something. One would almost think she were in the hot seat.
    Beyond that she stirred on odd sense of familiarity. I wanted to say that I knew her but had no basis for it. Was she a Shaman I briefly crossed paths with in my training? For a long time that was the only way I met anyone new. If she were a Shaman then she was most likely an enemy. I would have been alerted if any friendly Shaman were inbound. I responded with a standard line. “I would like to cooperate, but nobody has taken the time to explain why exactly the government is so interested in me. Officers Hemmingway and Jones have spoken with me but never said exactly why I am being investigated. I understand there was some sort of terrorist attack, at least that’s what the news called it. But I have no idea why I have been connected to it. As you said, I am not a terrorist.”
    “The United States government is interested in you for several reasons. The first of which was the report of Officers Hemmingway and Jones that indicated you may have had a hand in the most recent attack. However, your alibi checks out and there are far more likely suspects than you. Still with the rise of lone wolf attacks we must be careful. Please forgive the inconvenience we have caused you.” Those words coupled with a sugar sweet smile made alarm bells ring all across my mind. I really do not like it when events unfold in a manner that is wholly surprising to me. Politeness, reasonableness, and honesty were not what I was expecting. Gatsby was convinced this was a giant trap and I agreed with him. It was a trick to dazzle me by reveling I was in the clear. And then what?
    Whether they were extra evil or merely government evil I refused to believe I would be allowed to walk away. Still, I knew it was best to act the part of the grateful citizen. And wait for some of the other reasons why Uncle Sam was peeking through my windows.
    Agent Maranis still seemed uncomfortable. I wasn’t staring at her any more. Though I was keeping my senses trained on her. I was getting the feeling that she really did not like me I was hesitant to probe any harder. My instincts were urging me to be cautious.
    There was an air of anticipation, a stillness that precedes a great calamity. They wanted me to start it. So be it. “You have no idea how relieved I am to hear that! I have been running myself ragged with worry. This is fantastic news!” Damn. I can play a brilliant concerned and or grateful citizen. Good luck pinning any nefarious deeds on me and my wide eye naivety.
    Goodwin oozed frustration and Maranis folded in upon herself. The odd moment held, with the both of them waiting on me to continue. I didn’t have anything left to say, but I also didn’t have anything else to do today. My meeting with the Enclave representative wasn’t till tomorrow. Besides, this was an important fact finding mission. And it was yielding fruit. More pieces revealed themselves to me and I needed to find out how they fit in with the rest.
    Goodwin cleared his throat and continued, points to me. “Now that we have established you are not under arrest for terrorism I