"Alright, start talking." April said as we flew out over the ocean.

"Someone else was there. Someone working for Rain."

"If she hired you, then why set you up?" Erika asked.

"Because, Rain is the owner of a big corporation, a corporation that probably has ties to different governments and high up organizations. If word got out that she killed a former employee, she'd spend the rest of her life behind bars, if she wasn't killed first. She needed someone like me to take the fall, a ghost that no one would miss."

"It happens all the time." April added. "Some big-time, hotshot wants someone out of their way, so they hire a lowly hitman to do their dirty work. Then, they kill them off to tie up loose ends. They pick people like us because we have no connection to anyone or anything, which makes it easier to get rid of us without any trace. The question is, what makes you so special?" She asked, glancing at Erika.

Erika shook her head. "I don't know why she'd want me dead. I've never even met her."

I gave her a confused look. "Didn't you work for The Rain Corporation?"

She nodded. "Yes, but in a low level. I've heard of Miss Rain, but people in my department have never met her. We've never even seen her."

"They fired you, right?" April asked.

Erika nodded.

"What were you working on before you got fired?"

"Nothing huge, just a computer chip. A highly advanced one, but still just a chip."

"How many of you were working on it?" April asked.

"Just the three of us."

"Did anyone else in the company know about it?" I asked.

She shook her head. "No, a woman visited my office one day and told me Miss Rain wanted me to help create a special chip that would revolutionize modern technology as we knew it."

"A company known for their military weaponry asked you to make a special chip and that didn't strike you as a little ominous?" I asked.

   "No. We do all kinds of stuff there. Making operating systems for phones and computers, technology that eventually finds its ways into cars and planes. Anything military oriented is a different department."

I sighed, more confused then ever. "We're gonna need the names of the other two people working with you and any information we can get on that chip."

"Give me a computer and a couple days and you'll have all the information you need." Erika replied.

I nodded before leaning back in my seat, letting all the information swirl around in my head...

April gave us a lift back to the hideout.

She turned to me before I got out. "Good luck and try not to get yourself killed."

I gave her a small smile. "Thanks."

Then, I stepped out, leading Erika to the entrance.

"I never got your name." She said.

I stopped and turned to her.

   "Carlie." I said, sticking my hand in her direction.

She took it. "Erika, it's nice to officially meet you... I hope."

I let go of her hand. "Trust me, I will get to the bottom of this and save both our asses."

Then, I unlocked the door and led Erika inside.

Peggy stood up from the table. "What is she doing here?" She asked, folding her arms over her chest.

"I get the feeling your friends don't like me." Erika whispered.

I rested my hand on her shoulder. "There's a spare bedroom down that hallway, why don't you try and get some rest."

She just nodded before walking off.

I joined Peggy at the table and filled her in on everything that's happened.

"... so, until we can figure this out, she's not going anywhere."

Peggy let out a long sigh. "Alright, I'll see what I can dig up on this Rain Corporation."

"Thanks."

She nodded before walking back to her computer.

I stood up and headed down the hallway to check on Erika.

I knocked lightly on the door.

"Come in."

I opened the door, seeing Erika sitting on the edge of the bed.

"How're you feeling?" I asked as I sat down next to her.

She let out a harsh laugh. "Well, considering my boss wants to kill me, not great."

I rested my hand on her shoulder. "I won't let that happen."

She nodded before lowering her head. "What's gonna happen to me after all this?"

"Whatever you wanna do, I guess. I can have April drop you anywhere in the world. You can start a new life."

"I don't wanna start a new life, I just want my old one back."

I stood up. "We can do that to."

She nodded, looking up into my eyes. "Thanks."

"No problem. Now get some rest, we'll figure things out tomorrow."

She nodded again before laying back on the bed.

I left her there and headed over to Peggy's desk. "How's it looking?"

She shrugged. "Pretty normal. The company's legit."

"What about this Miss Rain?"

"I can check."

"Thanks, Peggy. Let me know what you find, I'm gonna get some rest."

She nodded and I made my way to my room, ready to put this whole day behind me...

When I woke up the next morning, I could hear Peggy and Erika talking.

I walked out of my room, rubbing the sleep from my eyes.

They sat at the long table, coffee mugs in hand, chatting animatedly.

"Good morning." Erika greeted, Peggy looking over at me.

"Morning, what're you two talking about?" I asked with a yawn.

"Computers, she really knows her stuff." Peggy said.

I grabbed a nearby laptop and set it in front of her. "Good, then maybe you two can start gathering information on this chip."

Erika nodded as she opened the laptop and started typing away, while Peggy stood up and followed me to the modern kitchen.

"I found what you asked for." She said, setting a file down in front of me.

I glanced down at the large file before looking back at Peggy. "Give me the short version."

She nodded, leaning against the counter. "Miss Rain was a legitimate scientist, she started out working for the German government. She was a technological whizz, smarter than anything they've ever seen. So, they put her in charge of counter intelligence, real spy shit. Then, she up and quit, starting her own business making GPS tracking chips for missiles-"

"Wait, chips?"

"Yeah, seriously advanced shit. A missile with one of those chips could fly to any location on the globe. We're talking a nuke with a brain. They were given to the U.S. military under the codename Project Mind Control."

I walked past her, heading for the table.

Just as I arrived, Erika looked up, a few tears welling in her eyes.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"My two teammates helping me on the project were found dead in their homes, both made to look like accidents."

I sat down, the severity of this whole thing starting to set in.

Those chips Erika and her team were working on were the next level GPS tracking chips for Project Mind Control. But, if it was under military contract, why would the people connected to it start getting killed off?

Unless, she's making those chips for someone other than the U.S. military.

I rested my head in my hands. "Fuck."