William narrowed his eyes. “You knew something would happen?”

“Keep your voice down. Let’s just say we had reason to be concerned. Let me ask you: Has Lynn Roseworth ever mentioned the SSA? Anything about them?”

The thick packages that arrived with “URGENT,” usually in red marker, arriving at his parent’s house. Swells of people that surrounded him in public bathrooms, asking for just a minute of his time to answer some questions. The social media pages run full-time by strangers that stole his picture and sent out warnings about government conspiracies. All part of the hysteria he’d hated his whole life.

The man before him reeked of it.

“What you’ve just seen should let you know that there’s a whole lot more going on than what you’ve ever known of. I can also see that you don’t believe me. Well, you tell me, then—you tell me why those federal agents were trying to take you. Why they had two helicopters filled with agents ready to bring you in at gunpoint, both at that trailer and then the airport. Agents who all wore black suits. All at the same time a little girl shows up with the ability to kill on the spot. You tell me what’s going on.”

“I don’t have a damn clue.”

“I think you do, Mr. Chance. I don’t think you’re stupid. I think you need to explain to me what you know about this girl and how Quincy Martin is involved.”

William did not miss the fact that the man continued to keep his finger on the trigger.

Stay calm. Keep everyone calm.

“Listen. I don’t know who she is. She somehow ended up in my trailer with an agent from the federal park service. I don’t really understand why they came. The agent said the girl insisted on finding me. I have no idea how those men died at the airport and the field—”

“What do you mean the field?” Rudd asked. “You mean it didn’t just happen at the airport?”

“I don’t know what happened. And then that guy—Quincy—who drove the Porsche, was there. He wanted to run, and I couldn’t just leave her there. So we took off.”

The man pointed angrily. “Why was Quincy Martin there?”

“I don’t know. I don’t even know who he is. All he said was something about wanting to make some kind of deal.”

“Are you kidding? Swooping in on all this trying to make a buck? Not that he needs it. You really don’t know who he is? I don’t think it’s by chance he showed up at the same moment those agents moved in. He needs to be removed from this scenario. And fast.”

“Listen. No one gets hurt, understand?” William said. “I understand you think you’re keep me safe, but you have to let us go—”