Chapters (52)
- Copyright
- Dedication
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-One
- Twenty-Two
- Twenty-Three
- Twenty-Four
- Twenty-Five
- Twenty-Six
- Twenty-Seven
- Twenty-Eight
- Twenty-Nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-One
- Thirty-Two
- Thirty-Three
- Thirty-Four
- Thirty-Five
- Thirty-Six
- Thirty-Seven
- Thirty-Eight
- Thirty-Nine
- Forty
- Forty-One
- Forty-Two
- Forty-Three
- Forty-Four
- Forty-Five
- Acknowledgments
- Read More from the Market of Monsters Series
- More Books from HMH Teen
- About the Author
- Connect with HMH on Social Media
The policeman had started recording her. That was fine. Nita didn’t want to have to tell the story again. She hoped it got leaked. She should have recorded it herself.
“What happened at INHUP?” the policeman asked.
“I don’t know all the details. We didn’t get to see each other much after I went into protective custody. The news keeps talking about how he was dating that INHUP agent, but that’s not true. She’s his sister. But they’d been separated when INHUP killed their parents a decade ago.” Her eyes flicked to the policeman and then away. “Kovit was in some sort of INHUP witness protection thing for a while, and they spent a lot of time together while he informed on the mafia group that had kept him prisoner. But after INHUP had all the information they needed, she turned around and betrayed him. She put him on the list and—” Nita swallowed a huge gulp of air, not needing to fake the shaking in her hands. “He got shot.”
The officer was silent, before he responded slowly. “That’s a pretty hefty accusation.”
Nita snorted, then wiped her nose because it was snotty from crying. “I haven’t got any proof either. I mean, I’m sure there’s records in INHUP but . . .”
“INHUP wouldn’t release them,” agreed the police officer. “You said you went to INHUP too?”
“I stayed with them in the Bogotá office for a while. My case worker was Agent Ximena Quispe.”
The officer made a note, and Nita twisted her web of truth and lies tighter and tighter. If he went and investigated, if anyone did, they’d be able to prove a lot of this—just not all of it. And the parts they couldn’t prove would be the parts INHUP would want to hide.
It wouldn’t hold up in a court. But it might hold up enough to keep Kovit safe. If he survived.
Even if he didn’t. Even if her mother won, even if Kovit was gone forever, and she could never get him back, at least she’d be able to take down the Dangerous Unnaturals List. Surely that would be something? A sad conciliatory prize, but something.
He swallowed, then said carefully, “I’ve not seen you on any of the other coverage about the DUL.”