Release Me If You Can

It is a coincidence. I swear to you that I didn't know my friend. Maybe if she kept saying it, kept emphasizing that she wasn't a stranger, something would click for him. Crawl Daddy and you, Quentin LaForte, were the same person. We made a promise to each other that we would never do that, look each other up, unless we decided together. I didn't break that, not really. Quentin scoffed, not really. Yes, when I was invited onto the team, and you and I met that day, you felt really familiar to me, like we already knew each other. And then, as I found out more about you, that you were from Louisiana, you being a hacker, that you love Crawl Dads, Quentin, it wasn't exactly a stretch to figure out. With his arms crossed and face pulled into a stern scowl, Quentin seemed far removed from the charming, flirty man Renata had encountered on her first visit to Five Star Fitness to join his and Naomi's team. Golden brown skin and a perpetual five o'clock shadow, the chiseled face of a model, body of an athlete, and mind of a tech genius. She'd thought Quentin was a dream. This, on the other hand, was a nightmare. She watched his expression for any hint of a crack in his armor, any sign that he didn't want to stick her somewhere in a dungeon to rot. She found none. So, if you didn't know of the link between me and Wolf, why wouldn't you tell me who had Taylor? These last few months, it was they this, they that. You knew he was the one who had her. Why the secrecy? Renata sighed as she lifted her eyes to his. Because I knew you would do more than I was asking you to. Just like before, remember? Licking his lips, Quentin ran a hand over his face before letting out a sigh of his own. When his eyes returned to hers, they weren't quite as harsh and accusing as before. Subtly, he nodded. There, there was the softening. However slight she was hoping for. She closed her eyes briefly, then continued. I had already asked too much of you. I was just optimistic that you would be able to tell me how to do what they were asking, so I could get Taylor back. Without involving you more than I absolutely had to. But I told you I would do whatever was necessary, and you accepted that. I started poking around and got tagged. King Pharmaceuticals has government contracts, and they don't play. I had to answer to SSA Black about that. Renata nodded. I'm sorry for that. I really never should have asked, but I didn't know what else to do. Who else to turn to? He wants me to hack this huge, powerful company, and I just went to the one person I thought could maybe tell me a way out of it, while allowing me to remain anonymous. Quentin, if I'd told you this was about Wolf, you would have done something crazy, like emptying his bank accounts or something. And then what? Where would that leave me and Taylor? I wouldn't have done anything without a plan. A plan that would entail talking to people, involving people. Quentin threw his hands up, people who were already involved. Me, Naomi, SSA Black, Inez, we would have helped you. I didn't know that, Renata said, shaking her head. Yes, you did. Once you got asked onto this team to help with the Lucas job, you knew. You even had your own people, Marcus and Kendall, who probably would have been more than willing. Renata, you had to know this would get found out. Your only saving grace was that me and Naomi didn't know your daughter. We looked at those pictures from the party, wrote her off as one of Taylor's friends, or a cousin from her mother's side or something. What if Marcus had reviewed those pictures with us? What then, huh? What the hell were you thinking? I was thinking that if I kept my mouth shut, I would see my daughter again. I was thinking that her father is the worst thing that's ever happened to me. But she's the best, and I don't know what I'll do if I never get to hug her again. The job with Lucas is over, and as far as I know, Wolf has no idea I was involved, no idea that I know you or Naomi. I thought I would go back to what I was doing before, working for the FBI.