Turncoats

By Casia Schreyer

Ethan and his new friends from book club are busy laying plans to find proof of what Ethan saw, but they can't do it alone. In desperation, Ethan turns to an old ally, one he doesn't fully trust.
Shawna is learning she needs more help too - but who to trust in the place where they train secret agents to lie?
Axel is trying to work his way back into Shawna's good graces, but can he be trusted?
It all comes down to a single day. Whether they succeed or fail, nothing will ever be the same.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Schreyer Ink Publishing
• Release date: Aug 18, 2019
• ISBN: 9781988853413

Casia Schreyer

My name is Casia Schreyer. I write YA/NA novels and short stories in multiple genres.I am married and the mother of two. I live in Southeastern Manitoba in Canada.

Book preview

Turncoats

The Underground Book 6

Casia Schreyer

This book is a work of fiction. All of the characters are the original creation of the author, any resemblance to persons living or dead is unintentional.

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage the piracy of copyrighted materials.

Turncoats: The Underground Book 6 © 2019, Casia Schreyer

Cover © 2019, Andreas Ganz

ISBN 978-1-988853-39-0

E-ISBN 978-1-988853-41-3

Published by Schreyer Ink Publishing

To Madison

Because every writer

should be friends with a librarian

Table of Contents

PROLOGUE

CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 6

CHAPTER 7

CHAPTER 8

CHAPTER 9

COMING SOON

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

MORE FROM SCHREYER INK

Prologue

He hated coming here; it usually meant someone was in trouble, and this time, that someone, very well could be him. It was hard to keep up his usual confidence when he knew that one wrong word could cost him not only his job but his freedom as well.

The meeting room was small, just big enough to seat half a dozen people comfortably around the rectangular white table. There was a monitor on the white wall and probably a camera somewhere.

There are cameras everywhere. I know that better than anyone. Still, they’d done a good job of hiding it here. He studied the walls as he waited, looking for it, but could find nothing to mark its location.

The door behind him slid open. A moment later his boss, a middle-aged man with grey in his temples and angry red cheeks pulled out a chair at the table and set a tablet down in front of him. I’ve got the mission file here, he said, tapping at the screen. Tell me what went wrong. His voice was gruff.

He shrugged. I don’t know sir. Everything went according to plan, right up until that last minute. There was nothing I could do from where I was.

Explain.

The mark approached me, and I agreed to a meeting with the terrorist group. At the meeting they informed me of their plans and that they needed a computer expert. I accepted and reported it to you. We set up the plan for the first.

Yes, yes, I have all that here. What happened last night?

The mark and his mentor followed the plan exactly. I was watching remotely, as agreed. They bolted before the guards could arrive and left the storage drive that I gave them behind.

We have nothing on them then?

No, sir. The tracking program was on the device they left behind. Without that we have no real proof of what they were after – aside from security footage, but it was my understanding you were after something more spectacular.

Yes, we were. You were supposed to keep them distracted.

I did everything I could. It’s not my fault someone on the ground alerted them. Once they were spooked, there was nothing I could do that wouldn’t look suspicious. At least now I have the chance of meeting with them again tonight, maybe finding out more.

That will have to be enough. And you’d better come up with something that will let us shut that whole ring down or there’s going to be trouble.

I understand.

Do you? This goes way above my head, you know? The guys at the top who make all the big decisions, they want this wrapped up, quickly and quietly. If they come down on me, I’m coming down on you.

He swallowed hard, trying to hide the fear that gripped his chest. Yes Sir.

Chapter 1

John sat in his chair, reading the newspaper on his tablet. Ethan helped his mother with the dishes. No one spoke. No one had said much during breakfast either. Everyone was thinking about Shawna and the missed phone call the night before; Ethan focused on his parents’ thoughts and the calming simplicity of the task at hand to keep his fears at bay.

John and Ina were worried, they were parents after all, but their concerns were mundane and safe: illness, injury, detention, too much schoolwork. Back and forth both minds went, between explanation and reassurance.

Ethan’s fear was deeper, darker, and rooted in the reality that what they were doing was dangerous, possibly to a deadly degree. If they deciphered the emails, then she’s been arrested, and we’ll never hear from her again. In a few days we’ll get a phone call telling us how she was killed in a bombing or a radiation leak or something. But they would come for me too, wouldn’t they?

In the near silence the first ring of the telephone was jarring and out of place. It rang a second time before anyone reacted beyond staring.

I’ve got it, John said.

Ina was already drying off her hands as Ethan hurried to dry and put away the bowl that she’d just handed him. Her thoughts were loud and hurried. Is it her? It could be anyone. Calm down, it might not be her.

Hello? John said, and then, after a heart-stopping pause, he said, Shawna.

Shawna woke up Saturday morning, still grinning. Last night had been the first time since leaving Complex Forty-Eight that she felt at home here. It’s not home, she reminded herself. You’re here with a purpose. Still, she’d actually had fun, and not even the nagging feeling that she was forgetting something could ruin that for her.

Around her the other girls were stirring and getting ready for the day and the number of voices around her was steadily increasing. The amount of colour in the room was increasing as well. Soft drowsy shades were giving way to more vibrant emotions. Most were happy colours, broken up by rolling waves of hunger and the odd spike of irritation as they all jostled for the bathroom.

Shawna was just pulling on her shoes when Maggie dropped an arm over her shoulders. Ready to eat?

Shawna nodded. Starving.

Three other girls went with them down to the cafeteria, their conversation centered on the movie from last night, their auras relaxed and cheerful. They got trays and helped themselves to porridge, toast, and apples.

What are you doing today? Maggie said.

I’m working on an assignment with Kyra this morning, but otherwise I’m free the rest of the day. Shawna noticed the other girls’ colours darken. What?

If you’re trying to get caught up, maybe you should pick a different study partner, Liz said.

Tamara nodded. "Kyra’s had a lot of meetings with the teachers, and supervisors already. Her grades