A past that was so completely removed from her life at present, and yet so shockingly clear that she could almost reach out and touch it. The memories surrounded her, and she blinked them away, focusing back on Landon.
“No, silly.”
Her voice was as smooth as butter, despite the trouble that she was suddenly having with taking a deep breath. The response was automatic, like someone else. She wondered if he noticed.
“Not since I was 13. If they got hold of me, I’d never be free again. They wouldn’t make that mistake twice. As for what I’ve been doing, it’s way more unbelievable than anything else I’ve told you before; but let’s just say I’ve been working with a team to keep a powerful object out of the hands of a corrupt figure.”
“Bet the US government regrets training you to evade capture now,” Landon suggested dryly, casually.
Hannah had spent countless hours asking herself that very question. Had she done enough for them prior to escaping, that even now, they would do it again? Were they abducting another child even as she had these thoughts? Though, she wasn’t sure that what happened to her could really be counted as abduction.
“Have I heard of this corrupt figure?” He pulled her back to the present again.
“Absolutely not.”
Landon

snickered, but then, his expression got more serious in the mirror.
“You know, Hannah, you may not believe this, but I want to help you.”
“Oh yeah?” Hannah grinned.
Landon’s expression remained solemn. “Yes. But the only way that I can help you is if you’re honest with me. And I’m not just talking about what you’ve done. I’m talking about the stories. I know that you tell them to cover up something else. I need you to tell me what that something else is. You’re young. This does not have to decide the course of your whole life.”
Hannah felt her grin slip a little, but forced herself to keep it plastered on her face. She knew that as an officer trying to get a confession out of a potential murderer, he needed to say these things. Strangely, though, she still didn’t doubt his sincerity. And maybe that made her stupid. Gullible. But what difference did it make, anyway? He’d never believe her. “Thanks Landon, but the course of my life was decided when I was 5 years old. Sooner, depending on who you ask. But I didn’t know until then, so I guess that’s all that really matters to me.”
Landon furrowed his eyebrows. “Why 5 years old?”
“That’s when I became the property of the government. When my parents signed my life away.”