Read Listed: Volume VI for Free Online Page A

Emily’s virus?”
    His
father almost smiled. “What do you think?”
    “I
think it’s entirely possible you did it. It would be just like you to hide the
report where we’d be likely to find it rather than just giving it to me
directly.”
    “Perhaps.
But that doesn’t really answer the question.”
    Paul
let out a tired sigh, wondering why he was even bothering. Nothing was going to
be accomplished by this conversation anyway. “Do you really expect me to play
this game with you again?”
    Vincent
stared at him intently for a long stretch of time. “It was never a game.” He
paused before he added, almost as an afterthought.  “I’m glad your wife has
gotten better.”
    Paul
could almost believe he meant it.
    Since
his father had as good as answered the first question, he asked another one. “Were
you responsible for her getting sick in the first place?”
    His
father’s expression didn’t change, but something changed in his eyes. “You’re
really asking me that?”
    “Why
wouldn’t I ask it?”
    With
a half-shrug, his father said, “It occurs to me, son, that you don’t really
know me at all.”
    “What
is that supposed to mean?”
    “It
means that, whoever you think I am, you don’t really know me.”
    “I
do know you. I’ve known you for years. I’ve never been surprised by you.”
    “You
just asked me if I tried to kill an innocent teenage girl in some sort of
half-hearted retaliation for perceived wrongs.”
    When
put that way, it did seem a horrible thing to accuse his father of. “You’ve
killed before.”
    “Only
soldiers.”
    That
was what Emily had told him—months ago now.
    “And
that’s supposed to be okay?”
    “I’m
not trying to justify myself to you. I was merely answering a question.”
    Paul
exhaled deeply. “So the answer is no? You weren’t responsible for the virus?”
    “It’s
obvious that I’m responsible in some way, since it was engineered in my research
facility.”
    “You
know what I’m asking.”
    “What
I don’t know is why you’re asking.”
    Conversations
with his father always went like this—one strategic bypass after another.
    “I
have no idea why I’m asking. This whole conversation was a mistake.”
    “It’s
only a mistake because you began it with a preconceived notion about how it
would end.”
    “If
you’re not the one who gave Emily the virus, then who did?”
    “Have
you not considered that’s a question I’d like answered too? The virus came from
my facility, which means someone in my company was responsible—either
intentionally or accidentally.  I would very much like to know who.”
    Again,
Paul almost believed him. He wondered if he was changing his opinion or if he
was just growing weak and gullible.
    “Why
should I believe you,” he asked, “when you’ve told me lies before?”
    “I’ve
never told you lies. I’ve only told you truths you don’t want to hear.”
    Paul
shook his head and slumped back in his chair. “Can you answer something plainly
for once in your life? Did you do this to Emily or not?”
    It
was silent—too silent—for a long time. Then, “I didn’t.”
    Paul
believed him, despite all the reasons he had not to.
    “I
wouldn’t do that to her,” his father added.
    “Okay.”
    “Or
to you.”
    Paul
sat perfectly still.
    His
father’s face was old, grizzled, so tired. “It might be time to admit that
you’ve never really known me.”
    The
world was spinning around Paul—slowly and inexorably, disorienting him
completely.
    He
couldn’t think of anything to say, so finally he just stood up to leave.
    “Okay,”
he muttered, knowing he needed to say something before he left.
    He
took a step toward the exit, but turned around one more time to look back at
his father.
    “I’m
glad she’s okay,” Vincent Marino said.
    Paul
nodded, a little jerkily.
    “She’s
brave. And, beneath all the prettiness, she’s strong.”
    Paul
nodded again, a strange pain tightening in his