Short one today I'm afraid – me being my usual procrastinating self, I've left all my holiday organisation 'til the last minute :/ haha, I'll probably get another chapter up tomorrow though. Enjoy x

Chapter 37

The numbness still hadn't died away as Cutter marched straight up to Lester's office, blood pounding deafeningly in his ears. Stephen was hurrying along in his wake, murmuring something about him being mistaken about it being Jenny getting into that car, but Cutter took no notice. He knew – he knew for a fact it had been her; he could recognise her frame and stature from a mile away. That aside, she had looked him directly in the eye, and even from that distance, he had seen fear stir in the depths of hers; fear that she had been discovered. But no – no, he wouldn't believe it. She wouldn't betray them like this. She wouldn't betray him. He knew her more than anyone else did, and she may have been proud and stubborn with little regard for her own safety – but she was no traitor. He would bet his life on it.

He was shaking by the time he barged into Lester's office, whether from rage or shock, he was unsure.

"Where's Jenny?" he blurted out as Stephen shut the door behind them.

Lester looked up from his paperwork with a mildly interested expression, which was quickly replaced by one of cool impassiveness. "She is at home with the flu Cutter," he replied in a disinterested voice. "Just like I told you yesterday."

"Well that's funny," Cutter breathed sarcastically, feeling steam issue out of his ears. "Because we've just seen her at the anomaly site. Getting into a car with one of Christine Johnson's soldiers!" he finished, his voice rising uncontrollably. "What the hell is going on?"

Lester sighed deeply and threw his file back down on the desk. "Did he see you?" he asked, completely disregarding the demand for information.

"Who?" Cutter exclaimed, feeling his frustration mount.

"Wilder," Lester replied shortly. "The soldier Jenny was with. Did he see you?"

"I don't know," Cutter answered through gritted teeth. "But Jenny did. Now for the last time, what is - ?"

"She's undercover," Lester interrupted, sitting further back in his chair. "Under my instruction."

Cutter gaped at him, unable to digest what he was hearing.

"Why would you put her undercover with one of Johnson's soldiers?" Stephen chimed in, sounding as shocked as Cutter was himself.

"For information," Lester bit back, clearly losing his patience. "Why else?"

"So," Cutter began quietly once he'd finally found his voice, "you placed an unstable and vulnerable woman undercover with a dangerous man? Am I hearing you right?"

"Jenny wanted to do it," Lester argued as he stood up, buttoning his blazer. "And she is neither unstable, nor vulnerable. She knows what she's doing - "

"She buried her fiancé not long ago!" Cutter yelled aggressively. "She's not thinking clearly!"

"You do her an injustice to think she's not capable," Lester replied in a calm voice as he rounded the desk. "She's obviously managed to plant herself in a position to gain information. Not many people would have been able to do that in just a few days. We should be proud of her."

"Have – have you lost your mind?" Cutter stammered; he had known that Lester was an uncaring snob, but to pull something like this . . .

"You've put her in a lot of danger Lester," Stephen said, shaking his head. "If they find out who she is, they could kill her to stop her passing on information. We don't know what sort of people they are - "

"Jenny can handle herself," Lester replied simply as he leant back against his desk. "If she didn't think she could do it, she wouldn't have agreed - "

"She's reckless!" Cutter exploded, unable to believe that Lester was trying to justify what he'd done. "You know she is at the moment! You're taking advantage - "

"What's this really about Cutter?" Lester interrupted sternly as he straightened up. "Is it that you fear for her safety?" he asked as he walked forward, leaning in to speak near Cutter's ear. "Or is it the fear of what she might be doing with Wilder that's bothering you?" he added in little above a whisper.

In a flash, Cutter had grabbed Lester by his collar, white-hot anger pulsating through his veins.

"Cutter," Stephen said in a warning tone.

"No, it's okay Stephen," Lester said in an uncaring tone, his face expressionless. "I do love these little games Cutter and I play - "

"Listen to me," Cutter snarled, tightening his grip on Lester's collar. "I'm going to go and pull her out of this mess you've landed her in before she gets in too deep. Before she winds up dead - "

"If you go to her, you're putting her in more danger than she is in now," Lester warned, his eyes flashing.

Cutter released him roughly, giving him a look of disgust. Then, he turned and barged passed Stephens shoulder, anger still bubbling in the pit of his stomach as he stormed out of the office.