Alexander's prior call to Mike had prepared him for Lily's implication. He quickly defended himself, "No, of course not! I know I've lost your trust, but I promise I didn't know about that! Besides, you can see I have no power here. He doesn't trust me. I couldn't have known." He paused, annoyance coloring his voice. "At the time, I felt there was no need to involve innocent people, and Austin was suffering. So, when I saw the chance, I let him go. I didn't expect it to be part of their plan. They set a trap for me. They tricked me!"

The memory still angered Mike. He hadn't anticipated falling for anyone's trickery after all his careful planning. The thought still sent chills down his spine. He'd believed he was in control, but his every move had been monitored. Subconsciously, he glanced around, fearing the organization might have overheard.

Lily remained calm, hands in her pockets as she strolled forward. "You don't need to look," she said lightly. "This place is under surveillance. They've already seen us talking."

"What?!" Mike exclaimed, stopping abruptly and looking around frantically.

Lily stopped and turned, regarding him with a smile. "No need to be so scared," she said. "You should know this place is heavily monitored. How could we escape surveillance?"

Mike fell silent, signaling with his eyes for her to stop. She seemed unconcerned. "I have a jammer," she said. "You don't need to worry."

"Huh?!"

"Why do you think I'm telling you this openly? I always carry one." She paused. "Still, this symbiote is tricky. Can you think of a way to get clues from Rhea about it?"

Mike was even more puzzled. "Don't you already know what it is?" He'd heard her earlier conversation with Rhea and admired her intelligence. He'd assumed she knew everything. Her current statement confused him.

Lily smiled faintly, saying nothing. Mike stared, then realized. "Oh! You were lying..." He quickly covered his mouth, her expression confirming his suspicion. He had no idea if Rhea believed Lily's lie. Regardless, he trusted Lily and believed she knew what she was doing.

"You two, with your lies and truths… I can't tell the difference!" He shook his head in exasperation. His time in the organization had been the most grueling period of his life. Every day, every word, every action involved deception. He felt like a secret agent, constantly navigating a treacherous landscape of truth and lies, leaving him disoriented and questioning his purpose.

"Well, I've been pushed to the edge," Lily admitted, the smile leaving her eyes. Her voice was strained and weary.