Side Note my kids hated and loved micro +expressions in blessing and of course curses,tons of laughs when they challenged me with their friends 😂
Volume Two
Chapter Eight: The Truth Beneath the Mask
INT. COALITION SAFE ROOM – MORNING
The coalition was riding high on their victory at the freight terminal, but the hard drives Walter and Happy recovered were encrypted with layers of psychological triggers and false memories. As the team pored over the data, Dani muttered, "We need someone who can spot a lie faster than these files can rewrite themselves."
Enter Dr. Cal Lightman, striding in with Gillian Foster and Eli Loker at his side. Lightman's eyes flicked from face to face, reading tension, exhaustion, and the subtle flickers of hope.
LIGHTMAN (smirking):
"You lot look like you just survived a war and a wedding—at the same time. Let's see what you've got."
WALTER (handing over a drive):
"This encryption isn't just code. It's… layered with psychological cues. Some of the files only open if the user's emotional state matches a specific profile."
LIGHTMAN (grinning):
"Now you're speaking my language."
INT. INTERROGATION ROOM – LATER
The coalition brings in a captured mid-level operative, his face a mask of calm. Lightman sits across from him, Gillian and Loker observing from behind the glass. Olivia, Voight, and Paige watch, skeptical.
LIGHTMAN (leaning in, casual):
"Let's play a game. I'll ask questions, you try not to lie. If you do, I win. If you don't… well, you won't."
The operative smirks, but Lightman's gaze never wavers.
LIGHTMAN (CONT'D):
"Who gave you the order to erase those identities?"
The man shrugs. "I don't know what you're talking about."
Lightman's eyes narrow. "Micro-twitch in your left cheek. You're suppressing anger, not confusion. You know exactly what I'm talking about. Try again."
The room goes silent as Lightman peels away the operative's composure, layer by layer. Within minutes, the man cracks, giving up a name: Dr. Helen Sato—a behavioral scientist behind the masking tech.
INT. WAR ROOM – AFTERNOON
Gillian Foster reviews the hard drive's psychological triggers. "These files are booby-trapped. If the wrong person tries to open them, they'll trigger false memories or panic attacks. But if we calibrate the emotional cues—using real survivor stories—we can unlock the truth."
Eli Loker, ever the radical honesty advocate, volunteers. "Let me try. I've got nothing to hide."
With Lightman's coaching, Eli navigates the files, unlocking a hidden directory: video confessionals from erased victims, and a blueprint for the next phase of the conspiracy—targeting key witnesses and coalition members with psychological attacks.
INT. COALITION HQ – EVENING
Lightman gathers the team.
LIGHTMAN:
"This isn't just about hiding people. It's about rewriting reality—making you doubt what you've seen, what you remember, even who you are. But the truth always leaks out. You just have to know where to look."
Paige, impressed, grins. "So, basically, you're the human polygraph. With better hair."
Lightman winks. "And a lower error rate."
EXT. CITY STREETS – NIGHT
Armed with new intel, the coalition splits up:
Lightman's team tracks Dr. Sato, using deception detection to avoid traps and false leads.
The rest prepare to protect the next wave of targets, relying on the Lie to Me team's real-time reads to spot infiltrators and moles.
As the city plunges into another night of uncertainty, the coalition knows one thing for sure:
The truth is out there—and with Lightman's help, they're finally learning how to see it.
End of Chapter Eight