Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 88119 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88119 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
A crackling sounded from the speakers in the ceiling. Holly and I raised our heads at the same time to stare at the white painted squares. My insides felt like someone was squeezing them. What were the odds that Major would message me or Holly on the day I found out about Alec’s Variation?
“Holly, Tessa, in my office in ten minutes,” Major barked, and with a hiss, the speakers went out again. Silence followed.
Holly glanced at me. “Uh, why do I think this isn’t good?”
“Because it isn’t.” I glared at the picture of Alec and me on the digital frame on my nightstand. We’d taken it only two days ago. A red gummy bear was wedged between our lips, our eyes crinkling with laughter. A moment later, he’d swallowed it. When I’d protested, he silenced me with a kiss. That seemed like a lifetime ago.
“Come on. Let’s go. We can’t afford to be late.” Holly jumped up from her bed and dragged me to my feet.
The desk chair groaned as it spun from the sudden movement. A good reflection of the way I felt.
“Sit down,” Major waved a hand at the two free chairs. The third was already occupied.
Alec. Of course, he was here. His eyes followed me as I crossed the room and sat in the far left chair, so that Holly ended up between me and him. It was ridiculous and childish, but if this talk was about what I thought it was: me finding out about Alec’s Variation, then I needed the space or I’d end up strangling him. Kate would have been here if she were the one who’d told Major about her slip of the tongue. So that left only Alec. I could still feel his eyes on me. They seemed to burn into me, ignoring Holly and Major completely. He could probably feel my anger and for once, I almost welcomed it.
Major’s gaze darted between me and Alec, and his frown threatened to swallow his eyes. “I’m sorry, did something occur that I should be aware of?”
The question leaked some of the tension from my body. So he didn’t know.
“No, sir,” Alec and I said at the same time. Major’s frown and the lines around his mouth deepened as he narrowed his eyes in suspicion. I’d faced that look too often to be intimidated by it. Realizing it, he stared down at a file lying opened on his desk. Holly relaxed visibly in her chair.
“So why did you want to see us, sir?” Alec asked, his voice all business. I wished I had his talent to switch off my emotions. I bet his Variation factored into that. Outside the picture window it had started hailing and the icy stones lashed angrily against the glass.
“I have a new mission for the three of you,” Major said, shuffling a few pieces of paper around.
“So soon?” I blurted.
It had been only a few weeks since I’d returned from my first mission in Livingston. There were classes to complete before I was sent out into the field again. And my previous mission still haunted my dreams.
“I thought we’d agreed to keep Tessa in headquarters for a while until we’ve determined whether Abel’s Army will target her,” Alec said disapprovingly.
Why did he make it sound as if I was the only target? The clunk-clunk of hail hitting the window filled the awkward silence of the room. Holly watched the scene with wide eyes. This would be her very first mission. I scratched my shoes over the gray-tiled floor, unsure what to make of Alec’s strange reaction.
Major’s lips thinned as he folded his fingers on the desk in front of him. “It’s not my decision, sadly. A politician has been getting death threats and one of his bodyguards was seriously injured during a recent attack. Secret Service is convinced that we’re dealing with Variants. Apparently the government may have done some bargaining with shady individuals. Now this is mob business and Abel’s Army might be doing some of their dirty work for cash.”
“If Abel’s Army is responsible, Tessa can’t be involved in the case. It’s too dangerous,” Alec said urgently.
“What would our mission entail?” I asked, tired of everyone discussing my safety as if I wasn’t there.
Major’s lips turned up into the semblance of a smile. “Our main job is to catch the people responsible for the death threats and the attacks…” He turned his attention to me. “But in order to do that and keep the politician safe, certain people think you should impersonate him.”
“Who is he?”
“Senator Jack Pollard,” Major said. I didn’t know him, but a senator? “He was with the FEA a while back, then he turned politician and started working for the State Department. He tried to establish a cooperation between our government and foreign organizations that were similar to the FEA.”