In Too Deep

Chapter 6

I wait in McAllister’s office, ready to leave if he keeps me waiting another…thirty seconds…I decide. I watch the second hand on my watch tick his time away.

He appears in the doorway, carrying a stack of papers. “Weren’t going to leave on me, were you?”

I don’t answer. Instead I pluck the files from his hands. “What’ve you got for me?” I flip open the first file folder. “I’m going fucking crazy playing teacher here. This was not what we agreed when I came to work for you.”

He gives me a once over. Okay, so it wasn’t like I had many choices after graduating last year, but I knew what I wanted. To be in the field, taking the assignments no one else wanted, going from place to place, never sleeping in the same bed twice. It sounded perfect to me. But the reality has been quite different.

McAllister said he needed me here, at least through this semester, and he promised he’d pepper in occasional assignments to get me out on the road. When I’d agreed, he’d asked me to tone down my “extracurricular activities” – which we both knew meant banging every girl in sight – but I’d said no way, that wasn’t part of the deal. And so here we are. Me pissed and angry at him for tying me down to this school, and him fed up with girls weeping in Vera’s office, asking to be sent home. But the sooner he sent me out on field work, the sooner that would stop. It was the only chip I had, so I played it. Plus, I had to do something to entertain myself. I’ve learned keeping things purely physical and keeping emotion out of it was the best way to go. And after the last few years of living this way, I have it mastered.

The first file is an assignment for Taylor. I glance at it quickly, wondering if she’ll be able to handle it. The next few files don’t contain anything that would require field work either. Which is why McAllister had been so hesitant to share them with me.

“I’m sure we’ll get something for you soon,” he says, as if reading my mind. But then again, he knows me better than anyone. At least he thinks he does.

He sits down behind his desk and rubs his temples. He lets out a heavy sigh. I feel like I’m looking at him and really noticing him for the first time in years. Being the head of clandestine organization isn’t exactly stress-free, and dealing with a bunch of teenage prodigies lends a certain interesting element, but they’re cheap labor. He can train and mold them to his will and then give them his grunt work while the money rolls in.

Realizing I’m still seated in front of him, he drops his hands and studies me. I can see an idea forming in his eyes. “Today I’ll test out what our new computer-girl is capable of.” He offers a weak smile, the idea somehow exciting him. “And if she’s as good as it seems, I may even resurrect my idea for hacking into the stock market and making some transactions under the radar.” His eyes twinkle.

“That’s a bad idea and we both know it.” I have no problem challenging him, like everyone else around here is afraid to do. I’d long ago stopped trying to win his respect. “You’ll land yourself and her in prison. Not unless you have a strong desire to get an ass pounding?”

He coughs, clearing his throat. The look of alarm on his face is priceless.

“No? Didn’t think so.” I stand and leave his office. Maybe it’s better if I’m here rather than in the field. Someone has to keep him in check.