Neither of us moves until Alex leaves and we’re alone. When the door clicks shut, Norcut smiles. “Surprised?”
Surprised . . . speechless . . . pissed.
“Hart said you were a bit rattled after the accident,” Norcut continues. “He thought we should wait to chat. I disagreed.” Heavy curtains are drawn across the office’s windows, dipping everything in shadows. Norcut moves to my right, and briefly her voice sounds like it’s slithering from the dark. “I’m so glad you decided to join the program.”
I heave myself forward, blood thumping in my temples. “I’m not really sure I had a choice.”
“True.” She shifts again, coming around the side of the desk so we’re face-to-face. Norcut’s blond hair is brighter in the shadows. It makes her look illuminated. “Will you sit down? Please? Like you said, it isn’t as if you have much choice.”
Stiff-legged, I take the farthest-away armchair as Norcut goes to the first set of curtains, pulling them back to reveal an impossibly blue sky marbled with clouds.
“Our program is . . . unique.” She takes the chair next to me and turns sideways so we can face each other. “What did you think of the others?”
Kent immediately springs to mind and I have to squash my gag reflex. “They seem okay.”
“They’re quite brilliant. We found Connor and Jake last year. They enjoy cracking government encryptions and got a little . . . careless, shall we say? Kent is a former child prodigy. He specializes in malware. I’m assuming you see the connection?”
Of course, they’re all hackers. They’re all just like me.
“What about Alex?” I ask.
Norcut lifts one shoulder. “Basically, she’s a thief—corporate espionage mostly. Alex needed help. We were happy to assist. Looking Glass is always looking”—Norcut smiles, amused by her own joke—“for talent. Our clients are Fortune 500 companies, major hospital networks, and a few select individuals who demand the very best in database controls, web securities, and antivirus applications. We stay ahead of our competition by hiring people who aren’t just on the cutting edge. They are the cutting edge, and sometimes that gets them into trouble. Luckily, we’re around to get them out.”
“How did you find me? I’m not in trouble.”
The smile slides into a full-fledged grin. “Your last job attracted quite a bit of interest. There’s so much chatter on the networks now. And then there’s the matter of every person connected with your father turning up dead. You’re in danger. Your family is now in danger.”
As if I needed the reminder. Thing is, I took my last job to keep my family safe. If I hadn’t accepted Carson’s offer, he would’ve blown my secrets and Bren’s into the open. My adoptive mom had barely survived her husband, who was a pedophile and a rapist. Was I really supposed to let the detective reveal she might have bribed a corrupt judge to push through our adoption papers? That her company was failing? That she was crumbling?
And worst of all, that her older adopted daughter was breaking the law right under her nose.
I place both hands on the chair’s armrests. “When do I get to talk to Bren again? I didn’t get to say good-bye to Lily. I want to call them.”
Norcut nods. “Totally understandable, but we think you need a little time before reconnecting with your family.”
Heat creeps along my neck. “‘We’?”
“Your mother and I. Bren will not take your phone calls until everyone’s safe and you’re doing better.”
“And you’ll be the one to judge ‘better,’ I guess?”
“I wish you wouldn’t see it quite like that, but yes.” Norcut crosses her legs and smoothes her skirt. “No one besides staff is allowed outside contact. No cell phones, no online chatting with friends, no distractions. Honestly, Wicket, you have a great deal more to worry about right now than keeping up with Lily’s homework and Lauren’s cheerleading schedule.”
I grit my teeth and concentrate on the office. Aside from the massive mahogany desk, there’s not much else to the room. In her other office, Norcut had couches, plants. I once spent two months pouring coffee into her orchids. If we’re going to continue this freaking joke, it’s kind of a shame I won’t be able to keep up the tradition.
Norcut leans forward. “I want to help you reach your potential. This is what we do. Your education will continue—both in academics and computer science. I won’t lie to you. It will be vigorous, but we wouldn’t have extended the offer to your mother if we didn’t think you were fully capable.”