Iknow all of this somewhere in my core.ButI’venever thought of it before in the context of another actual person.Ifind myself filing it away for future use and wondering what decisionIwould make ifIwere inGianna’sshoes.
“Iheld off even submitting the papers to vet him becauseIwasn’t sure our relationship was at the right point…Andthen we broke up a few days ago.NowI’mvery gladInever told him.”
Thewords feel like a punch to my gut.
Mymom puts an arm aroundGianna’sshoulders and gives her a quick squeeze. “Iam sorry to hear that.Itsounds like your instincts were spot-on about feeling that something wasn’t right.”
Thedoors to the elevator are about to shut whenLedgercalls out “Holdthe doors!” as he races toward us.
Helooks a little winded as he steps on, but more than that, he looks angry.Andthere is one thingIcan always count on to make him angry like that. “Letme guess,”Isay. “ZoeSteelealso showed up for the mission you went on today.”
Ledgerlets out a low growl.
“Oh, and she bested you.”
“NowIhave to add another tally under her name on the board.”Ican tell by the way the muscles on his crossed arms are flexing and his nostrils are flaring that he’s pretty fueled up about it.AlthoughIwould’ve known that even without the tells— he’s never been okay with not winning.
“Secondtime this month, huh?”Iask.
“I’mstarting to wonder ifLangleyis purposely sending her on missions they thinkI’mgoing to be on just to mess with me.”
“Well,” the director says, “you’re both good at the same things, so it makes sense she’d get assigned to the same types of missions as you.”
Ledgerspins to face her. “Areyou saying thatZoeandIare alike?”
Mymom can usually get away with saying anything toLedger, butIthink that answering yes to that question will show that limit.It’salso the reason whyIdon’t say the teasing commentIwant to, which is that maybeLangleyis trying to play matchmaker with him andZoe.Butthat remark will likely get me punched.AndifZoewas around,I’mguessing the comment would earn me a punch from her, too.
Insteadof pushing it, my mom holds up her hands. “Iwould never say that.”
Butthen she gives me andGiannaa knowing look whenLedgerturns back to stare at the elevator door.
Myphone buzzes in my pocket andIpull it out at the same time my mom,Ledger, andGiannapull out theirs as the elevator doors open.It’sa security alert that shows an image ofMackenzie’sdriver’s license with the wordsMackenzieMacNeilhere to seeJaceLancaster.Ihaven’t fully taken it in when the lights start flashing red and a voice over the intercom sounds, “CodeFourteen.CodeFourteen.CodeFourteen.”
Mackenzieishere?
Adrenalinecourses through my body and the bodies of every single person at theCSA.
Ourcompany website is meant to be frustrating enough to ward away anyone who might actually be looking for a business solutions company.Itappears professional, as if we are a very legitimate business that has probably been around for a long time, but if a company were to base our ability to help with their struggles based on the website alone…Well, let’s just say that if our cover business were a business, it would fail.Ifsomeone actually wades through the site enough to find theContactUsform, it returns an automatic message to them saying that we aren’t open to new clients at this time.
I’mactually rather impressed thatMackenziemade it here.
Iglance at the director. “ShouldImeet her in the lobby and tell herI’mtoo busy to talk?”
Sheshakes her head. “No.Shemust have suspicions, and we need to put those to rest.Inviteher in.”
Weenter the main floor just as the big agency name and logo that is right above the main screens at the front of the room pulls back into the wall, theLancasterBusinessSolutionsname and logo lowering from the ceiling to take its place.Aflurry of activity fills the area.
Irush over to my desk as “Desktopslowering in fifteen…fourteen…” sounds from the speakers.Thereis often sensitive information on each of our desks, so the desktops, which are set in the frame of the desk, lower into themselves during aCode14.Iset my water bottle and coffee mug on my chair since they’re both over two inches high.
Then, along with everyone else,Iput my mouse and mouse pad on top of my keyboard and pick it up.Luckily, our monitors are attached to the backs of the desk.Weall hold them as our desktops sink two inches and an empty desktop rolls across in its place, and then we set our keyboards and mice back down.
Iopen my bottom desk drawer, grab out a nondescript notepad and pen and a family picture, and then put them on my now-empty desk, along with my water bottle and mug.
Ledgergoes to the whiteboard on the side wall, angrily puts a tally mark underZoe’sname, then takes the whole thing off the wall and turns it around to the side that shows our cover company’s business motto, “Yoursecrets are safe with us,” and rehangs it.
Allof us race through the room, looking for anything suspicious, as the clear glass fronts of the sound-proof conference rooms at the back darken enough that if there is anyone inside, they can no longer be seen.Aline of framed photos along the east wall shows each of our directors since theClandestineServicesAgencywas formed thirty-one years ago.Allbut the last two— my mother and my father— are set back in the wall enough that a false section of the wall can slide down, covering them.Myparents’ pictures stay since our current cover is the business of theLancasterfamily and they are the founders.
Wehave maybe seconds left.Allof the computer monitors and the four big screens at the front of the room switch from showing information about threat actors, informants, businesses, and individuals under surveillance, and current missions to a mix of business goals, projections, graphs, charts, spreadsheets, and boring screens that look like they are deep into security software menus.
