"Be careful about being nice to him,” Leo says to Snow on his way out.“He likes to threaten people with knives of friendship."
I flash a mean smile at him. "Oh no, that was a specially tailored threat just for you, bitch."
Leo seems to find this hilarious for some reason, turning to his friend with a harsh laugh. "Damon, the new kid just called me a bitch."
Damon makes a thoughtful humming sound, titling his head to one side.
"Well,” he says, giving Leo a good once-over in mock consideration, “you are kind of a bitch."
Leo looks mortally offended by this. He darts a glance between us and says, "This must be what Lindsay Lohan's character felt like inMean Girls." He shakes his head sadly and presses a hand against his chest, over his heart. "I feel you, Lindsay."
Now I'm horrified to still be here. To be here and awake and dealing with this shit. I think Leo needs to be smacked in the mouth more.
Snow clears her throat and speaks witha warningin her voice this time.
"Agents, go do something useful before I decide you're more trouble than you're worth, andIhand you off to someone else to deal with. Maybe Senior Agent Nova could use some junior agents to help him in the labs again."
"No!" Leo protestsin abject horror, throwing one arm out to the side.
Damon steps swiftly to the left to avoid getting whacked in the chest.He’s fast. Fast and probably mean. I'll have to remember that for later just in case I need to snap him in half at some point.
“Senior Agent Nova makes us clean flasks and tubes with goop in them. And he won't tell us what the goop is. He says it's classified. The goop glows, Anabelle. It.Glows. And I'm pretty sure a big glop of goop tried to crawl up my arm last time. It wanted to eat myface."
Turning my head to give Leo the full benefit of my most unimpressed look, I say dryly, "The goop has my full support in all of its future attempts."
"Mate, you don't even know," Leo mutters fearfully. "Beware of the goop, like seriously, beware of thegoop. It will destroy us all!"
"Leo," Damon says with a put-upon sigh, "I can't believe I'm saying this, but you are actually embarrassing us in front of the OIassassin."
These people, I have decided, are fucking odd. I really need to get out of this place before I chew my own arm off just so I can have something to throw at Leo.
Snow is watching us, her stony visage unwavering. No trace of emotion, not even mild annoyance. It is impressively disquieting.
"Out," Snow says finally. There must be something in her voice that sets off alarm bells for Leo and Damon because they beat a hasty exit out of the room, closing the door behind them.
Then it's just me and Snow.
I feel more relaxed now we're alone. Actually, that's a lie. I'm never relaxed. Less tense would be a better description. I'm ready, though. For whatever this woman tries to throw at me, I'm ready. Thereare only twopossible outcomes. In the end I'll be dead, or everyone else will be. I'm not particularly excited about either option, but needs must.
"Mr Roth,"Snow addresses me by the last name no one in OI uses. I don't even remember how I know that's my last name. It isn't used in missionreports. I'm Agent Jack. Jack Roth died a long time ago. The boy I was and the man I could have been are gone. They were both set alight the moment I became property of Obsidian Inc.
"You can sit down if you like."Snow nods at the lightly scuffed chair in front of her desk.
"What are you going to do with me?" I ask because I'm weak. I'm so fucking weak. I’m probably going to die horriblybecause I'm no good at this part.I'm shit at playing the game. I'm too much of a blunt instrument, more shiv than knife.
Snowclasps her hands together and settles them onher desk. I think about breaking her wrists. I think about theneat snapping sound her fine bones would make, like twigs under heavy boots. I think:there'd be no pleasure in it, but Iwouldn't be sorry to hurt her.
Snowdoesn't look concerned, but she does look aware. Aware of me. She knows how much power she has in this situation. All of it. And I've justgiven her the perfect ammo to break down any defences I might have otherwise built between us.
"Sit down, and we can talk about it,"Snow offers, and it’s bullshit. But it was never going to be anything else.
We've already started the bartering phase of our relationship. I give her something. She gives me something. I can work with that.
I sit down in the chair, never taking my eyes off her.
"Thank you, Mr Roth,"Snow says formally as if we're in a job interview, and she's thanking me for coming.
"First of all, I want you to know you're safe here."Snow meets my eyes, and I try not to let her know how much I want to spit in her face for that lie.Snow must see it anyway because shegoes on with a little lessreassurance in hervoice.
