She smirked. “Make it a competition.”
I laughed. “You think that would work?”
“Try it and see.”
I had, and within the week, Walker built a script that scanned for new gambling sites and sent an alert to everyone, making it easy for us to manually block. He claimed he only did it so he had more time for art, and maybe that was half of it. But there was pride in his work as well.
She’d been right. We needed to build these skills. Just the lifts Jansen taught us have been invaluable. Reading people is a new skill that makes the social manipulation part of my job easier, even if I’ll never love it or be anything like a natural at it. But now I have the confidence to at least try.
As much as I hate that she’s in the situation she’s in, that we’re all in, and as much as I miss the heat of her skin against mine, I knew from that first conversation that this was where we were heading.
Clara wants all of us free to make the lives we choose. And if she has to cheat, lie, and throw herself headfirst into danger to make it happen, then that’s what she’s going to do. It’s what she’sbeendoing since the first time she manipulated the system and put Bryce behind bars.
Putting herself in danger, but trusting us to be her back-up, all to keep us free.
God, do I love her.
Tomorrow, I’ll sit down with Walker and see where his workload is. If he has space in his schedule, maybe he can track the lower-level pedos or monitor my dad while I go after the bigger fish that we need to fry.
It’s a start.
Until then, I’ll keep sneaking over to Black between classes to deliver food and supplies for Emma and Jansen, trying to be what the team and plan need me to be. Taking chaotic paths and packed buses to lose our tail has become a regular part of our days, and it’s another skill I’m glad I’ve learned.
Even if the man who taught it to me is barely walking right now.
I’m jolted out of my thoughts as my new 10 a.m. Saturday alarm rings, and I immediately text Mattie, hoping for an update.
Hey.
It takes a while, but eventuallyshe answers.
What do you need?
Well, that’s straight to the point.
An update.
Clara’s out, and my father’s been chatting with her more. Archie is still locked up.
Charm and distract was one avenue Clara was hoping to use while stuck in the house. We’ll need some distractions if we’re going to make this happen.
Do you know when your brother will be let out? Is this normal?
It turns out I don’t know as much about my family as I thought I did. I have no idea.
How does Clara seem?
Fine. Quieter and calmer than she was before. Scarier.
Scary? Clara?
Dude, she shot a man like it was nothing. That’s scary. I know enough not to take what my father says at face value, but he said that she’s dangerous, and I have to believe him after that.
Sorry. I know you’re one of her boyfriends.
How does that work anyway? Shewon’t tell me.
I won’t either.
