wait for the enemy to show.
“Now, what the enemy does with this information tells us something about them. If they simply try to kill you, they’re thugs. They perceive you as a threat and they want to eliminate you. But if they try to coerce you into explaining Pinwheel to them, that’s a different story.”
“That’s what this guy was trying to do. Scare me into telling him about it.”
Erica nodded. “Whoever we’re up against is smart. They want what you know. Or, at least, what they think you know. The good news is, you’re probably worth more to them alive than dead.”
“And the bad news is, this isn’t the last time someone’s going to come for me.”
“Right. Though they won’t do it the same way next time. They’ve played that hand already.”
“Do you have any idea who we’re talking about here?” I asked. “Who are these people?”
“Oh, there’s lots of possibilities: criminal organizations, multinational corporations looking to protect their interests, disgruntled former agents with a bone to pick . . . though I’d say the good money’s on a rival agency from another country. One that views America and the CIA as a threat.”
“Why do you say that?”
“It makes sense, given what they did here last time.”
“Wait. This isn’t the first time they’ve infiltrated the school?”
Erica studied me for a moment, assessing how much she could share. “Didn’t you think it was odd, being recruited to a new school in the middle of January?”
“Yes. I asked your father about it.”
“And what’d he say?”
“There was a sudden opening.” The moment the words left my mouth, I realized that they, like so many other things I’d heard at spy school, were a euphemism for a much darker story. “Oh no! Someone got killed?”
“Joshua Hallal. A sixth year. Incredibly talented. Would’ve been top of his class, one of the best undercover agents the academy has ever produced, a real threat to our enemies.” Erica turned away. I couldn’t tell for sure, but it looked as though there might have been a tear in her eye. Which would have been the first trace of emotion I’d seen her display. “The school covered it up, of course. Claimed Josh had a virulent allergic reaction to a bee sting. Which made him unfit to serve, so they rotated him out and placed him and his family in the Witness Protection Program. They might as well have just told us that they sent him to a farm upstate where there’s lots of room for him to run.”
“What really happened to him?”
Erica shrugged. “I don’t know the details . . . yet. All I know is that it happened. And it scared everyone from the school administration on up to the president himself. No one outside of the academy should have known who Josh was. Not even his parents.”
I frowned.
“What?” Erica asked.
“There must be a lot of good future spies here,” I said. “Maybe not all as good as you and Joshua. But close. Why’d they go through so much trouble to kill him ? Especially when it revealed that they have a mole inside.”
Erica looked back at me. I thought I saw the tiniest trace of a smile bend the corners of her mouth. “You might suck at being a spy right now, but you’re not stupid. You’re right. It was risky for them to take out Josh. Which means there was probably a reason they did it.”
“Any ideas?”
“I’m working on it.”
“Are you supposed to be?”
“No. The administration is, but they’ve pretty much botched things royally so far. Your little visit tonight being exhibit A. This could’ve all ended tonight if they’d let me be involved. Or anyone competent, really. It’s a shame. Josh deserves better. So let’s just consider this a covert extra-credit assignment for us right now.”
I felt a flush of excitement. “Us?”
“You think I’ve gone through all the trouble to sneak in here and spill my guts to you for fun? Number one mistake the administration has made so far: not
“Now, what the enemy does with this information tells us something about them. If they simply try to kill you, they’re thugs. They perceive you as a threat and they want to eliminate you. But if they try to coerce you into explaining Pinwheel to them, that’s a different story.”
“That’s what this guy was trying to do. Scare me into telling him about it.”
Erica nodded. “Whoever we’re up against is smart. They want what you know. Or, at least, what they think you know. The good news is, you’re probably worth more to them alive than dead.”
“And the bad news is, this isn’t the last time someone’s going to come for me.”
“Right. Though they won’t do it the same way next time. They’ve played that hand already.”
“Do you have any idea who we’re talking about here?” I asked. “Who are these people?”
“Oh, there’s lots of possibilities: criminal organizations, multinational corporations looking to protect their interests, disgruntled former agents with a bone to pick . . . though I’d say the good money’s on a rival agency from another country. One that views America and the CIA as a threat.”
“Why do you say that?”
“It makes sense, given what they did here last time.”
“Wait. This isn’t the first time they’ve infiltrated the school?”
Erica studied me for a moment, assessing how much she could share. “Didn’t you think it was odd, being recruited to a new school in the middle of January?”
“Yes. I asked your father about it.”
“And what’d he say?”
“There was a sudden opening.” The moment the words left my mouth, I realized that they, like so many other things I’d heard at spy school, were a euphemism for a much darker story. “Oh no! Someone got killed?”
“Joshua Hallal. A sixth year. Incredibly talented. Would’ve been top of his class, one of the best undercover agents the academy has ever produced, a real threat to our enemies.” Erica turned away. I couldn’t tell for sure, but it looked as though there might have been a tear in her eye. Which would have been the first trace of emotion I’d seen her display. “The school covered it up, of course. Claimed Josh had a virulent allergic reaction to a bee sting. Which made him unfit to serve, so they rotated him out and placed him and his family in the Witness Protection Program. They might as well have just told us that they sent him to a farm upstate where there’s lots of room for him to run.”
“What really happened to him?”
Erica shrugged. “I don’t know the details . . . yet. All I know is that it happened. And it scared everyone from the school administration on up to the president himself. No one outside of the academy should have known who Josh was. Not even his parents.”
I frowned.
“What?” Erica asked.
“There must be a lot of good future spies here,” I said. “Maybe not all as good as you and Joshua. But close. Why’d they go through so much trouble to kill him ? Especially when it revealed that they have a mole inside.”
Erica looked back at me. I thought I saw the tiniest trace of a smile bend the corners of her mouth. “You might suck at being a spy right now, but you’re not stupid. You’re right. It was risky for them to take out Josh. Which means there was probably a reason they did it.”
“Any ideas?”
“I’m working on it.”
“Are you supposed to be?”
“No. The administration is, but they’ve pretty much botched things royally so far. Your little visit tonight being exhibit A. This could’ve all ended tonight if they’d let me be involved. Or anyone competent, really. It’s a shame. Josh deserves better. So let’s just consider this a covert extra-credit assignment for us right now.”
I felt a flush of excitement. “Us?”
“You think I’ve gone through all the trouble to sneak in here and spill my guts to you for fun? Number one mistake the administration has made so far: not
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