walk normal when I felt like a kid out to toilet paper the neighbor’s house.
The computer’s hazy light shone all too bright for the dark office. My vision beyond the screen dimmed as my pupils constricted. “All right, it’s on.”
“Insert the USB drive and let me do the rest.”
I found the port on the side of the laptop. A black screen popped up covered in code. It scrolled faster than my eyes could read, then disappeared. Jason logged on from his remote location. I shifted my weight, glancing at the oversized chair behind me. I just couldn’t bring myself to sit in the boss’s chair.
“Hmm.”
“What?” I asked.
“I can’t get the information to travel. I’m going to save it to the USB drive. You’ll have to bring it down to the lobby. I’ll meet you there.” I heard him typing at the speed of light. “Okay. You can remove the drive.”
I pulled the stick out of the port, shut the computer down, and I closed it up, just like I’d found it.
“Someone’s getting off the elevator,” Jason said.
My whole body froze with fear. “Who is it?”
“Get to your office.”
I bolted for the door.
“Your purse.”
Ack ! I grabbed my purse from the desk, knocking over the pencil holder and scattering pens in the process. I started to hyperventilate.
“Calm down. It’s the cleaning lady. She’ll start in the bathrooms. You have a little over 15 minutes to get out of there.”
One, two, three, breathe in; one, two three, breathe out.
I restocked the pencil holder, careful to put all the pointed tips facing down just like Devin liked.
“Go ahead – she’s still in there.”
Tucking my purse under my arm, I walked through the hall like I hadn’t been up to no good. Thankfully, the elevator was still waiting for a call. It slid open and shut within seconds.
“I’ll be there when the doors open.” Jason hung up.
True to his word, the elevator doors slid open to reveal his confident smile. He pulled my shaking figure into his secure arms. “I knew you could do it,” he whispered into my hair.
Smiling up at him, I reached out to hold his hand and slipped the USB drive into his palm. We carried it between our palms all the way to my car, where he pocketed the device.
“Let’s grab something to eat.”
“Don’t you have to meet someone?” I squeezed his now empty hand.
“Not until tomorrow morning. Come on, I bet you could use a double-chocolate frozen creation with hot fudge and brownie bits.” He smiled, knowing my weaknesses so well. He opened my door. “I’ll meet you there.”
“Fine.” The shaking didn’t stop once I was in my car, driving away from the latest phase in a string of odd occurrences that had become my life. I shook my head. I wasn’t cut out for a life full of espionage, lies, and secret missions. But, if Jason really was getting out of the spy business, perhaps our lives could still be what he had promised. I needed time to think this through, alone time.
Sulking, I waited at the table while Jason ordered our frozen treats.
“Uh-oh.” He pulled out a chair and sat down.
I gave him a sad smile. The usually scrumptious chocolate concoction did little to elevate my mood. I pushed it away after three bites. Sighing, I plunged into the icy waters of alone. “I’ve been thinking.”
Jason twisted his cup in circles. “Yeah?”
“Are you sure you want out of this? Because you act like you love it.” This was the clincher. I didn’t want to take away something Jason loved, or force him to choose between me and the job.
“I do love it.” He took my hand from across the table. “But, I love you more.”
I looked down. “I’m so confused.”
“About what?”
“About who you are.” I pulled my hand away. “About who I am. In the last three days I’ve been shot at, lied to my parents, and stolen private information from my company. I never thought I’d do any of those things and now I’ve done all three – because of
The computer’s hazy light shone all too bright for the dark office. My vision beyond the screen dimmed as my pupils constricted. “All right, it’s on.”
“Insert the USB drive and let me do the rest.”
I found the port on the side of the laptop. A black screen popped up covered in code. It scrolled faster than my eyes could read, then disappeared. Jason logged on from his remote location. I shifted my weight, glancing at the oversized chair behind me. I just couldn’t bring myself to sit in the boss’s chair.
“Hmm.”
“What?” I asked.
“I can’t get the information to travel. I’m going to save it to the USB drive. You’ll have to bring it down to the lobby. I’ll meet you there.” I heard him typing at the speed of light. “Okay. You can remove the drive.”
I pulled the stick out of the port, shut the computer down, and I closed it up, just like I’d found it.
“Someone’s getting off the elevator,” Jason said.
My whole body froze with fear. “Who is it?”
“Get to your office.”
I bolted for the door.
“Your purse.”
Ack ! I grabbed my purse from the desk, knocking over the pencil holder and scattering pens in the process. I started to hyperventilate.
“Calm down. It’s the cleaning lady. She’ll start in the bathrooms. You have a little over 15 minutes to get out of there.”
One, two, three, breathe in; one, two three, breathe out.
I restocked the pencil holder, careful to put all the pointed tips facing down just like Devin liked.
“Go ahead – she’s still in there.”
Tucking my purse under my arm, I walked through the hall like I hadn’t been up to no good. Thankfully, the elevator was still waiting for a call. It slid open and shut within seconds.
“I’ll be there when the doors open.” Jason hung up.
True to his word, the elevator doors slid open to reveal his confident smile. He pulled my shaking figure into his secure arms. “I knew you could do it,” he whispered into my hair.
Smiling up at him, I reached out to hold his hand and slipped the USB drive into his palm. We carried it between our palms all the way to my car, where he pocketed the device.
“Let’s grab something to eat.”
“Don’t you have to meet someone?” I squeezed his now empty hand.
“Not until tomorrow morning. Come on, I bet you could use a double-chocolate frozen creation with hot fudge and brownie bits.” He smiled, knowing my weaknesses so well. He opened my door. “I’ll meet you there.”
“Fine.” The shaking didn’t stop once I was in my car, driving away from the latest phase in a string of odd occurrences that had become my life. I shook my head. I wasn’t cut out for a life full of espionage, lies, and secret missions. But, if Jason really was getting out of the spy business, perhaps our lives could still be what he had promised. I needed time to think this through, alone time.
Sulking, I waited at the table while Jason ordered our frozen treats.
“Uh-oh.” He pulled out a chair and sat down.
I gave him a sad smile. The usually scrumptious chocolate concoction did little to elevate my mood. I pushed it away after three bites. Sighing, I plunged into the icy waters of alone. “I’ve been thinking.”
Jason twisted his cup in circles. “Yeah?”
“Are you sure you want out of this? Because you act like you love it.” This was the clincher. I didn’t want to take away something Jason loved, or force him to choose between me and the job.
“I do love it.” He took my hand from across the table. “But, I love you more.”
I looked down. “I’m so confused.”
“About what?”
“About who you are.” I pulled my hand away. “About who I am. In the last three days I’ve been shot at, lied to my parents, and stolen private information from my company. I never thought I’d do any of those things and now I’ve done all three – because of
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