ee seconds before looking away. She smoothed her

down the hallway. He was out of breath, his face red. He

of his office. The Principal plastered a massive, ner

g slightly. "Welcome to White Feather. This is your VIP access card. You have ful

Dean Aberdeen's eyes nearl

mistake!" Aberdeen yelled. "She is

d at the Dean. "Shut your mouth, Ab

vy stare from the second-floor window. She knew exactly who w

slipped it into her pocket without sayi

ved that she took it. He b

but led her down the hall. They stopp

ood. The sound of shouting and desks sc

pen. The music stopped. Thirty pairs

anned the room, spotted an empty desk near the window, and

her encrypted phone

from the dark web forum. The anonymous client had doub

ou are watching, Echo. Take the job,

to ice. No one threate

er thumb, she activated a pre-written counter-attack script she had designed long ago for moments exactly like this. The file was named '

. The client's entire system crashed and burned.

her phone and s

fell over

air and a diamond stud in his ear stood over

r desk. The metal scree

loud enough for the whole room to

Someone in the back whispered, "

ped a beat, knowing this was her biological c

hair. She crossed her le

t," Anne

d. No one told the He