Total pages in book: 165
Estimated words: 154925 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 775(@200wpm)___ 620(@250wpm)___ 516(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 154925 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 775(@200wpm)___ 620(@250wpm)___ 516(@300wpm)
“Doesn’t everyone do that? I know my parents do.”
“Not everything is manipulation. That’s what I had to learn. Your parents love you. They want the best for you. I don’t think your dad tries to manipulate you in any way. He’s very blunt about what he expects from you. That’s pretty much the opposite.”
That earned him an amused snort. “Truth.” She sighed and sat up, leaning toward him. “She said I reminded her of her at my age.”
So that was her game. “That is bullshit, and you know it. Kala, do not let her get in your head. It’s a game to her, and everyone else is a player to move around. She doesn’t love anyone. She’s not capable of it, and I know damn well you are.”
“Am I? I can’t seem to do the things the people I love want. What if I can love, but I’m not lovable? What if that’s what happened to her, and I’m going to end up in the same place?”
He hated the fact that Julia had even an inch of space in Kala’s head. “That won’t happen. Can you honestly see yourself working for a group that actively harms the world for profit?”
“There are days when I could. There are times when the whole planet could explode for all I care. Usually after I get dress coded at school or some idiot cheerleader says something nasty and I get suspended for punching her. School is turning me evil. I should quit.”
“I’m serious, Kala.”
She sighed, a weary sound for someone so young. “No. I don’t want to work for some evil group. But did she when she was my age?”
“I’m sure she wouldn’t have put it that way, but yes. She wanted to be as powerful as she could be, and she didn’t care how she got there. I don’t know if she was born that way or if her stepfather stoked that part of herself until any real conscience she had was gone.”
A huff came from his cousin. “Tash says I don’t have a conscience.”
“I’m sure she said that because she was irritated with you. You do have a conscience. You do care about people. You are not Julia. She’s killed many, many times, and for profit. Not to protect people. She was a double agent.”
“I wouldn’t do that,” Kala said, her tone firming. “My parents think it’s a bad idea for me to go into intelligence work. Do you think it’s because they worry I would do something like that? Do they think I would betray my country?”
He wanted to strangle Julia even more than usual. “No. I think they worry you could get killed. They do not think you have the capacity to do the kinds of things Julia’s done. They’re trying to protect you, but they don’t understand there are some things no one can protect you from. You’re going to have to make those decisions for yourself, and like me you’re going to have to live with the consequences. What I’ve found is it’s so much easier when you talk about the mistakes you make with people who love you. You can share the burden that way.”
She sniffled, the first sign of her emotional state. “Yeah, well, now I can compare notes with Tash on how shitty it is to get knocked out with ketamine. I didn’t think that would be something we bonded over.”
Tasha had once been used by a man who could have taught Julia a few things about manipulation. The fact that this had happened twice to his cousins made his heart hurt for his uncle and aunt.
The door above buzzed and then opened, and he watched as Julia descended the stairs.
“I wanted to let you know that it looks like Drake’s going to come through,” Julia announced. “My guys are going into DC to meet him tonight and get the data.”
That didn’t seem right. “Are you taking Kala with you? Are you delivering her to Drake? I want to be in that car, Julia.”
“I’m sure you do, and that’s precisely why I’m not going at all.” Julia ran her fingers over the bars separating them. “I’m staying right here, and so is Kala.”
“That was not the deal we made.”
“I’m not negating the deal, merely changing it a bit,” Julia admitted. “I want to see what Drake finds. I can’t do that in some parking garage where Taggart will probably be lurking or setting me up to get sniped. I’m not that foolish. I’ve tangled with his guys before, and he tends to win. I’m going to make sure I have what I need and then I’ll release the child into the wild. I’m sure she’ll figure out how to contact her dad.”
“Sure thing. Just give me my cell phone and I’ll be out of here,” Kala replied.