Part Two
Eight Years Ago
"Tell me a story," Lexa said, chasing Quinn down the hall to the training room. "You promised."
She had a streak of dust on her face and cobwebs in her dark brown hair. Her skinny knees were dirt-encrusted, too, but her large brown eyes sparkled. She was up to something for sure.
"Where have you been?" he asked.
"Finding a way into the attic. Now, what about my story?"
He laughed. "We're late. After we meet Doc, I will."
"Tell me the one about the puppet," she insisted. "Who became a real boy."
His sigh was inward. She still thought it was a harmless story. She had no idea that Miss Maren had banned it. Hit too close to home, that story did. He never should've told Lexa about it. She didn't understand the consequences.
"How about a different story, about a princess who loses a shoe?"
She made a face. "I know you're changing the subject. Besides, you know I don't like stories where the girl has to be rescued. I want a more?badass girl."
"Badass? Where did you pick up that word?" he asked, amused.
"Loading dock. The guys delivering the groceries never even saw me hiding in the rafters yesterday."
Her smile was full of mischief, and Quinn laughed. "You are such a little sneak."
"Hey! That's what Doc said I was made for. I have to practice."
They hurried into the training room, where Doc was waiting. "Lexa, up the ropes, please."
She scampered past Quinn, her ponytail swinging behind her. In seconds, she was halfway up the rope ladder on her way to the network of swings, catwalks, and nets strung from the ceiling.
"Boggles the mind, huh?" Doc asked. "She's like a monkey up there."
Quinn pushed down a tiny twinge of jealousy. He loved Lexa-she was his best friend-but her physical abilities outshined his and that bothered him. "Yeah. Monkey."
Doc peered at him. "What's eating you?"
"Nothing." He shook his head to clear his thoughts. "What should I do?"
"Hide," Doc said, smiling.
"What?"
"Hide. You're so worried about what Lexa can do that you've forgotten what you can do. You're my chameleon, kid. Blend in; make yourself invisible. Find a way to make yourself agreeable with the kitchen staff so that they give you extra sweets."
"Right now?"
"Consider it a long-term assignment. Find ways to make friends here. The hellcat," he cast a glance up at Lexa, nimbly leaping from platform to platform twenty feet overhead, "has her strengths, but her sweet disposition isn't one of them."
Wasn't that the truth? But he liked how she could go from mad to happy to curious to snappish in ten seconds. His cheeks warmed. He liked everything about her.
"Look! Look!" Lexa called.
Quinn's heart shot into his throat as she jumped from the platform to catch a rope ten feet away. She swung around once, crying "Wheee!" before climbing back to the ceiling.
"Come down from there, sweetheart," Doc yelled. "Time for drills."
She stuck her tongue out at him, but climbed down. Granted, she took the longest way, and Quinn had to hide a grin. Definitely not agreeable.
"Remember what I said," Doc whispered, turning so the camera couldn't see his lips moving. "Chameleon. Maren had you made to infiltrate certain organizations. That's your power. Hiding the real you and showing people what they want to see-they'll trust you implicitly. You'll be able to find out anything you want that way. Not as a pawn, but for you. Understand?"
The urgency in Doc's voice surprised him, but Quinn nodded. "I understand."
"Understand what?" Lexa asked, appearing like magic behind them. They both jumped, and she looked very pleased with herself. "Gotcha good that time."
"Sneak," Quinn said.
She batted at his curls. "Fluffy head."
"Skinny knees."
"Fart face."
Without warning, Doc swept a leg beneath both of them, sending them to the mat with a crash. "I win."
"Understand what?" Lexa asked again, glaring up at him. "Are you two keeping secrets?"
"Yes," Quinn said. "We're planning to sell you to the circus."
"Fine, don't tell me." She popped up and climbed Doc's back to wrap a thin arm around his neck. "Say uncle."
"Like that's actually going to work if you run into real trouble," Doc said. He shook her off with ease. "Both of you, on the treadmill. Wind sprints."
They grumbled but headed to the treadmills without talking back. "Betcha I can outrun you in a mile," Lexa said.
"With those short legs? As if."
"You may've grown six inches in a year, but I'm still faster."
He doubted she was, but the competition helped make the task more bearable. "Let's go, then."
They took off running, each pushing the treadmill faster and faster until they were practically flying. Nine miles an hour, then ten, then eleven. Quinn's heart beat a hard pace in his chest, but Lexa looked calm and determined, and there was no way he'd admit defeat.
At the half-mile mark, Dr. Martine and Miss Maren came in to watch. Great-his lungs were shredded, but now they had an audience. To keep from slowing down, Quinn focused on their mouths, trying to read their lips.
"?flawed. No discipline," Miss Maren was saying. "Runs wild across the compound?cameras caught her in the attic?off-limits?"
"?what you wanted," Dr. Martine protested. "?look at that speed?concentration?"
Her eyes narrowed as she stared at Lexa. "?you're biased, Caldwell. You don't see?failed programs should be scrapped."
Quinn started breathing harder, and it had nothing to do with the treadmill. Miss Maren hadn't mentioned anything about scrapping Lexa lately. Why now? Had she messed up something in the attic?
"?perfectly objective?can outperform anything you?"
"?prove it?now?"
He turned and said something to Doc that Quinn couldn't see. Doc nodded and strode toward the treadmills, motioning for them to slow down. "They want to see you work."
They did as he asked, and Lexa followed Quinn to the center mat. She cocked her head at Miss Maren. "What can I show you, Ms. DeGaul?"
Her voice was syrupy, and her eyes were wide with innocence. Doc called him a chameleon? He couldn't tell if Lexa was messing with them or projecting what Miss Maren wanted to see.
"It's more of an assignment," she said, sounding suspicious. "There are some people visiting tonight. I want you to steal some files from their personal data pads."
"What kind of files?" Quinn asked. The gears were already turning in his head.
"I have no idea, but it has to do with the Quad. You need to get in there, review the files, and copy everything relevant. And you have to do it without being seen. By our cameras, or whatever security they bring with them."
The Quad? Quinn exchanged a glance with Lexa. This was big-the Quad was the council behind the incorporated governments of the four provinces. Miss Maren's visitors hadn't gotten crosswise with them somehow, had they? If so, this could be the biggest assignment the two of them had ever been given.
"Who are we investigating?" Lexa asked.
Now Miss Maren smiled, and it was a frightening sight. "The governor of Triarch City and his wife. They'll be staying overnight as our honored guests and are important to our business with Precipice. They are not to know you're artificials, understand?"
"Yes, ma'am," they said.
She fixed a hard stare on Dr. Martine. "If this works, I'll reconsider."
"We can do it," Lexa said. "We'll get the secrets for you."
If Miss Maren was surprised by Lexa's sudden interest, she didn't say anything. After she swept from the room, a beaten down Dr. Martine in tow, Quinn pulled Lexa aside. "Why'd you agree so fast?"
Her chin jutted stubbornly. "I can read lips as good well as you. I know what she's saying about me, and I don't want to die."
Doc sighed behind them. "I don't want that, either, Hellcat."
&n
bsp; Quinn didn't chime in. Lexa knew? She knew what was at stake. That her life hung in the balance on the whim of a crazy lady who changed outfits three times a day. Discarded like a useless com. Rage pulsed in his temples. His best friend was barely nine years old-she didn't deserve to know things like this.
"?master bedroom on the third floor," Doc was saying. "You listening, kid?"
Quinn's focus snapped back to the present. "Yes. The easiest way to do this will be to work our strengths. I'll make the guests like me and deflect their attention to keep them downstairs so Lexa can sneak into their suite and search their belongings."
"A real break-in!" Lexa clutched her hands to her heart, eyes shining.
"You know, most people don't get that excited about breaking into someone else's room," he said.
She stuck her tongue out at him, then headed for the door. "I'm going upstairs to poke around. I might be small enough to go through the air ducts? You think?"
"Worth a try," Doc said. "Quinn, what are you going to do."
Forcing his thoughts past the anger was hard, but he said, "I'm going to learn everything there is to know about Governor Shaw and his wife. If I'm going to con them, I need to be convincing."
And since Lexa's life hung in the balance, he'd be the most charming young man they'd ever met.