by I. T. Lucas
“I don’t want you to do that.”
“Why not? What’s the point of having a freaking paranormal talent if I don’t get to benefit from it?”
“I don’t want you to get contaminated.” Mey lowered her voice to a whisper. “The special connection you create is personal. So far, you’ve only used it on a couple of your friends and me. I’m afraid of what will happen if you leach into a scumbag like Oliver.”
Jin shivered. “Why did you have to use that word? You made me feel like a bug.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it. I blame the margaritas. It’s the third one that Tatiana’s made for me.”
Jin chuckled. “I thought that you and your model friends counted every calorie.”
“These are skinny margaritas. Tatiana says they have less than a hundred calories each. But back to my poor choice of words. We’ve never figured out what to call what you can do.”
“I’ve given it some thought lately. I don’t know why, since I haven’t used it on anyone in ages. Well, that’s not exactly true. I know why I was thinking about it. I’ve started to date a new guy, and I’m still debating whether I want to tether him or not.”
“Is it serious?”
Jin chuckled. “You know how I am with guys. I get bored after a couple of dates. But Mitch is fun to be with, and he is tall, so I might keep him for a little longer.”
Mey groaned. “Forgive me for not gushing all over the place. Right now, I think of all men as scumbags.”
“You have good reason. Anyway, tethering is how I think of it. When I touch someone with the intention of keeping tabs on them, it’s like I’m inserting a hook into their psyche and tying a string of my consciousness to it, creating a tether.”
“I like it. Hook, line, and sinker, but with a twist.”
Feeling somewhat offended again, Jin huffed out a breath. “You make it sound like a bad thing. I’m not deceiving anyone, just spying on them. Although if they don’t know that I’m doing it, you are right about it not being kosher.”
3
Jin
Six weeks ago.
As Jin left the classroom, she pulled her phone out and checked her messages. There was one from Mitch, asking what she wanted to do to celebrate the end of her senior year, one from Mey, asking how the last test of the semester had gone, and a voice message from a number she didn’t recognize.
Most likely, it was one of those scams that were going on lately. Everyone she knew was getting fake phone calls about their social security number being compromised. The scammers kept switching numbers, so blocking them did not solve the problem.
Still, on the remote chance that it was something important, she put her earphones in and pressed play.
“Hello, Jin. My name is Maria Savino, and I’m a headhunter. Given your stellar academic record and impeccable work ethic, you are just the kind of candidate my client is looking for. I would like for us to meet and discuss the details. I can’t say much over the phone, but I can assure you that this is the most exciting and generous offer you, or any of your classmates, are going to get. I’m in town only for a couple of days, so please call me as soon as you get this message.”
Staring at the phone in disbelief, Jin replayed the voicemail.
None of her friends had gotten calls from headhunters, and some of them had grades as good as hers and were just as hardworking.
This was weird.
Still, there was no harm in calling the woman back and hearing more details about the supposedly fantastic offer. Perhaps it was legit?
As Jin returned the call, it was answered immediately. “Hello, Jin. I’m so glad you called me back. When can we meet so I can tell you all about this amazing job offer?”
Apparently, Maria was a get-straight-to-the-point kind of gal. Jin liked her already.
“Whenever you want. I’ve just walked out from taking my last test, and I’m free as a bird.”
Maria chuckled. “I still remember the feeling. But now, years later, I realize that this was the best time of my life.” She sighed, a bit too dramatically. “Where are you now? Are you still on campus?”
“I just got out.”
“Wonderful. I’m staying at the Dominic. Do you know where it is?”
“Yeah, I do.”
It was a fancy hotel, which Jin viewed as a good sign. If the headhunter could afford to stay there, she was being paid well.
“You can either walk over here or take a taxi. I will reimburse you, of course.”
“I can walk. Are we going to meet in the lobby?”
“You can come up to my suite. I’ll let the front desk know that I’m expecting you, and you can come right up. I’ll order dinner for us. Any preferences?”
Jin was taken aback. Meeting in a hotel room was not her idea of proper interview etiquette, and if Maria were a guy, she would’ve said no thank you.
But what if Maria was only pretending to be a woman? Or worse, what if she was luring Jin for someone else to rape?
A girl could never be too careful.
“How do I know that you are who you claim to be?”
The woman chuckled. “I like you, Jin. You are smart and careful. I’ll meet you down in the lobby, and we can go to the hotel bar. You can check my credentials before we go up to my room to discuss the job offer. The reason I have to do it this way is that the information I’m going to share with you is highly confidential. I cannot discuss the details in a public place, and I don’t have an office in New York that I can use. I travel all over the country, recruiting talent.”
That sounded logical, and meeting Maria in the lobby seemed safe.
“Okay. I’m walking toward the Dominic. How will I recognize you?”
“I know what you look like. I’ll come to you.”
“I see that you’ve done your research.”
“Of course. My client is very discriminating, and he only wants the best.”
Flattered, Jin walked a little straighter. “Can’t you at least give me a hint about the job or the company that wants to hire me? I’m dying of curiosity.”
“Patience, my dear. You’ll find out shortly.” Maria ended the call.
Just to be safe, Jin sent a text to Mey. I got a call from a headhunter, and I’m meeting her in ten minutes at the Dominic hotel. Her name is Maria Savino. In case she is a serial killer, I want you to know where I’m going.
Mey’s text arrived a moment later. Good luck. Let me know how it goes.
I will.
Jin copied the text she’d sent to Mey and sent it to Mitch, but with an added comment about postponing their plans for later.
He texted her right back. Good luck. Call me when you are done. We still need to celebrate tonight.
4
Jin
As Jin entered the lobby of the Dominic, a thirty-something average-looking brunette walked toward her. “Hello, Jin.” The woman affected an overly friendly smile. “I’m Maria. Thank you for agreeing to see me so soon.”
Curiously, the headhunter didn’t offer Jin her hand. Maybe she was waiting to see what Jin would do? It could be part of the interview process, checking for social skills and confidence level.
Jin had no problem with either.
Flashing a smile of her own, she extended her hand. “Thank you for inviting me.”
Maria ignored the offer. “The hotel’s bar is over there.” She pointed and started walking.
Shrugging it off, Jin followed the woman. Not everyone shook hands. Some people were germaphobes, and for others, it was a cultural thing.
The bar was pretty full, but they managed to find a table for two in the back.
“This is perfect.” Maria waved the waitress over. “We’ll have some privacy.”
“What would you ladies like to drink?” the waitress asked.
Perhaps this was another test to see if she ordered alcohol. “I’ll have a coke, please.”
“Black Russian for me.”
“Would you like an ap
petizer?”
“No, thank you. That will be all.” Maria didn’t even look at the waitress, her eyes never leaving Jin’s.
The dismissal was somewhat rude, as was not asking Jin whether she wanted something to snack on.
Maria must be in a hurry.
As soon as the waitress had left, she put her palms on the table and leaned toward Jin. “First order of business. Everything that transpires between us must be kept confidential, which means you can’t tell anyone about me, my employer, or what this job offer is about.”
Jin swallowed. “I told my sister and my boyfriend that I’m meeting you here. I always do that when I go somewhere alone at night.” She smiled, hoping that she hadn’t just ruined her first interview. “Better safe than sorry, right?”
The woman nodded. “Absolutely. Since you are a smart young woman, I expected you would do that, which is why I didn’t give you my real name.”
Alarm bells went off in Jin’s head. She’d never had a headhunter contact her before, but she was pretty sure they didn’t use fake names.
“That’s highly unusual. Do you do that with all of your recruits?”
Maria smiled indulgently. “You can trust me, Jin. When I show you my credentials, you will understand the need for secrecy.”
Suddenly feeling ridiculous for imagining the worst about the woman, Jin let out a breath. What possible nefarious plans could Maria have for her other than offering her a job?
“Okay. I promise not to tell anyone about you, your employer, or what this job offer is about. All the secrecy makes me even more curious to hear it.”
The waitress's arrival with their drinks meant another delay. “Will there be anything else, ladies?”
Maria shook her head. “Just the check, please.”
“Are you guests at the hotel?” The waitress pulled out a folder from her apron pocket and handed it to Maria, or whatever her name was.
“Yes.” She signed the bill, included the room number, and handed it back.
When the waitress left, Maria pulled her wallet out and handed it to Jin. “Open it.”
Arching a brow, Jin flipped it open and read the laminated identification card. “National Security, Agent Marisol Ortega.” It had the headhunter’s picture on it.
The woman nodded. “That’s me. Flip it to the other side.”
Jin did as Marisol asked and found a West Virginia driver’s license with the same name and picture.
She handed the wallet back. “Two identification cards prove nothing. They could be fake, not that I think they are, I trust you, but what on earth can a business major do for national security?”
Marisol laughed. “Every organization needs an accounting department to keep an eye on the costs. It also needs cleaning crews and cafeteria servers and countless others who are not agents.”
That made sense.
“Why me, though? I don’t have work experience.”
“You don’t need any. We prefer to hire young people who haven’t been molded by the corporate world yet, and we provide them with training. You have a proven record of academic excellence and a strong work ethic, which is what we are looking for.”
She’d said that before, but it was nice to hear it again.
“So, what’s the job? Am I going to join the accounting department?”
“Before I give you any more details, you have to sign a nondisclosure agreement.” Marisol smiled. “I need more than a verbal promise.” She pushed to her feet. “Let’s continue this in my room, where we will have more privacy.”
As they headed toward the elevators, Jin asked, “Can you at least tell me how much they are offering? I’m sure that information is not a national security item.”
Marisol waited until they were alone inside the cab before leaning to whisper in Jin’s ear. “Two hundred and fifty thousand dollars a year, and provided that your performance is exemplary, a million-dollar bonus at the end of the five-year contract.”
That couldn’t be real. Jin had anticipated fifty or sixty thousand a year, which was the best a business major could hope for. The exception was investment banking, which paid much better, but she hadn’t specialized in that.
“You’re joking, right?”
Marisol shook her head. “No joke, trust me.”
Exiting the elevator, they headed down the corridor to the very end, where Marisol opened the door to the corner suite.
Talk about impressive.
Jin had been prepared to see a nicely appointed room, but this was on an entirely different level. She’d never been inside a luxury hotel suite before, and she was trying hard not to gawk like some country bumpkin.
“The view of the river is beautiful.” She walked over to the windows overlooking the water.
“Make yourself comfortable.” Marisol pointed to an armchair. “I’ll get the paperwork.”
It occurred to Jin that she should have an attorney go over the contract, but she didn’t know any. Not only that, the need for secrecy probably precluded it.
“Here is the nondisclosure agreement.” Marisol put a stapled bundle of pages on the coffee table. “Read through it and then sign at the bottom. I’ll notarize it once you are done.”
That was convenient. The recruiter being a notary saved time, but it seemed somewhat shady. Then again, given the secrecy, it was probably necessary to do it like that.
“Do you need my driver’s license?”
Marisol chuckled. “I have a copy. Working for the government has many advantages.”
It would seem so.
As Jin read through the thing, she had no idea whether the list of draconian repercussions was standard for agreements like that. Bottom line, she couldn’t tell anyone anything if she didn’t want to end up in jail and stay there for a very long time.
Nevertheless, she signed it.
This was just about keeping her mouth shut, and she could do that. She wasn’t agreeing to anything yet. Besides, what choice did she have?
Without the nondisclosure, she would never learn what this was all about.
Then there was the money.
The dollar signs in her eyes were blinding her to anything else. With that much money, at the end of her five-year contract, she and Mey could open the fashion business they had been fantasizing about for years.
Up until now, that plan had seemed like an impossible dream.
Except, Jin’s gut was churning with unease despite Marisol’s reassurances. The effect the woman had on her was strange because Jin wasn’t the trusting type. On the contrary, she was always suspicious of people’s motives, but something about the woman inspired trust.
The agent flipped through the stack of papers, making sure that Jin had initialed everywhere it was required. She then pulled out a notary’s journal from her briefcase, took Jin’s fingerprints, and then had her sign the journal.
“Beautiful.” Marisol closed it and put it in her briefcase together with the nondisclosure agreement. “Now, to the offer itself.” She pulled out another stack of papers and handed it to Jin. “Take your time reading through it.”
The prudent thing to do would have been to read every line, but Jin was out of patience. She flipped to the section about compensation, verifying that the amounts Marisol had quoted were real.
The woman chuckled. “Every recruit does the same thing. But I suggest that you go back and read all the details.”
Jin smiled sheepishly. “I had to make sure that I heard you right. Those sums sounded so fantastical.”
“They are. But once you read the job requirements, you will understand why our government is so generous.”
Jin ended up reading through the contract twice.
Basically, the government was going to own her for the next five years, and she would have to live and work in a secret facility. During the training period, which was six months long, communication with family members and friends would be limited to pre-screened text messages. She would be allowed short visits with t
hem only after completing the training.
The one thing that was missing was an actual job description.
She lifted her eyes to the recruiter. “It doesn’t specify what I’m actually going to be doing.”
Marisol smirked. “You’ll do whatever you are told to do. But don’t worry, you won’t have to kill anyone or sleep with anyone that you don’t want to.”
Jin looked down at the stack of papers. “I wish it said so explicitly. I would feel better about signing the contract.”
“Don’t you trust me?”
“I do. But not everything is up to you.”
With a sigh, Marisol lifted the contract and took another pen out of her briefcase. “I’ll add a note explicitly stating that killing and sex are not going to be part of your job.”
Oh, damn. That would look so stupid. Jin lifted a hand. “Don’t.”
“Are you sure? Because I have no problem adding the provision. You belong in this program, and your fears are unfounded.”
“Whoever looks over the contract will just think that I’ve watched too many spy movies.”
“Have you?”
Jin nodded. “It’s my favorite genre.”
Given Marisol’s broad grin, that seemed to please her for some reason.
“Mine too.” She handed the packet back to Jin. “Are you ready to sign?”
“I am.” Jin grabbed the pen and scribbled her signature quickly before she had a chance to chicken out.
“Wonderful.” Marisol took the contract, looked it over, and put it in her briefcase. “Now that all the legalities are out of the way, I can tell you why you’ve been chosen.”
“I’m all ears.”
“Given your penchant for spy stories and your special talent, you are going to love it. I told you that you belong in the program. Never doubt me.”
The words ‘special talent’ sent shivers down Jin’s spine. “What special talent?”