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“It hasn’t really. I’ve just le
arned all the procedures for coming to work. I haven’t done much else.”
“All in good time. First, I thought we could chat. I’d like your input on something.”
“Um, yeah, sure, I guess, though I’m not sure what help I’ll be, since I’ll probably wish I’d left a trail of breadcrumbs so I can find my way out of here.”
“Oh, this is something you’ll know a lot about. I was wondering, what’s your opinion of Rod Gwaltney at MSI?”
Eight
Trying not to sound either too concerned or too calm, I frowned slightly and asked, “What do you want to know about Rod? And why? Are you considering recruiting him?”
Roger leaned back in his chair, the picture of ease. “In a sense, I suppose. He holds a pivotal position, as he influences staffing. MSI is critical to our business interests, as we’re the two major players in the magical world and we’re recruiting from a similar talent pool. That means he’s someone I’d like to talk to. So, what can you tell me about him? I understand you’re rather close.”
I got the impression that this was one of those loyalty tests I’d expected. Could I win my way deeper into the Collegium without betraying a friend? Swallowing the lump in my throat while trying not to look like I was swallowing a lump in my throat, I said, “Yes, he’s a good friend. He was the one who recruited me into MSI and one of the first people I got to know well on the job. He’s also dating one of my roommates. What did you want to know about him?”
“Do you think he’d be open to a little, shall we say, inter-corporation cooperation? His predecessor used to work with us, and I’d like to reopen those ties.”
“He might be.” Were they trying to get Rod on the payroll so he’d hire Collegium plants at MSI? I didn’t want to compromise him, but it would really help our operation if Rod became part of it, and it might give me more excuses to talk to him, maybe even from within the office. “I could probably sound him out a bit.” I hesitated, worrying my lower lip with my teeth. “But there is some potential awkwardness, since I just broke off an engagement with his best friend. I haven’t talked to him since then.”
“What do you think would make him more open to cooperation? Money? Prestige?”
“He doesn’t seem to be hurting for money, that I can tell. He does just fine with women. I think what he’d like is recognition and maybe the sense that he’s making a difference, that what he does matters.”
For a split second, Roger’s pleasant smile became utterly terrifying, though I couldn’t quite tell what had changed in his face to make it so. Maybe it was a predatory glint in his eyes. His lips might have thinned ever so slightly. Whatever it was, it made my blood run cold, and I became acutely aware that I was playing a very dangerous game.
“I think I can work with that,” Roger said. “Thank you, Katie. You’re already proving yourself to be quite an asset.”
“Would you like me to talk to him for you?”
“Oh, no, don’t worry about it. I’d rather not have you linked to this.”
Of course, I was going to talk to him, as soon as possible, to warn him. It was too bad that I couldn’t contact anyone on the outside while I was at work so I could get to him before Roger did. I smiled at Roger. “Okay, but let me know if you need me to put in a good word, or something.”
“I’ll do that.” He opened a folder that lay on his desk and said, “Now, I’d like your magically immune eyes to help me out here.”
We spent most of the rest of the day doing rather boring verification work, going over documents to check for embedded spells and veiled clauses—only, unlike my work at MSI, instead of looking for things others had hidden in contracts and other documents, I was apparently making sure that the right things had been hidden. I supposed I could see where having the wrong nefarious doublecross could ruin everything. I tried to remember any names of individuals or businesses in the contracts, but there were so many, and I didn’t get time to pause and commit them to memory since I was reading along with Roger. The work was just as boring and tedious as it had been in my early days at MSI, though the setting was more pleasant.
I was a little surprised that someone deemed a rising star would be doing this kind of work himself rather than having me work with a secretary. It must be part of evaluating me for the job, I thought. I did catch a few errors, and I had to wonder whether they were accidental or intentionally put there to test me. He certainly came across as more pleased than chagrined when I spotted a problem.
I was even more surprised when he called a stop to the day’s work at ten minutes before five. “I believe that’s enough for now,” he said, interlacing his fingers and stretching his arms out in front of him. “We can get back on this tomorrow. Now, do you need those breadcrumbs to find your way back to your office?”
“Down the hall and keep walking until something looks familiar?”
“That should work. Send up a flare if you get lost.”
I didn’t really need to go back to my office, since I didn’t have anything there, but I thought it would look good to at least check in and see if I had any e-mail. I was skimming through subject lines of company-wide memos when I heard a light rap on my door. I looked up to see Evelyn.
“How did the first day go?” she asked.
“Okay, I guess,” I replied.
“I suppose it is hard to judge from just one day. Do you have any questions?”
“Not really.”
“Did anyone show you where to get coffee or lunch?”
