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they set up the girls who are talented enough with jobs. But they own you. You can’t get out. Mr. Keane, the man in charge of everything, is pretty patently evil.”
“What’s the point of it all?”
“I don’t know the endgame. I only know details. He’s got eyes and ears in a lot of things. I think he wants power and control, and he uses and manipulates a lot of people to get it.”
“Hmm. And Fia? Where is she now that you can’t go three thoughts without missing her? Dead?”
“I . . .” My stomach drops. Oh no, what have I done? Cole said to stay anonymous, and here I’ve already shown her that I’m a blind psychic connected to Fia. How many of those are there walking around?
“Yeah, you aren’t very good at this.” She laughs and I put a hand over my mouth, horrified. “Relax, ‘Amy’ the Blind Psychic. I’ve been around the block. You learn about people pretty quickly when you can listen in on the stuff they don’t filter. You’re a good person and you really think you’re doing me a favor by warning me about this sinister organization that wants to use my powers for eeeeevvvvviiiiillll.” She pauses. “I was stroking an imaginary beard when I said that, just so you know. Answer me this: Why is Fia still working for them?”
My shoulders slump. “I honestly don’t know.”
“I think I understand,” Mae says, her voice soft. “Because here’s where you’re wrong. You’re treating all these women as victims, unable to get out of this crazy trap. But can’t you see that we’re the ones with all the power?”
“You don’t know what they’re like, what they’ll do to control you.”
“No, I can imagine. But if they’re willing to go that far to use us, it makes me think they’re scared silly that someone else will beat them at their own game. And I like that. I think Fia figured it out, too. Plus, to be honest, I kind of dig the idea of being showered with money and power for something I can do in my sleep.”
“But—”
“No buts. I’m not a victim and I’m not going to let a corporation turn me into one. Girls like you and me? We hold all the cards. We just have to be smart enough to see it.”
“You’re going to say yes to them,” I whisper. How could I have messed this up so bad?
“Don’t worry. Your secret is safe with me. We never met.”
I reach across the table, find her hand, squeeze it in mine. I should be screaming at her, telling her to do anything else, but the vision of her sticks in my head. Now I wish I knew how it ended. “My real name is Annie. I’m dead. Will you watch out for her? Fia? She’s so alone. I can’t—I hate that I can’t be there for her. I don’t care why she’s still with them. I just want her to be happy and safe. But be careful. She can be . . . dangerous.”
Mae squeezes my hand back. Her voice is softer, kinder. “Okay. I think she and I will get along really well.”
I laugh, letting go and sitting back, suddenly exhausted. “You’re certainly both crazy enough.”
I hear her stand. “Good luck, Annie.”
Did I mess this up? Could I have changed her mind? Fia could have. Fia would have known exactly what to do, what to say, heck, what to think. I messed everything up. But a small part of me is hopeful that maybe I’m sending a friend Fia’s way.
Please, please let me not have sent Mae into even more danger by putting her onto Fia’s path.
“Good luck, Mae.” You’re going to need it.
She laughs brightly. “I make my luck. I pull it out of the brains of everyone I meet.”
A few minutes later someone else sits across from me. “How did it go?” Cole asks.
“I was brilliant. Anyone else you want me to drive straight into Keane’s employ?”
“What do you mean?”
“I—” A familiar voice asking for a table for one registers and I freeze. It’s a man. How do I know his voice? “Crap,” I hiss, ducking and crawling on the floor until I’m under the table.
“What are you doing?” Cole asks.
“Shut up!” I hiss. “There’s a man here. He’s a recruiter for the school. If he sees me, I’m dead.” Actually dead, as opposed to fictionally dead.
“What does he look like?”
I punch Cole’s thigh so hard my hand stings.
