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“You’ll be answering—”
Her sentence was cut off as one of the phones began to ring.
She nodded toward it. “Answer it.”
I gaped. “And say what?!”
“Figure it out.”
With clammy hands, I inched toward the chiming device, biting on my lower lip. This could be anything from a delivery service to a phone sex line.
Is this some kind of test? What if I fail? Will Atlas kick me out again?
“H-hello?”
“I need Atlas!” a woman sobbed on the other end of the call. “It’s really important!”
I stared at Sage, but she turned away from me. I was on my own.
“He’s not here. What’s this about?”
“I need to talk to him. Jimmy… he’s in trouble again. I think the Verity Gang has him this time.”
A prickle of apprehension snaked down my spine. This was where Forny and Covale City, and all the rest of the country, united in some ways. The gangs ran rampant throughout the regions, without escape.
“Why? What did he do?” I asked, knowing all about the Verity Gang. They were mixed up in drugs and trafficking. If this ‘Jimmy’ was with them, there was probably a good reason.
“Atlas knows why!”
Sage continued to stare at me with her deadpan expression, and I realized that I was being tested with this first call. Was it a setup, or was I actually supposed to do something? I vowed to find out.
“Well, I don’t know,” I replied firmly. “And if you want Atlas’ help, you’ll have to go through me.”
I thought I caught a glimmer of approval on Sage’s face, but it was hard to tell.
“He owes ten grand,” the woman moaned. “Please, tell Atlas this will be the last time. I swear.”
I inhaled sharply. “What’s your name?” I asked, sliding into the chair and reaching for a pen.
“It’s Lacy.”
“Lacy what?”
“Atlas knows!”
I ground my teeth. “I don’t.”
“Lacy Amador.”
“And Jimmy Amador is who you’re calling about?”
“Yeah.”
I jotted the names down on the pad in front of me as one of the other phones started to ring.
“I’ll pass along the message.”
“Hurry! I don’t think he has much time!” Lacy pleaded.
