AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I opened it.
Inside, a massive amount of folders waited to be explored. This task was going to require many hours to comb through all of the data. I made myself comfortable and dug in.
The first folder was filled with HR reports. Some appeared to be minor infractions, including violations of attendance and dress codes. Other files included behavioral complaints from one employee about another. John Snell—whoever that was—had been reported by at least three different people for taking off his shoes at his desk and walking through the office in his “smelly bare feet.” None of it interested me.
Someone pulled out the chair beside mine.
Unease crept up my neck.
A nondescript middle-aged man sat down beside me. He had a friendly smile, and the kind of face that would be impossible to identify in a police line-up.
He leaned toward me and glanced at my screen.
Then he offered his hand. “Hi, I’m John.”
“You’re too close,” I said.
He laughed as if I was joking.
I properly ejected my thumb drive and moved to a different station on the other side of the library.
Whoever had been after me during my pre-accident espionage had gained an advantage now that my face was no longer hidden behind a swollen mask. He or she—if they even existed—would be able to recognize me, whereas I had no memory to aid in me recognizing them.
Did this agent of my demise even exist? As nothing terrible had happened to me since waking in the hospital, I was beginning to question my initial presumption. Perhaps there were no spies.
Why had I been investigating these files to begin with? Had someone hired me to do this, and if so, what did they expect me to find? Was it possible that these files belonged to Tristan No-Last-Name, construction supervisor? It didn’t seem likely.
The next folder was filled with Excel sheets, with a mishmash of letters and numbers in some sort of code without a key.
I had nothing but questions, each leading to another mystery.
Without any other leads to my identity, I continued flipping through files, hoping answers of some sort existed, hidden inside this troll.
EIGHTEEN
MORGAN
Electrical-storm-level excitement buzzed through the transport shuttle. I was more excited about my plans for the evening with Tristan, and lowkey panicked about filming the reality show. My twelve castmates thrummed with restless energy, including Layana in the seat beside me.
Her black hair was styled in effortless loose curls, while her cat-eye liner, corseted black dress, and bright red lips gave Kat Von D vibes. In comparison, my lavender ruffle blouse and jean shorts felt like a not-so-hot choice. That was fine. I’d gladly fall off the radar and simply exist in the background, safe and unpestered by the cameras.
As soon as we’d stepped onto the shuttle, we’d picked up right where we’d left off last night at Pour Decisions, only this time there wasn’t alcohol to dull the overwhelm. I’d seen maybe half of these people at the bar last night, but I drank a bit too much to remember everything clearly, plus they hadn’t been wearing costumes then.
“No,that’sJuno.” Layana pointed to a woman with bleached blond pigtails and a gallon of glitter coating the back of her neck and the tops of her ears alone.
Juno equals disco ball—got it. I nodded. I didn’t remember her being so shimmery last night. Maybe I was thinking of another blonde?
Layana kept telling me so many details about so many people, I was pretty sure there was zero chance I’d remember more than a few tidbits about anyone. All of this was just…a lot.
“What’s that face?” Layana asked.
“Nothing.” I smiled at her and patted her hand. “I’m so happy for you that you’re finally here, going on TV where you belong.”
“Forus.”
“I don’t belong in front of a camera.” I belonged behind the scenes of a Resplendent Theatre show, helping to ensure everything ran smoothly. I was the opposite of a disco ball. I was the cable fastening it to the ceiling.
“Well, clearly the casting people disagree,” Layana said. “Even if you don’t expect the experience to be amazing, focus on what you will like about it, what you’re getting. You know, all that positivity stuff you’re so good at.”
