A Soldier and a Liar by Caitlin Lochner

Author:Caitlin Lochner
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

17

LAI

MENDEL TAKES FOREVER to get back from meeting with yet another information broker. I’m leaning against the wall across from his and Kitahara’s room when he finally returns.

His shoulders are slumped as he walks down the hall, hands shoved in his pockets. The meeting must not have gone well. Sure enough, when I listen in on his thoughts, it’s to hear that the broker couldn’t find out anything about Mendel’s past.

“What do you want?” Mendel asks as soon as he notices me.

“So touchy. Sorry your meeting didn’t turn out like you’d hoped.”

It takes a moment for him to process how I knew where he was and what happened. Then he remembers my gift, and the frustration that was simmering in the back of his thoughts flares up. “Is that all?”

I lift my chin and look down at him. “I hope you don’t think I would waste my time going around giving condolences to everyone who’s had a bad day.” He opens his mouth, but before he can reply, I say, “I’m here for our deal. You’ve held up your side of the bargain so far. Or would you rather I leave?”

All the anger in his thoughts deflates. It isn’t replaced with the anticipation he had when I first told him I’d try to help him get his memories back.

“Well?” I ask.

“Let’s go.” Mendel unlocks his door and walks inside. When I don’t follow, he raises an eyebrow.

I shake my head. “Not here. Kitahara could come in at any moment.”

He doesn’t protest like I expected him to, but silently follows me as I lead us away from modern Central and into the walkways that link to the more disused building in the back.

I know Mendel is too caught up in his thoughts to pay attention to where we’re going, because he nearly runs into me when I stop.

The usual clean halls are gone. There are no high, narrow windows. There aren’t any Watchers around, either, as I open one of the doors and wave Mendel inside an old meeting room turned storage room.

Crates are stacked everywhere, rusty filing cabinets filling the spaces between. The tiles are cracked. Dust coats everything.

I climb onto a stack of crates and take a seat facing Mendel.

She really does like putting herself above others. One day, when I don’t have to stay on her good side to get her to help me, I’m going to find out about her past and even the playing field. I should have asked Mark to dig up something on her.

“He wouldn’t have found anything anyway.” I cup my chin in my hand, watching him.

Stupid mind reader. “So how’s this going to work?” he asks.

A few days ago, the night after my conversation with Al, I managed to sneak out to the Order to pick up Peter’s power crystal and check the specifics of his gift one more time, among all my other usual tasks. When I first asked him telepathically if he could help me out, I was worried he’d

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