Also Known As by Robin Benway

Author:Robin Benway [Benway, Robin]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Walker Childrens
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 15

The car glided up to the front of the museum on Seventieth Street, and I climbed out before the driver could open the back door. No point in both of us getting soaked. There was hardly anyone in the front hallway, save for a tall, gray-haired man with his hands clasped behind his back, casually standing next to the admissions table like he had done it every day for his entire life.

Which, knowing Angelo, he probably had.

“Fancy meeting you here,” I said when I was close to him.

He glanced down at me and smiled. “You look like a drowned rat.”

“Drowned rats have broken umbrellas,” I replied. “I read it in a fortune cookie once.”

“Ah, of course.” He took out his wallet, even though the sign said it was “pay what you can” Sunday, and pulled out a hundred-dollar bill. “Will this cover the young lady and myself?” he asked the girl behind the admissions desk.

“Y-yes,” she stammered. “Um, yes, of course.”

“Lovely. It’s always nice to support the arts.” Angelo took our tickets and then led me through the front of the museum into the courtyard, where a large marble fountain gurgled and bubbled. It was a little humid in the room, and dozens of white orchids grew up from the ground. “Hothouse much?” I asked as I sank down on one of the marble benches.

“Isn’t it beautiful?” Angelo asked. “The renovations were well worth it. It’s so important to stay up to date and modern.”

“So says the man with the Olivetti typewriter,” I teased him, grinning when he smiled down at me. “Here,” I added, and passed him the flash drive. “I found this in a safe at the Oliver house. I’m not sure what’s on it, but it was pretty well hidden.”

“Stay modern, but remember the classics,” he amended. I’ll remind you that I also have a laptop. And well done, you. The Collective and I will have a look as soon as possible.” Then he paused before saying, “So I hear there’s a bit of discord between you and your parents.”

I sighed and looked toward Angel, the bronze Angel statue on one side of the courtyard. It was pointing directly at me, almost accusing. You kissed a boy! it would probably say if it could talk. You’re supposed to be working. For shame!

“Here’s the thing about my parents,” I said. “They want me to do this job, right? They want me to do a great job. I want to do a great job. The entire free world wants me to do a great job. But when I actually do my job, they freak out. I can’t win.”

Angelo nodded a little and adjusted his cufflinks, both engraved with calligraphied As. “The thing is, my love, you are their daughter first and a spy second.”

“It usually feels like the opposite, though. Like, last night was the first time that I ever hung out with kids my own age. And it was fun. It was awesome. There was a Halloween

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