Inferno: A Young Adult Urban Fantasy (Spectra Book 5) by Lan Chan

Author:Lan Chan [Chan, Lan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2022-04-14T16:00:00+00:00

27

For some reason, I reacted badly to Riley and Latimer sitting in the desk that Rich used. At least Oz was allowed to return. Now the three of us were in the chairs opposite the wall that Rich usually had for guests.

Latimer placed a recording device on the table. “Can you state your full name for the record?”

“Willow Nguyen.”

“And how long have you been with Hyper Division, Miss Nguyen?”

I shrugged. “Eighteen months?”

He was writing something down on a piece of paper in front of him at the same time. He made a motion as though he was ticking something off a piece of paper.

What happened to Lily? I asked in Oz’s mind.

He shook his head slightly and willed me to concentrate on what they were asking. For a second, panic set it before I was able to get a hold of it.

“You were placed here as part of a court-ordered good-behaviour bond, is that correct?” Riley asked.

“You know I was. It’s in my permanent record.”

“Yes or no answers, please, Miss Nguyen.”

“Yes.”

“The bond specifies that you have to attend the Academy’s school and enrol in training as part of their advanced placement into their ranks, is that correct?”

“Yes.”

More scribbling on notepads.

“We understand this arrangement was made with the courts as a plea deal that your aunt managed to strike with the prosecution.”

“Yes.”

“Otherwise, you would have ended up in the psi-prison.”

“No.”

They both raised their heads. “I’m a minor. I would have gone to trial for what happened and there might have been a chance that a jury would have found me not guilty.”

“You contravened the first clause of the Esper Containment Act,” Latimer reminded me. As if I didn’t have it etched in my brain. “That’s an immediate prison sentence.”

“Not necessarily. The prosecution would still have to have proven intent, and I could have asked for Justice Ramsay to recuse himself based on his reputation for being harder on espers.”

Beside me, Jenny sat up straight. That’s right, since I’d been here, I’d been doing a little bit of my own research. If I could have gotten a sympathetic enough jury on my side, and a judge who didn’t already want to throw me in prison, I might have had a chance.

“It sounds like you’re saying the law could have been manipulated to suit your needs,” Latimer said, a slight frown on his face.

“It’s called interpretation.”

Riley stopped writing and was just looking at me now. “So, you don’t believe your sentence was fair?”

“It doesn’t really make a difference what I believe. I’m here now and that’s not going to change.”

“What does being here mean to you?’ Latimer asked. “You’ve been involved in a number of questionable incidences during your confinement with Hyper Division.” He shuffled the papers in front of him. “In fact, there doesn’t appear to be much that has happened in this city that hasn’t somehow been linked to Hyper Division.”

“I’m sorry,” I said. “Are you asking me figuratively? Hyper is the place I live. I don’t know what else you want me to say about it.

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