[Contributor 02] - Infiltrator (2013) (2 page)

They ate in silence for a while, then Joshua surveyed the apartment, his gaze darting from one object to another. It didn’t matter how many times she reassured him that their apartment wasn’t bugged. He couldn’t help being paranoid, and she couldn’t blame him for it.

“So, have you heard anything more?” he asked, speaking in a mumble that she had a hard time understanding.

“About Mom?” she asked, concern rising within her. Didn’t he remember that she hadn’t had any contact with Raj in the last week?

Tears sprang to his eyes, and he bowed his head, hiding his face. “No, not about your mother.” His voice was rough. “I was, um, wondering if you’d heard anything more about…you know.”

She felt awful for bringing her mother up. They had studied Raj’s file together, and though it had been a relief to know that Leona was all right, it had also been heartbreaking. Her recovery was more important than anything, but it was painful to think of her getting better somewhere beyond their reach, without their help. They had no way of knowing if they’d ever be able to witness her progress with their own eyes.

“I won’t hear anything,” she said, not bothering to remind him that they’d gone over this several times. His anxiety was clear, matching her own. They were both aware how enormous a risk she was planning on taking. “Not until I have something to tell. They’re still giving me a way out. Besides, I need to try to gain Andersen’s trust first—or at least convince him that I’m so naive he has nothing to fear from me.”

Her father’s mouth turned down at the corners. “I don’t like the idea of you playing the prey with him.”

“I don’t like it either, but it may be the best shot I have. He doesn’t look at me the same way he looks at Letizia, and it only makes sense to work with the advantage I already have.”

“I don’t want you getting trapped in his web.” Joshua’s voice was tight, and it was plain how afraid he was for her.

“I’ll try my hardest to avoid that, I promise.” The words were hardly reassuring, but she couldn’t muster anything better.

They forced down the rest of their dinner, attempting to chat about inconsequential things, but they soon gave up all pretense of carrying on a normal conversation. In truth, it made Dara feel better. She expended so much energy playing a role while she was at headquarters that she didn’t want to have to do it at home as well.

“Word is that Javier Gutierrez is transferring to a different department,” Joshua told her as they cleaned up.

“He is?” she asked, her interest truly piqued. She hadn’t seen Javier that day, nor was she eager to do so. They hadn’t parted on the best of terms, and she still didn’t know what to think of him.

“Yeah. I heard he’s having trouble finding anyone willing to take him on in engineering, so he’s trying to get into my division, but I’m not sure that’s such a wise move.” He handed her their plates, and she put them in the sanitizer.

“Why?”

“Well, he’d be reporting to Jasmine Shah, and it’s no secret Andersen isn’t very fond of her.”

“Isn’t that good for Javier, then?” Dara asked, confused. “Seems like it would be better than trying to work for one of Andersen’s friends, given how Andersen feels about him.”

“That’s true, but it makes even less sense for him to work for someone Andersen sees as an enemy.”

A shiver raced up her spine. “I hadn’t thought of it that way.”

“You should, Dara. You need to consider all angles.”

She rubbed the goosebumps that popped up on her arms, considering her father’s words. He was correct that she did need to consider all angles, and it worried her that she hadn’t thought of this before. She had known Andersen wasn’t universally liked, so why hadn’t she given any thought to his enemies? Maybe she could glean something from them.

“I hope Javier knows what he’s doing.”

“So do I,” her father said in a weary voice.

Hell, I hope I know what
I’m
doing.

“Here’s my assistant,” Andersen said, holding his arm out as Dara approached her desk the next morning. She was once again fifteen minutes early, but his expression was impatient, and she wondered how early he wanted her to show up. Did he intend to hover at her desk every morning until she arrived?

“Good morning, sir,” she said. She glanced at the man standing next to Andersen, but he wasn’t anyone she knew. “How may I contribute today?”

“Assistant Morrow, I’d like to introduce you to Head of Accounting Adams.”

“It’s an honor to meet you, sir,” she said, extending her hand to the tall, handsome man. She fought to tamp down her sense of alarm. Apparently her father’s information had not only been good, it had been timely.

“I hear you’re very eager to prove yourself,” Adams replied. He had an easy smile, his white teeth a startling contrast to his ebony skin. His curly black hair was threaded with gray, and he wore dark-rimmed glasses that lent him an air of gravitas. Dara’s initial reaction was to relax. Where Andersen was all coldness, his gaze piercing, Adams had a kindly, paternal aura that made her feel safe—which immediately put her on guard. Letizia had admonished her that not everyone was working for the system, but that didn’t stop Dara from looking on everyone with suspicion. Nothing and no one seemed safe anymore.

“I am indeed, sir.”

“As you know, Arthur, I have
very
exacting standards,” Andersen said, chortling and clasping Adams’s shoulder.

“Oh, I haven’t forgotten about that! Who else could have made such a success of the engineering department? I hope you know how clever your superior is, my dear. When we were students, he got away with contradicting his Instructors.” Her eyes widened, and she stole a glance at Andersen. That kind of boldness was unheard of.

“I merely corrected their mistakes,” Andersen said, his predatory smile not reaching his eyes.

“Right you are.” Adams let out a hearty chuckle, shaking his head in evident admiration. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Filing the information away, Dara smiled. “Can I get you anything, Head of Accounting Adams, Head of Engineering Andersen?”

“Coffee,” Andersen said. “Arthur, shall we retire to my office? We have a great deal to discuss.”

“Yes, we do,” Adams replied, checking his watch. “And I have another meeting in two hours, so I’d like to get right down to it.”

Andersen put his hand between Adams’s shoulders, leading the other man into his office. Dara bit back a curse, wishing Andersen hadn’t told her to bring coffee. They wouldn’t say anything of importance until they were in the privacy of Andersen’s office, but she was reluctant to leave her desk, desperate for whatever scraps of information she could gather.

Could this really all be about Javier? Andersen can’t be that eager to ruin him, can he?

Chewing her lip, she went to the executive alcove and filled an insulated carafe with coffee. The rich, fragrant smell of it made her nose twitch, and she scowled as she thought of the weaker brew that was allocated to someone of her station. Why had she never before noticed the millions of tiny ways in which everyone’s social standing was so clearly delineated and subtly reinforced?

She put the full carafe on a tray, along with sweetener, mugs, and cream, and took it to Andersen’s office. Tapping on his door, she composed her features, meeting him with an expression of submission, head lowered in what she hoped he’d interpret as respect. She carried the tray into the office and set it on Andersen’s desk.

“Would you like sweetener or cream, Head of Accounting Adams?” she asked, pouring a cup for him.

“No, thank you.” Adams accepted the cup, and she poured one for Andersen. She already knew he didn’t take cream or sweetener, had noted it when she was still an apprentice.

“Will there be anything else?” she asked, folding her hands in front of her and looking at Andersen.

“That’s all for now,” he said, waving his hand in dismissal.

Inclining her head to the two men, Dara left, easing the door closed behind her. She stood before it for a moment, but it was impossible to hear anything through the thick steel. She suspected each department head’s office had been soundproofed. After all, they often talked with the Job Creators over secure lines, and it wouldn’t do for their underlings to overhear the secret exchanges.

How the hell am I ever supposed to uncover anything useful?

Her frustration mounting, she drummed her fingers on her desk as she signed in to her terminal. Mal had told her to pass along any information she thought relevant, but she doubted that included reporting how Andersen took his coffee. There must be surveillance gear she could use to listen in on his conversations, or some way she could hack his computer in order to access his private correspondence. Right now all she could do was make notes about his calendar and the meetings he attended, but it was flimsy intelligence. Andersen hadn’t reached the level he had by being sloppy, and she was willing to bet he kept his own private calendar to which she had no access.

With a sigh of resignation, she forced herself to focus on her work. She was surprised when Letizia appeared before her desk, and she glanced at her clock to find it was ten minutes to ten.

“Head of Engineering Andersen is in a meeting. May I get you anything while you wait?” Dara asked with bland politeness.

“I’m fine, thank you.” Letizia’s gaze darted around engineering. No one seemed to be paying any attention to them, but there was no real way of knowing for certain. Their best bet was to act with professional detachment toward one another.

Settling into one of the two chairs in the small reception area, Letizia began pecking away at her tablet, and Dara redirected her attention to her work. It was odd acting as if she and Letizia barely knew one another, and it made Dara want to squirm. Fifteen minutes passed, then twenty, but Andersen’s office door remained closed. Letizia’s face was composed, but there was a spark of impatience in her eyes, and her mouth tightened. She likely had a lot of work to do, given the number of people she supervised. But no complaints would pass from Letizia’s lips, even though she, like Dara, must suspect that Andersen was doing this as a way of reminding Letizia of her place.

When the door finally opened, Letizia and Adams greeted one another, and Dara discreetly slipped into Andersen’s office to clear away the coffee things. She didn’t need to ask to know he wouldn’t be offering Letizia any refreshments.

“Assistant Morrow, I’ll need several things in preparation for this afternoon’s meeting,” Andersen said as she headed for the door, tray in hand. He began to rattle off an extensive list, and Dara felt a flutter of panic. Should she ask him to wait while she got her tablet, so she could take notes? His mouth quirked in a faint sneer, and she stiffened her spine and looked him in the eye, nodding and making noises to let him know she was following him.

“Also, I’m not content with the schematics. I suppose they’re…sufficient, but they could be much stronger.”

“I’ll revise them, sir.” Dara could feel her lips thin, and she forced herself to smile. Yesterday Andersen had given the schematics his okay, which had been a relief, in light of the hours she had spent slaving over them.

He paused and tapped his lips with a finger musingly. “Oh, and have you finished the report Head of Logistics Gonzales requested?”

“Not yet, sir.” Her arms were beginning to ache. She shifted the heavy tray.

“See that you do. It’s top priority.” His voice was severe.

“I understand, sir.” Internally, she was screaming. What wasn’t top priority?

“That will be all.”

Leaving his office, she could practically feel the steam shooting from her ears. Andersen’s stream of commands had wasted another ten minutes of meeting time, and she was reasonably certain Letizia also longed for Andersen’s head on a platter.

Dara stalked back to the alcove and put the coffee things away, unable to resist banging them around in frustration. Closing her eyes, she forced herself to calm down, taking a couple of slow breaths before returning to her desk to get to work. She’d be stuck there for hours past her shift’s end, completing Andersen’s laundry list of tasks.

Dead tired when she finally finished her work, Dara dragged herself to Letizia’s apartment. She had no idea if her former master would be home, but if she had to continue this charade with Andersen without any sort of payoff, she’d start tearing her hair out by the handfuls.

“Dara,” Letizia said by way of greeting. She looked as exhausted as Dara felt. The heavy circles under her eyes were so dark they were like bruises.

“This is bullshit,” Dara exploded as soon as the door closed. “How am I supposed to collect any kind of information about Andersen if I’m not privy to anything?”

Letizia rubbed her forehead. “Observe, Dara.”

“What good is that going to do?”

“You won’t know until you do it, will you?” An edge crept into Letizia’s voice, and Dara stared at her former master, mouth agape.

“This is some sort of test, isn’t it?”

“I don’t know what you mean.” Brushing past Dara, Letizia headed to her sofa and dropped down on it, letting her head fall back.

“You know
exactly
what I mean. You all have to decide if you can trust me before you’ll let me do any real work, don’t you?”

“What did you expect? Did you think you’d be brought into the inner circle?” Letizia asked, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Grunting in frustration, Dara paced the length of the room, her hands balled into fists. She was so angry that she wanted to scream until her throat was raw. Her mother had disappeared who knew where, Letizia was no longer around to guide Dara safely through the dangerous waters of Magnum, and she had to kiss up to Andersen in the seemingly futile hope that he might let slip something she could use to prove herself to Mal.

“Are you sure you’re doing this for the right reasons?” Letizia’s soft voice startled her, and Dara stopped pacing.

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“Are you doing this because you want to help or are you doing this because you want vengeance?”