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Hercame out at first "You said it was a joke! That I wasn’t in any trouble!"

"You aren’t," he said "But your principal doesn’t feel it’s right to have a girl who’s been carted off by prætorians back in school right away Sets a bad exa like that You’re off for a week"

Once she accepted she wasn’t being deported, Tessa was okay with it Cynthia was the outraged one "What? That’s absurd! They can’t suspend her for personal activities They’re a public institution, obligated to provide her education"

"Well, technically, she attacked the public I’ Cynthia’s face darken

"You should’ve sent her to a private school Surely you’ve got enough money for them to overlook where she’s from"

"I’ve tried" Tessa never complained, but he knew that there was still a little friction in her adjustment to the school She would’ve done better elsewhere, but the places he wanted her in had strict admissions policies If he’d foreseen that problereeet her back sooner, be o see the Nordics today"

Cynthia glowered "I’ll try My day’s not much better The least you can do is take her with you"

Justin, Mae, and Tessa all turned to her in surprise "I’ to work, Cyn," he said "It’s not a vacation I can just bring her along on"

"What are you doing? Renewing some licenses? It’s all formality and paperwork," said Cynthia, who apparently had little regard for his job "I’m sure you’ll have downtime"

"I’m fine here," said Tessa

Cynthia was obstinate "Glued to the living rooht you here for You need to live Go experience how the other half lives Think of the photo ops for your class"

Tessa brightened at that, and Justin deliberated Tessa really had no business going along on SCI’s ht about how Tessa would spend her day if left behind He looked at Mae for help

"The don area’s safe," she said after aon her ohile we’re out"

That was good enough for Justin, largely because they were running out of tied to book Tessa a ticket on the way to the airport, and they decided she could just share Mae’s hotel rooirl’s credit, Tessa handled this trip ht Sure, she still kept a white-knuckled grip on the seat, but she didn’t look like she was on the verge of passing out She entertained herself with a reader and made occasional conversation All in all, she handled it like a pro, even when Justin had to send her off on her own They’d checked in at a hotel on one side of do Stockholm and then traveled to a police station on the opposite side Tessa ith them to the station and then prepared to strike out

Mae pointed out a trolley running up and down the street "This whole stretch and the adjacent streets are shopping and touristy stuff Plenty to see and do You can just work your way back to the hotel"

Tessa nodded, eyes wide "Everyone’s so…blond"

"Yes, they are," Justin said, glancing at the sea of golden hair It ht actuallyelse on the trip, Tessa ave a resolved nod "Here," he said "Let o" He made a few adjustments on his and then scanned it over hers when she offered it up "There you go Walking-around rinned and surprised hi she’d call if there was a proble an area this tourist-friendly wouldn’t go too hard on a provincial girl

Their contact a the Nordic police was a woman named Dahlia Johansson, a veteran detective who obviously didn’t like federal involve an open case even ainst the ith crossed arms