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In the desk chair sat Joe Fideli, who reached into his pocket and took out a small device It looked like a black plastic pyralowed red in slow, hypnotic pulses

"What--" Bryn started to ask, but McCallister put his finger to his lips She subsided, waiting, until Fideli checked soood," he said "Just keep your voices down I can’t do oing on?" Bryn asked

"I wanted to tell you so that shouldn’t be on Pharmadene’s public record"

"So talk to ht She couldn’t iine McCallister without his suit and tie He wasn’t an off-duty kind of guy

He and Fideli both shook their heads "Doesn’t work that way, sweetheart," Fideli said "You already know you’re being followed Thing is, we’re all being followed, monitored, tracked, you name it You work for Phar any kind of private conversation is a real effort" Fideli looked at the red glowing device, which was pulsing just a bit faster now "Enough chitchat We’ve got about two minutes before I have to shut it down Talk fast"

McCallister turned to Bryn and said, "When you get the na to Fairvieant you to tell Joe that you need to see your sister Sharon"

Sharon That sent a shock through her, and made her take a step back "What do you know about Sharon?" Sharon had walked out of the house at nineteen and never been seen again She ht have … not Privately, Bryn had always thought that soht never fully understand, but the rest of her fa about Sharon as if she were still alive, still just absent

"Nothing," McCallister said "It’s a signal to let hie information This is for your own safety, Bryn"

She blinked and looked at Fideli Hiht with you Listen to him"

"Why can’t I just do what you told me to do? Find the seller and turn him in?"

"Because," McCallister said, "once you do, your usefulness to Phar to waste one more dose of Re turné on closed business Understand? Succeed, and you’re dead"

Herto say The look on his face, anxious and earnest, convinced her that heby a very slender thread, and Pharmadene’s faceless bureaucrats and accountants held the scissors

"I’er pay off …"

"Exactly They’ll let an investets discarded Play for time Give me a chance to find a way to keep you alive after that objective is achieved"

Fideli held up a finger, watching the now rapidly strobing pyralanced at him, then focused back on Bryn "Please," he said "Do what I’ you And be careful"

"Why do you care?" she asked, mystified

He hesitated, then shook his head "I don’t think you’d understand even if I told you" His cell phone buzzed for attention, and he pulled it out and checked the screen "I’ in fifteen We need to wrap this up"

The little flashing-red device was really working now, clearly warning the Bryn quickly looked at Fideli "One : did you find Fast Freddy?"

"Not yet But I will, no doubt about it" He glanced down "Time" He tapped the top of the pyramid, and it went back to a lifeless black plastic object He waved silently at the two of the them to leave McCallister nodded, opened the door, and ushered Bryn back out into the hallway As they left the e had never even happened

"You have a full understanding of your position with us, Bryn?" McCallister asked, back to the poised, confident corporate exec She had no choice but to nod "Excellent If you have any questions, rammed into your cell phone, as is Joe’s If we need to meet, you can call me and ask me out on a date"

"Excuse me?"

"Was that unclear? Ask me to coffee Or dinner Whatever see your cover in the field"