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"I’hter, that’s all"

"Code name, Harper" His eyes are still soft, like he hates to ask, but he has no choice

I s hard and bowaudible breath of relief A small chuckle follows "That’s a dirty little nanore his innuendo "I could’ve been your target" It unnerves me The reality of what that means

"You’re not," he says sternly "You’re not and that’s all that et" He takes the key from my hand, but this ti the lock "Where do you fit in?" I can’t believe I’ this conversation It’s so taboo We could both be killed for these feords But just like he needs to knohere I fit in, I need to know his place too Come is a verb A verb code name means I’m a nobody But Tet, I’m not sure what that stands for I know all the ranks, but I’ve never heard of a Tet

He lets out a long breath and looks down at his feet, like he doesn’t want to tell me "Number Six" I shake my head and turn away, but he catches me by the waist and pulls me back "Please don’t turn away"

"Six?" I cannot even coanization my father is married to, indebted to for life--the same one he sold his children into when he joined, the sa enough to have any--is deeply compartmentalized Everyone has a place Everyone has a code There are thousands of members all over the world Most are innocuous Verbs like her-ups have nouns There are hundreds of theless, just a label to put you in perspective

My father has a rank The Admiral There are twelve members with ranks

But only ten people have a nuht

JAMES

"Why do you look so faht question Why do you feel so fafor the truth, but at the sa whether or not she actually wants to know it

"What’s your brother’s code?"

The slap cracks across my face before I even have a chance to react, but once I do I take her out like any other threat I grab her arms, twist them behind her back, push her forith a knee to the ass, and take her down to the hard concrete floor