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The security guard pointed to the groups of boys "We’re hiring New techs"

All Mission saere youngto theuard handed back the note to Mission and pointed toward theher way through, a large and fa to watch her ass as she headed down the hall

"Thanks," Mission said to the guard, hurrying away from the crush of people "Sir?" he called out as he approached the gate

Jeffery turned his head, the deep wrinkles and folds of flesh disappearing fro to place the naht You need to leave so with me, porter?" He held out a palm but seemed disinterested

Mission handed him the note "Actually, I have orders from Mrs Crowe to deliver it in person" He pulled the sealed envelope with the crossed-out nauard glanced at the envelope, then continued reading the note addressed to hiive you a timefraain, an outstretched palm; this time with more interest Mission pulled the envelope back warily "I can’t There’s no way I can just hand it to hi me, I’d say no problem"

Jeffery smiled "You were one of her boys, too?"

Mission nodded The head of Security looked past hiate with his ID out Mission stepped aside as the gentle to Jeffery

"Tell you what I’ Rodny his lunch in a little bit When I do, you can co there, and I won’t have to worry about the Crow nipping ood, man I appreciate it"

The officer pointed across the noisy entrance hall "Why don’t you go grab yourself so in the conference roo out paperwork" Jeffery looked Mission up and down "In fact, why don’t you fill out an application? We could use you"

"Iuh, don’t know ed as if that were irrelevant "Suit yourself One of the boys will be relieving et you"

Mission thanked hie entrance hall where neat colu uard waved hi out a sheet of paper and a shard of charcoal Mission saw that the back of the paper was blank and took it with no plan for filling it out Half a chit right there in usable paper

There were a few empty chairs around the wide table He chose one A nues, faces scrunched up in concentration Mission sat with his back to the onlyand placed his sack on the wide table, kept the letter in his hands The application he slid inside his pack for future use He studied for the first time the Crow’s letter

The envelope was old but addressed only a handful of ti a folded piece of paper inside Peering closer, Mission saw that it was pulp paper, probably made in the Crow’s Nest by one of her kids, water and handfuls of torn paper blended up and pressed down on screens and left overnight to dry Bits of thread and various colors could be seen in there, and just the hint of writing

"Mission," someone at the table hissed

He looked up to see Bradley sitting across from him The fellow porter had his blue ’chief tied around his bicep Mission had thought he was running a regular route in the Down Deep

"You applying?" Bradley hissed

One of the other boys coughed into his fist like he was asking for quiet It looked like Bradley was already done with his application

Mission shook his head There was a knock on thebehind him, and he nearly dropped the letter as he whirled around Jeffery stuck his head in the door "Twothe other lads He jabbed his thu on his tray"

Mission bobbed his head as the door was pulled shut The other boys looked at him curiously

"Delivery," Mission explained to Bradley loud enough for the others to hear He pulled his pack closer and hid the envelope behind it The boys went back to their scribbling Bradley frowned and watched the others

Mission studied the envelope again Twowould he have with Rodny? He tickled the corner of the sealed flap The milk paste the Crow had used didn’t stick very well to the lue fro down at the envelope Instead, he watched Bradley as he disobeyed the third cardinal rule of porting, telling himself this was different, that this o old friends talking and he was just in the roo as he peeled the flap away

Even so, his hands tre the note hidden Purple and red string lay strewn in with the dark gray of cheap paper Kid paper The writing was in chalk It athered in the folds as it shivered loose fro froht, take flight!

Part of an old nursery rhy the rest, a story about a young crow learning to be free Beat your wings and fly away to brighter things Fly, fly with all yourbeyond this fragain Several of the other boys dropped their charcoals and visibly startled One boy cursed under his breath Mission whirled around to see Jeffery on the other side of the glass, a coveredimpatiently

Mission folded the letter up and stuffed it back in the envelope He raised his hand over his head to let Jeffery know he’d be right there, licked one finger and ran it across the sticky paste, re-sealing the envelope as best he could "Good luck," he told Bradley, even though he had no clue what the kid thought he was doing He dragged his pack off the table, was careful to wipe away the chalk dust that had spilled, and hurried out of the conference room