PART 3: THE SOWING TOMORROW GALA JOB -- PREPARATION

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Don’t act yet! I commanded myself. If I acted, I’d do so without a clear head and likely worsen my predicament. I had to respond, not react. To respond, I had to quell my headache. “Someone, please fetch me a glass of water.”

“I’ll get it!” Sylvia said before leaping out of her seat and rushing out.

I lowered my brow as I took Sylvia into account. “Lilah, is there anywhere Sylvia can go? I need to talk freely with the both of you.”

“Qiang can watch her,” Lilah said.

“Why am I just now learning about her?” Wynn asked with venom.

“Her situation is complicated—” Lilah began.

“Make it less complicated,” Wynn said. “Cause it sounds like you’re pulling the same crap Marius pulled with me.”

“I would never do to her what he did.”

“Shush!” I pinched the bridge of my nose and squeezed my eyes shut. “One, this isn’t soothing my headache.”

“As if I care about—” Lilah began.

“Two,” I said, “Sylvia shall return soon. I cannot speak for either of you, but I’d rather she didn’t stumble into an argument.”

The room deadened and I collapsed on the bed – why not utilize it if there?

“This isn’t over,” Wynn said.

My head thumped, but I decided against repeating myself. It would only drag the conversation out.

Sylvia returned not too long after with a glass of water in her hand and Qiang trailing behind her.

She held out a transparent glass while brandishing a wide smile. “Here you are!”

“Much obliged.”

I accepted and sipped from the cup. Tepid faucet water grazed my tongue and I jerked away from it.

“D-Did I mess up?” Sylvia asked.

I shook my hand as I downed the dull water. It was far from what I desired, but I considered it better than the alternative of telling her the truth. Besides, it’s not as if I could blame her for failing to discern my tastes.

“Sylvia,” Lilah said, her voice gentle, “why don’t you spend some time with Qiang?”

“But I want to see how The Grandmaster responds!” Sylvia said. “How else am I supposed to learn?”

I gulped what remained – better to get it out of the way than to sustain my misery – before shifting my gaze to Sylvia. “Why do you wish to learn? This lifestyle is risky.”

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“So?” Sylvia asked. “You do it! I wanna be like you!”

I wrinkled my brow. “I repeat: why?”

“Cause rich people suck! They’re parasites! I want to fight back too. I don’t wanna let ‘em just do whatever they want.”

My stomach knotted and I wondered how to respond. Why does she believe such things? I wondered as I glanced toward Lilah.

Lilah struck me as the most likely culprit for teaching her such notions, but I recognized the likelihood I was leaping to conclusions. After all, there existed several reasons why she would state such a belief, such as the truth there is plenty of wealthy folks who are terrible. I wouldn’t be The Grandmaster of Theft if they weren’t.

However, I couldn’t deem the entirety of us in the upper echelon as horrid. I didn’t consider myself horrid and I maintained relationships with some who I didn’t consider horrid either. I couldn’t judge the whole based on the actions of some. If I did, I’d reach similar conclusions of those worse off. I could even extend it to everyone.

Regardless, replying to her struck me as an excellent means of getting distracted from what I had to do. I couldn’t picture myself being able to dissuade her either, especially when I wished her to leave so I could discuss a heist, so I decided against that route as well.

Ultimately, the truth seemed the best course of action. “I cannot allow you to stay as we’ll be discussing sensitive matters.”

“I won’t say a thing!” Sylvia cried out. “Promise! Just please let me stay!”

My forehead pounded and I winced. “Hope for the best, prepare for the worst. That’s your lesson.”

Her brows joined. “What?”

“When planning,” I said, “hope for the best outcome, but plan for the worst scenarios. In this instance, while I hope you’ll remain silent about all matters discussed, I must eliminate the risk of you learning something you shouldn’t.”

Sylvia stomped her foot. “This isn’t fair!”

“Sylvia,” Lilah said, voice stern, “have you forgotten that you are a guest today?”

Sylvia’s expression darkened.

My breath caught. I must quell this before it becomes an issue, I thought. “How about we form a pact? You leave us for now and I promise to answer all sorts of inquiries later?”

She tightened her mouth and squinted. “Any question?”

“Within reason,” I said.

“Why should I believe this isn’t a trick to get rid of me?”

The corners of my lips twitched. As irritating as she was, I couldn’t help but applaud her thoroughness. “What would you do if I were duping you?”

Sylvia shrugged.

“How about this: you come up with a way to punish me if I dupe you. I’ll keep my word out of fear.”

Her eyes bloomed wide before she put her hand to her jaw and contemplated my offer. “Okay. You better keep your word ‘cause I won’t let you off easy!”

I stifled my laugh and shook my head. “I’ll bear that in mind.”

Qiang escorted Sylvia out of the room. As she left, she peeked over her shoulder, her eyes solemn.

“You should take her seriously,” Lilah said. “She’s more dangerous than either of you can imagine. She’s thirteen, yet already a top-tier hacker. Worse, she knows it. She’s going to end up causing trouble for someone no matter what. I’m trying to make sure she can navigate the trouble she causes. And that she’s causing trouble for the right people.”

“You’re assuming she’s going to end up like us,” Wynn said.

“Her dad’s an unknown, her mom’s dead, and she’s been around criminal elements all her life thanks to her mom. She ain’t coming out of this normal.” Lilah met Wynn’s glare. “You didn’t.”

Wynn broke eye contact with her.

My muscles tensed and I pictured myself smashing my fist against her jaw. “Sylvia deserves the chance to choose. She isn’t old enough to make an informed decision.”

“She shouldn’t be old enough to hack the DGFL,” Lilah said, “but she did.”

My muscles slackened and my brow popped up. “How could—” I began, but I decided against asking. My second question pressed me much more. “Why would she target such a humdrum agency?”

The DGFL – aka The Department of Game, Fish, and Land – is the government agency that tracks who owns what land when the records aren’t in the public domain. It isn’t an interesting target in and of itself. The sole reason I’m even aware of their existence is due to my family’s company; it files with them for cell and TV tower land leases.

“Some half-baked hacktivism plot,” Lilah said. “She’s a vegan and wanted to expose…” She gave a dismissive wave. “It doesn’t matter. What matters is the fact she can pull off such feats. She can and she will continue to.”

If she’s a vegan, why is she wearing a leather jacket? I mused before shaking my head and shifting to more imperative considerations.

Sylvia reminded me of me at thirteen. If you think me arrogant now, believe me when I say I’ve been worse. Much worse. I considered myself nearly invincible. What’s more, I might have ended up misusing my power were it not for my grandfather’s lessons. Even now, the values he imparted influence my choices. So, I could understand where Lilah came from.

That all being said, it still left a bitter taste in my mouth.

“I know this isn’t ideal,” Lilah said, “but things aren’t for most. Not everybody can win the jackpot like you. Some of us have to play bad hands as best we can.”

Her words stabbed my soul and dragged me back to a discussion we once had.

I had assumed the worst regarding the sex workers under her employee. I argued that it was exploitation and that nobody would ever willingly choose such a lifestyle. She countered with the reality of these women who lacked Heimilian citizenship, and how they were doing their best to survive and provide for their families.

If she ceased business, what they did wouldn’t change. They’d simply fall prey to those who would cheat and harm them. She was doing her best to guard them against what had once befallen her.

Finally, she told me that I had no right to judge them on account of me being…me. The hand life dealt me and the one it dealt them wasn’t the same, so I shouldn’t act as if it was.

My heart sank, but I kept my head held high. I couldn’t yield. Not yet. “I’m certain there is a better way.”

“Share when you find it. Though I recommend you prioritize Narcissa and that…Oz guy or whatever they’re called first.”

I scraped my hand across my face and forced a smile. She was correct; Ozonnole took precedence.