“Let’s visit your new office,” he says. “My office?” “Unless you’d prefer to work at your usual desk.” He smiles to show he’s joking. I wouldn’t have guessed him capable. I follow him through a warren of hallways and offices. “It’s not much,” he warns. “But it’s private, which is key. For now, we’d like you to keep the nature of your assignment to yourself. The fewer people who know the truth, the better chance we have of finding the Free Walkers.” “What am I supposed to tell everyone?” My dad, for example, is going to want to know why I’m not showing up for my regular assignment. “Explain that, considering what you went through during the anomaly, we felt it best you take on a more administrative role for the time being.” “Like a suspension?” “Hardly. You’re reporting directly to me.
