The Pyramid Chronicles: Tyche Point (#1)

Chapter Seventeen: The Offer

Aside from the chatter of birds and the occasional passing car, the morning was quiet. The rising sun bathed everything in a soft orange. Its rays weren't scorching yet, instead bathing the streets in a pleasant warmth.

Willow was used to this walk to school. It was one of the few parts of her day when people weren't bothering her, when she didn't have to work on one of her projects, when she could enjoy her coffee in peace. And after the training session with the others yesterday, she appreciated this time to herself even more.

Naturally, she was annoyed when she noticed the car following her.

The nondescript gray sedan kept its distance for a few blocks before finally pulling along the curb next to her. A rear window rolled down.

"Willow Evelyn West?" the man asked.

Willow stopped and groaned. Her full name? Really? "How many times do I have to tell you goons to leave me alone? Tell my father that I'm not interested—"

"I don't work for your father." The man leaned closer to the window, bringing his face into the sunlight that glinted off his sunglasses. "I manage an independent lab. I have an offer for you. A job offer."

"Maybe try emailing me next time?"

"I apologize for the unconventional approach, but I happened to be in the area." He held out a business card. "I assure you, you're going to be interested in what I have to say."

Willow glanced at the driver's window and noticed how heavily tinted it was. Through the glass, she could just make out the silhouette of the driver. She swore they were wearing a helmet, as if they'd been planning to get on a motorcycle instead.

"You don't have to commit to anything," the man continued, still holding out the card. "I can give you a tour of my lab, show you what work we do. If you're really not interested, I won't bother you again."

Willow reluctantly took the card. "Your lab's nearby?"

"Sort of."

The card had nothing but a phone number. "This is pretty vague," Willow said. "Do you have a website? Twitter? Anything?"

"My work isn't the kind of thing you advertise to the public."

"Well, what about a name?"

"Most of my employees refer to me as Director," the man replied.

"Lovely," Willow muttered. She shoved the card into her pocket. "I have to get to school."

"Give me a call if you decide you're interested."

"Sure."

The window rolled down, and the car sped off. Willow resumed her walk at a quicker pace, her mind racing and her heart beating faster than it should have. With everything going on, she couldn't help but wonder if this guy was working with one of the organizations who wanted to either get their hands on the artifact. Or the altered. Or both.

Did he know Willow was an altered? No, how could he?

By the time she'd reached the school, she was leaning toward forgetting the whole thing. Though her burning curiosity wanted her to at least find out what the guy was up to, she had a dozen other things on her plate. The Top Achiever Scholarship, deciding what university to attend in the fall, training with Adam and his brother's ragtag group of friends, and the tech club spring competition, for starters.

Speaking of tech club...

Willow passed one of the posters for the spring competition, paused, and backed up to give it a second look. When had they decided to make new posters? No one had talked to her about that.

She scanned the text. There hadn't been any changes to the dates or times, so why—?

Her heart stopped.

There, at the bottom of the poster. Sponsored by West & Novak.

Willow ripped the poster off the wall and stormed to the tech club room. When she opened the door, the room fell quiet. Painfully quiet. Everyone looked her way.

"Willow!" Kate rose to her feet. "We need to talk."

"I agree." Willow held up the poster. "What is this?"

Any semblance of politeness in Kate's expression faded. "We had a long discussion this morning about some changes we want to make to the club."

"Without the president?"

"Yes." Kate folded her arms. "Because we're voting in a new president."

"You can't—"

"It was a unanimous agreement. We all wanted to accept the West and Novak sponsorship. And plan more group activities to prepare for competition."

"Why didn't you bring these issues to me first?"

"We tried. Willow, listen, you're really talented," Kate said. "But you don't seem to want to be a leader. You always work alone. To be honest, being president feels more like something you can throw on a resume, not something you actually care about doing for the club."

Willow crumpled the poster up in her hands. "Fine."

"Willow, this doesn't have to be a big deal. You're still in the club, and I'm sure you'll do great at the competition—"

"I'm not going to the competition." Not if Wilson West was sponsoring it. Not if he was going to be there. Willow tossed the poster into the nearest trash can. "And I'm quitting the club."

"You don't have to quit—"

Ignoring Kate's protests, Willow left the room and threw the door shut behind her. Her hands trembled as she walked down the hallway. Her fingertips grew colder with every beat of her heart.

Willow pulled back her powers and focused on steadying her breathing. She would be fine. She didn't need the club. All her college applications were already in, anyway, and she'd won enough competitions in the past to establish a reputation.

Of course, she'd been counting on the competition's prize money to help her pay for school.

Willow paused next to a bulletin board. The poster for the school's Top Achiever scholarship was front and center, the prize value a reminder that even winning wouldn't be enough. Not by itself. And she'd have to beat Adam to get it.

She rubbed her forehead. That shouldn't have mattered, but she felt a twinge of guilt. How was he planning to pay for school? He was on the football team, and he was good, but he wasn't some star player who was getting a bunch of full rides. He might not even continue playing in college.

Don't worry about him. Worry about yourself. Why should you care?

Willow pulled the business card from her pocket. What were the chances this offer was legit, and what were the chances it was a scheme? A trap?

And if it was legitimate, what was the Director paying?

In her free hand, Willow summoned a sphere of ice. It hovered above her palm, ready to move at her mental command. She could handle herself. She always had.

She let the ice fall to the ground and shatter. Her hand moved into her bag and wrapped around her cell phone. Slowly, she pulled it out. Punched in the numbers on the business card. Her trembling thumb hovered over the call button for a long moment before she forced herself to push it.

It rang. And rang. And then, the Director spoke. "Hello?"

"This is Willow West."

"I wasn't expecting to hear back so soon," the Director said. "Are you interested, then?"

"Maybe." Willow lifted her chin. "I'd like to take a tour of your lab."