The Bonding Chronicles Ch. 18

"I was so pissed about everything you'd been doing to Sara and how you'd tried to break into my network, that I didn't really consider the hypocrisy of what I was doing... I should be better than that."

Vivienne took her refilled glass from the waitress, thanking the nice young woman and waiting until she had left before she responded, "No one's better than that, Andrew. My company's built on that undeniable aspect of human nature."

Andrew took another bite of ice cream, taking the time to savor the complex flavors that formed from the layering of ingredients. Not the best he had ever had, but somehow more compelling.

Rather than contradict her, he decided to let her point stand. Most people would never be better than what her company expected, and in that way she was right. He considered reminding her that it was their responsibility to rise above those base traits of their ancestry, or be governed by them forever, but settled on the fact that it was not his place and that was not the right time.

He took another bite of ice cream, and while it melted in his mouth, he reached down and pulled a small notepad out of their backpack, accompanied with a pen. Tearing out a single sheet, he began to write an extremely long set of characters. After filling almost half of the sheet of paper, he folded it and handed it across to Vivienne.

"The files are encrypted, and you'll need that private key to gain access."

Vivienne grew more frustrated as she accepted the piece of paper. "You make no sense, Andrew... If this drive contains everything you claim it does, that's invaluable to my company, and you're just giving me that because you feel guilty?"

Andrew finished the last of his ice cream, and rested his hand on Sara's on his leg. He could tell she was enjoying her mother's confusion, and supported what he was doing one hundred percent.

"Well, consider it a job application then. Here's the thing, after what we've been through this weekend I need to figure out what the hell I am, and what exactly I can do. Everything to this point is leading me towards a single conclusion, and if I'm right, I need something that you could give me."

Sara could sense Andrew's excitement as he built towards his request, everything he offered Vivienne pulling her towards granting him his wish.

"If you want money, I'm sure you'd more than earn it. Assuming, of course, that you aren't asking for more than your worth."

Andrew's gained the widest cheshire-cat smile, "Before I explain what I need, let me first explain why I need it in this way."

They could tell by how Vivienne had moved forward in her seat, leaning almost over the table that he had captured her interest.

"Those documents you shared with Sara led me to an unexpected truth about my life. Those discrepancies you'd found in my history were omissions of things the government didn't want discovered about me. About my intellect, and my abnormal nature. They've been watching and studying me from a distance my entire life, and the only reason I'm here is because my parents threatened to end their service.

"They gave my parents a ridiculously nice contract and stationed us here with the agreement that my parents would not be reassigned until after I graduated high school. Your daughter was not their target, and while she may be on their radar now, I don't think she was before.

"Again, for that I must apologize. Since I learned all of this, I've been extremely cautious with everything I do online, and anyone I contact or call electronically. While I'm certain — for reasons you know — that none of my devices have been bugged or hacked, I cannot be so certain about gateways further downstream."

Sensing a pause in Andrew's explanation, Vivienne sat back and took a sip from her wine. Andrew and Sara drank from their waters, giving her time to process everything he had said. The pieces fit together, especially after everything she had seen Andrew do.

"I still don't know who I can trust, but I refuse to believe my parents are involved."

Sara gripped his leg with more force than she meant, eliciting a sharp intake of breath from Andrew as she said, "No, sweetie. Dave and Michelle love you more than life itself. There's no way they're involved."

He leaned over and rubbed his temple across her cheek, enjoying the feeling of her hand as she cupped the side of his face and purred into his ear. They shared that moment a little longer than intended, but after sitting back into his chair Andrew continued, pulling Vivienne back across the table with the intrigue he had built.

"So, that brings me back to what I'm hoping to gain from you. They're no doubt monitoring your phones and internet, but I know you use high bit encryption through proxies, so that won't get them much unless your proxy is logging, which I'm forced to assume it doesn't.

"On that drive is another file, a map that shows a parcel of land that rests in the middle of the forest. It's nearly a hundred acres, and despite my efforts I can't figure out who owns it or what it's worth. There's no road access or anything of value anywhere near it. I want that land, and I want it bad.

"We have quite a bit of money between the two of us," Andrew stated, gripping Sara's hand in his lap. "But unfortunately that doesn't help us. Whatever it costs, I'll more than earn for your company as an unpaid intern. The key thing is, we need your PI to track down the owner of that parcel, and we need to broker the sale in a way where nothing leads back to me or anyone directly affiliated with me. The government cannot know that I'm interested in that land, but when the time comes I need to be able to claim it and show ownership if challenged."

Vivienne's confusion was palpable as she looked between the two teens who sat before her.

"What's there?"

Andrew and Sara shared a profound and intimate moment, their eyes speaking the world as their grip intensified.

"Everything."