Identity Zero novel · Chapter 5 of 32

Chapter 5: Target

Forty heads turned to look at Jesse.

Gorham picked up his mug and went back through the balcony door, humming.

Sallow stayed at the rail a second longer and grinned down at Jesse.

"Pairs," Strake said. His voice was flat. "Now."

He walked out of the ring and out of the gym.

He left a red thumbprint on the rope.

That night, after lights out, Ollie hung upside down off his bunk so his face was level with Jesse's.

"Okay," he whispered. "You don't know what Zero is."

"No."

"You came to the scariest school in America and you didn't read the forums."

"There are forums?"

"There's one forum. Mostly guys who washed out."

Ollie pushed his ears back.

"Top cadet every class. They pick him at graduation, in front of everybody."

"Black car pulls up. He gets in. Nobody ever hears from him again."

"That's the honor?"

"New name, new everything. Money like you wouldn't believe."

"One guy said they do the stuff the government can't put its name on."

"And their families?"

Ollie's face went careful.

"Forum doesn't say much about families."

Jesse looked at the springs over his head.

His brother hadn't drowned.

His brother had gotten in a black car.

And somebody had sent the Vetters a sealed box so they'd stop asking.

"Seventeen?" Ollie said. "You're doing the face."

"What face?"

"The face you did before you pulled Sallow into the tank."

Jesse rolled over and looked at him.

"I'm going to win it."

Ollie stared at him for a long time, upside down, all the blood going into his ears.

"Okay," he said finally. "I'll help. I'm very bad at most things, but I'm loyal."

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