Page 203 of Johnny

“I was sold four years ago. The guy who bought me? He’s an untouchable. He might just run a

clean-up team, but he’s part of the founding families. And he just wants to do his job and be left alone.

It’s as outside as he can manage for now. And he took me along for the ride, so…” She shrugs. “Fuck

it. I’m untouchable now too.”

I sit down on the bed and breathe. Counting my breaths. Hastily making new folder, after new

folder, after new folder inside my brain.

“Look,” she says. Scooting over to sit next to me. “I have a feeling we’re doing something bigger

than even I know about. So if you’re feeling clueless right now? It’s… normal.”

Jesus Christ. Is this kid trying to comfort me?

“What do you mean?” I mumble, still arranging folders in my head. Desperately trying to file shit

away.

“One of my guys? He’s been in contact with another kid like me. Well—” She bobs her head a little

like she’s thinking about that. “She’s not a kid anymore. I think she’s like twenty-something now. But

she was like me before she got out. And he thinks something big is going to happen soon. You know.

Like it did that one time? Out in Santa Barbara?”

I turn my head and squint at her.

“You don’t know about that?”

“No. What are you talking about?”

“The Company,” she whispers.

“What company?” Because she’s used that term twice now.

“Oh, man. You really are clueless. That’s the parent name of the Way. The people in charge.

Haven’t you ever met them?”

“No,” I breathe. “I don’t think I ever have.”

“Well, this girl, when she was my age, she took down the whole thing.”

I laugh. “Apparently not. Since we’re still here.”

The kid shrugs. “She made things harder, that’s for sure. That’s why the Way had to reorganize

everything about nine years ago.”

I do the math. Counting back nine years. What was I doing nine years ago?

Logan and I were killing those government black ops guys on that joint job my father and his boss

sent us on. That’s what was happening nine years ago.