Page 25 of The Company We Keep

"Boss is already in his office. Leta should be up right behind Dust. Herron... is making their own schedule, as usual, I think."

"Lovely." Wayles crossed to the fridge and both of them seemed to forget Dust was standing there with his bag for the moment. "Did I miss dinner?"

"No dinner to speak of," Vashvi said. "I dunno — I think Carrow said something about everyone foraging tonight."

"But I'mstarved," Wayles whined.

"You could try and catch Leta before she gets here. Maybe she'll pick something up?"

"She's still chuffed that I didn't like her gumbo whatever it was on Tuesday. I'm not bringing up food to her right now."

"Then I guess you'llstarve," she said, taunting.

The surreality of the exchange waskillingDust. These two sounded like college roommates.

"What do you eat, Dust?" Wayles wanted to know.

"I ate before I came," he said quickly.

"No but — " and Wayles waved his hand as if suddenly struggling for the words to explain a difficult concept. "I mean, in general. Are you vegan? Kosher? What do you like stocked?"

"Stocked? I eat whatever's offered," he said. "I'm not picky."

"Oh, you'll live to regret that," Vashvi said, laughing.

"Don't rag on him," Wayles said. "We're good cooks."

Vashvi snorted.

"You'll have to have a think on what you want," Wayles continued. "We all make a list once a week and I send out the order. Calling out for delivery is a little tricky, with the security, and everybody gets sick of the food at Kamarra after a while."

"You're talking like I'm already moving in," Dust pointed out.

They both gave him an odd look.

"Do you not... want to?" Wayles asked, wary. Dust couldn’t understand what his misstep was, but Vashvi seemed on edge too, looking between Wayles’ face and Dust’s.

"Of course I want to," Dust said. "Sorry — I guess I don't know the protocol for, y'know. Bringing someone new in."

Wayles’ face fell and he worried a chapped lip between his teeth.

This dynamic wasn’t what Dust had been expecting. The wound of Short’s death was still fresh — just like Emerson had said — but he hadn’t understood all that would mean for his own inclusion. They would all be treating Wayles with kid gloves. Maybe Vashvi, too. Herron, Leta, and Carrow had all lost crews before, but there had never been crews before The Company for these two.

"You'd be the first," Vashvi said. "So neither do we. We all joined up at the same time."

Dust nodded.

"I just expected this to be more of a job interview than a tour of my new digs," Dust said. "Not that I'm complaining. This really beats the shoebox I left half an hour ago."

Carrow must have talked to them like Dust was already in, he thinks, if they were treating him like the trial job was a formality.

Wayles buzzedCarrow at his desk when Dust was on his way up from the street, but he hung back in his office. Better to let Wayles and Vi meet him on their own terms than have him swoop in and dominate Dust's attention.

They would be the two hard sells on the new member —ifCarrow decided to bring him in, he reminded himself. He was already thinking of the kid as part of The Company without any real proof that he could do what they’d brought him in for. Dangerous.

Things were set for the meeting. He had no excuse to hang back in his office other than a sudden feeling of dread at seeing Dust Wrenshall again.

The Company knew him better than anyone else ever had. Would they watch Carrow watching Dust and simplyknow? Was that what Leta had meant when she insisted with a knowing glance that the two of them would hit it off — had offered to bet money on it?

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