Page 42 of Harbinger

Our lives depend on it.

I wasn’t lying when I told Sydney that we’re used as pawns. It’s something that each and every one of us has had to accept. It’s just life. We owe our lives to the Agency, and they can take it away without a second thought.

Life is rarely fair, but it wasn’t fair for any of us to begin with.

The sound of the door opening knocks me out of my daze, and I watch as Jerry’s car rolls into the room, parking in its usual spot. The smell of exhaust hits my nose, relaxing me a little.

A second later, both doors open, and the two women exit the car bickering, shattering my moment.

“I just don’t see why I wasn’t able to bring my clothes,” Sydney says, frustrated.

Jerry rolls her eyes. “Because they’re ugly.”

“You threw my sweater out the window!”

“Because I told younot to bring it,and you didn’tlisten!”

“Jerry, I don’thaveanything else!”

They continue arguing, throwing insult after insult at each other as Jerry rounds the car, roughly handing Sydney a carrier.

“Take your mut upstairs to Ronan’s,” she demands, turning away from Sydney as if she can’t stand to look at her face for more than a moment longer.

Sydney’s eyes narrow, her lips set in a firm, thin line. “He’s not a mut. He’s a domestic shorthair,” she seethes before spinning on her heel, heading toward the stairs, muttering “idiot” under her breath. Jerry makes her way to me, her hands crossed over her chest.

“I’m not gonna tell her,” she tells me. “You need to take her shopping,” her voice is filled with displeasure.

I shake my head, putting my hands up. “Why doIhave to take her shopping?”

“Because you two are about to be a married couple to anyone who isn’t in this building right now, and you have to start pretending to act like it. I’m not her bitch, she’s yours. Take care of it,” she hisses, making her way past me and into the kitchen to grab a drink.

Well.

I watch Sydney make her way up the stairs, lugging the carrier with her.

I’m allergic to cats.

I’m not horribly allergic. I was able to be around the thing at her apartment, and it didn’t bother me much. I just may need to take a Benadryl or two at some point.

“When you get back, Paul will be here,” Jerry tells me as she leans against the counter, peeling an orange.

“Do you even have a marriage license?” I ask her, annoyed. I thought we’d have at least a little more time.

Jerry levels me with a stare, her head falling forward an inch. “You’re kidding, right? You know we can get around having one.”

I throw my hands up, trying to find the words to describe how frustrating this entire situation is.

“But,” she adds, shrugging one shoulder and popping a slice into her mouth. “I did get one legally. Just… expedited.”

I’m not even going to ask.

Done with the conversation, I head up to my room. The second I open it, I find Sydney and her cat on my bed, cuddling.

“I owe you so many treats,” she tells him as she pets his fuzzy little grey head, nuzzling his face with her nose. I stand back against the doorframe, arms crossed over my chest as I watch her, a smirk fighting its way onto my face.

It’s cute. I won’t lie.

“Hey,” I say, scaring her. Her head whips to mine, her eyes large as she and her cat look me over.

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