"You're good Bridger. Good job today." My boss, one of the many graduate assistants tells me.
I'm free to go.
"Thanks. Have a good weekend." I tell him before grabbing my water and walking out into the corridor.
Well…guess I go find Matt now.
The PR team grabbed him as the game ended, told him that he had to do media. Which of course he loved hearing.
Kind of had to though, he played decent in the half that he did play. Wasn't perfect, but perfection is hard.
Taking the right at a fork in the corridor, I keep walking deeper into this complex.
At least I finally have some peace and quiet. When they told me that I had to be available tonight for this Spring Game thing, I hadn't considered if there was going to be a crowd.
They said over the loudspeaker that it was just about ten thousand people, but it's still maybe the biggest crowd I've been in front of.
Bet that thought would keep Senator Keith up at night.
I eventually settled in. Half of the problem was the fact that I didn't know it was coming. We came out for warmups and there's a couple thousand people, mostly students in the stands there. But media, and VIP's, and honored guests…
There just wasn't nearly as much room as I'm used to. Way more eyes just around.
Dad's face isn't well known, since most of the pictures are of him when he was young and even then he was paranoid about detection. But I still look like him, whether I want to or not.
He was the latest in a long line of Sith Lords that the Jedi had no clue about. Until Kenobi and Jinn discovered Maul in Naboo and fought him to a draw.
Master Skywalker somehow was there too. Since the Order had just found Master Skywalker and was trying to figure out what to do with him since he, even then was a Jedi Prodigy.
I know he had kind of a tough upbringing. Not that you'd know if you looked at Luke and Leia, or even Padmé.
It's funny how Maul even popped up, when Ahsoka was on the run. Cayle's told me pieces of the story, but I know Ahsoka got framed for a bombing at a naval yard. Four or five people died, one a Jedi guard. At some point, Ahsoka got mixed in with some Mandalorians, right in the middle of that Mandalorian Civil War Sabine and I just studied.
And not once is her name mentioned. It's incredible. All there is a mention of is that the final treaty between the two sides is a Jedi peacekeeping force that mediated the agreement.
Maul isn't either. Dad I was assume, sent him in to stir up everything. I would imagine he was entangled in Death Watch but—
Sabine's mom was in Death Watch.
You could make the argument that Sabine's not the daughter of a prestigious Mandalorian house, but the daughter of a terrorist.
That's not her though. Not at all. Sabine's artsy and soft and a soccer player. Sabine's—
"Ezra! There you are…"
Sabine.
Turning to my left, I spot Sabine, Jaicey and JJ as they round a corner. "You looking for the Media room?" JJ asks.
"Yeah."
"This way." He tilts his head in a motion for me to follow along.
Okay…
I fall into line way he and Jaicey, an instant before Sabine slides into my hip pocket with a hug. "Hey."
"Hi. Did you leave all your goals in Vegas or did you bring some more back with you." I tease her, only for Sabine to laugh and bury her head on my arm.
She scored two more goals in their little championship game. Making her final total twelve in three days.
"I brought my goals with me. It was a good week…" Sabine says modestly before giving me a smile and confirming what I already feel.
She's thrilled it went so well. She's surely close to taking her turf back.
"I didn't know it was you and Alena competing for that spot until I saw the substitutions."
Sabine shrugs in reply. "Weber recruited her at UCSB and kept recruiting her here."
"Must not have sold his old place very well." I pop off, causing Sabine to crack and Jaicey to look back to us.
She gives me a knowing look before explaining "She killed it in Vegas. By the time the Provisionals were winding down, when he called Alena for the starters it was weird. And the playoff wasn't a question."
She's back.
"She back!" JJ calls back to us before I gently get jabbed in the ribs.
"How are you though? Long time, no see. I saw you out there tonight." Sabine says, expression brightening with a huge smile at the end.
I laugh at her before replying. "Fine. I enjoyed the off day on Thursday. But nothing exciting."
"Is that mostly what you do? Stick with Matt and those guys?"
"Yeah." I confirm. "If they need something I get it, but mostly they cover for themselves."
Make sure the QB on the field has a drink when he's coming off, small stuff. Mostly I just listen and watch what's going on.
"Help me out, what'd he think of tonight?" Sabine inquires.
Eh.
"It looked better than it was. Lot of miscommunication."
They burned all three of their timeouts that half on offense, which apparently you're not supposed to do. At one point Matt and the offensive coordinator dude, who is barely older than us, were getting into it pretty good. Think they got it sorted though.
"Some people were talking about that. Said it was weird."
"What, the timeouts when Matt was in?" JJ turns back. "Yeah, that was weird."
"Miscommunication." I dismiss their concern. "They got it sorted out."
"Oh god." Jaicey calls out. "You're corrupting him."
JJ just laughs as I turn to Sabine.
Corrupting—
"—didn't know anything at all about football. Now he sounds like you and me. 'Oh it was just a miscommunication'…"
"Corrupted?" I ask quietly.
Sabine replies as Jaicey and JJ start bickering playfully. "She liked how you weren't a sports/athletics guy. She loves making friends with people in her normal classes. Me too."
"And now I'm not that." I finish the thought.
"Yeah, you're one of us now, giving us the coach speak crap—"
"It's not crap!" I laugh.
"Yeah it is." Sabine rolls her eyes. "You know how many times Jaicey and I have yelled at each other because of something? And what do we tell Weber?"
"Miscommunication." Jaicey comes in over the top as she comes around a bend.
Sabine spins back to face me and extends her arms, believing that she's won the day.
No she—Behind her!
Quickly, I raise my hand to tell her to stop and wince as JJ has quickly halted.
"JJ!" A female voice calls out just before the small crowd hanging around by a door turns, spots JJ and rushes him.
HOLY—
A hand yanks me aside, just before a white light flashes out, blinding me for an instant. "—sorry, sorry, they've been jumping him here recently." Jaicey quickly says.
"No—No. No. I'm not doing anything or saying anything tonight." JJ says to the sudden crowd of reporters all around him. "So you might as well pack up those cameras."
LA Times
TrojanPod
OC Register
SB Nation: Conquest Chronicles
USA Today
ESPN
Trojan Vision
Yahoo
USC Post
NYT Sports
I straighten up as I try to make out any other company names on the press pass lanyards.
Breathe.
Inhaling, I blink and take a second to reorient myself.
That all happened quick.
We rounded that corner, and they just saw JJ and pounced on him.
Exhale.
As I do just that, Sabine sidles across the hallway next to what must be the press room. JJ, meanwhile is still batting away reporters. "—not at this time. No."
"Should we be taking any closer look at your social media?"
JJ shakes his head meekly. "Only if you want to give me more traffic. And usually it's the other way around so—"
A cavalcade of clicking sounds out just before more voices begin shouting.
Matt.
All of the people paying attention to JJ swivel around to look at Matt only for him to bust through without issue. "C'mon." He says, barely breaking stride.
Sabine loops her arm in with mine and pulls me into motion. Jaicey slides in behind Matt and JJ covers the back end.
Sort of a protective move. Hmm.
I can't help a smile before Sabine gives me a subtle squeeze as we continue walking for maybe a minute.
"I didn't know how good I had it last year. Thank god for 'you can't interview Freshman' rule."
"Don't thank god, thank the NCAA." JJ quips helpfully.
Matt makes a ugly face and matches it with a gesture before shaking his head and continuing to walk.
"You okay Ezra?" I hear Jaicey ask softly, as she's slid over to my other hip.
"Yeah." I answer, sounding breathless even to myself. "I'm good. Just wasn't expecting that."
Matt peers behind him before his expression falls.
Dammit.
"I—he told me that he wasn't expecting a crowd. He's been on edge all night."
"I'm fine." I counter, feeling Sabine seemingly on top of me.
"He's not a big crowd guy." Sabine explains.
JJ says "Sorry dude." and rubs my shoulders supportively.
"What'd they ask you?" Matt asks
"Same as always. If I've heard anything about the Clippers job, the draft and if I'm coming back to school—"
WAIT WHAT?!
"He is." Jaicey pulls me back to reality. "He is Ezra. He is."
JJ peers behind us, looking for any straggling reporters, only for the hall to be empty. "Not so loud babe…"
"Well you are, you just told your parents last week. And—"
I must have tensed up again.
Too many people.
Too…many people.
Sabine runs her nails on my back, pulling me back into the conversation just before I'm shunted ahead. "—what about you, what'd they ask you? Those penalties?"
"Yeah, those, how'd you know?" Matt asks JJ.
"Ezra told me."
Saturday Night – 6:00 PM
Music from Sabine's speaker continues playing in the bathroom as I stare at myself in the mirror in my bedroom.
I look endorsed, Professional.
The Dry Cleaners that Dooku recommended to me did their magic again. And Sabine told me I had to have a red tie.
Something clatters in the bathroom, followed by an obscenity from Sabine. I smile at my own reflection then reach back and grab my sports coat.
"Are you ready?!" Sabine calls out, sounding like she herself is not ready.
"I am. Are you?"
"Yeah, just—" Something else clangs around In the bathroom before Sabine emerges. "How do I look?"
WHOA.
Sabine's hair is immaculately perched on her head, in a completely different style than normal. Her dress, dark purple, exposes her a little bit, but not too much while fitting her perfectly.
—
"Did you already spray your cologne?"
I come out of my reverie. "No."
She looks better now than she did on her birthday.
"Good, guys always overspray their cologne. I'll grab it, you go to the living room."
Okay.
I glance at myself one more time in the mirror, then walk out into the living room, with Sabine hot on my heels with her own clicking behind me.
"These shoes are gonna kill me…turn around." She dictates. Doing as I'm told, Sabine sprays my neck then grabs both of my hands and sprays my wrists.
"There. Thank you…" She says while drifting right back to the bathroom.
"Do I need to do that for you?"
Sabine calls back "No I got it already!"
6:03
Uber will be here in a couple of minutes.
"Did you catch the time?!"
Something bangs in the bathroom, causing Sabine to pause before answering. "Yeah, I did!"
Okay.
I double check my pockets for my phone, wallet, keys and beskar before Sabine reappears into the silent hallway. "Got everything?"
"Yeah." I peer up to her as she approaches and smile. "You got the tickets?"
Sabine waves a…handbag at me. "Is that your bag?"
"Yeah, it's called a hobo bag." She says causally.
"A what?"
Sabine laughs as she goes for the door. "A hobo bag. It's a type of purse."
I don't think I've ever seen her carry a purse. Her wallet is always in her backpack. Always. Or she has what she needs in her phone case.
"I don't think I've ever seen that."
Sabine motions with her shoulder as I follow her out the door and move to lock up behind me. "Purses aren't really my thing. But I have some for when I dress up."
She does love to dress up.
The lock clicks into place, and Sabine leads me down towards the parking lot. "So boyfriend, you ready for tonight?"
Sabine makes eyes at me as we descend the stairs. "As ready as I'll ever be. New title?"
She's probably thinking it'll be easier than to explain it all night.
"Everybody'll be assuming all night. So why not play into it?" Sabine reasons with me. "Do you mind?"
No.
"No, but we'll need a story."
People will ask and—
Sabine turns back around. "Turn your practical brain off. I'll do all the talking. Tonight's supposed to be fun. It will be fun."
"I know. I've been looking forward to it." I lie.
Not the last 30 hours or so.
A red BMW is waiting for us once we reach the foot of the complex's stairs. Catching up to Sabine in a stride, I pull open the door for her and let him clamber in first.
The driver says something I don't catch before Sabine replies "Yeah, that's us!"
"And you're going to the Heritage Palms?"
Yup.
Sabine confirms for the driver before he nods. "I'm on it."
The car pulls away, and Sabine turns back to me here in the backseat. "You're gonna do great. I know you will. I know it's not totally your thing, but thank you for coming with me anyway."
"You're welcome." I return her smile. "I don't mind this kind of thing."
The dressing up. It's the people part.
"Then relax…" She grabs my left hand and gently massages it. "This'll go by in a flash. There's drinks, I know they're catering this whole thing. You heard what Jaicey said, it's not a banquet so much as a party."
Her main message was "Be ready to mingle." And say my name a thousand times.
"—games, talk to people. I half-looked at the venue and I think there's a patio you can go out onto with a beautiful view…it'll be great." Sabine continues reassuring me.
"I think I will take you up on letting you do most of the talking." I smile.
Sabine's expression lightens before she admits. "I like to talk. I'll try not to put you into any awkward spots. And when we meet up with Jaicey and the others, they'll help you too. Oh! That reminds me." Her train of thought barrels on. "Do you know who Matt's date is?"
"No." I shake my head at her. "We haven't talked about it."
"Seriously?" Sabine asks, looking incredulous. "You didn't ask?"
"Why would I?"
She's not my date.
"Because you're a good friend that's invested in him finding a date for the future!" Sabine chastises me while almost raising her hand to swat at me. "Maybe it'll be that girl from his Civil War class."
We think it's his Civil War class. Since we've seen people from his class, almost definitely, that were carrying a book about History from 1400 to the Civil War.
Which I guess is more of a history class than a civil war class.
Maybe. Every time I see them walking out of that class before Sabine and I vanish to the underground, she gets cuter.
She's not what I'd pegged him for though. She's a boring old brunette girl. Dead straight hair, doesn't dress flashy at all or anything.
"You know my theory." I counter to Sabine.
"If you leave a class with the same person every single day, you're friends. And they leave every day, every class, together. He likes her, she's always laughing at something he said, so why not invite her to this thing? It's mandatory, he has to have a date."
Our car takes a turn at relatively high speed as we continue weaving through traffic.
"Still can't believe you haven't gotten her name out of him. Guys suck so badly about when they like a girl. You barely have to prompt them and all the details come spilling out. He's never mentioned a name?" Sabine asks me, shaking her head.
"Not that I can think of."
"For such an observant guy…you're a rock head when it comes to love."
Rock head?
"Ow…" I sarcastically say, then hang my head.
That actually kind of hurts…
I know I suck at love but still! Rock head is mean.
"You're just slow on the uptake and miss stuff. Which is so unlike you, you notice everything. Je—genius boy." Sabine edits herself on the fly, then glances at our driver.
She almost said Jedi boy.
"I try. What's the name of this place again?" I ask, peering out the window.
I think I see it.
Only problem is, there seems to me a line and a red carpet for pictures.
"Heritage Palms…" Sabine says while ducking down and spotting the same setup I am.
Oh boy.
This is the opposite of incognito.
"We'll be fine…" Sabine reassures me while also grabbing my hand once again, just before I spot the flashbulbs of whatever they're using to take the pictures.
Oh no.
"You'll be fine. We'll do great."
Leaning forward slightly, I grab my drink once more and take a sip from it before setting it in my lap as the conversation all around me continue.
"—you know, I think we have a really good room. Jacob and Tate and Spencer all are talented and bring a lot to the table. They bring a different perspective than I do, which is really important." Matt answers the question.
"Perspective on play calls, what they see, can you elaborate on that?"
No. Say 'No, I can't.'
Matt obliges the overweight, dumpy, sloppily dressed man who apparently used to play here at USC and now runs a podcast network the covers everything USC sports related.
You'd look so much better and more professional if you changed your diet, mixing in a few salads a week. Regularly exercise and generally not treat your body like it's disposable.
Take some pride in yourself, for Force's sake.
Matt's date sips her drink as I turn my attention to my right, where Sabine is also being questioned, with a recorder in between Sabine and the woman interviewing her.
"—competition is never a bad thing." Sabine states simply. "It's the old, iron sharpens iron phrase. You get better by going up against the best. Coach Weber bringing in somebody like Alena that he was recruiting at UCSB doesn't intimidate me. I'm just going to go out there and play one touch at a time."
"I know she's not here right now, but Coach Weber spoke glowingly about Jaicey's spring. Talk about how she's helped guide you through your rocky and tumultuous Freshman year and how you plan on executing that vision."
Again…No.
Saying "talk about…" and then laying it out for your interview subject isn't a question. In interviews you ask questions.
Bad job by you too.
"—only a year ahead of me, but she sat most of last year and had some bumps in the road on her own. Jaice's really helped me learn from my mistakes, which I own and acknowledge were my fault and of my own doing. I let her down, I let my team down, I let everybody down. I know that all the coaches from last year got fired and had to go get all new jobs, partially because of my mistakes. People on the outside don't think of that, but…they had families and kids too. Kids that they had to pull out of school and families had to move to new places where they had to make all new friends. It's, uhm, rather humbling to have it be laid out like that, but it is."
That's a lot better answer than she deserves Sabine.
My eyes fall onto the empty chairs that JJ and Jaicey were meant to occupy, but now are being sat in by more media members that are spotting these dueling interviews.
Relax…breathe. It's okay to keep tapping your foot under the table…just breathe and slow it down a little bit.
JJ basically got mobbed the instant that the opening remarks from the Athletic Director ended. He brought Jaicey with him as he was pulled away, presumably to be showered with praise and glory.
First 'Sweet Sixteen' berth in twelve years, and he put on a show doing it.
Taking 'crazy, stupid shots' as Jaicey would say, only for them to go in and go viral online probably does make you a bit of a sensation.
And getting swarmed and mobbed by well to-do people who just want to meet you and talk about it and get your picture taken has got to be a big part of it.
Exhaling, I fiddle with my drink before Matt's date turns to me. "I'm going to grab some food. Do you want something?"
"No, I'm good. Thank you." I smile at her. She returns the smile, then saunters away, hips swaying with every step.
She is stunning. I don't know if I've ever seen her before though. She's not Matt's history friend, she looks like a cheerleader. But then again, every third person at USC looks like a cheerleader. Or a TV extra.
"—new, pro-style offense Bradley is known for being meshed with the newer spread concepts that you've utilized both last year and prior to."
Matt nods then dives into his answer. "Obviously there are merits to both offensive philosophies. I like a lot of what we're installed. The calls and reads at the line are something I'm still getting comfortable with and will only get better with time. But if I want to graduate and move to the next level, these are skills that I need to learn and master before doing so. So I think that while it's hard now, it'll pay off down the road."
"Excuse me, sorry for interrupting. But may I borrow him?" I hear, before turning and seeing somebody pointing at me.
Tommy?
What are you doing here?
"We're kind of doing dueling interviews right now." The main editor guy, who also is fat and looks slovenly pops off at him.
Tommy doesn't so much as blink. "You're interviewing them." He points to Matt and Sabine. "I want to talk to him."
Pointing at me.
"Yeah sure. Sorry for the interruption." I say with a smile to the slovenly guy before rising to my feet and rounding the table on Matt's side.
"—sorry for the interruption. Hope you all have a great night." Tommy tells the table before guiding me towards the edge of the assembled tables, half of which are occupied, whereas the remainder of the banquet attendees are either in line for the catered food, mingling at the edges of the room, or outside on the patio. "Have you been out to the veranda?"
Veranda?
"No." I shake my head.
"C'mon. It's gorgeous out there." Tommy says encouragingly before guiding me thru the door and out into the California night, stifling but made bearable by the wind coming off the water of the lake the building borders.
"Drinks?" A woman in the standard white uniforms that all Heritage Palms staffers wear asks.
Tommy shrugs, beer in his hand before saying "Sure. Ezra?"
I guess so.
"Sure, yes please." I glance down at my glass.
"Paloma?" I nod at the hostess before she takes stock of Tommy's beer then announces "I'll be right back with those. Do you have a tab going?"
Tommy nods. "Yeah, under Perry."
"Alright, I'll get those in…"
He just bought my drink.
"Thank you." I give him a genuine smile. "You didn't have to do that."
Tommy waves away my thank you good natured-ly. "Don't mention it. It's just a beer, or a drink. Whatever. It'll be written off anyway. But forget all that, how's it going man? Looking good."
"Thanks." I nervously laugh and glance down to my drink. "I'm good. Just living life. You?"
"Oh, just on the road again." He says, almost dramatically but with a touch of sarcasm in his voice. "Laying the foundation for a better future, all that jazz."
"Is that why you're here?"
Tommy nods. "I'm networking here. After all this is done there'll be an after party that we get the real work done."
"We?"
"Oh, I have a team with me to help with logistics, scheduling, making everything as seamless as possible." He explains before I hear his phone chime.
"What is it?"
Tommy hesitates, hand reaching into his pocket. "The phone or the networking?"
"Both."
"The phone's probably my group text with the John's and Alyss and Dan—yup." He peers briefly at his screen. "The networking is for fundraising and grooming people to set up events when the campaign comes here to California."
"That sounds like a lot of work." I confess.
Sounds awful.
"It is, but I got to bring my wife along to this thing. And I think she's enjoying herself, so—"
"You're married?" I blurt out.
He looks so young, I wouldn't have thought he was.
Tommy blushes and drops his head before replying "Yeah, I am. Her name's Hannah. I was going to bring her with me and introduce you two but I think she's in there talking to a housewife…"
The housewives…
"The Housewives are here?" I ask.
Sabine's going to want to meet them.
"Apparently." He confesses, looking unsure. "That's what I heard before she dashed off. You know the Housewives?"
"Sabine likes making me watch them over dinner or when we have a spare minute. It's…"
"Garbage TV?" Tommy laughs.
"Yeah, something like that." I laugh along with him, just before our hostess arrives with our new drinks.
Tommy takes them both, then smoothly tips her before passing my drink over to me. "Here ya go…you mind if I dig down on that?"
On what?
"Not really, no. Am I on the record?"
"No." Tommy quickly looks alarmed. "Hell no you're not on the record. You're, no. No. You haven't thought you're on the record this whole time, have you?"
I shake my head in response. "No, just making sure though. I—"
How do I want to say this…
"This is my actual, real life. You know? DC was one thing. But this…this is home for me now."
I'm trying not to view you as a hostile invader to my home.
A pleased smile unfurls on Tommy's face. "That's awesome man. Really is. I, uhm, I'm pretty read into your files and what's happened to you. It's really remarkable that you've done what you've done, even before integrating yourself completely into university life. Honestly, I knew you were here because of Alyssa's super sleuthing but it took me a minute to find you. And that was only because of your friends."
My cover's working.
"What, you mean accidentally becoming friends with the most public members of the school might blow my cover?" I joke.
Tommy thankfully laughs and turns away, cracking up. "Might. Those press guys really have no clue did they? I was looking over, looking for you and there you were, taking pictures of your friends with fans."
Yeah.
"Nobody here has a clue." I tell him. "I'm…trying to let it relax me."
"You don't look nervous."
I am.
"Eh," I shrug. "I don't like the press. I understand what they do, why they do it, all that. But back there—" I motion back towards the main building. "—they ask questions that aren't questions, trick questions, traps, making them address controversies from months ago. It's not helpful."
Tommy fervently nods. "I know what you mean man. In a completely different setting of course, but the principle holds. The media and press are supposed to inform and ask questions on the issues. Whatever the topic or issue is. Whatever. But that's not what happens, they go for the clickbait, the big headline, trying to incite a controversy. And on and on and on."
Exactly.
There's not enough money in the truth anymore.
"And I would imagine you're wired to not want to talk to them."
"You have no idea." I laugh without meaning to.
Dad hated the media. Any and all of it. Forbade us from being anywhere near Lothal's TV stations, etc. even though Elias and I were too young to know why really.
I remember when we had our big, bad fight that got picked up online, Dad went on an epileptic tirade.
We could have just blown everything he'd built. The whole world could now find out about the true power of the Sith. Elias and I were no longer complete secrets…
I don't remember all of what he said. Most of what I remember is getting strung up in the basement of Dad's lab and him whipping me raw, berating me for letting it happen. For not going along with what Elias wanted to do.
Even though I was the one who wanted to follow Dad's plan. Elias is the one who went off book. He's the one who started the fight, then ignited his lightsaber and tried to kill me.
"YOU—
THWACK!
COULD—
THWACK!
HAVE—
THWACK!
JUST—
THWACK!
BLOWN—
THWACK!
—EVERYTHING!" Dad shouts at me, whip returning to him as I hang here, shackled before I feel the blood trickle and dribble down my back, towards my shorts.
Don't let him see you cry, don't let him see you cry—
"And now you're fucking crying." Dad strides up, even with my face. "Of course you are. You're weak. Soft. Frail. You don't have the guts to do what's necessary, like your brother, DO YOU?!"
He's gonna—
I brace myself just before the whip lashes at me again and I can't hold back a cry of pain, followed by a sob.
I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it.
I was only trying to follow your instructions just like you told me to—
"USELESS—
THWACK!
UNFIT—
THWACK!
LIAR!"
The whip strikes me once more, leaving me no other option but to continue trying to hold in my agony and sorrow at my failures.
(End Flashback)
"Anything new on Elias?" I ask, having pulled myself from my reverie.
Tommy waggles his beer bottle. "Nah. The Northeastern corridor sweep should be complete here within a week or two. Then we'll deploy it going west and see where it takes us from there. I saw that you entered in some filters for us to potentially use."
"Yeah."
They're shots in the dark really. He liked to eat at one chain restaurant in Lothal. He liked going to the movies. He liked roller coasters.
I didn't like putting those things in. But if I want to find him…
I have to help a little bit.
"It might help, it might not. I haven't seen him in a long time." I turn back to Tommy, who is listening patiently.
"I can't imagine that. Let alone your brother being maybe the biggest war criminal and most wanted man on the planet."
No. The most wanted man is Maul. He's still out there.
Elias is the lesser known, at least to the public, target.
"It's all I know." I shrug, then sigh without meaning to.
I just hope he's okay.
"I know we're off the record, but still…" Tommy lowers his voice and leans in closer to me.
He's really not supposed to tell me whatever He's about to tell me.
"Director Kallus reported last week to Palpatine and the Joint Chiefs what happened at our little meeting. And multiple Generals, including the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Pellaeon supported your idea for deploying Project Insight starting in Asia, where everybody suspects that there's something fishy going on over there. But the President did justify his decision by pointing out that China is a growing global power, and that we should do everything in our ability not to poke the bear, so to speak and pick a fight.
Yeah…using a massive, secret and illegal surveillance program and starting it in a foreign country is probably a bad idea.
"I see his point." I nod. "But in your opinion, do you think Palpatine sees the merit in investigating over in Asia?"
"Absolutely." Tommy nods ardently. "He's deployed some…assets to further investigate the Trade Federation incident over there. Do you know anything about that?"
I nod once. "Robots leveled a town. Then rebuilt it so that the Trade Federation could move right on in."
Tommy just blinks at me for an instant, plainly taken aback by my knowledge of the situation. "You are well read."
"I have to be informed." I counter before I hear the clicking sound of approaching heels.
Sabine—nope.
Not Sabine.
"Hey honey, why'd you…come out here with him?" A raven haired woman with straight hair and a plain dress asks before smiling at me. "Hello."
"Hi."
Tommy takes the opportunity to jump in. "Hannah, this…isn't just anybody. Remember how Alyssa came over a month ago, talking about our 'special guest' at work?"
I'm…me.
The woman, Hannah's eyes quickly bulge and she moves to take a step back, away from me.
"No no—" Tommy moves to grab her arm. "Honey, it's fine. Remember what Lyss and I both said? How he's got good manners, is nice and you can't pick him out of a crowd?"
She's scared.
The woman gives me another split second glance. "I—he's huge!" She points at me to Tommy. "And he's just here? Why? He's—"
"Being normal and maintaining his cover." Tommy smiles at his wife. "He got invited by his girlfriend, she plays soccer or lacrosse I think."
Yeah.
Hannah seems to take all of this in before turning to me. When she does, I give her a nice, big smile and extend my hand, armed with the line I've been saying all night.
"Hi, I'm Ezra. It's really nice to meet you."