After one of the most embarrassing experiences of her life, Viola Hawkins is left feeling hopeless and demoralised. So when she's told that she's able to work as an undercover agent in a boarding school, she's given a new chance to change her life...
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"Your sister did undercover work, like you." Olivia starts, her voice quiet, eyes cast downwards. "I don't know whatever the hell you're doing, but her work was different. She didn't work under a name, act as a different person. She was incredibly intelligent - as you know already - but she also had skills that few people knew about. Vera was, essentially, a hacker. And a really good one at that."
Will takes my hand under the table, stroking it softly. I must look as tense as I feel.
When MI5 realised that she could hack into online accounts like nobody else, they recruited her. I only know this because she wasn't very good at keeping secrets. Besides, she hacked into my ex's Facebook account and exposed him for what he did to me when we were 16. I kind of guessed, after that. She had all these – bits of equipment and resources that she used. Software that I'd never seen before. Point is, she was really good at what she did. And some of the tasks they got her to do, were really important."
She breathes in deeply, rubbing a hand across her face. "She worked on the UFA case a few years back. In 2010, just before the leader Luke Joseph was killed, she helped to expose their online forums, where the group were conversing about their location. When MI5 won and the UFA ceased to exist, she went away for a while. She was doing some work by herself, staying in a motel far out of London."
Right before she died. When she left home for two weeks and never came back.
"After a week or so, she called me and explained that she'd found something huge. Something that shocked her. She was so proud of herself that she'd done it on her own. She was going to tell me the police what it was, when she was killed in that goddamn accident. I don't know what it was that she had found, but it was something to do with the UFA. Is there any chance that she might have told you, Viola?"
I can hardly speak.
Vera did undercover work? Why didn't she tell me? Why didn't dad tell me?
Suddenly I feel incredibly alone. My sister was my best friend, and yet I feel like I hardly knew her. She had this whole other side, that even Olivia knew about. But I didn't. At all.
Will's concerned eyes meet mine, and I instantly look away. I can't deal with people feeling sorry for me. It makes it even worse, how they know that Vera didn't tell me all of this.
"No." I reply to Olivia, my voice coming out as a croak. "It was a long time ago. Even if she did I wouldn't remember."
Olivia nods, as if she suspected that was what I would say. "I think we should sleep on it, and talk in the morning. It's important that we don't over stress ourselves with all this information."
Sydney stands up, letting her hair flow down to her shoulders as she takes her ponytail out. "Sleep wherever you want. There's stuff in the fridge, help yourselves to whatever."
As she leaves, Olivia soon follows, calling Sydney as she descends the stairs. Their absence reminds me that I need to move, instead of sitting there in shock.
