Page 65 of Light Leech

“Wait, you transferred to Water Hills?” Ralia asked.

He nodded but was too focused to make a comment.

I focused, not missing anything as Collette continued. “We were so sorry to pull you from your friends. After hearing about your behavior problems at Water Hills, I wondered if it was our fault for pulling you away from the friends you made.”

“Those kids at Water Hills probably deserved your scorn,” Robierre said. “That is, if your complaints weren’t exaggerations.” He laughed but was quick to return to a somber tone. “We took you to Water Hills, knowing we could trust you. We, of course, had to put our hands into the PTA for valedictorian selection, aided by our generous donations, but that did not eliminate your part.”

“Honey, like we were saying, we didn’t want secrets. We were going to tell you everything when you graduated as a chosen pupil for the school’s top performers. We knew you hated that school–”

“As you should have.”

“But we wanted you to have as genuine of a schooling experience as you could. We had everything planned for the end. If that day has come without us… Well, here we are.”

“The school’s a bunch of elite-minded guk.”

Colette did not reprimand Robierre for that curse, but her groan was audible.

He continued. “I don’t think anyone but the PTA members knew what the school actually did. Sure, PTA membership and a requisite donation entailed their children’s success, but you were also responsible for selecting others. Every public sponsor gained failed students as filler employees. E-pace, Tech Tamers, Regene, all of those background-level workers who are there just to fill space in the corporation are Water Hills graduates, or graduates of similar schools.”

Boyband grinned at me. Zeg. We were right? How the zeg did I guess that?

The swine laughed. “You think you are wise enough for such a conclusion, bakuh? Most of your recent wisdom is mine. You haven’t the faintest idea of how much I influence you.”

His words chilled me, but it was hard to scorn him for bringing us to such a crucial point. It didn’t matter if he was the one who told us what Water Hills was. We were here, a step closer to our goal, because of his insight.

“But, as you might have guessed,” said Collette, “everyone comes to Water Hills thinking it will make them the next sensational neuronet influencer, the next president or CEO, or the next Neon Idol. Water Hills has the connections to send their graduates into the most elite programs, but that is because of the lumens they accumulate from their sponsors. Water Hills is nothing more than a casino that sends its handful of winners to the top but leaves the others as corporate shacs.”

“By now, you must have graduated,” Robierre said.

Boyband shook his head.

“We’ve set you up to be an apprentice to Crystal Bink, a Reef Records producer.”

He turned back wide eyed, not looking at me, but at Naoma.

“Wait, pause it,” she said.

“Ma’am.” David eyed Naoma. “Did you know?”

She looked at me as if to wonder if it were crossing and lines with God by speaking to a being he never hoped his children would create.

“Crystal Bink?” Naoma asked. “Sure, I’ve–”

“No.”

“No what?”

“Do you know the honor you do by speaking to me?”

She smiled, still struggling to keep eye contact with David. “I’m glad I could… help.”

“I am so honored, might I ask one favor? Please, it will not be a great bother.”

“Don’t, Naoma,” Ralia said.

She looked at her, then at me. I shook my head. I think Naoma knew what she was walking into, but she did not back off.

“What?”