Page 128 of Cuts like a Knife
“Oh hey!” he says, as I approach the doors. “Are you Alexis?”
“Yeah. Why?” I am immediately suspicious.
“Oh man, you were gone all last week so I couldn’t talk to you, but I wanted to tell you, I got Lars to agree to fix the email addresses.”
“Okay…” What on earth is this kid talking about? He’s wearing skinny jeans and no socks. I can see about two inches of his bare ankles. And a 90s satin bomber jacket358.
“Yeah, and like, I sincerely apologize for that email. My friends are idiots. But it would never have happened if you guys didn't have such a stupid email naming convention in place. I don’t know who your old IT person was, but first names only makes, like, zero f—ing sense. I’ve been arguing with Lars about it since he hired me, but he didn't want to listen. I think he’s coming around, though.”
“I’m sorry, Zander, right?” He nods. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Spy master? The email? I can’t believe you figured that out. Do you code?”
“Um, no. Wait. You’re SpyMaster? Like you sent me that email?”
“No, no, no. My buddy sent it. To me. Or he tried to. We, like, invented this game? It’s like, D&D meets Codenames meets Risk.” He pauses. “Meets Diplomacy359, a little. But like, in real life?” He ignores my blank expression and continues. “We’ve been testing it out and he thought he’d figured out who I was, so he emailed me at what he thought was my new work address, which like, I told him was way unprofesh anyway, so don’t worry, he won’t do that again, but anyway, because of the name thing, it went to you.360”
“I don’t understand361.”
“So like, a normal company has email addresses that are like, first name, last time. Not just first name. But you guys have just first name. I told Lars, we have to fix this, bruh.”
“I still don’t get it.”
“Because our names are so similar, my buddy thought your email address here was mine. So that’s why you got his message.”
“Our names are similar?”
“Yeah.”
“Isn’t your name Zander?”
At my bewildered expression, he laughs.
“My bad, my bad. Xander, yeah? Or Alex. Both short of Alexander? I always tell people your age — Millennial, right? — it’s Xander like the guy from Buffy. That’s a reference you all seem to know362. And my last name’s Isadore. So.”
“So…” It suddenly clicks. Alexis. Alex Isadore. I can almost see it363.
“Yeah, anyway, I told him, what are you doing emailing me at work for the game anyway, bruh? So, like, sorry. Won't happen again. And I’m gonna stay on Lars to fix the addresses. That’s what I wanted to tell you.”
“Okay, thanks,” I say. We enter the building and turn towards our respective areas.
At the bullpen, Dani’s immediately all over me.
“Lex! I cannot believe you! You secretive freak. How did you sell those pictures to Sentinel? They pay really well, right? And if they use them again, you get paid again? I didn’t know you were moonlighting!”
“I’m not, really. It was a one time thing. Hey, have you seen Callum yet? Is he in?”
“Oh yeah. He’s in Lars’ office. They wanted me to tell you to go in there when you got here. So do that, go get a coffee, then meet me out front. We’ll do a lap. You owe me so much info.”
I look at Dani, with her round face and her fizzy curls going in all directions. She’s not a great friend, but she’s nothing like Adele. Not really.
“After I see Lars, we’ll do a lap. I’ll tell you whatever you want to know,” I say.
Then I turn and trudge towards Lars’ office. To face the firing squad.
Chapter Thirty Three
I’m still little ways away, when Lars sees me approaching.
