Jacob was told he would get to meet Sway after school on Tuesday. That's what his father said. That's what his father had been told to tell him.

Jacob didn't know who Sway was. He didn't know why he/she/it was important or relevant to the task at hand. He did not argue, however. He listened to his father, who listened to someone else. Jacob didn't know whom.

Jacob left school after last period feeling extremely anxious. First off, Larkin hadn't showed up at school at all, and his attempt at starting their project had been a disaster. Lunch was filled with tension; apparently everyone was feeling the strain without Larkin. She was the glue.

He stood outside the front of the school building waiting for his mother to drive by in her stereotypical-mom-minivan. Someday, I will have my own car, and it will not look like that. The sky blue sheen of the paint coating the vehicle disturbed something within Jacob. When it drove up, he involuntarily shivered and scooched onto the sticky, tan, leather seats.

"How was your day at school?" asked his mother, Mrs. Bridges.

Jacob pursed his lips. "Fine."

His mother hummed. "I'm sure it was. My day, on the other hand, was wonderful. Tomorrow, the divorce should be completed."

Jacob felt a weight lift off his shoulders. "Good," he sighed.

After riding in silence for thirty seconds, Jacob realized that he couldn't go home yet. He had a meeting. Sway.

"Mom, could you drop me off at the library? I have a group project to work on," he lied.

"We just passed the library," she said dryly.

"Sorry," squeaked Jacob.

"It's fine. Should have told me sooner, though," she said, with a tsk.

()()()

Rather close to the library sat a café. It was a locally owned, hole-in-the-wall type of place. He slid onto the vinyl seat of a table in the front, looking out a window. Jacob watched each person that passed, wondering if they were Sway.

His father told him that this was the meeting place. He recalled the description his father had given him. Wears all black. Never actually met 'em though; that's just what I was told. Jacob was left to ponder the vague description while he sipped his muddy coffee, wishing it was actually hot chocolate.

He glanced at the time. His plastic watch told him it was ten minutes past the designated meeting time. He sighed and shifted in the chair, thinking of all the homework he would have to complete once he got home. Fall break why are you so far away?

When his coffee was gone, he took the cup up to the counter and asked for more. As the barista filled his cup, he watched the door. Still, no one. So, with another sigh, he took his coffee and sat back down in the uncomfortable chair.

Jacob began to nod off. Even two cups of coffee couldn't keep him alert. After coming back to his senses, he rapidly blinked and rubbed his eyes. No more waiting around for someone who wasn't going to show up; he was leaving.

Before he pulled his hands away from his eyes, the table rattled, and he heard the remnants of his coffee slosh around. He jumped and put his hands on the table, steadying it. Jacob looked up, searching for the source of the disruption.

A girl dressed from head to toe in black stood at the edge of the table. She didn't sit, didn't move, didn't speak.

Jacob smiled.

She remained expressionless before opening her mouth to reveal pearly white teeth. "You're too young," she said, perplexed.

Jacob frowned. "What do you mean?"

"The Imposter," she said, by way of an explanation.

For a moment, Jacob remained confused, but then it clicked. "I'm not him."

"Who are you then?"

With reluctance, Jacob said, "His son."

She sneered. "Is your father so much of a coward that he won't meet with a teenage girl?"

"He is lazy."

She sat. Jacob relaxed in his seat. "So you're Sway?"

"Yes."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Jacob."

The girl, Sway, let her mouth fall open. "So you're just going to tell me who you are? No disguise? No alter ego?" she spouted, incredulous.

"It doesn't matter if you know who I am. I barely exist." He paused. "I could be asking you the same thing."

"I don't exist at all."

Jacob gave her a look that seemed to say, 'And?' He studied her face, hoping she would elaborate more on her cryptic statement. Hoping to get more out of her, he began to babble. "I make people forget things. I anyone sees me, I can make them forget. That makes it really easy to be places I definitely shouldn't be. Like one time—"

"I don't need your life story so just shut up would you?" she snapped.

"No," Jacob retorted. "Just tell me something about yourself without being so cryptic!"

They were both standing up now, glaring daggers at one another. Jacob subtly glanced around the café. There weren't too many people within hearing distance, but the barista had stopped making a drink to gawk at them. Swallowing his pride, Jacob sat down, hoping that Sway wouldn't whip out whatever powers she had in the middle of a coffee shop.

"I don't need to share anything with you," said Sway. She slowly sank back into her seat, but stayed on edge.

"I don't know what you have against my father," said Jacob. He watched the girl before him stiffen even more than she already was. "But I'm not him." He exhaled a long breath through his mouth.

"What makes you think I have anything against him?" she questioned.

"Well, as soon as you came in here, you assumed I was him and wouldn't stop scowling at me like I was the spawn of satan."

"You practically are," she mumbled.

Jacob wasn't sure that he heard her correctly, so he let it go. He resolved to studying her sharp features and dark eyes. The brown of her irises was so dark that he could barely make out her pupil.

Breaking the silence that had fallen over the table, he said, "What brings us together on this lovely evening?"

"Orders," she said curtly.

Pursing his lips and hoping for an answer that was not an insult or one word, he asked, "From whom?"

"The leader," she said.

"Do you know who the leader is?"

"If I knew I would have said."

()()()

After bantering back and forth for a few minutes, the two decided that the rest of the conversation should take place somewhere more private. Somewhere away from prying ears. Leading Sway out of the café, Jacob took her to the pocket park he had recently met Larkin at. As they entered, Jacob couldn't help but smile at the memory. He led her to a picnic table in the back.

After a few seconds of awkward silence, Jacob broke the silence.

"What does your name mean?" he asked. "Sway."

She tilted her head to the side. "You know. Sway. Influence. If you have sway with a person, you have influence over them."

Jacob nodded. "Makes sense. So, you control people?"

"Their minds, yes."

"Try me."

Sway's head shot up from where she had been gazing at the pock-marked wooden tabletop. Her eyes were wide. She shook her head vigorously while saying, "No."

Confused, Jacob asked, "Why not?"

"There are certain drawbacks."

"Care to share?"

"I would prefer not."

Again forgiving her curt nature, Jacob got down to business. "Why is it that we are here in the first place? What are we needed for?"

"I've been sent to kill Richard Knolls. Apparently the job isn't being completed fast enough."

Jacob swallowed the lump in his throat, thinking of all the chances he had to do the deed. That's Larkin's father, I can't. I can't. I can't.

"So the leader sent me. I am known for my reliability."

"Are you insinuating that I am unreliable?" he asked, only slightly joking.

"Yes." Even though it was probably eighty degrees outside, the ice in her tone was unmistakable.

Jacob resisted shivering under her piercing stare. He felt like she knew. She knew that he was a failure. She knew that he failed at being evil and he still failed at being good.