Jordan Voight: Teenage Years

Grade Hacker Pt 3

Jordan-13

Lunch period came, and Jordan was still feeling the crushing weight of the guilt on her shoulders. But she kept a straight face; she couldn't let it get out what she had done. By the end of the day, she was more than ready to go home, but not before dealing with her father and showing him the report card.

The teen felt like her father and the team when they went undercover and lied to keep their cover intact. It felt like a full-time job. But she felt she could do it. She learned everything from the best and most elite team. She knew she could get away with this.

After the walk to the district, she went inside, glanced at the front desk to see her godmother busy, then went up the stairs, not wanting to bother her. Trudy saw her goddaughter on the stairs and buzzed her up. Jordan smiled at her godmother and went to her father's unit.

As she walked up, the guilt ate at her more; she could have sworn she heard some dramatic music, as if she were about to face the music. Luckily, the team and her father were out, and she let out the breath she'd been holding.

"Hey, kiddo."

The teen got startled hearing a voice, nearly jumping out of her skin. When she saw Mouse returning to his desk with a cup of coffee, she calmed down and rested a hand on her racing heart.

"Oh, it's just you, Mouse."

"Just me, your dad, and the others are out working on the case. How was school?"

"Good, same stuff. Nothing new."

"Then why do you look like you're about to explode?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Jo, I'm a former Army Ranger, and I work with detectives. I can tell when someone is lying."

Jordan wanted to curse and kick herself. How did she think she could hide something from him? His skills were outmatched for her young and inexperienced lies.

The young tech raised an eyebrow. "Jo, what did you do?"

"I didn't do anything."

"Then you wouldn't mind showing me your report card."

Without hesitation, she pulled it out and gave it to him with the same straight look she'd been holding all day. The tech took the paper and eyed it carefully, looking over every detail, then back to her.

"This is forged."

Her eyes widened, her heart raced faster, breathing hitched. "What? No, it's not."

"Jo, I dealt with forgery before. I know when something is forged. And you definitely did that with this."

"I made a few...edits."

"You realize how much trouble this can get us into?"

She looked at him. "You didn't do anything. I did."

"I gave you the idea, kid."

"Between us, no, you didn't. I did this on my own. I needed a way out of this so I wouldn't get in trouble, and I did this on my own. Me, not you."

"You're taking a huge risk with this."

"I'm a Voight, it's what we do."

"I hope you know what you're doing."

She nodded. "I do. And I don't want you to get in trouble. I'll take the fall for this."

Mouse got back to work, letting her go to her father's office and take her place at her father's desk as she pulled her homework out and started it. She stared at the same page for what seemed like forever, not paying any attention to it, lost in her own mind as the guilt weighed on her, slowly crushing her.

For the second time that day, the teen jumped. She looked and saw her father. She was so zoned out that she hadn't heard her father. Her heart was still racing, but she managed to calm herself down.

"Oh, hey, Dad."

Hank looked concerned at his daughter. "You alright, sweetheart?"

"I'm fine, just a long day."

He went to her and felt her forehead. "You're not warm, you sure?"

With a straight face, she answered. "It was good, just a long day."

"I know the feeling. Did you get your report card today?"

Keeping a straight face, she nodded. "Yup, right here." She reached into her backpack and pulled it out, giving it to him.

Hank took the paper and read it. Jordan kept her face straight even though her heart raced. She really hoped he bought it. She kept her breathing calm and even, and if she hitched or altered it even the slightest bit, her father would know something was up.

He read over the paper carefully, almost examining it. He raised an eyebrow; seeing him do so made Jordan worried. But she kept her breathing straight and even.

"Straight A's, great job, sweetheart."

"Thanks, I know I struggled some, but I tried."

Hank kept staring at it, then back at his daughter. Something was definitely off with this and with his daughter. He would get to the bottom of it; he always did.