Free Daddy's Girl: Cape High Book Five by R.J. Ross

he wants to protest, but Harry turns and looks at him.  "I'm sure you've been briefed on ranks, boy," he says sharply.
    "Sir... I mean, yes sir," the man says.  "But--"
    "Tell me, are you a norm?" Mastermental asks the younger man.
    "Yes, sir, I am."
    "Then I'm sorry, Harry, when it comes to Mimic I'm afraid we need to be careful.  You do understand, right?  That's why Nico and Morgan are both wearing power inhibitors."  He reaches out, patting Harry on the arm.  "Don't worry, we have everything under control."
    "To be honest, that's why I worry, sir," Harry says.  "When you believe you have everything under control is when he's most likely to take advantage."
    "We won't even be in the same room as him, Harry," Nico says, starting for the building.  "Don't worry, I trust Morgan."
    Why?  I look from Harry to Nico, then chase after him as Mastermental starts for the building as well.  I can feel eyes on me from all directions, watching me closely.  Is this how Dad feels?  Like every single movement he makes is watched?  Like the moment he moves the wrong way or says the wrong thing he'll be pounced on?  It's disturbing.  I feel sorry for him if that's the case.
    We stop at the doors and a light runs over us, scanning us for who knows what.  I wait impatiently, somewhat used to things like this thanks to the school, then watch as the heavy door slowly swings open in front of us.  I want to hold someone's hand, but that's a childish thought so I grab my own hand, holding them both in front of me.  The feeling in this place is... it's cold and hopeless.  Maybe it's all in my head.  That's what I want to believe, at least, even as I hug myself.  The hallways are wide and concrete, with a tiled floor.  The only sound we hear is the sound of our footprints--and since Mastermental and Nico are wearing soft soled boots, and I'm wearing tennis shoes, I'm the most noticeable one.
    We turn left, then left, then right, then right, straight for a while, left, right--I'm starting to get lost.  That's probably on purpose.  By the time we pull to a stop at a door I feel a bit dizzy and completely disoriented.  I glance at Mastermental, then at Nico.
    "You ready?" Nico asks me.
    Am I?  I look at the door for a long moment, wondering what will happen once I go through, then I slowly nod, squaring my shoulders and stepping forward.  The door slides open and we walk into a large, empty room.  In front of us is that thick glass that Nico mentioned before.  I glance up, seeing a grate in the ceiling.  That must be the speaker.  I glance around.  There's no furniture, not even lines in the floor or walls.  It looks like solid steel. 
    The room on the other side of the glass looks exactly like this one.  There's no one in there, though, so I glance at Mastermental curiously.  "He's not been brought in, yet," he says.  I wonder what all they're doing to him before they let him in.  I wonder who's doing it.  Even as I start trying to picture it a door opens in the other room and a man walks in.
    I've never seen this man before, but I know who he is.  Yes, all those years living with Dad and I never saw his true face.  He's thin, needs a shave, has tawny colored hair just like mine which hangs in locks around his face.  He has an almost dead expression in his eyes.  "If this is to talk to another inmate I'd rather--" he starts out.  He stops, though, staring at me.  "Morgan," he breathes out.
    "Hi," I say, moving closer to the glass.  He's crossing the room, his hand coming up and touching it, as if he could touch me.  "Dad," I manage to get out.  Tears are starting to fall, and I'm not even sure why.  Seeing him in the same black outfit as Nico, seeing him look like he is... it's hard.  It's like looking at a stranger, but at the same time...
    "You look so grown up," he says.  "I... I missed so much."
    Yeah, like almost a year spent captive behind a wall exactly like this one.  Somehow, though, I can't