The past three days had been a blur of spending for Jason and he couldn't be happier about it. With Vinny handling all the money laundering through his connections, Jason basically had tax-free cash to burn through without the IRS breathing down his neck. He'd gone shopping in Manhattan, buying expensive clothes that actually fit him properly for once, a new laptop, smartphone, and other gadgets that made his old life look pathetic in comparison.
The best part was that his mother Maria still thought he was just getting tutoring money, so when he handed her another hundred-dollar bill yesterday morning, she just smiled and told him how proud she was of his dedication to education. If only she knew her son was sitting on eight hundred thousand dollars in a storage unit, but that conversation would have to wait until he figured out how to explain sudden wealth without mentioning illegal gambling or mysterious regressions.
Jason had been careful not to go overboard with his spending around the neighborhood since people talk and he didn't need anyone asking questions about why the DuPont kid suddenly had designer clothes and expensive electronics. The last thing he needed was unwanted attention when he was trying to build his empire from the shadows.
But now, sitting outside Principal Martinez's office for the second time this week, Jason wondered if his careful planning was about to get disrupted by whatever academic opportunity the man wanted to discuss.
Knock knock
"Come in," Martinez called from inside.
Jason opened the door and stepped into the familiar office that still smelled like stale coffee and institutional cleaning products. "Principal Martinez, you wanted to see me?"
"Ah Jason, so good to see you again," Martinez said with a genuine smile as he gestured to the same chair Jason had occupied just three days earlier. "Please, sit down and make yourself comfortable because we have some exciting news to discuss."
Jason settled into the chair and noticed that Martinez seemed more animated than usual, like he was barely containing some kind of good news that he was eager to share. The principal's desk was cleaner than before, with a new manila folder placed prominently in the center next to what looked like official letterhead from some prestigious institution.
"I hope you've had time to think about our previous conversation regarding your exceptional performance on that legal examination," Martinez continued as he leaned back in his squeaky chair. "Because the response from my contacts at Columbia has been quite remarkable, and it's led to an opportunity that I believe could change your entire future."
All of a sudden, Jason's blood went cold because he had a sinking feeling about where this conversation was heading. There were only so many "opportunities" that came from demonstrating advanced legal knowledge, and most of them led directly into the kind of elite circles that Jason knew were connected to his enemies.
"What kind of opportunity are we discussing?" Jason asked, keeping his voice steady even though his prosecutor instincts were already telling him this was going to be complicated.
Martinez picked up the manila folder and opened it with the kind of reverence people usually reserved for important documents. "Have you ever heard of Whitmore Academy?"
Jason's heart started pounding because he knew about Whitmore Academy before his regression and it wasn't anything good. Whitmore Academy is a prep school in Manhattan's Upper East Side and is only for the elites, but although on the outside it looks like a normal private school, they do not teach the same curriculum that regular students get. It is where the elite bastards' sons and daughters go to make connections to get even more rich and powerful, and more importantly, it's where they learn how to maintain their stranglehold on American society.
In his previous life, he had known about it because Phoenix Global bastard Lionel Graves went to that school along with half of the corporate executives Jason had tried to prosecute over the years. On top of that, Jason had prosecuted three of their alumni for securities fraud in which all three had worked for Phoenix Global subsidiaries, but unfortunately, all three of them had their charges mysteriously dropped by higher-ups who were probably Whitmore alumni themselves.
"I've heard the name," Jason said carefully, not wanting to reveal how much he actually knew about the school's true purpose.
"Whitmore Academy is one of the most prestigious preparatory institutions in the country," Martinez explained with the kind of enthusiasm that suggested he genuinely believed this was a good thing. "They produce more federal judges, Supreme Court clerks, and Fortune 500 CEOs than any other secondary institution in America, and their alumni network is absolutely incredible for opening doors that most people never even know exist."
Jason nodded politely while internally cursing his luck because this was exactly the kind of attention he'd been trying to avoid. Getting noticed by elite institutions meant getting noticed by the people who ran them, and the people who ran places like Whitmore Academy were exactly the same people who would eventually try to kill him in eighteen years.
"The reason I'm telling you this," Martinez continued as he pulled out what looked like an official letter, "is because they have a very exclusive scholarship program for exceptionally gifted students from underrepresented backgrounds, and based on your test results, you've caught their attention in a very significant way."
"Their attention?" Jason repeated, feeling like he was watching a trap slowly close around him.
"Dr. Victoria Ashford, Whitmore's Director of Academic Excellence, personally called me yesterday after reviewing your examination results," Martinez said with obvious pride. "She's never seen legal analysis of that caliber from a high school student, and she wants to meet with you immediately to discuss a full scholarship opportunity."
Jason's mind raced because Dr. Victoria Ashford was a name he remembered from his prosecution files, though not as a primary target. She'd appeared on Phoenix Global's payroll as an educational consultant, which probably meant she was helping them identify and recruit talented young people who could be molded into future executives and enablers.
"A full scholarship," Jason said, buying time to think through the implications.
"Full scholarship, room and board, access to their advanced placement programs, and most importantly, introduction to their alumni network," Martinez explained like he was offering Jason the keys to paradise. "This is the kind of opportunity that comes along once in a lifetime, and it could set you up for success beyond anything you've ever imagined."
The problem was that Jason could imagine exactly what kind of success Whitmore Academy offered, and it was the kind that came with strings attached to some very dangerous puppeteers. But at the same time, infiltrating their system from the inside could give him access to information and connections that would be impossible to obtain any other way.
"When would this meeting take place?" Jason asked, trying to sound appropriately interested rather than deeply suspicious.
"Next Friday," Martinez replied immediately. "Dr. Ashford can arrange transportation to the campus, and she's even offered to cover any expenses related to the visit because she's that impressed with your potential."
Jason felt like he was standing at a crossroads where both paths led into dangerous territory, but one of them might give him the tools he needed to survive what was coming. Whitmore Academy was definitely connected to Phoenix Global, which meant attending would put him directly in their recruitment pipeline, but it would also give him inside access to their methods and maybe even their personnel.
"I'll need to discuss this with my mother," Jason said, which was both true and a convenient way to buy more time to consider his options.
"Of course, family approval is important," Martinez agreed with a nod. "But Jason, I want you to understand that this isn't just about education or even about money, this is about positioning yourself for the kind of future that most people only dream about."
That was exactly what Jason was afraid of, because he knew what kind of future Phoenix Global had planned for people like him. But maybe, if he was careful enough and smart enough, he could turn their own recruitment system against them.
"What exactly would be involved in this visit?" Jason asked, wanting to understand the full scope of what he was potentially agreeing to.
"Campus tour, meetings with faculty, entrance examination, and an interview with their scholarship committee," Martinez explained. "It's comprehensive, but Dr. Ashford assured me that someone with your capabilities should have no trouble impressing them."
Jason almost laughed at the irony because impressing them wasn't the problem, the problem was impressing them without revealing that he knew far more about their true purpose than any seventeen-year-old should. He needed to seem like exactly the kind of talented but naive young person they were looking for, someone they could mold and control.
"I'll give you an answer by Wednesday," Jason said, standing up from his chair.
"Excellent," Martinez replied with obvious satisfaction. "And Jason, I hope you understand how proud I am of what you've accomplished and how excited I am about this opportunity for you."
Jason paused at the door because there was something in Martinez's voice that suggested genuine care and concern, which made this whole situation even more complicated. The principal really did think he was helping Jason achieve something wonderful, and he had no idea that he was potentially delivering one of his students directly into the hands of people who specialized in corrupting young talent.
"Mr. Martinez," Jason said, turning back toward the desk. "Has Dr. Ashford mentioned anything specific about Whitmore's corporate partnerships or internship programs?"
The question seemed to catch Martinez slightly off guard, but he recovered quickly. "Well yes, Whitmore has extensive relationships with major corporations and government agencies, that's part of what makes their education so valuable," he explained. "Why do you ask?"
"Just curious about what kind of opportunities might be available after graduation," Jason replied smoothly.
"The opportunities are limitless," Martinez said with conviction. "Whitmore graduates go everywhere, do everything, and become incredibly successful in whatever field they choose."
Jason nodded and left the office, but as he walked through the hallway toward his next class, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was being maneuvered into a position that was either going to make him incredibly powerful or get him killed much sooner than expected.