In one fluid, microsecond movement, her hand darted under the riser. Her thumb and forefinger pinched the USB drive. It slid into her palm, then into the hidden pocket sewn into the seam of her cardigan.
The rest of the "tutoring session" was a masterclass in tension. Ameri continued explaining Avogadro's number while Taro seethed. The lookout girl typed furiously. Ameri knew she had maybe ten minutes before they realized she wasn't a teacher.
"Good afternoon, everyone," she said, her voice a decibel softer than expected. "I’m Miss Ichinose. I hear you're all having trouble with stoichiometry."
She continued the charade. "Let's try a practice problem. Taro, would you balance this equation for us?" She pointed to a complex reaction: C₆H₁₂O₆ + O₂ → CO₂ + H₂O .
"That's fine, Miss Ichinose ," he said, stressing her name as if tasting a lie. "You're… very helpful."