Charlotte Ashlynn Trevor’s real identity is Nicki Demere, a 13-year-old girl who is part of the foster care system at the outset of the novel. Nicki has been bounced around to five foster homes since age eight but has never been permanently placed. She was born into a career criminal family and learned pickpocket skills from her grandmother. Her mother abandoned the family, and her father has been in prison for years.

After her grandmother’s death, Nicki tried to form attachments to her foster families and other kids in the system, but no one stayed in her world for very long. As a result, she’s wary of trusting people and experiences episodes of uncontrollable “kleptomania” (a compulsion to steal) whenever she feels emotionally stressed. In addition, she refuses to allow anyone to touch her hands and can’t even bear to wear gloves because they make her feel trapped.

Despite these emotional challenges, Nicki is a survivor, which makes her an attractive recruit for WITSEC. Her world changes dramatically when she’s placed with a family that’s being hunted by the mob and given the new identity of Charlotte Trevor. Her grey eyes and dark hair make it easy for her to assume the persona of the family’s daughter.