Page 64 of Code Billionaire

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“So, you want to play nice until the opportunity presents itself?”

“Yeah. That’s the goal, but he left telling me that there’s a lot to consider.”

“Does that mean we still have to have security follow us around everywhere?”

“For the time being, it’s necessary.”

“Okay.” It’s silent on the line for a bit, just the background noise of Vince driving. “Hey, Vince?”

“Yeah?”

“I’m sorry, too. You know, for last night. I just—”

“It’s fine, Tito. No need to explain. It was wrong of me not to tell you what was going on. I just didn’t want you to feel too pressured. I want this to work for you, for all of us. Your tech is brilliant, and I think we have a real shot at bringing this New Era into everything I dreamed it could be because of it.”

“Thanks, man.”

“Yeah.” I can hear the smile in his voice. “Well, have a good night.”

“Yeah, you too.” I hang up the phone and toss it aside, making sure I have something to busy myself with while I wait for Scout. I’m sure she’s just somewhere, walking around the house with security on her trail. Everything’s fine, though my gut feeling tells me differently. I’m choosing to not be crazy about this.

So, for now, I decide to believe everything is fine.

17

SCOUT

Iknow I shouldn’t even be thinking about this, but I only have a little time before Tito gets back up to his room. Sneaking out of the house, with so many security guards lurking about, is difficult enough, but sneaking out from an exit I haven’t been through before is just plain risky. The only experience I’ve had doing anything like this has been in video games. Surely, it’s the same thing. Right?

None of this would be necessary if it weren’t for Agent Riggs’ badgering and threats all day. I promised I would have the tech he’s requesting, but I won’t be giving him tech that has all of its parts in it. Something about the way he’s asking makes me wonder why he would need them to be fully operable anyway. Regardless of his reasoning and the risks involved, I’m about to do it because something in me is telling me it needs to happen this way.

Call it a hunch, or instinct, but whatever it is, it’s not the point. I might be losing track of my sanity with every touch Tito and I exchange, or I may just be getting closer to the truth. Even if it hurts me, I won’t let it hurt the San Giovanni’s. I’m doing this blindly, of course. Trusting that what I feel about Tito is not at all who the FBI told me he is. I believe that the work I’m doing will actually help more lives than it harms, but I don’t know if the FBI could say the same about what they’re doing.

So, they’ll be getting our prototypes without any of their processing chips. Without Tito’s unique processing chips, the devices are virtually useless. If they really only want the tech to keep people safe, like Riggs is saying, then they shouldn’t need this part anyway. I’ll know rather quickly if they want the opposite, should there be any conversation about them being incomplete. Because they wouldn’t know that they’re incomplete unless they were to deliberately dissect them. But why would they do such a thing unless the FBI wants the tech for themselves?

Disgusting power-hungry bastards. Guess I can’t jump to conclusions just yet. For now, I need to get out of this house without being seen or escorted back to my room. I stand and cross to the door, creaking it open as slowly as possible. Tito and Martin are yelling back and forth just at the bottom of the stairs. This means I can’t leave through the front door. Not that I would try to go through the front door in the first place. I’ve played far too many games to choose such an obvious escape route.

The hall appears to be empty for the most part, and I can see to my left just how far back it goes. There has to be more than one staircase in a place like this. If I had to bet, there are probably at least four. Quickly I cross the hall to my room, grab the keys to my car off my dresser and shove them into my pocket before peaking out the door one more time to ensure I’m still alone.

No one is in the hall yet, and Tito’s bickering with Martin continues, so I head down the hallway, away from the main staircase. It’s possible that there could be a staircase leading to the gardens just below my room. That would put the stairs towards the back right wing of this hall. I continue to walk in that direction, just purely guessing, mind racing, and heart pounding as I quietly walk, making certain to keep my eyes focused on everything around me.

It is a little shocking that no one has stopped me yet, or even asked what I’m doing. Hopefully, that continues. But I can never be too cautious. Letting my guard down now, could result in a very swift end to my barely beginning journey; I don’t actually know where.

There appears to be another hall at the end of the one I’m in, and it’s precisely where I thought another staircase would be. It’s also empty, with no sign of anyone in sight. I quietly turn towards it and immediately notice a large dark wood door cracked open slightly. As I step closer, I can make out a metal staircase twisting downward. Quickly, I hurry to it with light feet, slip through the door, heading down the stairs as quietly as I can manage, though it’s rather ambient in the confided stairwell. When I reach the bottom, there’s another door, but this one is closed. Cautiously, I grab the cold metal handle, turning it slowly until I hear the click of the latch retract.

I open it slowly, peering through the small crack in the door. It looks like a kitchen, mostly empty, until I notice movement and move my body to get a better look at what it is through the opening. It looks like a chef standing beside one of the many stoves lining the far back wall. Her brown, wiry hair is blowing slightly like there's a fan or… a draft. On the other corner of the room is a wide-open farm-style door, causing a warm summer draft to blow through the room.

I’ve never seen her before, so chances are, she’s never seen me either. This is a little presumptuous of me to just jump in headfirst, but my luck could run out any moment, and security could see me. Better this chef see me than anyone else, who’s probably under strict orders to keep me inside. Time to put on my best acting skills, I guess. I take a deep breath and push through the door, quietly making my way across the room. I keep my eyes on the floor, trying my best to blend in as just another house worker. Two black tennis shoes block my path just before I reach the door. I follow up the white pantalets, all the way to her curious eyes.

“Hi.” I offer a smile that is not at all returned.

“Name?”

“Uhm, it’s….” Shit, if I tell her my name, this could be it. I could make up something, or- “actually, I’m the gardener.” Her look of suspicion continues, so I force myself to keep going with this lie, trying a bit better to make it believable.

“And… I actually just needed to see the view of the garden from upstairs. It’s how I trim the bushes. Aerial view.” She narrows her eyes at me, and I clear my throat.

“So, I’ll just be heading out now, to keep doing my job.”


Tags: Sophia March Billionaire Romance