Who else did you go to for an encrypted thumb-drive belonging to your dead boss?
For at least an hour, I hid in my kitchen having a total panic attack, but slowly a plan took shape. I took a vacation day at work, blaming my sick grandmother, and then started tracking down the one person I hoped might save my hide.
My plans hinged on the world’s best hacker.
TerminalChaos.
“And what? You thought to lie, pretending to be a damsel in distress to get me into a meeting, and then you’d talk me into working for your company?” Annoyance and anger swirled together with his words. He lifted one eyebrow and glanced at me as if he found me nothing more than a beetle to crush.
I also never forgot about the guy carrying a gun. He’d tucked it away but still guarded the door with an ominous expression on his face.
“No,” I said, throwing my hands up and almost getting out of my chair, but then I thought better of it and sat again.
I couldn’t handle any more crap. Someone shot my boss, this dude held a gun on me, the building was scary, and I didn’t want to die.
Why didn’t anyone understand that?
My panic hit an all-time high. My blood pressure skyrocketed, and I saw black dots in my vision. That couldn’t be a good sign.
I didn’t give a shit if TerminalChaos worked for All American Bank. After today, I probably didn’t work for the bank anymore. Either I’d end up dead or take the entire bank under once someone decrypted the thumb drive.
I didn’t care about the bank. I cared about my life.
What would they do if he didn’t find my explanation good enough? Would they let me out of the room?
Or wait.
My face fell and my stomach rolled.
What if they let me leave and I had to handle this on my own? I’d end up like Sean.
Sure, sometimes I gave Sean the last couple ounces of coffee from a pot before brewing myself a new one. And yes, I’d lie about it, but did he hate me so much he thought I deserved the thumb drive of death?
“All American doesn’t know I’m here. Please don’t tell anyone,” I said and then rushed to explain the events of my life over the last twenty-four hours as quickly as possible in case he kicked me out mid-story.
When I finished, I sucked in a breath and leaned back in the office chair, waiting for his judgment. Could I count on him to help me?
He hadn’t moved the entire time I’d spoken, and I congratulated myself on making it through without crying. He still had his fingers tented, and he touched each pad together in a slow motion.
“I charge fifty thousand dollars as a base and require a fifty-percent down payment before I touch anything. Do you have that much money, Ms. Webb?”
My stomach tossed and turned. I hadn’t thought about money. I’d only thought about saving my life. I hadn’t even gotten the thumb drive out of my pocket and already it was hopeless. My heart fell, and I swear I heard the splash in the empty contents of my stomach.
“No,” I didn’t have that much money. I didn’t even have a quarter of that money.
He let out a slow breath and shook his head. “I’m sorry, but I can’t help you. Drake will see you out.” He motioned to the man in the back of the room. “Tell Jack Beamer that Corbin Kensington doesn’t like to be fucked with and next time our meeting won’t end as pleasantly.”
I didn’t think it was possible, but my mood soured more. What did he mean by he couldn’t help me? He was my last shot. My only shot. What did the company CEO, Mr. Beamer, have to do with the thumb drive?
My panic became hopelessness. Did Drake plan to shoot me in the elevator as I walked out? They already had it covered in plastic. Did they prepare in advance? Had I walked right into my death while trying to flee from it?
What heartless man heard my story, realized my life was on the line, and turned me away? I needed him to be my knight in shining armor. But that hadn’t happened.
Now I was screwed.
I closed my eyes and let my head drop. I hinged my hopes on everything turning out okay if I just made it to Pelican Bay.
Corbin Kensington wasn’t my savior. He’d unceremoniously thrown me to the wolves.