Fatal Exchange

by Cindy M. Hogan

  I nodded. I knew how to get Kamal to spill his guts—the perfect thing. I knew he was pocketing all my profits, rather than taking them to his boss. He was making a lot of money off of me—if I threatened to leave, he’d have to pull out something spectacular to get me to stay. It was risky, but it could work. If we had any luck on our side, the drive would be in the building Kamal had dropped some stuff off at, and the craziness would end. I huffed. That would be too easy. Tomorrow was going to be a busy day if none of the other leads panned out.

  Summer and Jeremy moved toward Ace. I took one last look at Summer, wishing I could tell her to shove off but knowing it wouldn’t do any good, and headed out.

  I was being watched by someone other than Summer? I couldn’t imagine why anyone else would be watching unless I’d somehow given up my identity to the thugs from Sécurité Un. But Division had blocked all the cameras when I’d gone in that night. And a cleanup crew had scrubbed the feeds from the three cameras that had caught me on the other rooftop and alley. Besides, no one had been close enough in the dark to get a good look at me. Then a horrible idea climbed into my brain. What if Summer took pictures of some random people and then claimed they were following me just to make me look stupid?

  I continued to the metro, and after I transferred trains, out of the corner of my eye I noticed Summer get on the same one with me. I hadn’t even known she’d gotten on the first one. When had she stopped talking to Siron? Seriously, how was that possible? I was spidey senses personified, yet here she was again, and I hadn’t even known it until my eyes saw her. It bugged me to no end that I had not sensed her the whole day. Instead I’d most likely been sensing the other guys Summer said were following me.

  Sitting on the train, I zeroed in on her, trying to assimilate her into my mind, my body, or my soul to force myself to pick up her shadow somehow. Maybe she was the best. I hated to even have the thought, but I couldn’t help it. I’d never had to do anything like this before and had no idea what I was doing. I just knew I couldn’t let her keep shadowing me without my knowledge. It made me feel violated.

  Heat started in my belly and radiated out through my body. I had to figure something out and fast because I had things to do that I didn’t want her to be privy to. Once off the train, Summer turned left and I went right. Relief swirled around me, glad that she didn’t live on the same block as I did. At least I was free of her the rest of the night. Feeling extra rebellious and very insecure, I got back on the train and headed for Halle. I wouldn’t wait for tomorrow. I’d start my squeeze on Kamal tonight, and Summer would not witness it. Maybe I’d luck out and get the information on the whereabouts of the drive.

  Chapter 12

  I showed up at the fountain in the same clothes I’d had on earlier in the day, jeans and a t-shirt with the addition of a zip-up hoodie, without my board and slumped onto the cement bench, placing my elbows on my knees and holding my chin in my hands. The smells of rich sauces wafted out of the various restaurants in the area. It was still muggy, but the hope of relief during the night filled the air.

  Kamal was the first one to notice me. He put his arm around my hunched back and said, “You ok?”

  I angled my head to the side, pressed my lips together and just stared at him.

  “What’s wrong?” One of the others in the group asked.

  I covered my eyes with my hands and rubbed them over my face and sighed.

  Kamal crouched down and took hold of my wrists, moving my hands away from my face. A genuine look of concern graced his face and he said, “So, what’s up? What happened?”

  I shook my head. He still held my hands. I let the tears come. By this time, the whole group surrounded me.

  “Talk to me, Eva. Talk to me.”

  I shook my head all the harder, stood up abruptly and ran away. I hoped Kamal would tell the rest of them to stay and he’d follow. If I’d read him right, I knew he would. He needed me.

  I was rounding the corner of a restaurant when he caught up with me. He grabbed my arm. “Hey. Hey. Slow down. Let’s talk.”

  “No. You won’t understand. I just don’t know what I’m doing.” I shrugged off his hand and ran away again. I wanted to get to the park just up the street. It was a good place for us to talk. He caught up with me again when we were about a block from it.

  “Whoa!” he said, grabbing me into a big bear hug.

  I squirmed in his arms, but he held tight. I finally gave in and relaxed, melting into his hug. I let the tears pour out of my eyes and made sure to sob loudly and violently. He relaxed his grip on me and rubbed his hand from the crown of my head to the middle of my back, shushing me the whole time. I burrowed my face in his chest, and he rested his chin on the top of my head until my body no longer jumped with my sobs.

  “What’s this all about, Eva? What happened?”

  I pulled back from him, wiping my nose on my jacket sleeve. I closed my mouth and shoved a breath out my nose before squeaking out the words, “I can’t do this anymore. I have to go back to Portugal.”

  He frowned. “I don’t understand. What are you talking about?”

  I threw my hands out to my sides and put my chin on my chest, hoping I looked completely dejected.

  A group of people passed us, staring the whole time. He took my arm and said, “Let’s get to the park where we’ll have more privacy.”

  I nodded and wiped my nose again.

  He put his arm around me, and I leaned into his side as we walked the last block to the park. I totally had him. And a part of me was sad about it. I was about to play on his love for his girlfriend or wife or whoever she was. It was cruel, but necessary. And definitely better than Division having their hands on her.

  The gravel crunched under my feet as we passed through the small gate marking the entrance to the park. We sat on a bench as far away from anyone else as possible. A few men were still playing various games with balls in the dirt on the far side of the park.

  He angled his body toward me and took my hands in his. “So, what’s this all about?”

  “My dad is super sick. I came here to get money to help and I have. I mean, I send them money each week, something I couldn’t do back home, but now—my mom fell, and my dad’s having a really hard time taking care of her. I can’t afford to get them a healthcare worker, so I’m going to have to go home.” I leaned back in the bench.

  I could see the panic in his eyes. He was working hard to find a solution.

  “But you’re doing so well as a picker. You should wait a bit. I can give you an advance on your earnings to get someone to help your parents.”

  I shook my head. “It will never be enough. It will never be enough.”

  Desperation crossed his face. He was starting to think I was going to jump ship and quit.

  “I mean,” I continued. “I don’t want to be ungrateful. You were the only good thing that’s happened to me since I got here. But I’m sorry, I have to be there for my family.”

  He was struggling to keep calm. “Listen, I’m going to tell you something that very few people know.”

  I sat up and took in a hard, shaky breath. Had he fallen for it?

  “My parents wanted me to take over the family business back home,” Kamal said, “and I wasn’t about to. So I left. And becoming a picker was the best decision I ever made.”

  I thought he was going to tell me about Marni. “No one leaves a good home to become a picker. Why would you choose that over a good job?”

  “I have an artistic bent, and my father didn’t like it. He wanted me to spend all my time doing stuff I hate. I will never become like him. I will never be an accountant or a lawyer and sell my soul for money.”

  That made absolutely no sense to me because I thought that was exactly what he was doing. “What about taking over the business and becoming the boss?”

  “No. It’s not me. I’m an artist and if I’d stayed, I’d never have been able to do it. With picking, I get good money and I get to paint.”
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  “But you’re a leader here. Why not in the family business?”

  He raised his voice a little, his cheekbones becoming more angular, rigid. “It’s just not me. That’s all. I’m an artist. Anyway, this isn’t about me. It’s about you. You have a gift. You’re the best picker I’ve ever had on my team. You’re smart enough to see that this could be very lucrative for you. Do you realize you’ve earned over two hundred euro this week already?”

  “It’s not enough. Not if I have to hire someone to care for my dad full time.” I pouted.

  “That’s the other thing. You’re official now. You get thirty percent.” He was pulling out all the stops. He was desperate.

  “Big deal. Triple of a tiny bit is not that much.” I shook my head in disgust. I wasn’t sure how hard I was going to have to push to get him to tell me about his girlfriend, but I had to keep going no matter what.

  “It is, considering how well you do and,” he lowered his voice, “in less than a year, you could be earning a lot more than that.”

  “What are you talking about?” This was a turn I wasn’t expecting.

  He looked around the park as if someone might be listening in. I took a gander too, wondering if I’d catch a glimpse of one of the guys supposedly tailing me.

  “Well, you work for me, and I plan on taking off in less than a year. I’ll give my spot to you if you want it.”

  “Like you get to make that decision. I’m sure your boss will want to know who your replacement is, and what if he doesn’t want me?”

  “No one will be vetting you. I’ll disappear and you’ll take over. It’s as simple as that.”

  “What, they won’t notice that you’re gone and I’m doing your job all of a sudden? I want you to tell them when it comes time. I don’t think they’d like me surprising them like that.”

  He shook his head. “No. You don’t understand.” His voice was a whisper. “No one quits this job. No one. Once you’re in, you’re in for life. But I can’t be in it for life. I have plans, and they don’t include picking forever. And listen Eva, you can never tell a soul about this.” His eyes narrowed and he tipped his head toward me, emphasizing he was serious.

  “But then how do I get out when I’m ready?” He’d given me something even better than Marni. It would be good not to involve her. Now I could get him to talk about the business side of this picking operation. If I was slated to take his place, he’d have to train me and give me all his knowledge.

  “You do what I’m doing. You set up someone to take your place.” He leaned back.

  “Why would I or anyone else want to take your place?” I leaned back too.

  He leaned into me. “Because I have seven pickers under me. I make almost 150,000 euro a year doing this.”

  My eyes popped wide in pretend surprise. “You’re kidding right?” So, he lived on fifty thousand euro a year. Pretty nice.

  “No. You see, I get forty percent of what I pick and ten percent of what you all pick. I’m like midlevel management.”

  “Why don’t I just go to the source and start getting all the money for myself?” I didn’t know why I was pushing so hard. I didn’t want him to rethink his offer.

  “Because I’d kill you if you tried.” His face was suddenly hard.

  Hot oil seemed to bubble in my gut.

  His index finger shot out, and it bobbed in front of me. “I brought you in and trained you. You are mine. Double cross me, and you won’t like the consequences.”

  I scooted away from him, but he slid next to me, quick as a flash. “I’m a nice guy, Eva. I’m nice as long as you do what you’re told. I have big plans for you, and they make both of us rich, very rich.”

  I nodded, furrowing my brow. I needed to reel him in, let him think I was ready to accept his offer. But he started talking again.

  “Don’t look at me like that. It’s not like I like this job. I hate doing what I’m doing, but it’s a means to an end. It will get you what you want—and fast. Just like it has for me. And if all you want is a caregiver for your parents, you could get that in a month or two and as you get faster, you’ll have extra, all for you. Save that up and when you have enough to get out, all you have to do is secretly train your successor and then disappear. You will have to disappear, but you could go back to Portugal. Your parents wouldn’t even have to work.” He was really selling me now.

  “So, you’re going to train me to be you, then?” It was time to put the squeeze on him.

  “Yes.” He nodded vigorously.

  I’d get the information we needed without having to follow the drives to their destination. “So, when we give you what we pick, you take it to your boss and he pays you?”

  He nodded. “I take it to the sorter and they pay me, then I pay you guys your cut.”

  “So if I get a bunch of drives, I could get the money even faster?”

  “If they have good stuff on them, yes.”

  “And do you turn them in everyday?”

  “Normally, yes, but like I told you my guy has been out of town. He gets back tomorrow, though. I think I’ve saved up about fifteen drives over the past two weeks that he’s been gone. I should get a good amount of cash.”

  Dread pulsed through me. “Tomorrow?”

  “Tomorrow.”

  This was terrible news. My three days had just become only a night and part of a day. It had turned out to be a very good thing that I’d met up with him tonight. “Can I come when you deliver them?

  “No. It’s too early to involve you in that.”

  “Well, where do you keep them until you turn them in? Your apartment?”

  “No way. They go to a safety deposit box at the bank. You can’t keep stuff like that lying around. You’re likely to get caught or robbed if you do. You’ll have to get an account for stuff like that.”

  The key he’d retrieved from the kitchen drawer the other day. It must be his key to a safety deposit box. “Does it cost money?” I needed him to tell me which bank he used.

  “No. I mean, the account doesn’t. I pay a little each month for the box.”

  “And you’ll show me how?”

  “Of course. It’s not difficult. You’ll see.” Sparkle returned to his eyes.

  “Is there one bank that is best to use?” We could raid the bank tonight, and it would all be over.

  “I don’t think so. You’ll just have to pick one.”

  I couldn’t detect any hint of him trying to keep information about his bank from me—he really didn’t think it was important. “I think I’ll use yours. Which one do you use?”

  “Don’t get ahead of yourself. I’ll teach you everything you need to know. We have time. Just relax.”

  Ugh! This was not going to be easy after all. “It’s not one of my strong points,” I sighed. I had to get it out of him. “What would it hurt for us to go set up my account in the morning?”

  He shook his head. “You really don’t need it yet.”

  I wanted to drop kick him and force him to tell me right there and then, but there were too many people around. “So, you meet the guy in the morning?”

  “Yes, and he’s pretty high-strung. Don’t ever miss a meet with him or try to suggest he change something he does. He will cut you off.”

  I nodded. “Got it. Don’t piss off the drive buyer.” After a short time I said, “I wish I’d gotten some clean drives today.”

  “I got four drives today. Only two were clean.”

  Great. Now I wondered if the drives I’d given to the pickpockets were the clean ones. “Huh. Is that usually how it goes? Fifty-fifty?”

  “There is no usual in this business. In any case, the bank was closed by the time I had the chance to take them. I’ll keep those with me. There’s no sense in taking them in only to turn right back around and get them.”

  I nodded. “Makes sense.” I chafed inside. That meant that even if Kamal had the tracked drives in his possession, they wouldn’t lead us to Dufor’s drive. The news just ke
pt getting worse. The only way to salvage this mission was to tail Kamal tomorrow and follow him to his bank and then relieve him of the drives before he was able to hand them off to the buyer. It would have to work.

  “You promise you’ll give me an advance, and that I’ll earn a ton of money?” I twisted one corner of my mouth up.

  He nodded. “Yes. I’ll get you an advance. Let me know what you need. But you’re gonna have to toughen up. There are people who’ll want to steal your success. You can’t trust anyone. You know, I followed you for a whole day, trying to find out everything about you before I let you join me.”

  “You did not!” I said, trying to sound totally incredulous. I knew from his conversation with Marni, that even though I was new, I brought in twice as much as the other crew members.

  “I did. And you’re going to have to do that to any new recruits, too. I’ll start training you in about six months or so. No point in giving you too much too soon. Besides, you’re still too green.” He scratched his nose. He was lying. He thought I was totally ready. “You need to get the picking side of the business down perfectly before we move on.” He smiled, genuinely happy with the deal he’d just forged.

  I nodded hard once. “Okay. Thanks for listening to me. I’m sorry I went crazy. I’m just really worried, you know.”

  “No problem. If you ever feel crazy again, just come to me…It’ll all be worth it in the end. Let’s get you home. It’s late, and I expect good things from you tomorrow.”

  I smiled. “No worries there.”

  Earlier, while he held me close and I’d sobbed my guts out, I’d put my hand in his pocket, opened his phone, and attached a bug that was not only a listening device, but also had a tracker, inside. Score.

  I texted Jeremy after leaving Kamal. Get to the office. Major change. Heading in now.

  Chapter 13

  When I arrived at HQ, everyone but Summer had assembled in the conference room. I could see through the glass walls that they were seated, probably tired from a hard day’s work.

  “He looks good, doesn’t he?” Summer said into my ear from behind me. “Too bad he doesn’t feel the same about you.” She left to go into the conference room as quick as she’d come. I followed behind after sighing.