by M. D. Cooper
“That doesn’t make you mad?” Reece asked. “I’d feed him his feet for breakfast.”
Schramm smiled. “It annoys me, but it’s not an uncommon approach. Besides, that’s why people like me employ people like you, so our enemies end up eating their feet anyway.”
Trey frowned at Reece. “You don’t actually do that, do you?”
“Nah. Too messy. But I’m not above letting them suffer in other ways if they’ve inspired some spite in me.”
“So I guess the guy with the hand didn’t get that treatment. The way we packed him off to the hospital was downright neighborly of us.” Trey looked thoughtful.
She shrugged. “I didn’t get the feeling they were a real threat, and it turned out they weren’t. It worked out.”
“Except for the hand guy. Cliff.”
“I’m sure he received an injury bonus from Apolla and got his medical expenses paid.” Reece noticed that Schramm merely sipped his lemonade, refraining from asking questions about Cliff-the-hand-guy and whatever had transpired between them.
“Anyway,” she said, “back to the story.”
“There’s not a lot more to it,” Schramm said. “Thanks to my diligence, I realized that Cooper had been working on framing me for an embezzling scheme. Since my life in Machete would be over after such a thing, he also kindly arranged for me to commit suicide. All things considered, I thought it best to get myself out of his reach. Plus, going off the grid kept him from being able to enact the final parts of the embezzling frame-up, because I wouldn’t have been around to do the things he intended to say I’d done.”
“So your reputation hasn’t been ruined,” Trey mused. “That’s good.”
Schramm ran a finger down the side of his glass, catching a bead of condensation. “Well, my reputation has certainly taken a hit for disappearing. No doubt Cooper could have made the embezzling thing work with my disappearance if he’d had just a little more time. But it doesn’t look good for me all the same. A person who’s done no wrong doesn’t just disappear from a job like mine without a word.”
“At least it’s repairable,” Reece said. “We can get the proof, thwart Cooper, and return you alive and well to Rexcare. And us, too.” She pointed to Trey and herself.
“And Erving,” Trey added.
“Oh, yeah. Poor Erving. I almost forgot about him.” Reece felt a tinge of guilt.
“The good news is that I’ve planned ahead for this kind of corporate espionage, and there are Link backups that will prove Cooper’s responsibility for all of his machinations.”
Trey squinted at Schramm. “I’m going to guess there’s a big heaping helping of bad news to make that bit of good news not look nearly so good. Otherwise, you’d have already grabbed those backups and nailed his ass to the wall.”
“Right.” Schramm looked pained. “The problem is that Cooper has used his personal connections to make sure I can’t get access to a lot of the places that might be helpful to me. One of those places is in a Rexcare datacenter, and that’s where the files we need are. There’s no getting them remotely. It’s an in-only pathway, to keep the node from being tampered with or stolen from.”
Reece set her glass of lemonade, nearly empty now, on the table. “So we need to break into this place and get the proof. How’s their security?”
“Strong,” Schramm said.
Reece grinned and cracked her knuckles. “Sounds like this is going to be fun, then.”
* * * * *
Reece surveyed her team, feeling like this was a special moment in her life. She wasn’t likely to get many opportunities to lead a frontal assault like this, and she planned to make the most of it.
She’d put a lot of effort into the attack, after all. It had taken negotiations, promises, and a few assurances of future personal favors to put all this together. Plus, they’d had to reach out to some people that they’d been staying away from, in order to protect them.
But they needed every person they could trust in on this one.
Trey, Schramm, and Reece were all in, of course. But they needed someone who could hack into a data storage system in a short amount of time, and none of them had those skills.
Reece turned around to smile at Marky, who rode in the taxivan behind her. Marky, thrilled to be along on something with such high stakes, smiled back.
Before she’d opened her betting lounge, Marky had made her money with some ingenious hacking skills. Once she’d saved the capital, she’d gotten out of that highly dangerous business and started Debtor’s Haven. She hadn’t even dabbled in hacking ever since—until now.
Beside Marky, Apolla stared out the dark-tinted window. She wore an intense expression. Schramm had offered her a very large amount of money, but payout was contingent on the operation’s success.
In the third row of seats, Trey occupied the center with Raya on his left, looking serious but determined. Reece hadn’t been sure about soliciting her help. She didn’t think Raya cared enough—not about Schramm or Reece herself—to go this far out for them. Also, Raya’s position at Donnercorp was too good to lose on something that wasn’t a direct benefit to her. But Trey had insisted, and Reece had relented. It would seem that their relationship had gotten more serious than Reece had realized.
On Trey’s right side, sat Tommy, eyes wide. The weapons dealer—in contrast to Apolla—seemed a little too enthusiastic. He appeared to vibrate with ecstatic energy. They’d have to keep a close watch on him, but there was no doubt that he’d put everything he had into the job. He’d also equipped them with an astonishing array of firepower that Reece doubted she would ever again see all loaded into one vehicle.
Yep, it was an exciting day, all right. She smiled at their driver. Kippy noticed and grinned back. He didn’t have all of the details about why this was going down, but when she’d asked him if he’d drive for them, he’d immediately agreed.
Back in their youth, he’d been pretty good at retrostripping purloined autotaxis to decommission them from the fleet. He hadn’t done it in quite a long time, but the principles were the same and he’d seemed to enjoy taking care of the autovan Tommy had acquired.
On Reece’s other side, Schramm seemed oddly at peace with all of this highly criminal activity. She’d expected him to be nervous. Uncomfortable. Instead, he looked like he was simply going to another board meeting.
Maybe being an exec required tougher nerves than she’d previously thought.
They’d already gone over their intentions, and they all knew what part they had to play. Reece guessed that they were all thinking it over, focusing on what needed to be done, because after loading the autovan up and taking off, there’d been very little said.
A two-phase assault, followed by a by-any-means-necessary retreat required a great deal of brainpower, it seemed.
Since she had time, Reece ran over the scenario a few more times in her head, too.
Once they arrived at the security gate, Reece locked eyes with each person to make sure they were ready.
They were as ready as they’d get.
Kippy rolled to a stop at the gate, putting on an easy smile and a casual posture. “Hey, how’s it going?”
He spoke to the guard as if they were old friends. Somehow, Kippy could pull that sort of thing off. If Reece had tried something like that, the person would have probably immediately slapped the emergency alarm.
But the thirtyish man smiled, blinking away some fatigue and boredom. A job like his was mostly characterized by long periods of nothing to do.
“Got your security code?” the guard asked routinely.
Kippy’s smile faltered. “Uh, no. They said they’d leave it at the gate for me.”
The guard’s lips turned down. “Why would it make sense for them to leave the code with me, rather than give it to you? I hate when they do that stuff. It’s like they’re intentionally trying to cause a security breach.”
“I know, right? I thought it was weird, too.” Kippy rolled his eyes. “
They said it was something about not being able to log in and generate a code at the time. I forget why.”
The guard glanced at the van and the sign painted on the side, reading KMA Technologies. “You’re a contractor? What’s your business in there?”
“Subtransducter cables and related peripherals. We’re wiring up a room that’s being converted into a new section of the datacenter. Again. You’d think they’d just build more than they need so they’d have space to expand, rather than adding them one by one. It’s such a waste of money.” Kippy shrugged helplessly.
“Again?” The guard shook his head. “They just finished one two months ago. I’ll never understand corporate thinking.”
Kippy smiled. “Same here. But at least we get paid, right?”
The guard grinned. “Yep. If they were more efficient, there’d be fewer jobs to go around. Who did you say left you a security code?”
“River.” Kippy offered a name that was so common there was bound to be someone inside who went by it. Every now and then, single-name confusion could be put to good use. “I’m not sure what department, though. I forgot to ask.”
The guard went back into his enclosed kiosk. Reece watched him flick through a series of displays on his sim, frowning as he went.
The guard returned. “Didn’t find it. I’d give River a call, but we’ve got like fifteen of them, and it’s almost my lunch break. Once you get to the lobby, they’ll have you on the reception books and will be able to connect you to the right person and get you going to the right place.”
Kippy nodded. “No problem. Don’t want to make you late for lunch. It’s not like they extend your time when you work the first ten minutes, right?”
“That’s for sure.” The guard grimaced. “Thanks, man.”
“No problem.” Kippy grinned, then waved when the gate opened and allowed him to proceed through.
Reece let out a breath, once again amazed at how Kippy’s easy manner could smooth anything over.
First hurdle was done. It was the smallest of them, and now they had to hope the guard didn’t decide to be helpful and send word up ahead that they were coming.
“Right,” she said. “Now we’re on. Everyone ready?”
Tommy nodded eagerly and said, “Hell yeah!” while the other responses ranged from Marky’s emphatic nod and wink to Schramm’s grim acceptance.
A little bit of everything.
At the main entrance of the huge complex, it was clear that money had been spent merely to impress. The architects had perpetrated a sprawling one-story design that would have been breathtakingly cost prohibitive inside the commerce district. Even out here on the outskirts, in barren land not fit for farming, it seemed shockingly wasteful. Sure, they wouldn’t have to pay for elevators or spend nearly as much on quakeproofing, but the energy waste alone for a single-story complex would eclipse both of the other concerns within just a few years.
Yet Reece had to admit that the gleaming pale gray complex—laid out in a pentagon with a courtyard on the inside—had a certain stark beauty to it. Or could it truly be called a pentagon when the back side was open to provide vehicle access?
Either way, they couldn’t see that end at the moment, as it was directly opposite them on the other side of the complex. Instead, the grand entrance lived up to its name, with an elegantly understated arch that soared above and created shade as one entered the building.
Schramm got out and Reece started to slide across the seat to follow him. Kippy’s arm curled around her before she could move further and she turned her head to look at him.
“I guess I’m finally getting a look at what you really do.” His smile was small and crooked, but there nonetheless.
“I guess so. I’ll have to hope you still like me when it’s all said and done,” she joked.
“No worries about that.” He leaned in and dropped a brief but firm kiss on her lips. “I’ll see you soon.”
“Good luck,” she said, then addressed the rest of the team as she slid across the seat toward the door. “I know you all can do this.”
She briefly made eye contact once more with Apolla, Raya, Tommy, and Marky. Her gaze lingered on Trey, who returned her look with a sharp nod.
“Go get ‘em, Miss Fancypants Exec,” he said.
“Pineapple?” she asked.
“Pineapple.” He nodded.
She grinned as she stepped out of the car and smoothed her expensive tailored suit down. How Schramm had managed to get something so fine manufactured on such short notice, she had no idea, but she’d never felt so elegant in her life. She’d decided that charcoal gray looked damn good on her, even if she’d had to secure her hair in a businesslike knot at the back of her head.
“Ready?” Schramm asked.
“Yep. Let’s go.” She followed a half pace behind him, showing deference to him as a junior executive would to a senior.
She admired how Schramm strode into the place like he owned it, or at least was a significant stakeholder—one of which may be partially true.
He stopped at the reception desk, but not as a supplicant seeking entry into the inner sanctum. Schramm’s approach was something else entirely. He looked down at the receptionist, no doubt as fearsome a gatekeeper as those in the dragon’s lair at Rexcare, as if the person were his messenger.
He spoke in a tone of voice only the truly privileged and important could manage. “Schramm Matthews to see Jame Bellwether.”
The receptionist instantly went from dragon to mouse at the mention of the two names. Jame Bellwether was one of the top people at Trumark, which had been working to either become one of the Big Four by pushing Pritney-Dax out, or expand the Big Four to a Big Five. He’d been getting close year by year, too, with Trumark getting a stranglehold on commercial datacenters like this that serviced both corporations and the populace at large.
And of course, Schramm would be instantly recognized in a place like this, where deals were made every day to further entrench Trumark in the local economy.
“Of course, Mr. Matthews. Is Mr. Bellwether expecting you?” The man’s tone was nothing like it would have been if Reece had asked to see someone.
“Not specifically. We had plans to meet sometime soon, and I ended up in the relative vicinity and decided to take advantage of that.” Schramm didn’t keep his attention on the receptionist. Instead, he cast his eyes across the lobby, showing how little time he had for such a menial exchange of words.
Reece couldn’t decide if she should admire such a display, or detest it, so she chose to admire his impressive show of deplorable privilege.
“Of course.” Instead of ignoring Schramm, the receptionist waved over one of his co-workers. “Please show Mr. Matthews and his colleague to a hospitality suite.”
The woman sprang into action, her eyes widening at the use of the “Mr.” title, which was an unmistakable sign of importance, even if she didn’t recognize the name itself.
“Right this way.” The young woman looked like she’d barely left school, but seemed well on her way to a career in executive services. She keyed them through a door and led them briskly down a long hall before stepping aside and gesturing to the doorway, allowing them to enter before her.
Reece almost sucked in a breath at the room’s opulence, but she caught herself in time. Instead, she pasted on a cool expression as she observed the plush furniture upholstered with luxury fabrics, the elaborately framed artwork on the walls, and the full array of fresh food on a sideboard, as if a buffet had been planned for them ahead of time.
“May I pour you a drink?” the young woman asked, gesturing at an open-air chiller tray that held a variety of bottles. “You must be hot from being outside.”
Schramm waved her suggestion away. “We’ll get it ourselves, thank you.”
The young receptionist took a step back and bowed from the shoulders, having recognized Schramm’s dismissive tone. “Of course. Please let us know if you need anything at all. As soon as Mr. Bellw
ether is available, we will let you know.”
Schramm nodded and the girl hurried out, closing the door behind her.
Reece sidled up to the food. Fresh fruit, already cut, sandwiches, muffins, and pie sat on display, as if for an advertisement. “Any reason to think this stuff is poisoned or laced with trackers or something?”
Schramm shook his head. “No.”
“Well good.” She grabbed the plate and began piling it up with goodies. “Because I am not about to let all this go to waste.”
She poured herself a sparkling water, then took it and her plate to one of the plush couches. She laughed at the idea of sitting and eating on something that probably cost the equivalent of a year’s salary for her, but she did it all the same.
She sighed. “So comfy.”
She took a bite of ripe purplefruit and sighed. “So delicious. We only ever have purplefruit for new year and even then, it’s the frozen kind.”
“Is it good?” he asked.
“Incredible.”
She expected him to shrug it off, but instead, he went and put a few pieces on a plate before joining her with it and a glass of tea.
He took a bite of the juicy fruit. “You’re right. This is delicious.”
She wished they could communicate via the Link, but he hadn’t gotten his jailbroken and they couldn’t risk Rexcare listening in. He did wear a squelch collar so they couldn’t track him, but otherwise, he had to refrain from using his Link. After this was done, Tommy would need to jailbreak Schramm’s implants.
Unless there was a reason not to at that point.
They engaged in mundane conversation and ate while they waited. Meanwhile, if all had gone right, the others would be carrying out their assignments. They’d planned this carefully, but Reece worried she’d hear an alarm go off any minute.
So far so good, though.
A brief knock was immediately followed by the door swinging open, and a round-faced man entering. “Schramm!” the man exclaimed. “What a nice surprise.”
