|
|
I stuff myself in the back corner of the room. Everyone trickles in after me. Kristen, Rheema, and Aydan. There are no chairs, only a few beanbags strewn about. No one sits down.
When James strides into the room, exactly ten minutes after calling the meeting, he’s not wearing his fancy suit anymore. In fact, he looks nothing like the snooty businessman and more like he just went through a boot-camp makeover.
A tight t-shirt, cargo pants, belt and boots—all black—make him look like GI Joe incarnate. He walks to the front of the conference room and stands, back to a large dry erase board. His eyes search the room and land on me.
“Try to keep up, Marci,” he says. “We don’t have time for long explanations, but I’ll fill in where I think it may be helpful.” He clears his throat before continuing. “I’m the owner and president of Zero Breach, a company that engineers state-of-the-art security systems. For the last couple of days, I’ve been on a business trip in London, a trip for which my staff and I prepared for almost a year.
“Zero Breach and two other worldwide heavyweights staged showrooms for our latest, most advanced security systems. There were many prospective clients there, but there’s only one we really care about and that is AR-Tech.”
AR-Tech?
“Assisted Reproductive Technologies,” James explains, anticipating my question. Aydan heaves a sigh. Clearly, this is all for my benefit. Everyone else seems frustrated. “AR-Tech’s clinics in the US have been using our security systems for over two years now. The purpose of the London demos and board meetings was to try to expand our coverage to AR-Tech’s clinics overseas.
“We felt pretty confident we would be able to negotiate a deal. But the fact of the matter is that we did not. AR-Tech is not interested in going international with us.” The muscles in James’s jaw jump and his gray eyes grow dark. After a slow breath, he continues, “We thought it was a done deal. We’re the best in the industry, so we didn’t see that one coming. Worse yet, they’re also terminating our US agreement.”
“What?!” Kristen exclaims.
Everyone exchanges shocked glances. James confirms with a simple nod.
Kristen starts pacing. “But why?”
“AR-Tech’s board members offered no real explanation. However, Elliot just paid me a visit and offered one. He said he felt bad.” The last word makes it sound as if Elliot felt no such thing. “He said that the least he could do was explain why the members decided to terminate our contract.”
“Ha! As if we didn’t know he’s the one calling the shots,” Rheema sneers.
James gives her a small resigned smile. “He said ‘one breach is not Zero Breach.’ Said they can’t afford to have another clinic ransacked.”
I’m trying really hard to keep up with the information deluge. The conversation is faster now, as if they’ve forgotten there’s someone clueless in the room. The facts pour into my brain and I try to organize them. Something about this whole conversation is causing an itch in the back of my mind, as if a particular piece should be clicking but is not.
“So what? They’re going to a second-best competitor?” Kristen asks with incredulity.
“No. He says they’ve acquired their own security company. They’ll be home-growing their own systems.”
“Are you serious?”
“Elliot says they have a brilliant staff, working tirelessly to come up with a system that can’t be hacked.”
“Any idea how long we have before they switch over?” Kristen’s still pacing, staring at the floor and looking as if the gears in her brain are on warp speed.
Impossibly, James’s expression grows ever darker. “At the end of the month.”
“No way!” Kristen’s voice is so high-pitched it doesn’t even sound like her. “They must have been planning this for a very long time.”
“It looks that way.”
“That’s only two days away,” Rheema points out.
“Great, Rheema. Thanks for the amazing display of mathematical skills,” Aydan says.
Rheema gives him a rude hand gesture.
“So, all that work, all those hours were for nothing?” Aydan’s frustration shapes his every word.
James offers him an inquisitive glance. “Well ...”
“Well what?” Kristen asks.
James rubs the back of his neck. “It might still be possible to take advantage of the work we’ve done.”
“How?” Aydan plops on a beanbag, clearly skeptical about whatever James has in mind.
“I was hoping we could hit Riverbend tonight.”
Aydan laughs, throwing his head back and holding his stomach in exaggerated humor. “Very funny.”
“Are you saying it’s impossible?”
“Pretty much,” Aydan sneers, then gets up and gives a huge yawn, stretching his arms toward the ceiling. “I guess I can finally get some sleep.”
“How about tomorrow night?” James challenges as Aydan heads for the door.
“Nope.”
“Wait,” Kristen says. “Don’t leave. We can’t give up just like that.”
“Just like that?! There are two different devices I have to trick. I haven’t even started on that. We were supposed to have two weeks to finalize everything. And even if I was able to get it all done, wouldn’t it be a tad obvious if we break in after they terminate the contract and right before they switch over? It would reek of insider job. For all you know, Elliot is baiting you.”
“Very likely, but we can’t hide forever, Aydan. We knew that sooner or later they would find out we’re here,” James says.
“Maybe, but I think it’s suicide. They’ll figure out right away that you’re involved, James. And you know what they’re capable of when they feel threatened.”
“I’m ready to take the risk.” James’s face could be carved out of stone. His eyes are fixed orbs, his expression cold and hard. He means it.
Aydan shrugs. “Still, it’s not enough time. And what about you, Rheema? Could you pull your part of the plan on such short notice?”
“Sure can,” Rheema says.
“I can also get everything ready on my end,” James says.
“Great. I guess it’s all on me,” Aydan complains.
“What if I help?” The words sprint out of my mouth before I can stop them.
Four heads swivel my way. Eight eyes drill holes into my own.
“Or not,” I say, running a finger along my eyebrow.
Aydan huffs and gives me a disgusted look.
Yeah, you too, jackass!
Why is he so infuriatingly haughty? Man, I could smack him. I can almost see my fist punching him in the nose. I think it’s actually written in the stars and I must be clairvoyant.
James approaches. “Do you think you could do it?”
“I ... can try.” What else can I say? I haven’t the faintest idea what I just volunteered for.
“You’re kidding, right?” Aydan looks at James as if he just asked a goose to play a symphony.
Okay, now I won’t just smack him, I’ll kick him till he sings soprano.
“No, I’m not,” James says. “It took you hours to hack her computer. I remember your frustration distinctively. And also how self-satisfied you were after you did.”
“That’s bull,” Aydan says. But he must be lying because he avoids everyone’s glances and his pale cheeks get red.
Kristen’s mouth twitches as if she’s trying to repress a smile. This couldn’t get any more awkward. Although knowing that my code gave Aydan such fits qualifies as a virtual smack.
“Marci could work on tricking the in-vitro lab device while you work on the entrance one. We’ve got nothing to lose,” James says.
At the word “in-vitro”, my heart sputters. Facts fly like hummingbirds across my mind, and then it clicks. Assisted reproduction technologies, AR-Tech, ransacked clinic, in-vitro. They’re talking about breaking into a fertility clinic, a place where couples who can’t have children go for help, a place like the one my mother and father went to become pregnant with Luke and me.
My knees turn to Play-Doh. I put a hand on the wall for support. Something in my stomach roils, makes me take a hand to my mouth. I wasn’t infected by Mrs. Contreras or anyone else. This thing has been in me before I even had a brain for it to prey on. Even when I was just a handful of cells, I was already a monster.
God, I never stood a chance.