The elevator opened at the data center, a place full of geeks and nerds who thought they were superior to just about everyone in the building, including the top-floor execs.
Dammerman was comfortable around the traders and dealmakers and even the wonks, who understood what real power was all about—and had respect. But the kids down here respected nothing and no one except their bullshit computer games.
O’Connell was at a desk in a far corner of the room, her long, delicate fingers trolling across her keyboard like a concert pianist’s, oblivious to everything and everyone, including the foosball game in full swing just feet away and Dammerman’s approach with Hardy in tow.
As one of BP’s top executives, O’Connell had never behaved like the rest of the tech heads down here. She understood that Dammerman could fire her at any time just for the sheer hell of it, so she had been as deferential as any of the investment bankers on the thirtieth floor and above.
Until she had become a key player in Abacus. Now the woman knew that she was dismissal-proof and had become cocky.
Or at least she thought that her job was safe, but starting now Dammerman was going to teach her to think otherwise.
“Hey, Julie,” Dammerman said. It was a name O’Connell hated with a passion.
“Almost done,” she replied, not looking up.
“I’ll wait for you, okay? But in the meantime, why don’t you un-sert your head from your ass?”
O’Connell looked up, startled but still self-assured. “I’m trying to track what the Levin girl is up to. Francis and I are looking down her track to get a handle on just what the hell she’s been doing, and what she’s already guessed.”
Cassy’s workstation was across the room and out of earshot for normal-level conversations, but Dammerman didn’t bother lowering his voice.
“I know what the bitch is up to, she told me while you were out fucking around,” he said.
“I had to call our people in Amsterdam; we need a couple of last-minute tweaks, and I didn’t want to use an in-house phone,” O’Connell said. “And don’t call me names.”
“I’ll call you whatever I want,” Dammerman said, raising his voice.
“Okay, Clyde, you can do this stuff, see just how far you get. Okay?”
Dammerman was at a momentary loss for words.
“You want to push it, let’s take it upstairs to Reid and get his take,” O’Connell continued, her thin voice rising. But then she got control of herself. “Look, Clyde, we’re all in this together. So why not just play nice? It’ll be a done deal in less than twenty-four hours.”
The racket rose from the foosball game. “Tell them to tone it down, Butch,” Dammerman snarled. “We’re paying them to work, not play games.”
O’Connell gestured for Hardy to stay. “These kids are the people who make the system work. Without them we’re screwed. So leave them alone. Trust me.”
Hardy ignored her and went across to the table. He said a few words, and the kids filtered back to their workstations, glaring at Dammerman as they filed past.
“We have no rec rooms upstairs on the trading floors, do you understand?” Dammerman said. “Our people are too busy making money to play games.” He changed tack. “You’ve talked to Francis and you know the score. Can Levin screw us, or is she just tilting at windmills?”
“She’s onto something, or at least she thinks she is.”
“Can she get to Abacus in time?”
“I don’t think so,” O’Connell said.
“Or don’t you want to think so? Because if you’re wrong, we could be fucked.”
O’Connell spread her hands.
Dammerman leaned in closer. “If need be, we’ll throw you under the bus, and you can take the fall. Tell me what the fuck is going on. Is she good enough?”
“She’s got Donni Imani helping her. And except for her, he’s just about the best we have.”
“He’s the nineteen-year-old kid, right?”
O’Connell nodded and looked up as Hardy returned. “Right. And between the two of them they might figure it out.”
“And then what?” Dammerman asked. He’d already had Cassy’s take; he wanted to hear it from his top tech.
“She’s good enough on her own to come up with an anti-virus program.”
“Which means what?”
“A computer worm that could get into the system and find and destroy Abacus.”
Dammerman turned and looked toward where Cassy and Donni were standing side by side at her workstation. “Let them be,” he said. “Just let me and Butch know if she suddenly gets up and leaves, and the problem will be solved.”
“Earlier this morning you said that if anyone got too close they might have an accident,” O’Connell said. “I thought you were joking.”
“News flash,” Dammerman said, his voice low. “I’m never joking.”