Page 5 of Tied

Chapter 3

Riley

Okay, that was weird. What is up with that mask? Did he put that on to freak me out?

If so, he succeeded. I could barely concentrate, let alone say any of the things I had prepared for the interview. Seeing that black mask pop up on my screen instead of a friendly face threw me off course so much that I couldn't focus on anything else.

I knew from the beginning that this job would be different. The pay is ridiculously high, and in the job advertisement it stated that discretion was of utmost importance. There was no mention of a company name, so I'm not even entirely sure who I'd be working for. All I know is that they're looking for someone who's capable and willing to use their programming and hacking skills without questioning the intent or even the legality of their tasks.

It sounded intriguing, exciting, new—with just the right amount of risk. It's exactly what I’m looking for.

Or so I believe.

And that voice. It sounded so… familiar. That sinister tone, the intonation. I feel like I’ve heard it before, but I can’t quite place it.

Doubt is tickling at the back of my mind as I leave the coffeehouse. My eyes are glued to my phone, following the dotted line that is leading me toward the address he sent to me after ending our call.

It seems to be a random address with no landmarks close by, no stores, no businesses, nothing. Just like he said, it's taken me a little more than ten minutes by foot, and the closer I get, the more abandoned and desolate the area around me becomes. This whole neighborhood is anything but thriving, featuring nothing but a few mostly deserted one- and two-family houses.

In fact, the area becomes so deserted that my fear continues to grow.

It doesn't help that it's getting dark and there seem to be fewer and fewer working street lamps to provide a sense of security and comfort.

The dotted line guides me to the left, directing me to enter a dark alley between a row of dark houses. I pause for a moment, swallowing hard before daring to continue.

This is all a test. It's just a test. They are obviously trying to freak me out to see how well I can work under pressure—and in the dark.

My steps quicken, the echo of their sound bouncing against the walls in hasty succession as I hurry through the alley. The place where I'm supposed to stop and check for that obscure Wi-Fi spot is right at the end of this alley, and I can see there is some light there, probably stemming from a street lantern.

My breath hastens as the dark embraces me like an unwanted hug.

Don't panic. Don't fucking panic!

“Calm the fuck down.”

My panicked voice hisses through the dark, mixing with the echo of my hurried steps. I smile at the sound of it. Speaking to myself has always been an awkward habit, but it soothes me. I've never been able to explain it to other people, but the sound of my own voice provides me with the illusion of company and protection—and sometimes that's all I need.

I let out an audible sigh when I finally approach the light at the end of the alley, once again lowering my gaze to the phone in my hand.

I'm almost there. Just a few more steps.

The man wearing the mask—Mr. Stanford—was very insistent that I make sure to be in the exact spot he provided. I wanted to remind him that my phone's GPS may not be as accurate as he'd like it to be, but I kept my mouth shut. In the end, there's only one thing that really matters: the Wi-Fi spot. As soon as that pops up on my phone, I'll be good.

I reach the end of the alley, realizing that I've ended up on a street that's just as desolate as the one I left on the other side of the alley. It's darker here, too. Half of the street lamps don't work properly, their lights either flickering ominously or not burning at all.

Fear closes around my heart like a cold clamp, making it hard to breathe, hard to swallow, hard to think.

I really hope they're watching me, because no matter how creepy Mr. Stanford and his entire operation have come across so far, I'm sure they'd still rescue me if I ended up in any real danger.

They are not the ones I need to fear. Right?

“Come on, Riley.”

My own words of encouragement help to return my focus to the task at hand. I cast a quick glance to the left, then to the right. Not a single soul is wandering down the street, and most of the houses are dark and seem uninhabited.

But there are a few cars parked along the street, meaning that there must be people around here somewhere. People who could hear me screaming if anything were to happen.

Reassured by that assumption, I look down at my phone again, narrowing my eyes as I tap on the Wi-Fi icon and refresh the list.

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