Page 5 of Hacker Unknown

After today I wasn’t sure if I wanted to stay in the United States for the two weeks. I pulled up the airline app and searched for flights home. The price wasn’t the issue, but the gnawing feeling deep in my stomach stopped me from changing my ticket. As the driver weaved through the streets of Fort Lauderdale, I wondered how Devon had kept so much from me. Sawyer seemed to have answers. My finger hovered over the game he downloaded. This was probably a huge mistake. I tapped the screen, and a ninja jumped across the screen before the signup page populated. I answered each question with false information. I was about to enter City 333 when the driver pulled up to the hotel. I closed out the game and headed to my room.

A long bubble bath was all I needed. I swiped the card against the door, and the green light flashed and stepped into my room. “Fuck,” I mumbled. My entire suitcase was scattered across the floor. I walked farther into the room to see what the extent of the damage. My laptop was propped open on the bed and logged in. All the contents of my backpack lay strewn across the bed. I quickly scanned the room everything looked to still be here, but one thing.

I frantically picked up each piece of clothing off the floor. Ran my hand through the bottom of my backpack; it was empty. I dropped to my knees on the floor and shifted through all my carry-on items. My stomach somersaulted. Someone had stolenmy passport. No matter how many people told me to head back to Pairs, because the United States wasn’t safe. I couldn’t. I was stuck and still unsure who to trust.

Chapter 2

Paolo

My phone vibrated across my desk. I didn’t need to look at the screen to know it was another call from Doctor Quinton Renolds. His office had left a message asking for me to come in the day after he’d taken what felt like a pint of blood. No way in hell was he inviting me to have coffee and talk.

“Why aren’t you answering your phone?” Kat Ross asked as she sunk into the leather chair across from me. I wasn’t sure if I was more scared of the doctor’s prognosis or why Kat had ventured into my office.

“It’s a spam call,” I lied. The years I spent as an enforcer for the New York Mafia gave me most of the training I needed to work at AA Security. Except Kat was like a human lie detector and I hoped she would ignore the fact I hadn’t told her the truth.

Kat leaned back in the chair and crossed her legs. Most days she came to work in jeans and a t-shirt. Today though, she was in a black suit and white blouse which more than likely meant she had a meeting with a high-profile client. Which could benefit me. A complicated case could take my mind off the fact something was wrong with me.

“If I had to guess it was your doctor calling again,” Kat stated.

Fuck.I didn’t want to bother my bosses with the fact I might be sick since it would lead to them benching me. During a full day training at the range and obstacle course I ended up lightheaded with a bloody nose. Antonio had demanded I see a doctor. So, I went and visited Dr. Quinton Renolds at his free clinic. AA Security used him for anything medical the team needed. In return, Antonio donated large sums of money to his clinic, ensuring he never had to worry about raising funds.

“My health is nothing you need to worry about.”

Another lie. For the past year I had battled with fatigue and bloody noses. The tiredness I countered with energy drinks. For my nose, I kept an extra handkerchief in my pocket. If I was sick any cure would be a second chance which I didn’t deserve. I’d walked over the line from good to evil more times than I could count when I worked for the mob.

If it was my time to die, then I would let nature take its course. When the chance to leave the Mafia presented itself, I jumped at the opportunity. Mostly because any more time working for the Russo family guaranteed I would spend the rest of my life in jail.

Leaving the family also meant cutting ties with everyone from New York. I’d spent my entire life in the Big Apple and could count the number of people I was close to on one hand. And those five people only talked to me when they needed something. Nobody went out of their way to become friends with the Enforcer. Which made me an outcast not much different than how I felt at AA Security. Almost every employee had a military background or worked for a three-letter agency. They bonded easily with each other from past work experiences. They would invite me to have a drink with them. I tried it a coupletimes, but felt out of place. In the past year, the only person I had connected with was my brother Brandon in Texas since he and Sasha had their baby girl Melisa.

Kat cleared her throat, pulling me from my own thoughts. “You have worked for us for a while now. Long enough to know anyone who works here is part of my family. I’ve sat back and not interfered with you for long enough.”

I couldn’t help but roll my eyes. “I am here to work. We don’t need to be friends.”

The moment she narrowed her eyes I knew I had said the wrong words. Now I would end up being some project or puzzle she would want to solve.

“Of course, we do”, Kat shot back.

“Kat I am sure you have a lot of things to do. Is there something I could help you with?” I needed her to get to the point, and I sure as hell hoped it wasn’t about my health.

Years of working as an Enforcer had taught me how to shut down any emotion, even empathy. But for some damn reason, Kat could make anyone spill their deepest darkest secret and care about her. Like hell I would admit it out loud, Kat had carved a chunk of ice off my heart, and I hated to disappoint her.

Kat frowned. “I have an exciting assignment and planned to have you lead it.”

“What is it and when do I leave?” Getting the hell out of the city would be an easy way to dodge the doctor for a while. Especially if it was a case that lasted a few months.

“Paolo, you might not like what I am about to add as a stipulation to taking the case.”

“I will train the new recruits or do grunt work. This case will be mine.” I quickly cut my words off before I spilled too much information.

“To distract you from the fact the doctor keeps calling to have you come in to review your blood work?”

AA Security had hackers working for them. Hacking medical records of employees seemed like a waste of time, but Kat liked to know everything.

“Exactly what do you know about my medical history?” I asked. Not sure if I wanted her to tell me, because I wasn’t ready to hear myself.

Kat crossed her arms over her chest and pouted. “Nothing. All I know is Dr. Renolds wants you to come in and you aren’t answering your phone. I tried to have CJ hack your records, but he said that it is an invasion of privacy or some bullshit. Sophie is deep in a mission and told me to stop meddling.”

Relief my boss didn’t have access to the full extent of what I’d been dealing with. If she did there was no way she would put me as Lead. Antonio would probably shoot me if he knew how fatigued I’d been during the last two missions.

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