Page 11 of Hacker Unknown

“Wait love stories?” I asked completely confused.

The twinkle in Kat’s eyes had me worried. “Bodyguards protecting damsels’ in distress always end up with a love story.”

I really think Kat might watch or read too many love story movies or romance books. I wasn’t looking to fall in love since that led to heart ache. Now, a good round of sweaty sex was something I would be open to doing instead. “I am heading back to Paris in no less than thirty days. Sorry to break it to you, but there will be no love story.”

“Right. If you say so,” Zayla said. “Let’s get you ready. You want to follow me to the gym.”

I didn’t really have a choice. The person who stole all my stuff took all my options away. The only things I had were my purse and phone. I was stuck in the United States.

Chapter 4

Paolo

I tapped my finger on Assassin Annihilation, in the App Store, and watched as the circle slowly spun over the app while it downloaded. I never understood why anyone played games on their phones—especially the ones where you had to keep dumping money into it just to win. But what I thought didn’t matter I would do anything for a mission.

Once the game finished downloading, I clicked on the app. A ninja jumped across the screen before it asked for my username and password. I opened the email CJ had sent out to the team instructing everyone to download the app to increase our alliance in the game. The internal chat on my phone had been dinged a hundred times with employees at AA Security already in the game and encouraging others to download. I was the only person in the company that didn’t embrace technology. I felt like my phone was always listening to me. During my time working for the Russo Family, they had people who used tech, but all I ever needed was a hammer, a pair of pliers, and my fists. That’s how I got answers out of just about anyone … or they’d die.

Rolling my eyes, I typed in the email and password. ‘Enforcer’ was the username CJ gave me. It was also the nickname a lot of people at AA Security called me. I didn’t care. It’s who I was for years. After I followed the prompts, I finally logged in. On the first screen, I had to start training my ninja and building my village. Two minutes in, the game already asked for money—or I could wait and let my village slowly grow. Like hell I would pour money into this game. I set my phone aside while my ninja kicked a beanbag to build its strength.

The door to my office swung open and Antonio strode in. He’d already lost his suit jacket he wore earlier, his tie was gone, and his sleeves were rolled up, showing tattoos on his forearms.

“So, what did Dr. Renolds say?” Antonio growled.

“I’m not dead yet,” I countered.

I was not ready to tell my boss that I pretty much got a death sentence. Dr. Quinton Renolds didn’t want to give me results over the phone—he wanted me to come in for more tests. I refused and told him if he wanted to give me any information, he had to give it to me then or I wouldn’t call back. He even cussed at me about being a stubborn asshole. After a few minutes of going back and forth he told me that the test he ran on my blood had markers that could indicate I had lung cancer. He needed me to come in for a biopsy and more tests. The doctor claimed if it was cancer and we didn’t do something soon, then it could spread or might have already. I told him I’d come in later—but that was a lie. I wouldn’t be going.

Antonio narrowed his eyes. “Stop fucking with me. What did the doctor say?”

“Isn’t there some type of HIPAA thing where I don’t have to tell you jack shit about my medical?—.”

Antonio sank down in the chair and leaned forward. Over the past year, I’d seen plenty of people crumble under Antonio’s stare, but when you really didn’t care anymore—when you knew you deserved whatever comes—intimidation didn’t work.

Antonio sighed. “If you wanted to work for a company that doesn’t really care about you, your health, and your privacy, you should find a different fucking place to work. Because if you don’t give me answers about what’s wrong with you and what we need to do to help, I won’t stop, Kat won’t stop … We’ll get the information anyway.”

I had no doubt they would hack the clinic or show up at the doctor’s office and torture him until he talked. I exhaled.

“How about a deal? You give me until the end of this mission, and then I’ll go back in and meet with the doctor for whatever tests he wants.”

Antonio leaned back, crossing his arms. “There’s something you’re not telling me, and I don’t fucking like it. But fine—one month. I’m not giving you until the end of this mission, because I don’t know how long that could take. You have one month. If you don’t go back to the clinic, I’ll borrow one of the syringes my wife keeps in the safe—she thinks I don’t know about them—and I’ll knock your fat ass out. Then I’ll drag you to the doctor’s office.” He motioned toward my phone. “Now, have you downloaded the game?”

“Yeah.”

“Have you joined the alliance yet? It was in the email. CJ created it and our ninjas have to join. Our alliance is supposed to go up against other alliances.”

From what the instructions said I had to be a level seven ninja before I could join the alliance. Mine was still only at level two.

I shook my head. “I can’t join until my ninja is level seven. My fucker is nowhere close. He is taking the slow and steady track.”

Antonio’s brow creased. “Why? This is important.”

“Because my ninja’s still training.” I held up my phone showing the skinny cartoon character dressed head to toe in black. The stereo type the movies created about ninjas dressing in black was not true. They were spies for Japan and dressed like everyone else to blend in. But I figured my boss wasn’t the person to have that particular argument with.

“Skip that shit.”

“I’m not skipping it. It costs money.”

“Use the company card. We need you in the alliance ASAP.” Antonio pulled out his phone and tapped the screen. His ninja was already three times the size of mine.

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