Page 80 of Off Her Game
She pressed the recording device that looked like a pen, which she’d used to spin her hair into a messy bun.
“Hi, Martin. Thought I’d bring what you’d asked for directly to you. Rand irritates the shit out of me.”
Martin whirled in his chair. No wannabe surfer dude tonight. He wore glasses, a trendy, refined V-neck sweater and jeans, a look she associated with a prep school kid. He’d be attractive if his glare didn’t scare the hell out of her.
“Tori Duarte.” He didn’t move from his chair, his fingers poised over a cordless keyboard. He spoke low into a headset, probably calling in his security.
“How’s play going tonight,Symphis?” She glanced up at the jumbo screens.
“You’re a smart girl. I’ll give you that.” His gaze darted to the one screen that was darkened. She could swear he turned it off.
“Never underestimate a gamer bitch.” She sauntered closer and leaned against a support column. She waved at his attire. “This is a better look for you.”
“You shouldn’t be here, Tori. I wondered where you were.” He pushed a button to show Noah in his apartment, drinking a beer. The man looked miserable. “Weren’t with your boyfriend.” The screen flashed and showed Emma. “Not at your sister’s.” One more screen change showed Alex in the apartment on the futon, bruises covering his face. “Not at home.” Martin faced her. “Going rogue? I respect that. But you here doesn’t change things.”
“I have what you requested. My life’s changing. I’m done with gaming. All of it. The competitions, the Stadium, and online.”
“You’re done when we say you’re done.”
“That’s scarier via text message than from a preppy teenager.” She glanced around. “You’ve done wonders with your mom’s basement, but really? You’ve raked in tons from the Stadium. Why do you live here?”
“It is what it is.” His eyes darted nervously toward the dark computer screen. Was he, too, being monitored? By whom?
“Because you’re like every other gamer teenager. You can’t grow up. You like your mom cooking and cleaning for you.” She shook her head and rolled her eyes. “You should pay to have her house fixed up a bit. It’s disgraceful.”
“You invade my home and lecture me?”
“I’m just giving you pointers to get some personal respect. Maybe even a decent girlfriend. Also to warn you Rand doesn’t like you or respect you. It’s all over his face at the Stadium. That fucker will stab you in the back the first chance he gets.”
He turned away to speak into his microphone, probably calling in the kill squad.
“I think you like being a creepy, secretive asshole. I wouldn’t be here if you hadn’t ordered Kaleb killed and got the FBI on your ass. Do you have any idea what it’s like to be purposefully messed up in a big time competition? And then used by the government?Thatis your fault. I’m done with that as much as you.”
Martin rolled his eyes. “Kaleb…the pansy motherfucker. I should’ve had him dumped in the ocean or somewhere he’d never be found.”
Gotcha, asshole. Let’s see if you want to monologue.
“This is a pretty sweet setup, but what’s the point of all this? Why not be open about who you are?”
“Government…FBI? Hello? I thought you were smart.”
“If I can figure out where and who you are with a few clicks of my fingers, then you can bet your ass they’re not going to be far behind.”
“The Stadium is a first step.”
“Planning to take over the world one dead programmer at a time?” Her heart pounded.Come on, talk.
“No one cares about geeky programmers other than their mothers.” He shrugged. “So no one gives two shits when they OD.”
“Have you ever actually killed someone, or is it like another game to you? Push a few buttons, give some orders, and a few people die. Hands not dirty.”
“Everything’s one big game, Tori.” He laughed stiffly. “Symphis’s game.”
Okay, Quan, now’d be a super time to bring in the cavalry.
“I think you and I need to part ways,” she said. “Not as friends. But with an understanding not to mess with each other anymore. I’m not interested in whatever you have going on here or in the Stadium. You’re going to back off my people. You don’t want me or the FBI up your ass anymore. Here’s what you wanted.” She threw the envelope of cash into his lap and held out the flash drive. “That’s all I owe you guys. The code I stole for you is on the drive. If I don’t go to jail for it, I’ll lose my job. Definitely lost myboyfriendover it. Take it. Do whatever you need with it.”
When he didn’t take it she tossed it to him.
