I know for a fact that there’s no way he knows about me being part of MAC Security. I’m good, I know how to cover my tracks, and the only reason that I managed to get back to the community center was because he pulled his goons off me. That reminds me…
“I also don’t like to be followed. I think you may have forgotten who you’re working with.”
“With?” He laughs. “No, Evan. You’re working for me.”
I reel back, letting my arms drop to my sides as I toss my keys in the air. “Nah, I don’t think so. I don’t work for anyone.”
I back away a step, ready to get the hell out of here. I won’t really walk away, and I know he won’t let me. It’s a test of sorts—like the test he gave me when we first met.
When I take my second step, he calls out, “Evan.”
“Yeah?” I raise a brow, waiting for him to talk.
He worries his lip as his eyes flick back to the car and he signals for something. The door opens and I immediately widen my stance, moving my arm back slightly in case I need to grab the gun that’s in its hiding place.
The woman brute steps out, a metal case in her hand. I watch her intently as she walks over to Darrell, placing the case on her forearms as he pops it open and signals me to come closer.
“This is what I want you to work on.” I wait a beat because until he says he’s not going to track or follow me, then I won’t be doing anything for him. He sighs and then says, “I’ll stop following you.”
I step forward, my gaze landing on the open case and seeing a small computer chip.
“This is the job?”
“No.” He laughs, winking at me, and I have to hold in the disgusted look that I want to desperately give him. “This is the pre-job.”
“Pre-job,” I muse. “What is it?”
“The A-320.”
I stumble back, my eyes widening as they swing from him and to the chip, then back again.
“This won’t be on the market for another couple of years,” I say.
“This I know.” He nods, folding his arms over his chest as he turns to the woman brute. “You can close it now.”
I stand still and quiet, waiting for him to tell me what it is he wants me to do.
“I need you to add a tracking code.”
“Erm…”
“As soon as this software is out there, with my tracking code inside it, it’ll allow me to get into anyone’s records, anyone’s personal files. It’s… the ultimate.”
“But…” I frown. “How did you get it out? And the better question, how will you get it back in?”
He pulls the case from her arms, stepping toward me and holding it out. “That you don’t need to worry about. You input your code and you’ll get paid.”
I nod, pulling the case from him and letting it drop to my side. He spins around, walking back to his car, and as he’s about to get in, I call out, “And how much will that be?”
“I think three should cover it, don’t you?”
“Thousand?” I ask.
He shakes his head, smirking. “Million, Evan. Three million.” And with that, he jumps into the SUV, shutting the door behind him as they drive away, leaving a trail of dust in their wake and me standing shocked with the chip in the case.
Holy shit. My mind scrambles as I think about the equipment we could buy with three million dollars.
I spend my entire morning trying to get my mind to shut up. It swirls with so many thoughts that it’s unreal. One moment I have the biggest grin on my face while I walk to the grocery store to get some food, and the next thing I know, I’m panicking.