“I’m not getting it,” Travis said after Noah tried to explain the problem.
Noah sighed. “Okay, I’ll explain it for those of us who went back for seconds when they were giving out stupid.”
Jordan stifled a laugh and Travis glared.
“The grand plan had dozens of smaller moving parts, but the real catalyst for everything was Pulse. That’s why we spent four months of our lives working there a couple years back. We set the necessary steps in motion for them to move to be publicly traded, which they’re planning to do. We also undermined the shareholder’s trust in the CEO and his people, and we got to most of the people we think would land positions in a board of directors.”
“Translation?” Travis asked, sounding bored.
“We made sure they were ripe to be acquired by Coleton when we were ready to pull the trigger.”
“Remind me again why we want Coleton to acquire their biggest competitor?” Travis asked.
“Jesus,” Noah sighed. “If you’re just going to forget it all again, why do I bother constantly explaining this to you?”
“Humor me,” Travis said.
Personally, I was glad he was asking so many questions because I’d been lost until now and was only starting to grasp the plan.
“Because we rigged it to screw them,” Noah explained. “Pulse has been growing so fast because they’re breaking almost every law they can to speed things up. So far, they’ve done an excellent job of hiding that,” Noah said.
“And once Coleton leverages a significant chunk of its finances to take over Pulse, we anonymously provide enough information to sink the company for its fraudulent practices,” Adrian said.
Noah leaned forward, grinning. “Which further screws Coleton because it’ll open the door for all the shit we’re going to pin on them. We were going to let Pulse dent their reputation and bank accounts. Then we’d follow it up by leaking all the dirt we have on Coleton to hit them for a knockout blow.”
“But?” Travis said.
“But I need one more thing to make sure it’ll work. Russ Coleton has a personally encrypted file, probably at his house. What I have right now is half of the key, and I need those files to finish it. Without both, we don’t have enough on Coleton,” Noah said. “There’s a treasure trove of shit I can unleash if I have the right tax forms. That’s what that key will unlock for me. Without them, our case is shaky and it’s not a guarantee it’ll work.”
“Why is this only now a problem?” Travis asked.
“Because the plan was for Jordan to get the file,” Noah said. “And Jordan just got fired.”
“What happened?” I asked.
She sighed. “One of Russ’ right-hand men kept making passes at me. I was using him to get closer to Russ, but he just wouldn’t let me go. He wanted to sleep with me, and I told him to go fuck someone in his league, like his hand.”
I snorted, and Jordan grinned back.
“Naturally,” Adrian said. “She was let go. By extension, our team just got dinged. We’re all going to seem a little less trustworthy now.”
“I’m sorry, guys,” Jordan said.
Adrian shook his head. “Don’t apologize. We’ll just fuck them even harder for employing that asshole.”
“Yeah,” Noah said. “And I’ll make sure the next time he goes to present at a big conference, his computer is going to suddenly open a few hundred tabs of very loud and very kinky porn.”
Jordan grinned. “Thank you, guys.”
“Let me do it,” I said. “The laptop, I mean. I could get it.”
“You can’t come to Coleton Central,” Adrian said, shaking his head. “There’s no way. I’ve got to find a way to do it myself.”
“No,” I said. “You don’t. I could go back home. He locks his office but I know where he keeps the key. He also has a terrible memory and writes down all his passwords. I’ve seen the notepad he keeps them on. I can do this,” I said again. My heart was pounding when I realized how badly I wanted the chance to help.
The four of them exchanged silent looks, then Adrian shook his head. “It’s too much of a risk. I don’t want you having to go back into that hell.”
“This is my choice,” I said.
“It’s our mission,” Adrian snapped. “If you fail, it’ll tip your father off and everything we’ve worked for will go up in smoke.”
I gritted my teeth. “You made me a part of this when you told me your plans. This means something to all of us, and I want to help.”
Noah drummed his fingers on his thigh. “We should let her help.”
Jordan nodded at Adrian. “This is her family, Adrian. It’s her inheritance we’re talking about sabotaging. I think she deserves to be part of this if it’s what she wants.”
Adrian slammed his hand on the armrest of the couch and shot to his feet. “Do any of you understand what it means for her to go back to them? You don’t understand what she’s offering to do. I understand. And I don’t want her to have to go back to those fucking people. Not even if it’s temporary.”