“Ah, so I was supposed to read your mind and then change it. Gotcha.”
“Styx—”
“Silas,” I sighed, “I’m not worried about my career options. There’s a sea of potential clients looking for good hackers out there. You, on the other hand, have a much smaller pond to choose from. Supply and demand. I don’t think I need to sit here and pander to you.”
“I can have you blacklisted in a minute,” he boasted.
“And I can have a new and untraceable internet handle a minute after that. Face it, you need me more than I need you and we both know you like to keep a monopoly on your employees. I’ll see you in a couple months.”
He shook his head and sneered, but reached for the handle and stepped out without another word.
“One more thing,” I called out.
He leaned back in and scowled in displeasure. “Yes?”
“It’s always the basic shit people overlook. Let me know if FTX is willing to spend another fifty grand to build a better fence. I know some guys.”
“Goodbye, my dear… I’ll be in touch.”
“Looking forward to it,” I said with a wink. “Bring me back something from Thailand.”
“How do you—”
“Basic shit, Silas,” I reminded him. “The flight manifest is sticking out of your pocket. Hey, if I get really bored, can I borrow your—”
“No,” he cut me off with a pointed finger, “you stay away from my private jet.” He turned to get in his car, but swung back around and leaned in again. “That includes any hackable electronics and flight controls, don’t even think about it.”
Grinning, I waved him off and cranked the music back up. A glance at the clock indicated I had about ten minutes to kill, so I reclined the seat and tried to clear my head by focusing on the melody. It was going to be a long fucking day.
: 29 :
| LIVIA |
I stood waiting at a nurse’s station on the fourth floor of the hospital, when a jovial Dr. Louis Stevens approached. I recognized him from online pictures. He’d made quite a name for himself in the medical world and was considered to be one of the best pediatric oncologists in the region. I was just relieved to know my little sister was getting the quality care she deserved, so much so that I’d stopped by the billing department and paid off the outstanding balance of what my father’s insurance hadn’t covered. I’d also put down another twenty thousand for future copays and deductibles, with instructions to transfer the remainder to another family in need if Nicole’s treatment didn’t eat it all up. If all went well, she’d have a proper childhood ahead of her. I didn’t want her growing up in poverty like I had, not over her medical bills. I hadn’t done it for Graham, he could die penniless under a fucking bridge for all I cared. Nicole was the only one who mattered.
“Mrs. Larter?” Dr. Stevens asked, extending his hand. “Gina said you wanted to speak to me, but I can’t seem to place your name or face. Do we know each other?”
I shook his hand and smiled. “No, we’ve never met. I’m Nicole Townsend’s donor.”
He furrowed his brow. “How do you—”
“I’d rather not get into how I know if that’s okay. Don’t worry, I didn’t ask to speak to you to make trouble for you or the hospital.”
“What is this about then?” he asked suspiciously.
“Nicole is my half-sister, we have the same father—”
“Oh, so you found out from him.” He looked relieved.
“No, actually I haven’t seen or talked to him in about fifteen years. We’re estranged and I’d like to keep it that way, which is why I wanted to meet with you.”
“Now I’m extremely confused,” he muttered.
“I know, I’m sorry. Look, it’s complicated and personal. My father hasn’t been in my life for a long time, I didn’t even know he’d had another child until the match came back. I got tested to help someone else.”
“Mrs. Larter—”
“Please, call me Livia.”
“Okay, Livia… I have to ask, was there some kind of abuse I should know about for the sake of my patient?”
“No, it’s nothing like that,” I replied. “He just wasn’t around and now that I’m an adult, I’d like to keep my distance.”
He nodded. “I understand. What is it I can help you with then?”
I glanced down at my feet, not quite sure how to word my request without coming off like a total creep. “I was hoping…