"This will require a specialist," Allison began.
A frigid wave of anger seared through him.
"You are telling me that I should have hired thisspecialistinstead of you," he said softly, menace emanating from every word.
Allison's own temper flashed in her eyes, but her tone was professional when she spoke. "Think of me as a consultant. I'm the expert who assessed your situation and found you the right person at the right time."
"Well,consultant,if your only use is finding someone better than yourself, you are worth a fraction of what we agreed I would pay you," he growled.
Allison glared. "Listen, I'm damn good at what I do, and you are extremely lucky that I am the consultant you have hired—because I'm the only one who can get this specialist for you." She lifted the glass of scotch and drained it.
"Really?" he asked derisively.
Allison gave him a predator's grin. "I know her weakness. It's a certain hacker called Jam-man… who also happens to be that pesky Jawahir prince I've been defending your accounts from."
Andrius narrowed his eyes. "How do you know?"
Allison stroked her finger along the rim of the glass in her hand. "I told you; I know Jameel. We went to school together and, unbeknownst to him, we hang out in MMOs. I know his coding. He's gotten better, but so have I. Over the last few years, Bugs has been raiding with us. I know there is something going on between the two of them. Their chemistry is scorching."
Her eyes were determined, and Andrius detected a hint of something calculating and personal within her speech. Jealousy, envy… or both? Either emotion could be a powerful influencer.
Oh,he thought.Wouldn't that be delicious? The jilted lover plotting to destroy her old flame, and using her nemesis to take them both out at the same time.He hid his grin. Entertainment aside, this was business.
"The specialist's name isBugs?" he asked incredulously.
"Yes."
"And how do you know that this'Bugs'is who I need?" Andrius asked with an assessing look.
"She's the talk of the dark web… a legend among elite hackers. If you have her, you have the world at your fingertips. Rumor has it that no one can match her coding—not even the most powerful governments in the world," Allison said.
"If this hacker is so phenomenal, why isn't she working for the American government?" Andrius demanded.
Allison snorted. "Are you kidding? Government types don't understand us. They would squeeze us until we're dry, then tuck us away where we can't do anything. If they got their hands on Bugs—let's just say it is scary to think what they could make her do. No, hackers like us do better working freelance," she explained.
"Fine. I'm interested. How will you use the prince to get her?" Andrius inquired, tapping his finger impatiently on the handle of his cane.
Allison lifted her chin and gave him a tight smile. "This is where my plan gets interesting."
As Andrius listened to Allison outline her plan to entice the mysterious hacker into a trap, hope rekindled within him.
Perhaps Ihavebeen approaching this from the wrong angle,he thought.
Control came from the person who held the digital world in the palm of their hand, and that person would fearhim. He would have it all. He would be successful in bringing down the Saif-Ad-Din family. He would reclaim his empire. All he needed was a little persuasion and the right bait.
One
New York City
Present Day:
"You can let me out here," Junebug Rain instructed.
"You got it," the Uber driver, John, cheerfully replied.
Junebug stared with wide, excited eyes at the arrival terminal of JFK International airport. She had never been here before, even though she had been born and raised in the city. In fact, there was a lot of the city that she had never explored… at least, not in person. Virtually, she had been everywhere thanks to her older sister, Midnight.
"Have a nice day," John called out.
