Maidenhead
Janet
marched to the door of Carterhaugh Inc. and swiped the entrance portal with the
pad of her thumb. Naturally, it didn’t work, so someone had already changed the
master code.
However,
they didn’t know about the hack she had hidden in the program years ago. Janet
keyed in SERPENT, and a series of doors whispered open to allow her entrance.
Her
quick, angry footsteps echoed in the hallway. Janet was spoiling for a fight.
She was rewarded by a dark figure holding a long object resembling a sword although,
when she approached, she saw it was a laser pointer.
“Castlehaugh
is mine,” she announced. “Get out, and take your cronies with you.”
“Fae
Enterprises took over 51% last night…” the shade began.
“Yes,
under hostile conditions. I already filed papers to remove the lines of text
you added after the contracts were signed.”
He
tilted up his chin. The light revealed a severe jaw and long, black hair. “I
serve Fae in all respects,” he said. “Take your generous payout and leave.”
 |
| Tam Lin by Jill Karla Schwarz |
To
be honest, it wasn’t bad advice. No one went up against Fae and survived the
encounter. The rumor was Fae was in bed with Hellbore, the controlling interest
behind the new, lightning-quick Aethernets.
“I’ve
opposed company dogs before,” she smiled. “We have recordings of your company’s
process.” Janet’s invention, installed secretly in the long meeting chamber,
monitored blood pressure, heart rates, and breathing patterns of Fae’s CEO and
COO. She also had bargained with the lawyers so those recordings could be used
in court.
“You’ll
never win against Fae…” The man’s gaze flickered.
Janet
prepared for her final attack. “The Halloween Ball this weekend is still on,”
she said. “I’ll pick you up. White car.”
A
rumble erupted from his chest, the purr of a deadly lion. “You plan to offer me
your maidenhead, perhaps?”
She
grinned at the old-fashioned word and his lapse of judgment. “Long gone, I’m
afraid.”
“White
car,” he repeated, and she knew she had him.
“You
never told me your name,” Janet said.
“I
think you already know who I am.”
She
couldn’t hold back her laughter. “I do. Until Saturday night, Mr. Lin.”
