Damian

...It was a girl.

Confused, I look at Drew and then back at her.

"Who is this? what is going on? I thought you caught the hacker?"

"We did," he turns to face us.

I shake my head. She is just a girl. This can't be right.

"Meet Ch1m3ra. Your hacker." He says.

I turn to look at her. The Hacker. My hacker.

Her petite form and shoulders crouched lower in the chair clutching a backpack as if waiting for the chair to swallow her whole. Her face was clouded with worry.

"Is that true? You're the hacker?" it's all I could ask as I observe her in disbelief.

Everything in me flares to life as the small face of a cherub framed by dark loose long curls turned up to look at me. The flicker of remorse in her honey-brown eyes rose to meet mine as she nodded her head.

I shook my head refusing to believe that this petite little thing was the hacker. There had to be a mistake. She was lying. She was covering for someone. She had to be.

"No, this is a fucking joke. Am I being punked?" I scoff stepping away from the table.

"It's her." Drew insists with as much skepticism in his tone.

I turn to face him. "Someone put her up to this."

We go off and begin to argue in front of her.

"I am the hacker. Why is that so hard to believe.? Is it because I'm a girl?" Her voice pierces through our argument and we stop, and I am floored.

"I should have known you would be some egotistical jerk." She murmurs tightly as her eyes fill with tears.

I move closer to the table, drawn to her.

"If you're the hacker, prove it," I tell her as I lean against the table to face her.

"Where do you want me to begin? With the fact that you need to beef up your security or brush up on your chess skills? You're a piss poor sore loser by the way." She says.

I turn to face Drew as he snickers.

The sass in her tone does something to me that I can't explain. But I ignore it.

I turn to face her now convinced she's the hacker.

"You little thief. Where is my money?"

"I don't know." She looks away.

I slam my fists on the table frustrated. I watch her jump but just as quickly straightens up to face me with a glare.

"You listen to me. I want my money back or I swear to God I'll....-"

"You'll what?" She perked up and raised her chin, challenging me.

"Threatening me isn't going to get your money back."

"Then why the hell are you here?" I shout.

"Because I need your help." She blurts out.

As fast as she says it, I can see her complexion pale some. She begins to tremble and clutch her backpack tightly to her chest.

Unbelievable! The thief needs my help.

"You got to be shitting me? You need my help? You got some nerve."

"Tell me about it," she quips shaking her head.

For some inexplicable reason, I'm drawn to the bite in her tone. "I ought to let them toss your ass in jail."

"Do it and you will never see your money again."

"You little..." I am stopped by Drew as I try to reach for her.

"That's it. I tried. I am done," She stands and begins to walk out.

"Wait a minute you're not going anywhere." I try to stop her but again Drew blocks me.

"Why are you letting her leave, Drew?"

"We can't hold her here," he says lowering his hands.

"You just said she is the hacker. Why not arrest her or something?" deep down that would not be good but I was grasping for answers even though I slightly feared the outcome.

"We illegally obtained the help to track her." He shook his head.

I lowered my head. That was true.

"The good thing is we know that she is in some kind of trouble to need our help." He adds.

And that admission sprung something up in me. I couldn't put my finger on the feeling, but it was there. I couldn't let her get away.

"I'll handle things from here," I tell Drew as I turn away to leave.

"What?" he straightened and tried to follow me out.

"Like you said, Drew, we illegally sought her out. I got this," I sternly face him.

I stand my ground and watch his shoulders drop in defeat. I've let him go this far. This is as far as he can get involved in what I am about to do.

"Let me know if you need anything bro," he sighs before shaking my hand.

I nod before taking off. I reach into my pocket and call Archie and ask him to meet me out front. I want to catch up to her before we lose her and any chance of getting my money back.

                                                                                  *****************

Peyton

I stare aimlessly at the screen on my laptop. It's been hours since I entered Gina's Coffee shop and grabbed my usual spot. It has been more than 24 hrs. since I wired the money and Jeremy hasn't shown up. I am nervous and sick to my stomach with worry that the Mafia killed him regardless of the money being wired to them.

I am lost and have no clue what to do. I constantly check my phone and have sent countless text messages to Jeremy. But he hasn't responded yet. I try my best to not break down into tears. My gaze roams over to the small table before me, layered with this week's magazines and immediately my eyes lock with familiar grey piercing eyes.

I swallow hard at the lump forming in my throat. Guilt again eats me up as I wonder what happened after I hacked his system and stole his money. Did he report me to the authorities? Is his company in trouble? I feel so out of sorts and I'm terrified that is I go to jail, no one will be around to help Jeremy. If I go and turn myself in, that will only upset them more and they will definitely kill him if they haven't already. What do I do?

My stomach begins churn with what I have to do next. I need help out of this mess that I created. I shakily reach for my laptop and begin typing. Without a clue of what to do or look for I am in Frost Corps server just poking around. You would think that after what I did, they would have beefed up security, but they haven't. Why hasn't he?

I roam around waiting for the familiar chat box to appear but to my disappointment, nothing pops up. I've circled his system for what felt like forever and nothing. I needed him to respond. Strike up a conversation. He is a man of significant resources that could maybe just help. He might even laugh in my face and tell me to fuck off before tossing me in jail. My stomach dips at the thought. But I have nothing to lose except Jeremy at this moment.

I am at my last resort and no fish is biting where I swim, and I am nervous. Did I do something to his server unknowingly that there is no response? I am suddenly feeling drowsy and hungry and at my end of the rope with hope. As I pull out of his system and get ready to close up my laptop, two tall men in suits wearing shades approach me. I look around aware that I am the only one here with a laptop. I see the guns in their coat as they reach in their pocket and present their badge.

Their FBI badges.

That is what he was up to. He was tracing me.

"Miss, you need to come with us." The one to the right said to me.

I begin to tremble as they stand there waiting for me to go with them. I nod because at this point causing a scene is not in my best interest. I place my laptop in my backpack and stand to follow them out. On trembling legs, I climb into the black SUV with tinted windows, and I am joined but one in the back seat. I can't help but feel terrified. My luck could be that they work for the guys that have Jeremy and are going to drive me out of town to kill me. The thought of that only makes me sicker and weak. I lean against the door for support as I feel faint at this point.

When we arrive, I'm led into their district office all the way up to the third floor where they place me in a room for questioning. At this point, there is no turning back. I am caught. I can't deny what I have done.

I suddenly feel cold and I can't shake off the feeling that I am in more trouble than I can imagine. Some time passes as they stand guard at the door before another guy in a suit enters and excuses them.

He frowns a bit as he regards me before he speaks.

"I am agent Andrew Mathis." He stands before the table I am seated at.

I don't say anything. I wait for him to continue.

"It has come to our attention that there has been a breach in security at Frost Corp that led us back to the coffee shop you were at."

I can either deny everything or admit to everything and request help and protection. After all, a Mafia boss would seem like a bigger fish to fry. Right?

I remain silent and try to plan out what I am going to say as I see he is getting impatient. But before I could say anything, another man in a suit stormed into the room.

Suddenly my eyes lock with those of Damien Frost.

An irate Damien Frost.

                                                                      *****************************

Here we go I hope you like this latest chapter 

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