Page 115 of Timeless

I pushed the cut-off pieces of pastry in the trash can. “Which is why I’m increasing the inflow.”

He went silent, and so did everyone else.

“Name them?”

“I want Donald’s and Jeffery’s.” I washed my hand under the tap. “They are still flowing about a billion each, yeah?”

“Just over. You do keep tabs on the accounts, don’t you?”

“That is my job. Can you transfer them?”

He went silent for a few seconds. “Done.”

“Thanks, Zed.”

“Amber, don’t thank me. I would have never had the guts to take those two accounts. Or the brains to realize they were earners. You know Rebecca takes you for granted, right?”

“What can I say, Jack just loves that Christmas card every year with the dogs as reindeers.”

Zed laughed. “Well, making her a few billion over a day will get you to the top of the list. I would love to be in your position come the end of the month. What a bonus you will get.”

“I’ve already spent it.”

“Let me guess, the amount of the bonus bounced through your head within seconds after getting the guts to take the flowing accounts?”

I remained silent. He knew the answer.

“Let me also guess.” His laughed softly. “You’ve redirected it to your team?”

“As always, Zed, thank you. I have to go. I’m making a pie.”

“Oh, so how high on the list?”

I groaned, that did have me nervous. “I don’t know yet. I can’t find the fucking piece of paper.”

“Something as important as that and you lose it? Jack’s going to kill you.”

“Yes, he will. I’ve got to go.”

“Right, I’ll let you get back to your pie dish.”

“Oh, Zed, wait.” I remembered something. “Jack really loved your present. He still hasn’t figured it out yet but he is getting closer.”

“They say only geniuses get that puzzle cube.”

“Yes, and I also know how much they cost. You ever sticking to our twenty-dollar budget?”

He laughed. “Amber, we deal with billions every day. What’s a few thousand on a present?”

“It was over ten thousand and Jack is still working on the thank you card. And just for you not following the rule, I’m going to make sure to get Sid something loud and expensive.”

He laughed. “I’ll let you get back to that pie. Because we both know your life depends on it now, depending on how much you fucked up.”

“You have no idea, and I think I’m hitting a new level on the list for this one.” My voice cracked in nerves. God, my life depended on this pie being good.

“Jack will come around.”

“We both know Jack,” I said, deadly calm, my eyes shutting for a second. I needed this pie to be fantastic.

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