Page 31 of Collin: Episodes 4-6
Ash waved his hand, mouth full. He chewed and swallowed. “I hardened Mr. Reevesworth’s systems. Here and in his other companies. So nobody can do what I did. And they try. They try all the time.” He glared at one particular rack of computers.
“What did you do?”
“Oh.” Ash grinned and knocked his knees together in front of his chest. “I did everything. But mostly I got into his database, and that was that for a while. I mean, I read a ton of things I wasn’t supposed to. But that got boring after a while. So I started playing games. And then they found me.”
“I feel like you’re leaving a lot out.”
Ash shrugged. “Most people don’t understand it when I try to explain. Anyway, as long as you do what I tell you and you don’t act like an idiot and let yourself get phished, then you’ll be fine, and then Reevesworth Industries will be fine, and nobody will throw me into a trash compactor.”
Trash compactor? Don’t ask. Don’t ask.
Collin offered up his phone. “All right. I promise not to be an idiot. Teach me your ways, wizard.”
Ash sighed. “I’d rather be a necromancer. Anyway, here…”
An hour and half later, Collin made it back to Mr. Reevesworth. To say that Ash had scared him straight on all the ways he could compromise security would be an understatement. Evidently, the first thing he should do if he was dying was to destroy his eyeballs and melt his fingertips. He was fairly sure Ash had been being sarcastic, but Ash’s sarcasm and his actual directives sounded pretty much the same.
Mr. Reevesworth gave Collin a soft smile and pointed to a small chair on his side of the desk. Collin dropped into it.
“You survived Ash’s security briefing.”
“I thought he was going to hand me a suicide pill by the end.”
Mr. Reevesworth chuckled. “I’ve had to rein him in on a few of the security protocols he wanted to enforce, considering that they were impractical, but he’s been an excellent addition to the team, and he’s seriously made the IT officers in my other companies up their game. He has free rein to test their systems on a rotating basis. It keeps him from getting too bored. We haven’t had an incident since he came on board.”
“It sounded like he was THE incident previous to coming on board.”
“If he hadn’t started leaving us messages, actually, we would have never caught the other saboteurs.”
“There were others?”
“Yes. Unfortunately, they were in a country with no extradition to ours. So, my only option was making sure they were kicked out and couldn’t get back in.”
“That sounds rough.”
“We’ve made some enemies. Anyway, I have a business lunch at twelve thirty. An old business associate. I’m bringing you as my assistant. Here’s the brief on who’s going to be there and who they work for.” He handed Collin a folder. “Memorize as much as you can. While we’re there, your only job is to hand me anything I ask for and wait to the side. I’ll make sure you eat after.”
“Yes, sir.”
Collin carried Mr. Reevesworth’s leather bag as they approached the restaurant. He opened the door, just like Janice’s briefing file had told him to do, and stood back to let Mr. Reevesworth through first. Then he followed. The service person in the front smiled and motioned them to follow her up the stairs to a private room on the second floor. Collin wiped his palms dry on his pant leg and forced his shoulders to relax.
Accompanying Mr. Reevesworth into public on the first day was a bit more than what felt comfortable. But he’d had lots of jobs. Most of them required smiling and faking it until you figured it out. He could do this.
At least he was nervous enough that he wasn’t inappropriately ogling Mr. Reevesworth’s long legs and powerful hips as he climbed the stairs.
Nope, not nervous enough. He was totally looking.
Collin dropped his eyes and bit his lips. Keep it together, Collin.
At the door to the private dining room, Mr. Reevesworth paused, eyes forward. He turned his head slowly. “We have unexpected company. Whatever happens, keep your head.”
“Yes, sir.”
Mr. Reevesworth nodded and straightened himself. He looked only a little different from before, almost as if he were prepared for battle.
Two men were already seated at the table. They stood up as Mr. Reevesworth entered. Collin glanced to the side. There were four assistants standing together by the windows and a side table. He made his way near them but put Mr. Reevesworth’s briefcase case between his feet. Ash’s words were replaying on a loop in his head. He put his hands behind his back and gave the other assistants a polite nod. Only one was recognizable from the briefing file.
One of the unknown men, somewhere in the realm of middle age, held out his hand. “I’m Greg. I work for Mr. Olsen.”
