Page 68 of The Honeymoon Hack
I made my way through the Reef corridors, using the maps in my app to guide me. My stomach tightened as I walked, but Will’s voice echoed in my mind,‘When has your sister ever failed to complete a mission?’
He was right. Scarlett was the best.
When I pushed through the door of the security office, the sound of an argument greeted me.
“I spoke with Gideon Tremaine personally this morning.” It was Scarlett’s voice, but accented. New York, maybe? She stood at the security counter, wearing a short blonde bob wig, blue contact lenses, and bold red glasses. If I hadn’t heard her talking, I might not have recognized her. “He assured me that my assistant would be permitted to accompany me on the tour.”
Next to Scarlett, Malcolm stood in an impeccably tailored navy suit, looking every bit the executive assistant. He hated playing her assistant.
The older guard behind the counter maintained a professional smile. “I understand, Ms. Parker, but I don’t have him listed in the system.”
“Then call Mr. Tremaine and verify,” Scarlett insisted, tapping one manicured nail against the counter.
Normally, I’d have waited for the argument to subside. But today? I approached the counter, holding up my melted card. “Excuse me, I need a replacement.”
The older guard glanced at me, his irritation at the interruption barely concealed. Gesturing at a seat by the door, he said, “I’ll take care of you in?—”
“Excuse me?” said Scarlett, talking over him. “I was here first, and I’m a potential client.”
“I can handle the replacement.” Rav stood from one of the nearby desks and approached one of the computers behind the counter.
“Jenkins showed you how to process replacements, Tremblay?” the other guard asked, using Rav’s cover name.
“Yes, sir,” Rav replied, taking my damaged card.
I moved to stand across from Rav’s station.
“How did you manage that?” he asked quietly.
“It fell in my soup,” I said with an embarrassed grimace. “Which I then put in the microwave.”
Rav’s lips twitched with amusement as he attempted to scan the barcode, but the reader didn’t register it. “It won’t even scan. Last name?”
“Stone. Brie. Software Support Analyst.”
Next to us, Scarlett’s voice rose. “My assistant handles all my technical notes and questions. I’m considering entrusting you with millions of dollars’ worth of data, and you can’t accommodate this simple request?”
“Ma’am, I understand your frustration, but?—”
“Do you?” She snatched the visitor badge the guard had finally processed and handed it to Malcolm, drawing the guard’s attention in the opposite direction to me and Rav. “See how simple that was? Now he has one. You can make another for me.”
Rav kept his eyes on the console in front of him, working the keyboard and mouse. He spoke quietly as he worked. “Probationary starting package, support desk software, scheduling package…”
I nodded slightly, twisting my fake wedding ring. He tapped a lot more things than he was saying, likely keeping up the pretense in case the other guard registered anything overScarlett’s progressing rage. His gaze flicked to the side regularly, monitoring everyone in the room.
“Ma’am, part of the reason you’ll want to entrust us with your data is that we adhere to stringent security protocols.” He took a deep breath, head rolling in our direction.
Rav and the other guard stood on the same side of the same counter, with their screens no doubt visible to each other. But Rav shifted his weight, likely to block some of what he was doing.
Malcolm caught my eye and gave the slightest nod, cutting his gaze toward a spot a few feet behind where Scarlett stood. I understood immediately—he needed me positioned exactly there.
My pulse quickened as I shifted and knelt, untying and retying my running shoe. I braced myself for whatever came next.
“Call your supervisor.” Scarlett leaned forward, jabbing her finger into the guard’s chest. “Now.”
“Ma’am,” he said, his face flushing.
“Perhaps we should reschedule, ma’am,” Malcolm said, fluttering his hand upward. Was that a signal? “I’m sure Tremaine Industries’ competitors would be more accommodating of your requirements.”
