Page 87 of Hard Wired

Chapter Twenty-Seven

“We’re going to fix this. It’s going to be okay.” Sylvie was trying to reassure herself as much as Dominic.

He didn’t answer, just sat on his bed, staring into the half-packed suitcase at his feet.

She and Tanner had already made secure phone calls to Max and the rest of the Bennett Security bodyguard team. Of course, Max had agreed to set up Dominic, Maureen, and Raymond in one of his safe houses.

Tanner had made some very good points to their boss. They couldn’t count on the bureaucracy suddenly becoming efficient. This had to happen fast. If Dominic raised the alarm right now, the entire police department would hear about it, and somebody might leak it to the L.A. police, too. The more people who knew he was going into hiding, the more likely the news would get back to the Syndicate.

None of them knew what the DA’s office would have to say about the arrangement. Max hadn’t told Lana because he didn’t want her to know Dominic was going to break his bail conditions. We’ll have to ask for forgiveness instead of permission, her boss had said.

If the Feds or the DA didn’t like the plan, they could point fingers after Sylvie and her friends got Dominic to safety.

His burner phone rang on the dresser. He jumped up and grabbed it. Sylvie stood beside him.

“It’s Raymond. Thank god.” He answered.

“Nic? I got your message. What’s going on?”

“Ray, I’ve got you on speaker. Sylvie is here with me.” Dominic smiled at her shyly. “The one I mentioned?”

“Hey, it’s nice to meet you,” she said.

“Oh, Sylvie. Hi.” Raymond’s voice was as calming as his brother’s. “Is that why you wanted to talk, Nic? To introduce her?“

Dominic’s eyes closed. “I wish that was all. Turns out we need to make that move I was talking about sooner, rather than later.”

“How much sooner? I already told you, I don’t want people hanging around here, watching me. That creeps me out.”

“I know. And I called off the bodyguards when you asked. But now, I’m not just talking about precautions. This is serious. We have to leave tomorrow morning. Before dawn.”

Raymond cursed. “I can’t just pick up and leave. I have class in the morning. I have a test.”

“If there was any other way, I’d do it. But they’re coming for me tomorrow. And that means they might come for you.”

There was a pause. “There’s something you’re not telling me. I want to know what’s really going on. Why is this all happening now?”

Dominic exhaled, glancing at Sylvie. She nodded her permission. If Raymond needed this information to get onboard, she had no problem sharing it.

As she listened, Dominic told his brother everything—the cyberattack on her computer, the orders from their uncle to install the malware, and the plan to infiltrate the Syndicate’s hackers.

Raymond kept making choked sounds of dismay. “This is just nuts. All of it.” But Sylvie could already tell he was giving in.

“Please,” Dominic said. “Sylvie’s friends are going to get me out of here, but I can’t go without you. We’ll come pick you up on the way. Be ready to go by four.”

“Four in the morning? That’s when you’ll be here?”

“Or a little after. Just watch from your window. Wait for my call. Then come downstairs. Don’t come out for anyone else.”

“Damn, Nic. I don’t want to do this.”

“But we don’t have any other choice.”

“I get that. So, I guess we’ll just do what we have to.”

Dominic had lowered the phone when Ray said, “Wait. Nic, I love you. Okay? I’m sorry…about all this.”

“Hey, you have nothing to be sorry for. I love you, too. I’ll see you soon.”

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