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I wrinkled my nose. “I think housekeeping needs to get in here.”
“Huh?” Leo sat up, propping his glasses on top of his head and rubbing his bloodshot eyes.
“Nothing. What did you want to see me about?”
“I’ve got an update for you. Dave and I were able to remotely hack into Jiàn Innovations.”
“Shut the fuck up,” I said, too surprised to censor myself.
Leo actually chuckled, something I’d never seen him do before. “We set up a remote server so they can’t trace us—at least, not easily. I’ve been in for two days, but I wanted to monitor it first before I got you all excited. I examined their systems and figured out when they had their automated backup scheduled. I went in and copied some of their files during that time. I have them for you.”
I was stunned. “You’re kidding me.”
“I’m not.” He smiled at me, and I could see this was a big deal for him too. He handed me a flash drive. “These are the files for your laptop. Stay off Wi-Fi.”
“Thank you.” I turned to Dave. “Have you spoken to Mr. Betts at all?”
Dave shook his head. “No. It’s weird. He usually calls me all the time to bug me and ask if you’re okay. He’s been quiet this week.”
I nodded, trying to mask my disappointment with a small smile. Gabe was still angry with me, but at least I could finally have a look at Jiàn Innovations’s files. “You two have done some amazing work. Go take a walk. You both look like you need it.”
I hustled to my office, instructing Stephanie to hold my calls and keep everyone out. Then, holding my breath, I opened up the files we’d just stolen from Jiàn Innovations.
I reviewed the files for hours, long after the sky turned dark. I didn’t even notice the time passing. I should’ve gone down to the lab to get things organized, but Jiàn’s specs, and the story they told, had me riveted.
They’d invented a patch, using the technology Clive had supplied them with.
And it wasn’t working.
I reviewed their test results and saw that they had charted a very similar course to the one I’d been working through last spring. With each failed trial, they tweaked the technology and tried again. And failed again. And again and again.
They’d been testing furiously, every day, at all hours of the day. They were working as hard as we were, but they still hadn’t put the puzzle pieces together correctly.
Paragon was poised to beat them to market. Based on their most recent reports, we could do it.
I sat back in my chair. I wanted to be comforted by their results, or lack thereof. Instead, the information just made me feel wary. Clive had warned me that Jiàn Innovations would figure the technology out eventually. And I also knew they were dangerous. If they couldn’t work out the patch on their own in such a tight timeframe, what would they do?
Clive had said they’d be coming, and that because they might need my help, I would be the last to go. Having ascertained where they were in the development process, my stomach sank. They weren’t as close as they should be. We were clearly going to beat them to market.
If they didn’t show up and try to kill me first.
“Ms. Taylor. Ms. Taylor, wake up.” A hand nudged me, and I jumped. I sat straight up in my desk chair, utterly confused. Morning sunlight streamed through the windows. What appeared to be a small puddle of drool was pooled on my desk where I’d been sleeping. I tried to wipe it up with a tissue as I peered at Stephanie, who was looking at me with a concerned expression on her face.
“Are you sick?” she asked.
I shook my head. “No.”
“Oh. Okay.” The worried look didn’t leave her face, but she pulled out her tablet and began tapping on it. “You have a bunch of messages. Gabriel Betts called fourteen times. He was starting to get…”
“Offensive?” I offered.
“Aggressive,” she said politely. “He asked you to call as soon as you can. Also, Jennifer Schilling called for you. She said she’d tried to reach you on your cell phone, and that it was urgent.”
“Anything else?”
Stephanie shook her head. “Just your mascara…You might want to take a look.”
I held up my hand, motioning her to stop. “I can only imagine. I’ll take care of it.”
