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My eyes dart to the clock. It's ten o'clock. DashPro Security, the app provider for Ryan's dashcam is supposed to get back to us before lunch with more information about their system hack. There are at least two or three more hours of waiting and wondering how the video was leaked online.
"Adam couldn't find anything about the asshat who posted it?"
"It's strange," Holly hesitates before continuing, making my eyes dart up to her face. "The video was posted almost immediately after it was recorded. Whoever hacked Ryan was using a VPN and IP address that was rerouted to somewhere in Mexico. The time stamp on the video is only fifteen minutes before it went live."
A VPN is a Virtual Private Network, and an IP address is like your computer's personal address. Adam should be able to locate the poster by tracking his IP address right down to the location of the computer it came from, but whoever posted the video isn't an amateur. He, or she, used an IP rerouter, making it look like the signal came from somewhere else across the world, when in truth, the poster could be my next-door neighbour.
The trill of my ringtone makes me jump. When I see the caller ID, my heart drops. Fear must show on my face because Holly asks who it is.
"It's Monica Starling," I gulp, holding my thumb over the answer button. Taking a breath, I accept the call from the Northmen's owner, fearing the worst.
"Hello, Mrs. Starling. How are you?" I try to keep my voice calm and cheerful.
"Avery, my dear, I'm fine. How are you? And call me Monica. I hate being called missus. It makes me feel old." Surprisingly, her voice is warm and comforting. Maybe she is trying to soothe me before she drops the axe.
"I've seen better days," I joke.
"Yes, well that video didn't exactly drop at the most convenient time, but if it's any consolation, you looked quite hot. Very sexy."
I choke.
"Um, not really, but thanks." I pause for a moment and then cut Monica off before she can say anything else. "Are you calling to fire me?"
The line goes silent for a few seconds and I wonder if the call was dropped until I hear laughter burst through the line.
"Oh darling, why would you think I was calling to fire you?" she laughs as if it's not obvious.Um, because half the world has now watched me orgasm.
"Uh, because I was caught having sex with one of your team's players in a public parking garage and the video went viral," I deadpan.
More laughter chimes through the phone. I'm glad she finds this situation so hilarious.
"Avery," she coos, "it happens to the best of us."
"I'm not sure I'd categorize any of this as 'the best.'" And I don't really think it's common for people to leak sex tapes willy-nilly. We usually only get a good celebrity sex tape every decade or so.
"It's neither here nor there, and it's not like you intentionally set out to make a sex tape with Ryan. Every woman worth her salt has done a little camera play or at least taken some racy pictures for her man."
I'm unsure how to respond to that statement, so I keep silent, which seems appropriate because Monica keeps talking.
"If someone ever stole my phone, or Mitchell's for that matter, we'd break the internet," she laughs again. This woman is either the most lighthearted laugher or her therapist prescribes her the best happy pills money can buy.
And again, I'm not sure how I'm supposed to respond. The Starlings are a good-looking couple and have enough money to fund their own major motion picture, but I'm pretty sure they have no desire to produce a porno for the world to see.
"So, you're not firing me?" I ask just to confirm.
"Of course not! Avery, we all make mistakes. Mitchell and I love you and Holly. You two have completely turned the team around. Aside from a few hiccups, we are a family brand again. Sponsorship is at an all-time high and, most importantly, we're winning!"
I let go of a breath I didn't know I was holding and look up at the ceiling.
Thank god.
"Anyway, I just wanted to check in and make sure you're okay and to let you know the team is behind you."
"Thank you," I sigh, tension leaving my shoulders and my throat getting tight. I don't know what I did to be part of such an amazing work family. This organization is truly the best in the world.
After a few more words of encouragement, she offers up the use of any resources we need to locate the person who posted the video and take it down. I hang up, throw my phone on the couch, and immediately head to the kitchen to make some tea.
We have a few more hours before we need to be at the arena for game one and I still need to do some damage control on our social media accounts, including making an official statement.
