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“A source close to the investigation reports that no bodies were recovered from the scene. Officials are working to identify the owner of the land. It was passed down by Mr. Mac, who passed away earlier this year. He was a beloved farmer who raised pigs. Police are searching the area for any clues that could identify the son and who may be responsible for this event.”
I hit publish and the article posts to their site. This should give Adam time to do whatever the hell he needs to if he is indeed alive. If dead… then it’s enough of a conspiracy for the craziest of people.
I shut my computer down and turn off all my electronics. Wherever my last location pings, it will be the last location. When the device is off… it will constantly show the last location until I turn the computer back on. I’ll take this with me tomorrow to the jobsite and destroy it.
I keep the radio on as I hear all the chatter from the building and the cabin. Lying back in bed, my eyes stay on the television. A notification from my phone lights up my side table. I look and see a text from my supervisor.
Be at the York building at 8 am to meet the structural engineer. He’s going to walk the site to see if the building is a total loss.
Smiling, I already know the answer to this question. It is a loss. No way DuPont Enterprises can afford to fix this building and any new investor will want to tear it down, anyway.
You got it, boss.I text back.
Will be enough time to stop by my favorite coffee shop and get my flirt on with the cute barista.
I place my phone down and turn over, letting sleep take over. I’ll only get a few hours because of this late night, but some are better than none.
The next morning, my alarm clock goes off and I smash my hand over it to shut it off. I stretch and groan as my body is stiff. I stand shaking off the sleep and get dressed. Snapping the construction belt around my waist and hanging my hard hat and reflector vest from it is the easiest way to carry it throughout the city. My hand rests on the laptop that I need to get rid of. I pick it up and place it in my bag.
Can’t forget this.
I make my way throughout the city, dodging people left and right. I duck into my favorite coffee shop just as it opens. Her sweet voice calls out from behind the counter.
“Black coffee and a blueberry muffin?”
“You got it, beautiful!” I give her a wink.
She quickly turns and gets my order ready. It’s a simple order, as the muffins are already made and still warm. She places the intoxicating cup of black coffee down and a muffin to go. I pull my wallet out and throw a twenty-dollar bill on the counter.
“Hold up, I’ll get your change,” she tries to stop me as I turn.
“Keep it!” I yell over my shoulder.
I am so close to building up the courage to ask her out. Only a few more interactions… hopefully. Problems of an introvert.
I walk down the street to The York Building and they have put up chain-link fencing all around the building. I show my credentials and the security guard lets me by.
“Jackson!” I yell out to the structural engineer.
“Don!” He shakes my hand. “How ya doing, buddy?”
“Day by day!” I laugh.
“Let’s get this over with, wasn’t expecting this on my checklist today.” He holds up his checklist and I hold up mine.
“Understood!”
Pulling the papers from my clipboard, I compare my checklist with his. Marking off what they have done and what needs to be done. What things I have altered because of the inspector. Jack continues to walk around and take notes, pointing out little things here and there. I am mindlessly walking along because I already know the outcome.
We get inside, and I look around. It’s been a fucking week. Who demolishes a building to kill a man? Fucking Adam, that’s who.
I shake my head at the thought. I swear I have never had a client resemble a toddler as much as Adam. He is reckless and impulsive. The days he spent with Reese were the days I could sleep. I understand his reasons, but damn, man. Exposure is enough for me personally. Adam took it to another level by exposing or getting rid of people closely associated with DuPont. I’ve never killed a person… computers can do enough damage.
Jack finishes up and I see him off. Sitting on the tailgate of the work truck, I watch as my crew sorts through the remnants of the building we have been working on. DuPont had wanted that reconfiguration and signed the contract with no hesitation. It was easy to put my company first on the list of contenders. The dark web has always been a filter of information and if you play your cards right, you can be king of your own country… online at least. It’s a whole different universe with its own laws and banks. Looking at me, you wouldn’t know that this hacker loves a game of hide-and-seek. A physical creator who brings materials to life and gives them purpose.
At first, I thought this was a game like Pokémon GO. You have clues and follow those clues into the real world. I was wrong on so many levels. Adam played us and even though I won the game… Adam was the sitting king the entire time. His pay is sufficient, but his backstory is the ultimate reason I took this job. This isn’t an angry ex-wife duped out of her settlement… this is a man who lost everything.
The large crane groans as it moves back and forth, removing the discarded rubble. I look around at the bystanders, who point and stare. Sometimes knowing too much about everyone is a double-edged sword.
