A basement perhaps? 

Or a warehouse…

I ran a back trace to see where the footage was coming from. Sure enough, this feed had been fed in. I was right, they wanted me to see this. 

I zoomed in and got a better look at the man.

“Ah, I think you have an issue with one of your employees. He seems to be confusing a stock room with a hotel room. It looks like he has been there for some time. He may be living there, most likely temporarily. Until he can get back on his feet.”

Ivan grinned. “I wondered if he move in. He never seem to leave. Practically live in sports bar. He access anything else?”

You wanna play this game? Fine. Let’s play. “I do not believe so. Although your system was a breeze to get through. Anybody could have hacked into it. The virus was probably just him trying to cover his tracks. Distraction, as it were, while he settled in somewhere. I would keep an eye on things at the sports bar though. Desperate men do desperate things.”

“They do, at that. I be honored if you come for lunch today, let me thank you, and get opinion on upping defenses.”

I turned to Gary, who was grinning like a proud papa. 

“By all means. Go. Sometimes we can get more information when we are closer to the problem.”

I raised an incredulous eyebrow and he laughed. “Alright, most people get more information when they are closer.” He stood and shook his head with laughter. “Such a treat.”

I didn’t even do much that was impressive this time. Especially since this was all a trick. A game to these men. I wasn’t sure who they were exactly, but I wasn’t naïve.

I smiled tightly to the men, rethinking my opinion on who the silent man was. “Just let me instruct my secretary to move my next meeting and cancel my lunch. Then I will be free to go.”

Ivan and his little friend stood with me. The friend followed me out the door and to my office. Awesome.

Linda was not at her desk when I walked over. I mentally cursed. I walked into my office and traded my laptop for my purse, locking the desk drawer to keep it safe. I picked up a post-it and a pen.

“What are you doing?”

“My secretary has already gone to lunch it seems, so I am leaving instructions on what I need her to do.” I answered the man. 

He walked around my desk to stand next to me, looking over my shoulder. 

 Last minute lunch meeting. Please call Mrs. Weber and cancel lunch. Apologize profusely. Tell her we will discuss her problem with Dill Pill later. Reschedule my afternoon meetings, as I will be on site at…

“No.” The man roughly grabbed my arm, leaving a line on the paper. “Do not tell her where you are going. I’m sure I don’t need to say why.”

I huffed. “Sorry. I’m used to online cloak and dagger games, not in person.”

I picked up the note. His little addition would help anyway. I was sure Dillan would figure everything else out, including what that line meant. 

I hoped so at any rate. As I said, I wasn’t used to the in-person version of this. 

I walked out of the room and set the note on her desk, where she would see it. I wished I could do more. 

As we walked toward the elevators, and Ivan, Chris came out of his office. I had a light bulb moment. It was always better to carry more than one parachute, just in case. 

I walked over and leaned in. He automatically kissed my cheek like we did before. “Sorry I have to miss lunch with you and Mrs. Weber. I left instructions for Linda to cancel. I have a business lunch I can’t miss. See you later?”