In the Company of Killers

Chapter: 004

Dylan

Throwing off the covers, I sit up, glancing at the clock on my nightstand.

It's nearly lunch and I'd missed breakfast because I wasn't in the mood to face any of the Correttis so soon after I'd been hauled from my apartment then threatened more times than I could blink.

Someone had come knocking with breakfast, Sandor, their butler, but I'd ignored him earlier. Now, my stomach grumbles as if to scold me for my stupid decision.

Starving myself isn't going to get me out of here any quicker, and I'd need all my energy for that feat.

I manage to peel myself off the bed just as someone's impatient pounding on the door draws my attention to it.

I hesitate.

"Who is it?" I call out.

"Open the door," came a gruff voice I don't recognise.

I grab the first thing I could get my hands on and swing the door open, the weapon I'd grabbed off my nightstand poised for attack.

Enzo's Head of Security dragged his eyes from the lamp shade to my face, clearly unimpressed. "Can't say this isn't one of the nicer ways I've been greeted at the door."

My eye narrowed, "Considering the first time we met you gave me a concussion after you tackled me in my apartment I'd say this is a very reasonable reaction to your company." Not even a smidgen of regret crossed his stoic features. No wonder he's friends with Enzo, they were probably wired from the same motherboard. I put the lampshade down, within arms reach of course, before turning to him. "What do you want?"

"The boss sent this." My eyes fall to his outstretched hands, and I mentally scold myself for not having noticed it at first, two rather boring boxes clutched in his hands. I take it, bringing it up to my ears to listen for any signs of ticking. When I don't hear any, I ask, "What is it—" But he's already sauntering down the hall before I could even get the full sentence out.

Asshole.

I slam the door. Crossing the room, I plopped onto the edge of the bed, legs crossed under me as I peered at the thing curiously. The boxes had no markings or brands. One was long and flat, while the other was small and thick. I open the largest and a note flutters out nearly instantaneously, the letters in a neat, sophisticated scrawl.

Don't try anything stupid.

-E

Short and to the point, so fucking Enzo.

I rip the note to shreds throwing it on the floor in my burst of anger. But then I thought about Sandor and the fact that he'd be the one cleaning up my mess, and I felt bad so I picked it up and chucked it at the dustbin beside my vanity.

In the boxes were a brand-new laptop and a cellphone, still in their packaging.

The first thing I did was dismantle the laptop, checking the hard drive.

And just what I thought, he'd bugged it.

He thought I wouldn't notice? I snorted aloud. What do they take me for?

I pull out the minuscule device, setting it on the table. With my weaponized bedside lamp, I slam the edges of it onto the bug, crushing it into tiny fragmented pieces that brought a twisted smile to my face.

I wasn't working with amateurs so I knew there are malware on both devices, codes embedded in the control unit they'll use to spy on me and that'll be a bitch to find if their hackers were any good. So I'll need to find them before I even think of using his 'gifts'. But that was a problem for another day.