The Hacker

"My father was a monster," (2)

Amira was glued to her window seat as the lights came into view. It had been a while since her last flight out of the country. Tom used to promise her that they'd travel the world together...

That is until she found out a few days after that he was dating a supermodel. It was safe to say her heart bled for weeks; pining over a man that she thought loved her. She only entertained the relationship with Paul thinking that it would piss Tom off—despite him being the one who suggested it.

But he didn't get mad... or jealous.

He did, however, show up at her door late at night; needing someone to talk to... which usually led to things she wasn't proud of now. But back then, she gave herself freely to him anytime he wanted.

—because she loved him.

Amira scoffed. Look what loving him got her now.

"So what's our plan?" Kai asked from across her, staring out of the window as well.

"You tell me, detective," she teased him.

Kai chuckled. "Well, I was thinking we could question the locals in the morning; see if anyone recognized Tom or Paul. I'm hoping we'll find a friend of theirs, a lover or something,"

"That's it?"

"Unless you've got a better idea,"

"Maybe go to his house?"

"We can but I imagine that they'd be gone by now."

Amira closed her eyes and exhaled. "I really wanna catch him, Kai."

"I know and we will but since we're out of our jurisdiction—and the fact that we have to stay low, it's best we handle this like long lost friends looking to reconnect,"

She fixed him with a deadpan stare. "So no searching, no hacking... no good cop bad cop?"

"Definitely no good cop bad cop,"

Amira sighed. As much as she wanted to catch him, she was also reluctant to resort to unorthodox methods. She had hoped Kai was willing to so she wouldn't have to.

"So what, we ask around for our friend? Tom stayed hidden for seven years. What makes you think people will just tell us everything,"

"You'd be surprised what small-town residents will tell a stranger," he said to her, "besides, I've searched and hacked into all their bank accounts. They're all wiped clean," he mentioned as if it were a minor detail.

"All of them?" her eyes widened in shock. "When were you going to tell me this?"

He pursed his lips. "Amira... it's all in the goddamn report..." Kai shook his head.

"Oh," she smiled sheepishly. "I'll read it in the car..."

Kai rolled his eyes as the pilot informed them that they'd be landing soon.

_________________________

"How many times do we have to have dinner with your father and his girlfriend?" Micah asked as he started to rub his temples.

Brynne immerged from the walk-in closet with a dress still on the hanger. "What's that supposed to mean?"

He sighed. "We saw him last night... and two nights before that,"

She walked over to him and placed her hands on his shoulders. "I know this is a lot but he's just trying his best. You mean a lot to me and I want you guys to get along."

He took one of her hands and kissed it, "I know, sweetheart and I'm trying too but I really want some time alone with you,"

"And we will... trust me," she kissed him, "but for right now I need to get dressed,"