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Chapter 6
Bing
The elevator door opened and out walked Brian. Wow! That's all I can say! Wow!
"Hey. Nick told me you were here and they wouldn't let you up to see us." He hugged me.
"Yeah." It's not the first time, but I would have to say this the first time I've gone through the front door. Ha ha.
Brian put his arm around my waist and led me into the elevator. I glared at the man at the counter. Te He this was fun!
We walked to Brian and Nick's room where everyone was circled around it.
"It's screwed up! This is so freaken screwed no one can fix it!" Nick pounded away at the keys.
"Not like that you can't." I put my bag on the dresser and unzipped it, pulling out my laptop, and all of my supplies spreading them out on the dresser.
"Man, what are you planing to do operate?" Aj laughed.
"Maybe." I smirked. "May I?" I stretched my hands out to take the computer from Nick.
"Oh yeah." Nick smiled and handed me the computer.
I walked over to the dresser and hooked it up to my computer. "OK."
"Would you mind telling me what you're doing?" Nick stood behind me.
"Only if you promise not to hover right over my shoulder." I plugged both computers into a small box with a small screen.
"Sorry." Nick stood to the side of me; in fact I drew quite the crowd. I laughed.
"What's so funny?" Brian walked over.
"I've never seen a bunch of guys so into computer repair. Where the heck did you get such a virus, Nick? I had to fix my bosses computer when he got this one and he got it from visiting a particular site if you catch my drift." I watched the little box for a moment.
"I read an e-mail with it on it. What are you doing?" Nick looked at the small screen.
"Looking for your virus." I pointed to the screen. "See there's your virus. It's eating at your main frame and your hard drive."
"Well can you stop it?" He was frantic.
"Chill Nick, it's not that hard." I started typing codes into my computer and watching Nick's computer for the results. "Almost there." I shook my head as Nick's computer had big red letters come on the screen reading, ACCESS DENIED!
"What does that mean?" Nick pointed to the screen.
"Exactly what it says." I tuned Nick's computer upside down and took the screws out and pulled out the main computer chip, which took the majority of the inner hall.
"What are you doing?" Nick was irate now.
"Look, if you want me to fix this I suggest to let me do my job. Brian will you…ouch!" I had hit a live wire and it made a small spark but had a big shock. I dropped my pliers and stuck my finger in my mouth.
"Are you OK?" Brian came to my aid.
"MmmHmm, Yeah." I grabbed the rag I had set out on the dresser and wiped my finger off. "Bri, will you get my phone and push speed dial?"
"Sure." He did ad when he brought my phone back he held it up to my ear. "Hey boss, it's V."
"They're with you."
"Yeah."
"OK what's up?"
"I have the computer hooked up to our main frame, I need you to do the rest. He's got a 249 and a major blocker."
"OK hold on."
"It's working. Thanks, bye." I nodded for Brian to turn the phone off. "There all better. I'll just put this back together now…and done." I handed Nick his completely virus free computer. "I've even put an anti virus warning system on there." I started to pack my stuff.
"Thanks, here you go." Nick handed me a $100.
"Keep it. You guys paid for pizza last night." I zipped up my bag. "Sorry about me being so late. Normally I'm way too early. That's the first time I've slept that late in…about 8 years."
"8 Years?!?!?" Aj was dumb founded. "Relax, you deserved it."
"Ain't it, you didn't have to come at all. How on earth can you go with out sleeping in for 8 years?" Kevin laughed.
"It becomes routine. I don't mind, but I must say sleeping in is something I could get used to." I looked down as my watch went off. "Shoot! I've got a deadline." I grabbed all my stuff. "I'll see you guys later." I waved as I left.
"Wait." Brian met me down by the elevator. "Here, so you don't have any problems getting back in." He put this ribbon around my neck with a blank badge clipped to it. He handed me a marker. "Sign it."
I did and then he signed the line below that said witness. "Bye Bri." I climbed on the elevator and hit the lobby button.
This should be interesting. I hit the speed dial number to my boss and waited for his to pick up.
"Hello?" You could hear muffled yelling and loud commotion in the background.
"Yo boss, any thing good?" One thing about having me fix your computer…I always get a payment. It may not be money form but in information form…I'm expensive.
"Yeah. There are a couple diaries in here. One is Mr. Carter's and the other is our number one guy."
"Brian." I smiled as I walked out of the hotel to my car. "Any juice-y stuff?"
"Yep. And Mr. Carter is defiantly on to you. His latest entry was all you. Same with Brian, but his was a little steamier."
I climbed into my car and headed to the post office. "Really?"
"Yeah, he likes your legs and your eyes. Use that to your advantage."
"OK." Use that to my advantage? He likes my legs? OK this is turning into one of those crazy soap operas. "What else?"
"Not much. It talks about his ex that will be good. We're gonna trash his record yet! Especially with you in Phase 3!"
"What?" Phase three was the third and final phase. You had to 'act' as if you were in love and not really be. I made a solemn oth never to do this, but I never thought it would come this far. I have to do it. I'll lose my job.
And even if Brian and me stay together, I have to be Veronica Lynn Hadge, Not Maranda Hunter. Not me. My whole being with him would be lies, lies, lies. I never could tell one stitch of truth. He's see through me if I did.
I zoned out of my thoughts and into my conversation with my boss. "Don't play coy with me. You know our job is purely made to destroy Mr. Littrell's boy-next-door reputation. We're going to exploit him as the bad boy that he really is. We've been packing up information these past 8 years and we're going to do a special with the National Inquirer, national TV, CNN is giving us air time, Extra is paying for 3 months of air time to exclusives we don't feed to any other network, and more. We're blowing the lid off his act. It will make headlines for months! And you will get full credit and a huge promotion. This is what you've been waiting for! Wear your tube top and black mini skirt when he asks you out tonight." He hung up.
I felt two inches tall. I had no idea this would feel so bad. I really didn't know what they were going to do. I had some clue, but I really didn't know all that much. This is horrible. I pulled up to the post office cassettes in hand. I stared blankly at them. Wondering why. Why I was doing this. Why I didn't just do my job.
I sighed and shook the thoughts from my head. I climbed out of the car and into the post office. I one of those protective envelopes, two first class stamp, sealed it and sent it on its way.
As I got back in my car I smiled. I wonder what Nick thinks of me now.
Back at the hotel
"She did it! I can't believe it." Nick stared in amazement at his computer.
"Well duh Nick. It's her job." Aj laughed.
"Yeah." Nick slumped down on his bed.
"What's wrong?" Howie patted Nick on the back.
"Well." Nick hesitated
knowing full well that Brian would be mad.
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