Chapter Three

Missing Flash drive

“What do you mean you lost it?” Rodriguez roared in rage at Jared. The other man taking a step back, looking at the table that stood between himself and Rodriguez wondering if it was enough to shield him from the older guy’s wrath.

“I thought I put it back into the brief last night but it seems I didn’t.” Jared replied, doing his best to sound like he wasn’t shaken to the very core by the anger that poured out of Rodriguez in waves. He knew all too well what happened when his boss lost his temper. No one wanted to be at the receiving end of Rodriguez wrath. Taking another step back, to put even more distance between himself and the fuming Rodriguez, like that would help the situation. He cleared his throat once, twice, before facing Rodriguez once more. Pleading for mercy with his eyes.

“I had a couple of our men try to retrace our steps from the last time we saw it at the bar till we got back to the house, and there was nothing.” He replied scratching lightly at the back of his neck. He saw the rage flare up in Rodriguez eyes and knew he had to do something fast, else his head wouldn’t be a part of his body anymore.

“I’ll find it boss. I will.” Jared said once again, trying to appease Rodriguez.

“You better Jared, you better! If that drive gets into the wrong hands, best believe I won’t make your death pretty.” Rodriguez said through clenched teeth. Giving a long, hard look to his almost cowering second in command he leaves the office with nothing else but a click of his tongue. Slamming the door shut behind him.

Stalking out of the room in rage he moves into his training room, not bothering to change out of his office wear or cover up his hands, he starts to hit the boxing bag in the center of the room as hard and fast as his muscles will allow. Letting the murderous thoughts flow through his mind and into his hands. The information on that drive was a hundred percent confidential. If it got into the wrong hands if could bring him and his entire empire down. All he had ever worked for, all his family had ever worked for, would be taken away within the blink of an eye.

Rodriguez swore heavily under his breath, hitting the bag even harder, ignoring the pain in his knuckles that begged him to stop. He went on for what felt like hours, and maybe he would have continued if it hadn’t been for the bag bursting open and emptying its content at his feet. He groaned in frustration. Kicking the sand that lay at his feet. Seeing as his punching bag had given up on him. Rodriguez couldn’t stop thinking of all the different ways he could torture and kill whoever it was that dared to take the drive. He swore silently to make them feel pain like they have never experienced. Crippling pain. And he was certain that after he was done with them, whoever they were, wouldn’t live to ever tell the story. He smiled just imagining their tortured cries and screams. They would pay, dearly.

Silver hummed a tune lightly as she dragged the wide toothed comb through her curly wild hair. Wincing slightly whenever she felt the comb nudge some tangles. As she sat in front of the mirror, trying to get her hair to look decent, she let her mind wander. Last night had been a different night for her. Her coworker Jenna had called in sick earlier so she had to deal with most of the floor work by herself. She knew if Jenna was working, she would have handled the powerful stranger with blue eyes. She was the better people person amongst the two, and did better with powerful people or presence. Since she was pretty much used to it, seeing as she had been working at the Blue Phoenix for longer than herself.

Even as Silver thought of the men, she couldn’t help the slight shiver that ran through her when she remembered the one that had spoken to her. Although he wasn’t as intimidating as the blue eyed one, he was pretty impressive. She didn’t think she could survive a long time in their presence, she’d probably pass out from lack of oxygen or just sheer fear.

Putting the comb back in it’s holder, she applied a thin layer of gloss to her plump lips. Opening the drawer to keep it back in its purse. Just as she opened the drawer, he eyes caught sight of the drive. She picked it once more, inspecting it curiously, like it was supposed to speak to her. Silver frowned lightly, when she couldn’t figure out why they would have left this behind. For sure, important people like them, kept important stuff around them. She contemplated plugging the drive into her laptop and going through its content. Nodding once to herself like she had finally taken a right decision. She pulled her laptop from its bag and set it on the table before her. Powering it on, and just as she set to plug in the drive, her phone began to vibrate on the bed. Closing her laptop, and dropping the drive on top of it, she moves towards her bed to check the caller ID. A wide smile gracing her face as she sees the name of her best friend flash through. Hurriedly swiping to take the call, she presses the phone to her ear.

“Hello?” A squeal loud enough to make her ears hurt rings through and Silver takes the phone from her ear to save her eardrums from the onslaught.

“I’ve got great news Silver, great news. You wouldn’t believe it.” Elina replies, excitement coating her every word.

“Well, if you want me to be able to hear this good news you better tune it down a bit.” Silver replies, chuckling a bit.

“Meet me at the mall as soon as you can baby, as soon as you can. Okay?” Elina says and hangs up before Silver can get in another word in response. Shaking her head slightly at her loud best friend, she walks over to her closet pulling out a beautiful black sandals that complimented her black sweatshirt and puts them on her feet. Patting her pockets for her phone and keys before going out of her apartment, locking the door behind her.

Forgetting all about her laptop and the drive that she had left laying on her table.