Dylan
IT WASN’T THERE. I mean it was, but every time I clicked on the file to open it I got a, “This file is corrupt and cannot be opened” error.
“The universe hates me,” I said with a groan.
Her forehead scrunched up.
I showed her my screen.
“Can you repair it or something?” she asked.
I watched a couple of YouTube videos on fixing corrupt files and tried out their suggestions, but nothingworked. Of course it didn’t. Because I needed one more complication in my life. In order to clear my name, I needed the file, and there was only one place we could get it. I grabbed the pen again and wrote, “How do you feel about a little B&E?”
Addison pointed to “B&E” with raised eyebrows.
“Breaking and entering,” I wrote.
Her eyes about popped out of her head, a reaction which brought mea moment of clarity. Addison was a good, respectable woman from a rich and powerful family, and I probably shouldn’t ask her to do such a thing. Besides, there was serious danger involved. If the thugs from my apartment found out she was involved, they could possibly go after her.
“Forget it,” I said, rising to my feet. “Forget I said anything. It was a bad idea. A very bad idea. Stupid. Neverto be spoken of again.”
“But you’re still gonna do it,” she said, staring me down.
Man I hated the way she could see right through me. “No. Absolutely not. I’d have to be an idiot.” Or madly in love with a man I couldn’t make out with through prison bars.
“Dylan.” Her eyes were like little shards of glass, cutting the truth out of me. This time she dragged me into my room and turned up thevolume on the speakers. “I want in.”
“There is no ‘in,’” I replied, but even as I said it, my brain was already working on a plan. “It would probably never work. My security clearance has been revoked, and my hacker friend probably wouldn’t help me out. Even if he was willing, he might not be able to get past their security system.” That was a lie. Quentin had gotten past much more complicatedsystems. Ours was old, antiquated. The board hadn’t approved of a new system since people actually used AOL.
“Then why are you thinking about it?” Addison asked.
I couldn’t lie to her. “I’m trying not to, I swear!”
“You’re totally plotting. I can practically see the smoke coming out of your ears, and I want in. You’re not doing this without me, Dylan Linn.”
“You’re invoking the middle name?”I asked, shocked.
