He rushed to the door. “What happened?”
“I went through the express training to become airport security so I can clear your name.” She rolled her eyes. “I’m breaking you out, what do you think?”
“But I shouldn’t—”
“Do you want to rot in here, or not?”
Well, officially, he was dead. How much worse could it get?
He followed Chris down the hallway, where she grabbed a janitor’s uniform, left discarded on their trolley, and threw it at Simon.
“I know you told me not to do more crime,” she said.
“This one time, I might let it pass. We have work to do.” He hastily put on the gray onesie.
“Yeah, I thought so. What exactly happened?”
“Everett,” Simon grumbled. “He was very thorough. According to their system, I’m dead.”
“How did he do that?”
“I don’t know.” Simon straightened out his collar. “But we’re going to find out.”
Chapter 23
“And the reports for the last quarter are on your desk,” Everett said.
“Perfect. I’ll check them out.” Simon waved goodbye to Everett with the folder in his hand and entered his office. “Stanley Kowalski, it is?” he said to the wide-shouldered man, waiting on a chair in front of his desk.
Kowalski twisted around, issuing a polite nod. “Sir.”
Simon sat down, checking the folder with his resume. “A decade working at various security companies. Five years at Safeguard. They’re a good company—why did you leave?”
Kowalski gave a barely perceptible shrug. “Lunch was always the same.”
“Well, you have an impressive line of recommendations, Mr.—can I call you Stan?”
This time, he gave a barely perceptible nod.
“Youareimpressive, but if you don’t mind me saying, you don’t seem to be trying your best to impressme,” Simon said. From how these things usually went, he’d expected more butt-lickery.Oh, Mr. Montague, I’d love to work for you. Your company is the best in the business, and you’re my greatest idol.
“I don’t have to,” Stan said. “You can read my resume. The rest is up to you, not me.”
“You don’t say much, do you?”
“Bodyguards don’t need to. I’m good at tackling, though.” He said it in a serious tone, without a hint of a smile.
But Simon did smile—even if he’d been annoyed at Everett pressing him to hire a bodyguard for months. “Well, Stan.” He reached over the desk to shake hands. “Welcome to Aries.”
***
Under the veil of the night, Simon and Chris approached the darkened quarters of Aries Tech.
“Here.” She handed him a black rag; upon examination, he realized it was a balaclava.
“I’m not dressing up as a criminal,” he protested. Never mind that the Feds already assumed he was. Or at least they thought the man traveling with a stolen passport was. “Take that off.” He snatched Chris’s own balaclava off her head. “We’re visiting my own company after hours. There’s no crime to be committed here. And where did you get these, anyway?”
“I didn’t steal them, if that’s what you’re wondering.” She sighed. “At least wear these, then.” She put a pair of sunglasses on his head.
