“Would you be open to more than that?” he asks.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, I’ll teach you the basics, yes, that’s a given. But are you okay if I help beyond that?”
“Oh… I—It could be dangerous. I don’t want to risk anyone’s freedom but my own. I know you admire and respect Lex, but you don’t owe him that much.”
“Are you kidding me? Becoming Nammota has been my literal dream for years. And you’re offering me the perfect opportunity to do it.”
I can tell he’s overselling it, making it sound like I’d do him a favor so it’s easier to accept. “How about you teach me the basics, I’ll get things started, and if I need help, I’ll let you know?” I negotiate.
“I can work with that,” he agrees, picking up his glass again. “When do we start?”
“Are you free tomorrow?”
“I was supposed to see someone, but I can cancel.”
“Your girlfriend?” I ask, nosy.
“Yes. But she’ll understand. Where are we meeting?”
“Lex’s place. I think I’ll move there so I can have constant access to his computer.”
“What about Tamika?”
“We rarely see one another, anyway. She’s seeing some guy and is barely home. I’m sure she won’t miss me.”
“Oh, okay… So, tomorrow, Lex’s place, and I’ll get to go over Nammota’s work.”
He sounds almost bewildered, so I ask, “Everything okay?”
“Yeah, you—you have no idea how honored I am for this opportunity.”
“Fangirling, much?”
“Of course. I started hacking because of Nammota, so it feels like destiny. I’ve wanted to repay him for years, and now I just might.”
Offering him a kind smile, I say, “Starting tomorrow, you’ll get your chance to.”
He takes another sip of beer, shaking his head incredulously.
I didn’t expect Oli to help that much, but I’ll take whatever I can get. This is a race against time, and the clock is ticking.
“This place is neat,” Oli says after an appreciative whistle.
I close the door behind us and turn the lock. “Yeah, it’s pretty nice.” I let go of my duffel bag, dropping it on the floor. As I suspected, Tammy didn’t mind my living here for a while. I told her I needed this to feel closer to Lex, and she understood. So, after a tight hug, I left our apartment, jumped into my car, and picked up Oli to come here.
“Good morning, Andrea,” Iris greets.
“Who is that?” Oli wonders, looking around.
“Lex’s home AI. Hey, Iris! This is Oliver, a friend of mine.”
“Welcome, Oliver. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“Likewise,” he responds before looking at me. “This is sick,” he whispers.
“Iris is pretty neat, yes. Iris, can you open the secret room?”
