III #4
Somewhere in the depths of his mind a question was born about how, in this cataclysmic moment, papers were everywhere and every list seemed important.
Ana went on with the story, calmly watching the river of people flowing down the staircase toward the lower levels.
"She put all her darlings and rich customers to work. In short, she destroyed Ludwig, his site, everyone connected to him, and in the end she destroyed his internet followers too."
"And how did she manage that?" Nick asked.
"Viruses, malware… Everyone who had anything to do with Ludwig got something very dangerous sent to their address."
"Wait, Tina knows about computers?" Nick was stunned.
"No, she had a customer, a very experienced hacker, some scrawny guy who lost his virginity to her. She slept with the boy for a while out of pure boredom, and he fell totally in love," Ana explained.
"And, of course, he was ready to do anything for her."
"That's right. Have you heard of the crypto scandal?" she asked him.
Nick shook his head. He'd caught wind of something, but it was long ago and outside all his interests. Ana followed such news because of the work she did. She recalled the news and said to Nick:
"Anyway, the crypto scandal was about fake mining pools and a new currency tied to those pools. It became big news, like a new Bitcoin, but it turned out to be just a pyramid scheme."
"Yeah, I remember, I even downloaded the app on my phone for fun," Nick recalled.
"Right, that was it. Behind all of it was that boyfriend of Tina's, he pulled in millions through advertising, but never got to spend them. Interpol rounded up everyone involved and it was all hushed up quickly, because everyone was embarrassed by the shame the scandal caused."
"Wait, that was his creation?" Nick asked.
"Yes, he was one of the creators of the pool. He ended up in prison charged with fraud," Ana concluded the story.
"And Tina?" Nick was curious.
"She profited. Some anonymous person paid several tens of thousands into her gym's account and delivered a few machines. I somehow think it was the same boy, because the payments stopped with his arrest. I remember she complained about it."
Nick shook his head.
"Some women simply know what they're doing." He stepped back from the table.
Ana looked at him reproachfully. "You say some? And me? I supposedly don't know what I'm doing?"
Nick moved away with his hands raised in surrender. Erik seemed amused.
"You know what I meant, Ana," Nick defended himself, "you never sold yourself for success."
Ana huffed angrily and didn't deign to answer him. Nick needled jokingly:
"At least I don't think you sold yourself to any female manager. Looking at a hottie like you, anything's possible." He quickly backed toward the staircase, while Erik laughed loudly.
Ana searched the table for something to throw at him, but apart from papers, found nothing. So she just smiled and calmly replied:
"Yes, and you and yours always regretted that this body," she thrust out her chest and seductively shook her backside, "you'll never have."
Nick grinned and gave a roguish salute in farewell, then headed down the staircase with Erik.
There was no malice in the sparring with Ana.
They knew each other too well to insult one another.
Though it might look like a quarrel to an outsider, for them it was more of a release and a relief from stress.
Soon they reached the laboratory entrance, and there, for the first time, they noticed two security guys guarding the entrance.
"I figured the laboratory should be secured," Erik explained briefly.
Nick didn't probe further, but nodded to the guards and entered the corridor behind them. Erik stopped at the junction. His gaze had drifted toward the medical clinic. Vlasta was there, whom Erik probably wanted to visit. He looked at Nick, who just nodded.
Nick watched the burly guy walk cheerfully toward the clinic and his loved one.
Somewhere deep inside, questions were born.
Would he ever have such a thing? Would some girl ever affect him in a way that made him want to spend every minute with her?
Was there love out there somewhere for him?
Questions swarmed as he stood indecisively at the corridor junction in front of the laboratory doors.
He moved out of the way of people who passed, chatting, through the doors into the laboratory, and leaned against the wall.
He was still absorbed in thoughts of a relationship.
There were opportunities. Irena, for instance, was attractive, and Nick honestly wouldn't object to spending a few nights with her, but she seemed ambitious.
Beyond physical attraction, Nick knew that relationship would have no future.
Nika? Nika had already rejected him once.
It seemed she was now completely absorbed in the laboratory and the idea of the farms.
Nick sighed and pushed off the wall. It was time to check how it was all progressing with Nika, and it also seemed to him that this was neither the place nor the time to think about relationships and emotions.
Tucking those thoughts away somewhere in a dark corner of his consciousness, he sighed and entered the laboratory.