Geek Mafia | Page 7

I want what I'm due. I've got my stock, but that
won't be worth anything for years, if ever. I'd really prefer to just have
that money now and leave those fuckers behind forever."
"Hmmmm," mused Chloe.
"Hmmmm?" asked Paul.
"I'm beginning to see a plan. A brilliant plan." She smiled
wide. "Abso-fucking-lutely brilliant. A way to make them pay you
every last cent you're owed and make them do it tomorrow. Truth is, it's
really your plan. And believe me, it's a very, very good one. At least it
will be once we finish coming up with it. But first I have to ask you
some questions."
Paul had a skeptical look on his face. "Okaaay," he said. "What do you
need to know?"
"Do you still have a key to the office and the security codes and all
that?"
"Yes," said Paul.
"Great," she said as she pulled her cell phone from her pocket and

started dialing. "What time does everyone go home?"
"It's hard to say," said Paul. "Most of the people leave around seven or
eight, but a couple of the programmers stay until midnight or later." He
watched as she held the phone to her ear, "Who're you calling?"
"I'm getting the gang together. We can't do this on our own. Gotta have
the whole crew."
Then she was talking into the phone, leaving a message for someone
named Raff. After that she made four or five other calls while Paul just
sat there. He wondered who these people were and if one of them was
Chloe's boyfriend (or girlfriend for that matter). If she had a
boy/girlfriend at all. She never told any of the people what was going
on - just that they needed to get over to the house by six and that they
had a job to do tonight.
"One more thing Paul," said Chloe when she hung up on the last
member of this mysterious gang. "I need you to tell me everything you
can about your company's lawyers and your partners' legal experience."
CHAPTER 3
Paul knew that the plan was insane and probably illegal. Certainly the
stuff he'd been helping Chloe and her gang of followers do for the last
few hours was technically illegal. He'd asked them why they were
helping him, what did they hope to gain? They'd told him that this is
what they did for fun. Chloe assured him that they "lived for this kinda
shit." Ok, fine. He could sort of see that. Once he was there, helping
them come up with the plan and then actually carrying it out, it sure as
hell was exciting - probably the most exciting thing he'd ever done.
Now that he was home and alone with his misgivings and paranoia, it
all seemed like a really stupid idea. If it weren't for Chloe and her
mesmerizing enthusiasm, there's no doubt that he wouldn't be doing
this at all. But it was too late now. Or was it?
It was five in the morning when Paul got back to his apartment. He'd

told Chloe that he wanted to get a few hours sleep before the big
meeting, but he now realized that there was no way he was going to be
able to relax. When he'd stepped out the door twenty-two hours earlier
he'd still had his job and was looking forward to a showing the rest of
the art team his new designs for some of the higher-level monsters he
wanted to add to the game. Screw that, he thought, they're my monsters
now. I'll use them somewhere else.
It could never work. How could it? Right then and there Paul decided
that he was going to call the whole thing off. It wasn't too late. They
hadn't done anything yet that wasn't reversible. No one had been hurt.
No money had changed hands. No one had been lied to. If he called it
off right now he could just move on and try and put the whole, sorry
state of affairs behind him.
He sat down on the couch, the sole piece of furniture in his living room
aside from the TV, and started to dial Chloe's number. Then he stopped.
No, he thought. Not yet. Think about this for a minute. It might work.
And if it does work you're set. Everything you want out of this shitty
situation.
Paul decided to make himself a pot of coffee and take a nice long, hot
shower. He was supposed to meet Chloe at the office at 9:00 AM sharp.
If he called her at home in a few hours he could talk things through
with her again and, if he wanted to call them off, he could.
As he