Chapter 32

32. Agenda?

When I meet him the next morning so he could give me a ride to school, Gerald profusely apologizes for not taking my calls.

“I am really sorry, Jace. I left my phone at the office before going home and missed a bunch of calls, along with yours. Are you okay? Did something happen? Was there an emergency?”

I blush at his questions. My idiotic actions had left him worried about me, and that was the last thing I wanted to do.

“No, Gerald, no, there were no issues. I just wanted to have some conversation,” I scuff the floor with my feet, feeling mortified.

But I somehow spit out the next part of the explanation, “Just wanted some companionship, I guess. You know how the house is at night.”

Gerald’s eyes soften with something akin to parental concern.

“I’m sorry, Jace,” he mutters, but I brush it off.

“No, it’s fine. I was just a bit shaken from what happened that evening, which, by the way, I need to notify you about.”

That does the trick as Gerald sits ramrod straight, his eyes focused. I tell him all about the incident that happened in the evening, and the email Brennan had gotten at night.

“I see,” he murmurs after I finish the report, “this Aiden fellow is starting to become a problem.”

“Yeah,” I agree. “But unfortunately, a problem we can’t get rid of soon, what with his father trying to take over Zelt Tech and all.”

Gerald nods unhappily, “I can’t help but think they have some sort of an agenda behind whatever they are trying to do, you know, apart from the most obvious motive, which is expanding their company interests. But I just cannot pinpoint what it is.”

I nod, “I get that feeling too.”

Two days passed without an incident.

Coraline still had not come to a conclusion from her talks with her insurance provider, and Aiden was refusing to change anything from the policy. In fact, it was like he’d totally gone off the grid. He was absent from school, and I heard that the school board was not pleased with his behavior. Brennan had not even heard from him, in fact, he couldn’t even call the phone number he was given. For a moment after hearing it, I was worried for Coraline. The new developments were unsettling, and I wondered if she was secure enough. Aiden had not hesitated to put her hands on her once, who is to say that he won’t do it again?

Two days after the incident at the Adrenaline Rush, I exit hall number seven at King’s College after finishing my last lecture for the day, too busy compartmentalizing everything I learned today and going through the work! had to complete before tomorrow, as well as the assignments, that I nearly missed Gerald who was standing next to my car.

“Hey, Gerald,” I greet him as I approach him, and stop when I notice his expression. His lips are pursed and his skin is pale, and his hands are clasped tightly behind his back, which is ramrod straight. I could feel the tension buzzing off of him, “what’s going on?”

“There had been an incident.” he inhales harshly and adds in a tense voice. “We should get inside. I don’t want anyone to hear us”

“Okay, sure,” we get into the car, and Gerald locks the doors. I look at him apprehensively.

“An incident, Gerald? What kind of an incident? Corporate?” I question, crossing my arms. I do not have a good feeling about this, whatever it is.

“No, not quite,” Gerald looks me straight in the eye before delivering the news. “Three of Zelt Tech employees had been gunned down.”

I suck in a breath, stunned. “What?!”

“Yes. It happened near the Zelt Tech building They’d just come outside when a vehicle had driver past them, and the window opened to reveal a gunman He fired away at them.”

I feel like I can’t breathe Someone shot Zelt Tech employees just outside of Zelt Tech How could this happen? I never...I never thought such things would happen at Zelt Tech We were a small company that made computer chips for god’s sake Why would anyone target our employees?

“Are they alive?” I question, voice shaking “Yes, they are, fortunately Although one is still in the ER, in a coma which the doctor says he will wake up from soon They were shot in their limbs and torso The other two only have flesh wounds”

“Who are they?”

“Gomez from Accounting. Bethany from IT, and Tanaka from HR.”

“Crap,” I utter, feeling devastated at the attack, we need to go to the hospital immediately to see them.”

“Yes, we are on our way Hopefully, we can get in before visiting hours end.”

“This is crazy. Shooting at our employees? Why?

“I do not know, Jace. I’m confused as we are. If it was another one of your father’s companies, I’d say that some pissed-off businessman whose deal went wrong was behind it. But this is Zelt Tech and Zelt Tech. is not old enough to make such enemies.”

“So, this had happened before to my father’s employees?”

“Not exactly shooting, but well, there have been instances where harm was done. Most of them were cyberattacks and doxing though. About five years ago, one of your father’s managers got kidnapped for ransom. But other than that, most of them are minor.”

“Nothing involving a shootout.”

“Exactly.”

We travel in silence for a while. I listlessly watch as the driver maneuvers the car to the expressway connecting Empire city to Clandestine city.

“What did the police say?” I ask, turning to him, do they have any suspects?”

“Apparently this was not the only shootout that happened in the Empire city recently,” Gerald provides, “it is, in fact, the second one for this month. The police are sensing a pattern.”

“A pattern?”

“It seems like a crime syndicate has been formed,” he reveals, “And Clandestine city just might be in the center of it.”