II
Nothing fazed me anymore, when I say nothing, I mean nothing. Cameron was my best friend, and Jonathan, my elder brother. They were chaos, and they brought it with them wherever they went. They have tried everything chaotic in this life and the next, and I witnessed them all. So what exactly could faze me? Absolutely nothing.
The last time I heard Cameron's voice laced with that much panic was when Jonathan and him set the sheriff's house on fire while drunk. He called me that night because all he could see was "liquid hot orange, and the sheriff's house was like a giant hot liquid Dorito." Their parents got the sheriff a bigger and better house, thankfully no one got hurt, so they walked away with community service.
"What exactly is the issue?" I asked calmly. Like I said, having Jonathan and Cameron all my teenage years made me almost invincible.
"You might want to be here and see this for yourself." Was all he said to get me out of the shower.
I could not even make my own coffee, different scenarios were running through my mind.
Bavard Gaming Enterprise was like my child, something I built from the scratch on my own, without help from either of my parents. I didn't plan on it being the best gaming company in the world. I just did it because I needed something to do. And before I knew it, I was the C.E.O of the biggest gaming company ever. The most sought after person. I think one of the things that kept my company afloat was the mystery behind the owner. I had never gone public, not even by accident. Every dealing I had made, I made through emails. Never face to face deals. I kept my circle small and tight, which brings me to my mistake. I told Clarissa my real name, and she didn't tell me hers.. that's what happens when you think with your organs rather than your brains.
What could have been the issue from the company? What could have made Cameron leave his restaurant, go to my office and get this information before me.
Usually, I take the helicopter to the office, since the helipad was on the rooftop, and no one else was there, I didn't meet any of the staff that I didn't have to meet. And because of this, I didn't have a schedule for work, so the paparazzi didn't monitor it and appear there before me somehow.
Unfortunately today, I was in too much of a hurry, and for the first time, I walked through the front door of my company. No one recognized me, and that was very refreshing. But I could not stop to feast in the serenity. I hurriedly took the stairs, simply because I couldn't risk someone recognizing me somehow.
The structure of the building was made so that my office was cut off from the rest of the buildings, going upstairs would mean you were going to be scrutinized by someone who didn't even know me. I sighed. Before getting the embarrassment I was sure was coming, I dialled Danielle's phone number.
"I'm outside, come get me." Was the only thing I said. I could hear the confusion in her response, but I didn't know what to say to her. I disconnected the call instead.
The door to her office swung open, her afro wig swished left to right before she spotted me, her eyes widened as she sighted me. Her heels clad feet walked briskly towards me, I nodded subtly and she quickly regained her composure.
"Good morning sir, Mr Russell isn't here yet, you can wait in his office."
"Of course."
"Right this way sir." She said leading me into her office. For security reasons, I made sure both of our walls were sound proof.
"I must commend your professional acting skills." I tell her truthfully.
She shook her head in amusement.
"I must commend your looks, what exactly were you going for? A celebrity trying desperately to hide his identity or a bank robber?"
My hand went straight to my face and in a swift movement I removed the nose mask from my face.
She made a low noise from her throat.
"Those fingers have gotten better at removing tiny piece of clothing..." Her voice was sultry.
I snickered, she was referring to the one time something happened between us.
"Where's Cameron?" I asked quickly changing the subject.
"I'm right here. It hurts you didn't ask for me first." He walked out of the adjoining door between my office and Danielle's.
"Cameron, I walked up the stairs, had to pretend to be someone else, and the company looked just fine." I say facing my best friend.
His always smiling face broke into a confused one.
"That's because of my superb problem curbing skills. There was an intruder."
I let out a frustrated breath,
"That's not the first one, what was security doing anyway?"
"This one managed to get up to the twenty sixth floor before getting spotted."
My eyes widened, that's the best this people have done so far. They never know where my office was situated, and I was on the twenty eighth floor this year, meaning he was too close to home.
"Did you talk to him? What did he want? Who is he working for? What did he find out? Where is he now?" I asked in one breath.
"Calm down, who said it was a guy? Besides I talked to her, she means no harm, she was working alone.. or with the hots she has for you." He said laughing.
I frowned.
"What's her name?"
"Vera Bradley, she seems to have lost a few marbles but she knew you, and wants to have her way with you."
My confusion grew further,
"I'm so confused right now."
"I already took her to a nut house, it's fine. I handled it."
"Then why did I rush here?"
"Might be wasted, but we can make use of you being here already." Danielle whispered from behind me.
I had forgotten she was here, her voice irritated me. So I shrugged her off.
Cameron smiled. Which irritated me too.
"What are you doing here by this time anyway?"
"Your office." He led the way, I followed quickly, trying to avoid Danielle, she was hot and everything. But after the day something happened, I had stopped seeing her in that light, I hated mixing business with pleasure. But somehow she didn't get the hint. I'd fire her, but she knew my secret and was extremely good at her job.
"I think I found Clarissa Jones."