Big Data: A Startup Thriller Novel

Chapter 38

I was starving and tired. The guards took me to the cafeteria. They pointed to a long communal table that had a couple of apples and a banana on it. It would do as a snack, but I asked if they could get me a burrito. Ideally, heavy on the guac and sour cream. I was craving carbs. They didn't respond one way or the other, but as I hadn't seen either one of them for an hour, I guessed it was a no. They were probably standing right outside the room laughing at me.

I spent most of the hour thinking about how to find Taye. I wondered if they had taken him to a room and told him to fix his bug—just like me. I wondered if he'd cooperated. Probably not. That kid was as brave as he was smart.

Then it hit me. I could walk out of the room as if I didn't know I was a prisoner. Then, if they stopped me, I could just say I needed to use the bathroom. Come to think of it, I did need to use the bathroom. All that coffee. And if they weren't there, I could look around for Taye.

I walked casually over to the door, but just as I grabbed the handle, the door opened on its own.

"Oh," I said. "Hi, Thor. I was just going to look for you. Any luck with my burrito?" Now more than ever, I wanted to kick him in the kneecaps. It took every ounce of energy I had left to pretend I didn't know he was a psychopathic killer.

"Luna, the guards tell me you haven't fixed our little problem. Is something wrong?"

"Yes, something's wrong. The code is not written intelligibly. The only way I can help you debug it is if you let me talk it over with the person who wrote it." I thought for a moment and then decided to just go for it. "Can I speak to Taye?"

A look of shock spread over Thor's face. Then it turned to anger. "How do you know about Taye?"

That got him going. Good. It was better to have him off balance for what was coming next. "His name's all over the source code history. He wrote this thing originally, didn't he? Why not just have him fix it?"

I could see the gears turning in Thor's mind. I couldn't wait to see what tale he would spin. "I didn't ask you to look at the source code history, I asked you to fix the bug. The client's been up my ass since we last spoke. You know how clients can be. We just need this fixed—we don't need a history report on it."

"How am I supposed to fix it if I can't read the code? Looking at the history is the only way I can even begin to try to fix it."

"Look, Luna. The pressure is obscene. Perception is everything, and if you can't help us, there could be a lawsuit or worse. Our friends on Wall Street could accuse us of fraud. You're putting everything you've worked for in jeopardy. I know you can fix this. Just fix it."

"Let me talk to Taye," I said.

"That won't be possible."

"Won't it?"

He gave me the strangest look yet. I was almost there. Almost ready. His mind was racing. I could see it in his eyes. They kept darting left and right with odd jerky motions. I figured it must be a stress response. His tell. It was all I needed to know.

Finally, I gave in and let it loose, "I know Taye's here. Phillip Jones told me. Let me talk to him, and I'll be able to fix Gaia."

If his eyes looked like they were going to pop out before, now all they needed was a gentle breeze.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he stammered. His eyes jerked wildly. "Taye's not here. I don't know where he is, and you will most certainly not be able to talk to him. You will fix the problem. Then you will go home and rest. You deserve it."

"You know what, Thor? I can't tell what you're worse at: lying or leading. Has anyone ever told you that before?" And with that I pushed him aside and strode out the door. "I'm going home now, and no one is going to stop me."

As I expected, the two thugs were standing just outside. I fully expected Thor to yell at them to drag me back to the computer room. But he didn't. And they didn't. I kept going. I picked up my pace. I glanced through the glass of every door and window I passed. Most of the doors I tried were locked, and I didn't run into anyone else. It was getting late. Most Ancien employees were home having dinner with their families.

God, I was hungry. I was so hungry I felt weak. Running hurt and left me breathless, but I told myself I couldn't stop. I wasn't going to leave this place until I found Taye. I tried to remember what Phillip had told me. Something about a kid being locked in my office. I had to get upstairs. I heard footsteps behind me. They were slow and steady and methodical. I broke into a full sprint up a flight of stairs.

"Luna."

I recognized the voice immediately. I turned around and saw Alex standing at the bottom of the stairs.