The Color of Your Eyes

Chapter 42: Money

"May I talk to you for a moment?" Jake who looked like he was going to pass out any minute, asked Phil after they all had discussed the plan. Jessy and Thomas were almost ready to leave. They are brainstorming how to smuggle Poke into Aurora's bar without being detected.

"Sure," Phil followed a pale Jake to the furthest part of Hannah's apartment, to make sure the others are not able to listen to their conversation, which entailed the bathroom. Phil closed the door behind him.

"Good plan by the way. I'm impressed you have come up with something like that in such a short time," Phil leaned against the wall with his hands in his pockets. Jake opted to sit on the edge of the bathtub, his fingers folded together as his arms rested on his knees.

"Still, I will put every one of you in danger. This could end very badly for any of us," Jake commented.

"Yet you have asked us consenting adults over and over again if we were sure. We know the risks very well, Jake. So, get rid of those doubts," Phil exclaimed with a hand gesture.

"I know, and I am very thankful to each one of you for wanting to save Lia," Jake nodded his head in respect.

"Don't thank us yet, we haven't even started," Phil smirked.

"The plan might work, but I still have one problem. One that only you can help me with," Jake seemed a bit uncomfortable as he avoided Phil's gaze and fidgeted with his fingers a little.

After a moment passed, Phil raised an eyebrow, "well? What help do you need from me? Spit it out, Jake."

Jake cleared his throat, "remember, this is all to save Lia."

"Yes?" Phil waited for an answer as he still leaned against the wall.

"Mike wanted 10,000 Dollars as a sign that I will cooperate. I want to borrow those 10,000 Dollars from you," Jake quickly said as if he wants to get it over quickly.

Phil blinked quickly a couple of times, before letting out a chuckle. Jake looked perplexed as the bartender tried to stifle his laughter while still trying to look serious.

"Why me?" Phil asked with a snicker.

Jake sighed. "I thought you might be the one who is the most well off of all of us. I mean I saw your car..."

"Well, I have not expected this humble request coming from the almighty hacker Jake. The wanted target from the government, the guy who hates my guts, asking me for money?" Phil seemed amused more than angry, which made Jake irritated a little.

"Look I won't and can't steal the money from someone else, since the FBI is hot on my heels. I won't jeopardize being found before rescuing Lia. I can understand this is all... very entertaining for you. Trust me, if it weren't for Lia, I would not ask you for a cent," Jake looked away.

"Hm," Phil made a thinking expression. "10,000 Dollars is indeed a big sum of money... yet I do have a soft spot for the woman who was the only one aside from Jessy to give a rat's ass about me when I was in jail. Sure, I will lend you the money," Phil shrugged as if it was no big deal.

Jake looked genuinely surprised. "Really? You will lend it to me? Just like that?"

"Oh, no, don't get me wrong. You will give me the money back when this is over. I don't care how," Phil smiled. "You see Jake, in the online world you may be powerful, but in the real world, you and I are on the same level."

Phil held out his hand and Jake immediately shook hands with him, sealing the deal.

"Expect that money this afternoon, I will have to pay an extra fee to deliver it on such short notice and probably have to fill out a lot of paperwork, but you can at least expect it today. Be glad that I have a good bank consultant. You must send me the account number on which you want to receive it."

Jake nodded and quickly let go of Phil's hand as if he doesn't want to touch it longer than necessary.

Phil then turned around to grab the handle, before Jake said to him, "you must really like Lia a lot if you lend so much money to the guy you can't stand."

Phil didn't look at Jake when he replied. "What are you saying? I just appreciate beautiful women who get me out of jail. You are right in one thing: the feelings between us, are mutual."

He opened the door and left Jake alone, not waiting for a comment, telling Jessy and Thomas to get ready. Jake followed him and then sat on the couch, turning on a program on a smartphone that will entail Poke's location. Jake took a deep breath, battling his discomfort to explain the plan one more time. None of them mentioned the money in front of the others.

Hours later, when Lilly was saying the dreadful words about Jake in front of her family, Phil tried to reach Jake to tell him that the money has been delivered to the account Jake has instructed to. Now it was onto Jake to turn it into a cryptocurrency and deliver the money to Mike. Unbeknownst to all of them, hours later when Mike received the money, he went to Lia to tell her the words that would ultimately crush the last hope she had of Jake.

"He indeed didn't comply..." Mike said, trying to look pissed, when his heart was leaping, knowing very well that as long as he keeps this woman hostage, Jake will do anything he says, and get him all the money he wants. He tried to contain his excitement as he thought about all the possibilities he can achieve with a proficient hacker at his command.

He also very much enjoyed the look of utter pain and defeat in the young woman's eyes when she heard him saying that.