Conduit

Ch. 17

"Nope. Solo-Dolo." I reached into my pocket for the data drive, then place it on her desk, gently sliding it as close as I could to her.

She grabbed it. "I asked you to make an update to fix the androids outside, not break the ones in my building."

She was going to keep saying it. I needed a counter. She'd said it ten times, at least. I knew what happened; I was there. "Right," rocking back on my heels, I locked onto Katherine's gaze," I understand and that's my fault. I apologize."

"Apologize?" Katherine huffed as she pushed herself up from her seat. She was the only person in the room; not even a Personal at her side. Had I messed with them, too?

I should've checked on Reggie and Vicky before coming up here.

Katherine walked to her window overlooking the nice parts of the city. Glancing back at me, she motioned for me to stand beside her. I did, hesitantly, but I did.

The pristine areas of Chicago's downtown seemed to smile at me from the streets below. But I knew it was a constructed lie because if I glanced at the areas beside it, bordered off by a concrete wall that obscured the view, there was what Chicago looked like. Rubble and disparity, a world struggling without the natural resources that made this planet beautiful. If I was below with the few cars driving to their destination, I wouldn't be able to see that side of the city. But fifty floors up, I couldn't turn a blind eye.

The androids refusing to work were supposed to slow the deterioration of the rest of the world; sustain our lives for another fifty, hundred, or even two hundred years. At this rate, with the violence and uproar happening within the community, a concrete wall wouldn't be able to hide the truth.

I wonder if the Doom and Gloom squad had any room for me?

"You said you apologize." Katherine cleared her throat. "Do you know how much your apologies cost?"

My brows knitted together. I didn't know 'sorries' came with a price tag. Biting my tongue, I glanced at the street. I couldn't see much this high. "I'm... I'm not sure."

"Fifty million." Katherine moved the data drive between her fingers.

"Fifty?" I sputtered. "Million?"

She gave me a side-eye. "That's what I said.

"I don't understand." I shifted slightly to better look at her face. "What did I do that cost you money? I didn't destroy the system, only—"

I gulped. I couldn't say exactly what I'd done. Yet, because I'd started, Katherine looked at me and waited for me to continue. I licked my lips. Was it getting hot in here? "I only needed a computer. You never gave me one. How was I supposed to design a code without the proper tools?"

She looked at me with disbelief. "If all you needed was a computer, why didn't you ask? My team would have provided one."

"Really?" I raised my brows. "Look, not to be rude Miss Katherine, but things haven't been easy—"

"You haven't even been here a full month." Katherine crossed her arms.

"Oh, I know. And the short time I've been here, all I've gotten were demands with no one listening. If I'm being honest after your security androids tried to shoot and kill me—"

"I believe that was a miscalculation." She shook her head.

A miscalculation? Way to disregard my life. I sighed. "I think it should be obvious why I won't just ask or speak unless I'm spoken to."

"You have Frank for those things," Katherine said as if that made it better.

It didn't. I pressed my hands together and fully faced her. "Do you want me disclosing sensitive data to Frank just like that? Wouldn't there be some company protection?"