The Last Network - Chapter 66
Home Away
Paolo wanted to go home, but where was that? Santiago, which he left at seventeen. Los Gatos to his company housing?
Thirty-two years old and Paolo had not made a place for himself. Now he had nothing to return to. He’d made it as far as LAX and then stopped, checking into the Hyatt Regency on Century. Loyalty rewards got him upgraded into a suite. It was a nice for what it was. They’d put money into the soundproofing. Two flat screens and a partition between the bedroom and the living room.
He turned on the TV and went looking for BBC News. No American network would carry the explosion. This country was done being concerned about others. It could barely muster up interest in the latest school shooting.
Paolo finally cared and what had it taken? He helped kill seventy-eight people today. The worst part, no one would know what a monster he was. No one would look him in the eyes and call him to account. He was just another faceless man coasting through the air space of society. He had filled his life with puzzles and problems, immune to their reality. The last seven years were an abstraction. The only real thing he ever did was climb, and what was that? A man alone on a rock, inching upwards simply because it’s there.
He needed Monica. He needed to blackout and take his punishment.
Paolo didn’t believe Malcolm and Kendra. They claimed to have been played. Said they were doing this for friends who wanted to make a difference. Malcolm even showed him the wires. It was a tiny amount compared to their other jobs. The money had all been earmarked for Paolo. They were working pro bono.
It sounded too convenient. Like another kind of work.
His phone was off. He hadn’t been online since he called a Lyft from the bottom of the canyon. He wanted to talk to someone, but who? He had kept such a narrow life. Kendra was his confessor and now he didn’t trust her. Monica was hurt badly today, but she was complicit to a point. He couldn’t tell how deep she went.
He didn’t trust the internet. He couldn’t post anonymously somewhere. Look what he did to Peared. Everything was rotten, it was all a big fix.
He saw three choices. Ball it all up deep inside and make tomorrow the first new day of his life, call the FBI and confess, or head back to the people who knew how to fix him, even if it was the same people that had broken him. Whatever he did, he needed to stay offline until the shock passed.
Actually, there was one more idea. He could go to Rabbit. It was his company, his platform that was at risk. Rabbit hadn’t a clue what they were using Peared for. He was too busy fighting the Valley to see what was happening under his nose. Didn’t he have a right to know? But what did Paolo hope to get from that? He could entrap the others, and then flip them to law enforcement. That seemed far-fetched. More likely, Rabbit would just patch God Mode ahead of schedule.
Rabbit had offered to help him; he said he understood bad shit. He had offered Paolo a job. Was that what Paolo was looking for? A replacement for Kendra? Someone to clean up his mess? He decided to call Em. She had a handle on Rabbit’s personality. She could advise him. He picked up the room phone and dialed.
“Em here.”
“Hey Em, long time no talk. It’s Paolo. Do you have a couple minutes?”
“I can give you five tops, then I need to get back on set. What’s up?”
“I’m in a situation. I need some advice.”
“Okay. Not sure why are you asking me, but what can I do?”
“You understand Rabbit. Not a lot of people do.”
“Kendra does. If you aren’t asking her, then it’s because she’s involved.”
“Something like that.”
“And if Kendra is involved, so is money.”
“Yes.”
“Paolo, when you answer this question, just a simple one-word answer will do. I don’t want any details at all. This money, when Rabbit finds out about it, will he feel entitled to none, some, or all of it?”
“Some at least, maybe all.”
“Don’t tell me anything else. Here’s the deal Paolo. If you cheated him or somehow shorted him, he’s not capable of forgiving you. I don’t care what he told you in the past, if you hurt him then he’ll come for you. I have real regrets about leaving Peared. That was a challenge worthy of me, but Rabbit is Rabbit. Don’t ask him for something he can’t do.”
“ Even if I tried to make it right?”
“No. Not now. He needs to grow up first. All of you do. Whatever you are doing, knock it off and try to act like an adult.”
“I understand. Thanks, Em.”
“Good luck with your problem Paolo.”
Paolo hung the phone up. He was back to his original choices and didn’t know how to feel about them. He went to his bag and looked for the Ambien he kept on hand. If anything, tomorrow was another day. He might have a better idea then.