Hayden watched as the rest entered. Nobody really acknowledged him, with the exception of Loraine. She just raised an eyebrow at him, and he shrugged. He didn’t know what was going on with this guy either, other than he hadn’t looked up from his phone since he’d come in. Alexa stayed typing away- making sure their communication channels were as secure as possible was a continuing effort on her part. It was already pretty secure, but she wanted to get it to an unbreakable point. She knew that Hunter didn’t trust it. She doubted she’d be ever able to talk him round, but it was worth a try.
And when Wilbur entered in typical dramatic fashion, it nearly seemed to confirm that everyone that was going to show up had already showed up. Some had disguised their identity. Hayden never saw the need to. He cleared his throat.
“I’m gonna assume that everybody that’s coming is here now. So. Few ground rules. We expect half payment up front, half when the job’s done. Don’t even think of trying to turn us over to the cops. We’ve got allies everywhere, and if we go down, they’ll be able to track you down and make you wish you’d never even heard of us. We don’t particularly like murder but can be talked around if it’s particularly bad. We won’t ask for your name, so don’t expect us to give you any of ours. We work in code names only.” It was all second nature now, the rules that every client needed to know. Some weren’t happy with them and just walked out, which suited them just fine. “So. Tell us what you need us to do.”
“My former business partner fucked me over. He stole money from the company, stole my ideas, then disappeared and set up his own company which is making far more money than we ever did together. He’s paid off the police and is pretty damn invincible. He’s in private security. So I want you guys to get my revenge and also to dirty his company a little. Show his private security isn’t actually that good, if a bunch of vigilantes can get past it. Don’t care what you do. Just leave him alive. I’m giving you guys complete freedom. And I’m willing to pay you all five thousand dollars. Each. If you do a decent job.”
Hayden had to try particularly hard not to raise his eyebrows. That was... a significant amount of money. Would pay his rent for a while. Most they’d been paid for a job for a while. It wasn’t going to be easy. But for that money...
“They do cyber security?” Alexa asked, leaning back in her seat a little and eyeing him over her laptop. “Yes,” The man replied. “I can break into it. His own personal systems use it, I’m guessing?” She asked, and the man nodded. “Yes. He claims it’s unhackable,” he replied, and Alexa grinned. She loved taking down people like this. “He hasn’t encountered me yet.”
Hayden stayed silent for a moment, letting the others ask any questions they wanted as he thought.