Chapter 8

Jason woke to the sunlight streaming through his apartment window and blinked against the bright light. He smiled, knowing that today was going to be a good day! Having found out Brad’s secret and exposing him, had dusted the bastard in a way that he would never recover! He still shivered at the thought of what both he and his dad had gotten away with for all those years.

He also felt a pang of sympathy for Luke, who had found out the real reason behind the breakup with his high school sweetheart. The poor guy must have been going through a brand new form of hell, now that he knew why she’d left. Jason sighed and hoped that Luke old wounds could now heal, with the son of a bitch now on his way to becoming Bubba’s little bitch.

Jason couldn’t help but snicker at that last thought, thinking it was fitting that Brad finally wound up behind bars. How he’d eluded everyone and fooled them into thinking he was the golden boy, Jason would never know. At least he was now going to a place he belonged, where he would quickly find himself at the bottom of the food chain. One thing Jason did know about prisons, was that such places either hardened you, or they broke you.

Shaking away the grim thoughts, he stood up and walked over to his bathroom, setting himself up for a shower. The hour was early, but Jason was fine with it, as he wanted to go and see Joe and Henry earlier than usual today. He had a feeling that they would want to talk to him before the workday started, so he made his shower a quick one.

After toweling off and moving along to his work attire, Jason walked out of his apartment, thinking he’d buy his breakfast and lunch today. He sprinted to the nearest Timmies and picked up a breakfast bagel, some Timbits and a coffee. Once he had his food, Jason raced to the nearest bus stop before sitting down to eat.

As he waited for the early bus to arrive, Jason noted that Latina he’d seen a few days ago. She had noticed him, and her eyes widened in excitement when she saw him. Unconsciously, she licked her lips and walked over to the stop to stand right next to him, inside the hutch. Reaching into his Gaian senses, Jason took in the feelings that the girl was going through and he almost choked on his food.

Taking a beat to clear his airway, Jason focused on the sensations he gleaned from the girl. She obviously found him attractive, turning to face him once or twice, like she wanted to say something. She hesitated and turned back, looking for the bus, but giving Jason smoldering looks out of the corner of her eyes.

Jason could sense that she hadn’t been laid in some time, but he could also tell that this woman had been hurt recently. He warred with indecision for a few moments before settling on talking to this girl. His Gaian senses also told him that this woman wasn’t very social and could use a friend. He smiled and broke the ice, speaking first.

“A nice turn of weather we’re having, isn’t it?” he asked her.

“It is actually. It almost reminds me of home some days,” she replied with a faint accent.

“Oh? Where is home for you?” he wondered.

“Zihuatanejo, Mexico,” she replied shyly.

“Really? I hear it’s beautiful there!” Jason stated, wondering what it was like there right now.

“It does have its charm, but there are days where being here are just as nice,” she stated. Jason would have asked further questions, but the bus arrived just then, ready to transport them to their jobs.

“Let’s chat some more on the way to work?” she asked. Jason smiled, and they both clambered aboard the gargantuan transport. The two of them started talking, each one learning more about the other. Jason could tell that this girl was really into him. Not just from his Gaian senses, but also from the way she was fawning over him. He could tell that she REALLY wanted to get to know him better, in every sense of the term.

“I really would like that, but I am kind of seeing someone at the moment,” he told her.

“Oh?” she said. “Are you close to this someone then?” she wondered, her guard going right up.

“In a sense, but I could tell that you were looking kind of lost and could use a friend to talk to. I know it sounds weird and I may sound like a bit of creeper, but that’s the truth of it. If you want slap me upside the head and call me all kinds of names, I get it,” he told her honestly. She then studied him, almost clinically, trying to determine if any lies had been told. Unlike other guys, the woman could sense that he was being truthful about all of this.

“This ... someone you are seeing, you don’t keep secrets from them?” she wondered, gauging his reaction.

“Nope. Honesty is a big factor in any relationship. If you can’t be honest, in any relationship, then what you have is one big lie,” he told her, sensing that she wasn’t as perturbed by his admission.

“Would I get to meet her?” she wondered; her curiosity piqued.

“If you wanted to. It’s entirely up to you. I wouldn’t expect you to answer me now, as that would be rude of me. We’ve just met, and I don’t even know your name,” he told her. That won him a small smile, and she replied to him.

“Rosa. My name is Rosa.”

“Rosa. A lovely name. My name is Jason. Jason Bjornsson,” he responded.

“Bjornsson? Like the son of Bjorn Ironside?” she giggled.

“That is how the legend of my last name goes, I suppose. My dad tried telling me about it when I was younger, but I never was good at listening to him as a kid,” Jason admitted with a chuckle. “Might have to ask him to tell me the story again.”

“Please do! It would be really cool to know that my new friend is a descendant of Bjorn Ironside!” she gushed.

“A big fan of Vikings, are you?”

“And a major history buff! You know that Bjorn Ironside was a real man and a king?” Rosa asked him.

“I had my suspicions, but never really did my research,” Jason admitted, thinking on the matter. Maybe his Viking heritage had something to with him being selected as a Druid? He’d have to talk with Mina further about this. They would have continued talking more, but Jason saw his stop approaching.

“I’m afraid this is where I have to get off,” he told Rosa.

“Well, we live in the same neighbourhood, so I guess I might see you around?” she asked.

“Very likely. Unless you want to exchange numbers?” he asked. Rosa nodded, and they traded phones, inputting each other’s numbers into the phones. Once they had them, she smiled and bid him a good day as he got off the bus. He could sense from her that the farewell was genuine and that she looked forward to seeing him again. Smiling, Jason headed away from the bus and down to the worksite.

He trotted along, happy to see that both Joe and Henry were here this early. He walked on up to their trailer and knocked, hoping that they’d answer him. Henry was the one who answered and was surprised, but happily so, to see him there.

“Jason! What brings you here this early?” Henry wondered.

“I saw what had happened all over the news and thought I should come by to check on how you guys were doing! Brad and his dad, doing sick shit? I mean, I knew that Brad was a piece of shit, but from what I saw all over the news, he took the term ‘depraved’ to a whole new level!” Jason told him, being careful about his choice of words. The agreement from Ms. Van DerBrandt was that Joe and Henry were to know nothing of his involvement, of which Jason could not have agreed more.

“You’re telling me! It’s good that you stopped by! We will need you today, badly! Come on inside and I’ll tell you what’s going on,” Henry implored him. Not one to argue with an employer who’d been good to him, Jason went with him. He took the seat offered by the man and faced Joe, who had a grim look on his face.

“We’re caught in a bit of a tough spot, Jason. Brad was the only other one running our crews, after we’d sent you on ... administrative leave. We just wanted to let you know that we had no choice but to send you home yesterday. But now, considering what Brad and his father, Dustin, has been involved in, we could not keep him employed here. We can only hope that this doesn’t blow back on us and none of the girls here were ever accosted by that...” Joe let the term hang in the air, at a loss for words.

“Go ahead and say it, Joe. I won’t tell anyone,” Jason promised.

“That boy was a serious and absolute piece of shit! He didn’t deserve the job he held, or the bonuses we gave him! He’s not even worthy of being called a human being!” Henry ranted.

“That is something we could not agree on more, brother,” Joe nodded. “Not only has he been let go, but it seems that most of his crew might have been in cahoots with him with that shit!”

“What do you mean?”

“It turns out, that more than half the crew under him, are persons of interest to the police. They told us they needed the names and address of everyone else under him and how to contact them. More than half of these guys called in, citing that they were sick, before we could ask more. Given how close Brad was with some of them, we can only assume the worst,” Joe told him.

“Damn! So, what will happen to the rest of those under him, who didn’t call in sick?” Jason wondered.

“They’re all being reassigned to your crew until we can make some new hires to replace our losses. Not sure if anyone will want to sign on with us, in light of this shit! I can only hope that we can keep on to the end of the year,” Joe lamented.

“I might be able to help with that. I know of a few guys who are looking for some extra work and could use the experience. Maybe I can make a few calls and see what they say?” Jason offered. He knew that Joe and Henry were good men and were put in a horrific position by Brad. If he could help them save their business, he would.

“If you could do that, that would be a blessing! Anything you could do to help us out would be greatly appreciated!” Henry told him.

“So, does that mean I’m off suspension?” Jason asked.

“You are off suspension immediately, and to receive a pay raise! If you can help us out with more people to sign on with us, that would more than justify you getting it!” Joe told him.

“All right then! There’s no point in calling them now, as they’re probably out job hunting or whatnot. I’ll call them at the end of the day and see if they’ll play ball,” Jason told his employers.

“Thank you, Jason! Let’s get some breakfast! On us! It’s the least we can do!” Joe offered. Not one to turn away the offer of free food, Jason left their office with them and they took their truck down to the Denny’s that was just around the corner. They walked in and were seated fairly quickly, as there were few people in the diner at that hour.

Jason ordered himself a Grand Slam breakfast, since he hadn’t eaten yet. He was also certain that he’d be busy today, so he’d need his strength. Joe and Henry also put their orders in before they got down to business.

“So, how many people from Brad’s crew are coming in from what you’ve guessed?” Jason wondered.

“Grand total, three. From what we have put together, these three were the only ones who weren’t part of Brad inner circle of friends,” Joe told him.

“Three?? That’s not a lot of people!” Jason griped.

“From what we’ve seen of how they work, you should find them amenable to you directing and leading them,” Henry responded.

“Well, let’s hope that they don’t mind hard work,” Jason stated.

Maybe a minute later, their food arrived, and the three men dug into their breakfasts. Though it was getting close to starting time, they all took the time to enjoy their food as they ate. As promised, Joe and Henry picked up the bill and left a generous tip for their waitress, before leaving to head back.

As they rolled on up to the job site, they saw that some of the crew had already started arriving. Jason’s crew was all there, looking bright eyed and bushy tailed. Except maybe Terry, as the burly Scotsman looked like he could have used a few more hours of shuteye. Jason was certain that his lack of sleep could be traced to both Wendy and Karen, who both looked more than chipper his morning.

“Ok, everyone gather around. We have some things that need to be discussed and I don’t want anyone missing anything,” Joe started, waving his arms to bring everyone in. Jason’s crew moved close, as had three other landscapers that Jason didn’t recognize. He assumed that they were the remnants of Brad’s crew. He quieted his thoughts as things began.

“All right everyone, we have some news about what’s going on today. From now on, until we say otherwise, everyone here will integrate into one crew, under Jason here,” Henry announced to the assembled landscapers. This news was greeted by a round of enthusiastic applause, as everyone there liked Jason.

“Because of what happened yesterday, a lot of the crew haven’t reported in. Because of the seriousness of the charges that are being laid against Brad, we can only assume that those who didn’t call in, were somehow involved,” their boss went on. This was met with shock, as some of the women there wore looks of disgust at this news.

“Due to the sudden shortage of workers, I’m afraid that everything that the second crew was responsible for, now falls to the rest of you. But don’t be too fussed about it, as I have faith that you will all manage the workload just fine,” Joe said hopefully.

“Challenge accepted,” Jason told them with a smile on his face. His whole crew looked up at him like he was nuts, but Jason never shirked from a challenge. They shrugged and thought if Jason would give it a go, then they should as well. He hadn’t let them down yet, and he wouldn’t.

“All right, Jason, Russ, Kade, Dani, stay put. Everyone else, get everything started up. We have a big day ahead of us,” Joe finished.

With that, Jason’s crew dispersed while Joe introduced him to his new crew members. There was Kade, short for Arkadiusz, who was a swarthy Ukrainian man with blond hair and green eyes. He stood at maybe five-foot-eight and his frame was larger than Jason’s, with a fair bit of muscle on him. Jason knew that this guy was a hard worker just by looking at him.

Then there was Russell, a lanky East Indian man, who stood at six-foot-three and had obviously adapted to a Canadian lifestyle. He had the dusky skin and black hair associated with most of his race, combined with a short beard and brown eyes. The look he had about him was one of both mischief and trustworthiness, which was an odd combination.

Then there was Danika, who was introduced as Russ’ second cousin. She was the same height as Kade, though much thinner, but solidly built. She looked like she was maybe one-hundred and seventy pounds, but most of it was muscle, as her physique was almost bodybuilder level. Despite her thick stature, she had curves that made her features all the more alluring.

She had high cheekbones, a slight beak of a nose, almond-shaped eyes that were dark brown. Her face was finished with an angular jaw and a sharp and pointed chin, framed by her ink black hair. Though her rack might have been implants, they were small, which didn’t stand out too much on her muscled body. Her hips though, were properly shaped and were perfectly round.

Jason had reached out to each one of them with his Gaian senses when speaking to them and could sense nothing wrong with them. He sensed no malevolence from any of them, and he smiled at this. He knew that they wouldn’t be a problem for him or his crew.

“Well, now that we’re acquainted, I’ll have you all know that I run a tight, but fair crew. There will be no lollygagging, and if there’s one thing I do, it’s lead by example,” he told the newcomers.

“That’s a relief. I welcome having a boss who pulls his weight just like the rest of us. Brad was one of those kinds who just delegated shit and stood there watching us work,” Russ told him, his tenor voice carrying no accent.

“Well, I’m not Brad. If you want proof of that, then gather your things and let’s get started. We have a lot of work do,” Jason told them.

“Let’s see what you got, bossman,” Danika’s dulcet tone carrying the weight of a challenge.

“Like I just told Joe and Henry, Challenge accepted.”

Luke arrived in his van not long after their shift started, arriving maybe a quarter hour before eight. He was early, but he liked to be early when showing up for an interview. It showed both discipline and initiative, which were qualities that most employers valued. He killed the engine and sat there for a minute, thinking over what had happened in the past twenty-four hours.

Old wounds that had long stayed closed were now open again. He finally learned why Dominique did what she did and after thinking on it a while, he knew that was why she ran away. It angered him that she couldn’t bring herself to tell him, but she always had a difficult time asking for help. Even though it had been years since he’d gotten over her leaving like that, it still hurt.

Luke thought about what might happen if he ever saw her again. But that wasn’t likely, as he’d done a full on grid search for her afterwards. He’d done successive searches for several years after, but they always came up empty. Wherever she was, she’d been smart about staying off the grid. A couple of years ago, he just gave up and moved on, not wanting to stick himself in the mire of the past.

Taking a deep breath, Luke took his keys in hand, got out of his van and walked up to the trailer. Smelling the fresh morning dew on the air gave the man a sense of peace. Putting away that piece of shit who had made his life hell in more ways than one, it was one hell of a good start.

Sure, Brad and Dustin would have to face due process, just like everyone else, but the evidence was stacked too high against them. There was no way they’d wriggle out of this. They were going away to dark and unfriendly place, each with their own three-hundred-pound fiancé named Bubba. He smiled vengefully as he knew that those men would be getting their just desserts.

Luke sighed, feeling that this day would be a good one, as he stepped up to the door and knocked. The door opened and he once again was face to face with Karla Dressler, who was surprised to see him there. Her surprise quickly gave way to a smile which lit up her beautiful face.

“Ah! Mr. Barton! Here early I see!” she stated happily.

“I always like to be early, no matter who I’m meeting. And please, Mr. Barton is my dad. Call me Luke, Ms. Dressler,” he told the woman.

“In that case ... Luke, you may call me Karla. Please, come inside!” she said, stepping aside, inviting him in.

Luke brushed past her, and he could feel his loins tighten. It had been a while since he’d been this close to a woman. Despite how he felt from earlier, Karla’s lush form was having an effect on him he did not expect. He could see that her ample chest was heaving slightly, and he smiled as he saw that she was just as affected as he was. Closing the door, she walked to him and asked him a question, which she had to repeat.

“Would you care for some coffee?” she asked him with a sweet smile.

“Yes please! I think my brain needs an extra jolt this morning,” he said, feigning tiredness. She nodded and walked over to where a large and expensive coffeemaker stood. Karla puttered around, making three coffees total: one for Luke, one for her and one for her aunt.

“How do you take your coffee?” she asked.

“Black, four sugars, please,” Luke replied, as he took his eyes off her sculpted ass to speak to her directly. He blushed as he knew he’d been caught looking, but Karla just smiled wider and went back to setting up their drinks. She finished them up and walked over, a coffee in each hand, setting Luke’s down in front of him.

Karla sipped her drink and wondered how she was going to break the ice with this man. Sure, he was a geek from his clothing and his demeanor, but something about him sparked her attraction to him. She couldn’t place it but knew that she was going to explore it. Karla looked back to where she had left Carlotta’s coffee and shook her head, wondering why her aunt liked it cool.

“Something wrong?” Luke asked.

“Just wondering how my aunt drinks her coffee when it’s only warm. Coffee was meant to be drunk when it’s piping hot, not this lukewarm nonsense that many people do here,” she groused.

“You don’t have to tell me that! I prefer my coffee hot enough to burn your tastebuds off! And strong too! None of the weaksauce shit that a lot of coffee shops pull!” he agreed. Karla couldn’t help but smile at this! A man who loved his coffee the same way she did? That was rare!

“I’m glad we see eye to eye on that!” she giggled.

“If you don’t mind me asking, Karla, what do you like to do for fun? You know, hobbies, pastimes, that sort of thing?” he wondered.

“Well, there are a few things that I like to do...” she began and started listing off several usual ones, which Luke had in common with her. They conversed back and forth, listing off favorite movies, foods, books and so on. Karla found this man both pleasant and engaging and wanted to get to know him better. But she knew that her aunt would be in soon.

“Luke, I don’t mean to cut you off, but my aunt will be here soon. She’s very much about staying on point concerning work and business. Can we continue this conversation later?” she asked him.

“Sure! When?” Lucas asked.

“Tonight? Over dinner?” she wondered tentatively.

“Hold up, are you asking me out?” Luke asked, floored that she was making the first move.

“You don’t like assertive women, Lucas?” she asked, her voice pure honey.

“I don’t like them. I love them!” he replied with a giant grin. Karla broke her composure for a moment and squeed in happiness. Moments later, they exchanged phones and dialed in each other’s numbers, testing them via text. They just handed their devices back to each other when Carlotta walked in. The older woman glanced at her niece with a knowing look, before asking a one word question.

“Coffee?”

“Right there, auntie. Made the way you like it,” she gestured before standing up, then seating herself behind her desk.

“Ah, Mr. Barton! I’m glad you are here so early! Please, step into my office,” she told him as she walked into it. Luke followed her in, and at her gesture, closed the door behind him. He sat down after she did and waited for her to begin.

“So, Mr. Barton, I have looked over your resume and while it’s good, I am more intrigued about how you were able to pull off your little gamble,” she told him.

“Honestly, Jason pulled me into it, promising revenge on Brad. That guy had made my life a living hell years ago and did something to someone I cared about,” Luke stated. Carlotta could tell that he was pained over the matter and let it drop. “But we knew that whatever was going on, he had to have had something to force your hand. That’s why we went digging.”

“You could have exposed everything, if they had safeguards in place. They showed that it was far more than anyone of your skill set could have managed,” Carlotta stated in an almost berating manner.

“If there’s one thing we knew about Brad, is that he was all talk, no walk. He liked to make it seem like he was holding aces, when all he had was fours. But even so, I took every precaution, just in case he’d changed his MO. He hadn’t, and it was easy for us to get in and out without them knowing,” he told her.

“He had no real safeguards in place?? How was it that he fooled me?” she wondered.

“That guy is good at using fear to get people to do what he wants. Unless you know more than he does and know him well enough to see that he’s lying through his teeth, he can fool nearly anyone,” Luke stated.

“More instances of personal experience?” she asked.

“You could say that.”

“Well then, let’s get down to business, shall we? Having had a look at your resume, and with what you have done for me yesterday, I would like to retain your services as an IT Consultant,” Carlotta began.

“I would require you to sign a contract with me for a period of no less than five years. Your pay would be considerable, starting at one-hundred thousand dollars a year to start. There would, of course, be bonuses and benefits that come with the position,” she stated.

“What kind of work would I be doing?” he asked, doing what he could to contain his glee.

“Mostly handling sensitive information and testing our systems against any form of attack. You would also be responsible for ensuring everyone’s private lives, staying private. There would also be other duties, most of which would be minor, but they come with the territory,” she continued.

“What kind of toys would I be playing with?” Luke wondered.

“Nothing but the best. You can only be at your best if you have the correct and best tools for the job. No expense would be spared in whatever it is you require,” Carlotta finished. “What say you, Mr. Barton?”

“I’m in,” he told her, doing everything he could maintain his cool. This was the job opportunity of a lifetime! On top of which, he would have a co-worker who could potentially be someone special in his life. Sure, it was just a date, but he and Karla clicked way too well for it to be just a fling!

“But I do have a few questions I would like to ask, if I may?” he queried.

“Of course!”

“Why me, when there are probably dozens of other people who have more accolades to their name, who you could employ?” he wondered.

“None of them, from what I have seen, possess your level of discretion. I would assume that Jason is also a discreet man?” Carlotta asked.

“I can vouch for that. If he’s someone you treat right, there is no one more loyal,” Luke replied. This answer made Carlotta smile, as truly loyal people were a rare find these days. She then switched gears, hitting Luke with a question that caught him off guard.

“So, what do you think of my niece? A beautiful woman, wouldn’t you say?” Carlotta fired at him.

“Um ... yes, she is,” Luke stuttered, going quiet.

“There is no need to be bashful or try to play like you have no interest in her. I saw the looks you two were giving each other when I walked in,” Carlotta chuckled.

“She is not only beautiful, but from what I can tell so far, a rare kind of woman that many men would kill to have,” Luke told her earnestly.

“Let’s hope that it doesn’t have to come to that. The killing, that is,” the older woman giggled, and Luke smirked at the thought of it. “Made plans for later have you?”

“Yes ma’am. We’re going out for dinner later and don’t worry, I’ll be a perfect gentleman to her,” Luke assured.

“I’m glad to hear it. But I do hope you know enough to put aside the gentleman when needed. Karla is my blood after all, and a Dressler woman’s blood runs hotter than a man’s,” she stated with a quick pump of her eyebrows.

“Point taken,” Luke said as he blushed. Being what Carlotta’s former vocation was, he believed that she was being truthful with him. There was little doubt that Karla knew she had a body made for sex and knew how to use it. Though it wasn’t one of the primary things on his mind, it was still there, tormenting him with what could be.

“So, when can I start?” Luke asked, switching the course of the conversation back to work.

“Given that some things will need to be processed and such, I would say Monday would be the best time to start. Be sure to give Karla a list of any items you need, laptops, programs, etc. We will have them ready for you on Monday, as well as all the pertinent paperwork,” Carlotta told him.

“Excellent! I look forward to working for you, Ms. Van DerBrandt!” Luke stated as he rose.

He shook the hand she offered, and he walked out, but not before giving Karla a smoldering look as he left. Karla shivered at this and smiled dreamily, anticipating their date later on that night. Carlotta then walked out after he left, coffee in hand, and took a sip before speaking.

“Don’t wear the poor boy out now. I still need him to do the job I hired him to do,” Carlotta said with a quiet giggle. Karla looked up at her aunt with a smirk on her face as she clacked away on her computer.

“Don’t worry, auntie. I’ll leave him in one piece. Ish,” Karla shot back. Carlotta snorted a laugh, some of the coffee she was drinking, coming out of her nose. She took a few minutes to right herself before cussing out her niece in Danish before going to fix herself another cup.

“Not my fault you have an overactive imagination, auntie. Maybe it’s the curse of our bloodline, ja?” Karla wondered.

“Ja, I would say it is,” Carlotta stated. She looked at her niece and could tell that she was definitely besotted with the man. How that had happened so quickly, Carlotta couldn’t understand. Or maybe she did understand it. That moment she had met Mikkel all those years ago, had changed her in ways she didn’t think was possible. She smiled and hoped that Mr. Barton was all that Karla hoped he would be.

Jason was just finishing up his lunch when he felt his phone buzz. He looked down and saw that it was Luke calling, so he picked up.