Blackout: A Romance Anthology

by Stephanie St. Klaire

  It’s very possible that I just did the same exact thing.

  I don’t want to believe that though. When Sam went through Ronaldo’s personal items, things started to unravel. I searched Jason’s laptop, possibly someone’s most personal possession, and found nothing that said he wasn’t the man I was falling for.

  I hop in the front seat and start the truck. Pulling out of the parking space, I head back to the Paris hotel.

  Things are so different during the day. When I left these same streets last night, everywhere I looked, people were trying to figure out what was going on. Now, all I see is trash lining the streets, people passed out on one another, and others finally heading inside for the first time since the electricity went out.

  The only thing that hasn’t changed is all the questions I have—the biggest one being, Why?

  I’m glad to see no major terrorist attack occurred or that, from what I can tell, huge amounts of people weren’t hurt in an attempted massacre.

  All that happened was the blackout, which points even more to systems being hacked. So, what did they take? How was Jason involved, and why did they do it?

  I keep flip-flopping from having this urge that I have to know what happened to the voice inside my head telling me to leave and never think about Jason again.

  First things first though. I need to get to my sister and friends to make sure they’re okay.

  I pull into the valet, surprised to see employees standing there, ready for me.

  A man approaches the truck. “Wild night, right?”

  I laugh. If he only knew.

  “Have you been here the entire time?” I ask.

  “Yeah, they had us keeping peace around the hotel and making sure things didn’t get out of hand. Now, it’s back to work.”

  I shake my head in disbelief. Can it really be that easy?

  “I take it, you already have a room here. You’re lucky you had your truck out of valet. Lots of people couldn’t get their cars out.”

  I purse my lips, nodding slightly. I’m sure that wasn’t all luck on Jason’s part. Yet one more thing I didn’t even think to question him about. And the fact that it was parked, facing away from the strip, right next to the quickest way out of town.

  That had to have been planned.

  “Good timing, I guess.” I shrug.

  “What’s your room number?” the man asks.

  “It’s room 7007.” I hand him the keys.

  “Did you want to take your backpack in?” He points to it still sitting on the seat.

  I pause, staring at it, wondering what I should do. Before I change my mind, I open it, put in the password, and open the Notes app on the laptop, leaving Jason a message.

  I want to believe what I thought I knew of you was real. If it wasn’t, don’t ever try to find me or contact me.

  Gemma

  I close the lid as my heart pounds out of my chest. Before I change my mind, I place the computer in the backpack, zip it up, and stick it right back where I found it.

  I try to smile as I walk past the valet, but it doesn’t come easy.

  I hope I didn’t just make a mistake.

  I don’t even know what I want.

  I want the guy I spent the night with. I want the guy who gave up everything to take care of his brother, once when his parents passed away and again now that he’s sick.

  Those facts should tell me that guy really exists, but will I ever really know?

  Everything inside the hotel has an eerie feeling. Slot machines aren’t ringing, and everything is quiet. Security and police are still searching for clues, and people who have already gained access to their rooms are wheeling their suitcases out, ready to leave Vegas and last night behind them.

  The elevator doors open, and I hit the number seven button. I bounce on my heels, nervous for what I’m going to say. I head to the back of the elevator, leaning against the bar. When I look up, my reflection stares back at me, and I see my clothes. His clothes.

  There’s no hiding this aspect. They will want to know whose clothes these are. I was trying to think of lies I could tell about a fun night of partying in the streets or meeting a group of people who showed me an amazing night, but I’d still have to explain where these clothes came from and why I was wearing them.

  Plus, I texted my sister. If it did go through, they at least know I was with Jason.

  As I enter the hallway, I walk the short distance to our room, stopping when I see his. I’m tempted to knock. For all I know, he could be back by now.

  I notice the door is no longer propped open. Questions fill my veins as I’m stuck frozen, standing between two doors, trying to decide which one I should choose.

  When the door to the right swings open and Carrie steps out, I wipe the thoughts from my mind as she jumps on me. “You’re safe! We’ve been worried sick about you!”

  Her hands tightly wrap around me as she slightly swings me from side to side. Sam and Sarah join us, both crying happy tears when I come into view.

  We all hug, elated to see each other again.

  They tug me inside, and I sit on the bed.

  “Where were you guys all night?” I ask, hoping to buy more time.

  “We were fine; we were together. We want to know where you were, and, um, hello? What are you wearing?” Sam lifts up my arm to examine my attire more.

  I guess there’s no getting out of this one.

  I tell them everything. How I got locked out of the room in my robe. How Jason was in the hallway and gave me clothes and then took me with him. Our trip to his friend’s bar, our time at Red Rock Canyon. I tell them … everything.

  “Holy shit, girl. Then, where the hell is he now? Did he already go back to his room before I opened the door?” Carrie asks.

  I sigh, dropping my head back and closing my eyes.

  “That’s where my amazing night took an unexpected turn, down a road I should have seen coming but was too blind to see the signs …”

  CHAPTER 12

  What the fuck?

  “Earth to Gemma.”

  I shake my head, confused by what just hit my face. I turn to Sam, who’s sitting next to me at the café we met at for lunch.

  “Did you just throw a grape at me?” I ask, wiping my face where it left a wet mark.

  “Yes, I did. I was talking to you, but it was obvious you weren’t paying attention. Are you still stuck on Jason?”

  “No!” I say too loud, trying to prove to even myself that I’m not.

  She gives me an are you kidding face.

  “Fine, yes.”

  “You’ve been following the news sites. Have you seen him anywhere?”

  I sigh. “No.”

  “Then, maybe he didn’t do anything, and they let him go.”

  Not knowing has been driving me crazy. We’ve been home for five days now, and I haven’t heard from him or seen anything about him.

  No news has been released about the blackout. People have speculated that it was hackers, but the police are keeping things quiet for now. News stations have been more focused on how it was even possible than on why it happened.

  Whoever was behind it knew what they were doing and were able to cover their tracks perfectly. I’ve heard, if casinos were robbed, they would keep it silent because they wouldn’t want people to copycat, so who knows if we’ll ever know the truth.

  “But I left him that note,” I say, hoping she has a reason for why I haven’t heard from him. I know she doesn’t, but I still hold out hope.

  “Yeah, but did you leave him your actual number?” she sing-songs, trying to prove her point.

  I pick at my food, pushing it around on my plate. “He knows where I work.”

  She lets out a hard laugh. “And do you know how hard it is for me to get through to you? Your work is a little intimidating. It’s not like calling the local Starbucks and asking for a barista who works there.”

  I drop my fork, sitting back in my chair. She’s right. Somewhere in
the back of my mind though, I wanted him to come for me, tell me it wasn’t him and that he was the guy I thought he was.

  No such luck.

  My phone dings with an incoming calendar change, saying my appointment has been changed from four today to one. I close my eyes in frustration when I see it’s twelve thirty.

  “Sorry. I guess people think it’s okay to change meeting times on me only thirty minutes beforehand. I’ve got to go.”

  She grabs my arm. “If you want to see him again, go to the hospital. You know he’s there.”

  “And look like a total stalker? No, thank you. Love you.” I give her a hug and head back to the office.

  When I awaken my laptop, making sure I have the things I need ready for my meeting, a message pops up in a window I’ve never seen.

  I changed your meeting time. It’s really still at four. I needed to get you back in the office.

  What the hell? I tap my mouse on the window, trying to figure out what’s going on. What do they mean, get me back in the office?

  The text changes within the window, and I can see it as it’s being typed out.

  It’s Jason. I know this is an unconventional way to talk to you, but I figured it was fitting for what I’m going to say.

  My stomach instantly turns as I watch the window wipe clean, and the typing starts again.

  I am a hacker—as you can probably tell by how I hacked into your computer—but it’s not what you think though.

  The screen wipes clean again, and I want to throw it across the room. Not because I’m mad he’s telling me he’s a hacker, but because the text box keeps wiping clean instead of continuing. I’ve never been a patient person, and having to watch the words spell out is giving me anxiety more than anything.

  After graduation, both Tyler and I were hired to work undercover for the CIA, only it was so undercover that they themselves didn’t even recognize us as actual employees.

  Holy shit, he worked for the CIA.

  I want to scream as the screen disappears again.

  When Tyler got sick, they refused to help him with health insurance. We’d done a lot of shit for them, and for them to treat us that way and not help was the final straw.

  My heart breaks. I can’t imagine how I’d feel if an organization like the government, who could absolutely afford to help an employee with health insurance, denied me in the situation.

  We both quit, which caused even more conflict. They needed us, but Tyler’s health was more important.

  Of course it was. I’d have done the same thing. I wait with my eyes glued on the screen as he continues.

  Those guys the other night were who we used to work for. They wanted to ask me questions.

  I’m dying to ask him if he did it, but I’m not sure if I want to actually hear the answer.

  I want to see you again. I’ll explain more in person if you’ll allow me. Meet me tonight when you get off work. I’ll be at the bar on the corner of Olympic and Flower. I hope to see you there.

  I stare at the screen, waiting to see if he writes any more. A minute later, the entire window disappears, and my computer looks like nothing was ever there. I move my mouse and click the space bar, seeing if it makes anything happen, but no, it’s gone.

  I reach for my phone, picking it up to call Sam but stop short from dialing, not sure what to say. I still don’t know anything, except that he is a hacker and he just hacked into my computer.

  A smile tugs at my lips. Here I was, afraid of stalking him at the hospital, but I think he just won the award for highest form of stalking. And it actually makes me really happy instead of pissing me off.

  Now, I just need to make the day go by faster. I’ve waited long enough. I just want to know the truth.

  ***

  My four o’clock meeting dragged on and on. My mind was completely elsewhere, and when everything had been discussed—most of which I’m sure I’ll have to be reminded of later—I hurried to my office, grabbing my purse and heading out the door.

  The bar he mentioned is in walking distance, so I head straight there, gripping the strap of my Coach bag harder than I should.

  This is it. I’ll either leave here happy or even more upset than I have been. Sometimes, the truth isn’t nice, but it needs to be told.

  I swing the door open and wait for my eyes to adjust to the dark interior. My stomach flips, and I wipe my hands down my pants as I inhale a deep breath.

  My vision stops on the back of a guy dressed in a black polo and jeans. His head turns, and when his glasses come into view, I can’t help the smile that grows on my face.

  When he spots me, his face reflects my reaction. A calmness sweeps over me as I step toward him.

  He stands and meets me halfway. Holding out his hand low, he waits for me to offer mine. I do, and his fingers intertwine with mine.

  “Thank you for coming.”

  I nod, not sure what to say.

  “Here, let me order you a drink.”

  “Good idea.”

  He pulls out the barstool, and I sit, wrapping my purse around the back of it as he motions for the bartender to grab another beer.

  “Thank you for parking my truck in valet. I’m truly sorry I had to leave you that way.” He places his hand on my leg in a sweet gesture.

  My body reacts instantly to his touch, so I reach for the beer, needing something to keep my hands busy. I bring it to my lips, thankful for the distraction. He needs to talk, not me.

  “Were your sister and friends okay?” he asks.

  I nod as I set down the drink. That’s it. I can’t take it anymore. “Did you do it?”

  He laughs, but it’s obvious that it’s not real. That pretty much answers my question more than words.

  “It’s not what you think.”

  “Why then?”

  He sighs, reaches for his drink, downs the remainder of the bottle, and puts a twenty on the bar. “Want to go for a walk?”

  Searching around, I notice the people sitting around us and realize why he would rather have this discussion outside. I take a few more sips and then stand, leading our way out to the street.

  Once we’re outside, he tucks his hands in his pockets, nervously placing one foot in front of the other as he begins to speak, “I’m not completely innocent when it comes to the blackout in Vegas.”

  “Okay, what does that even mean?”

  “I only had a very small part in it.”

  “So, you did it?”

  “No. Yes. Fuck.” He sighs. “I don’t even know what really happened. Only the top people really know. We were paid for our part, and that’s it.”

  “Then what was your part?”

  “To make sure the generators were cut at the Paris hotel.”

  I stop dead in my tracks. Did he really just admit that to me?

  He steps in front of me, holding my hands. “My brother is the only other person on Earth who knows I was involved. I’m trying to be very honest with you. Our time together was the best night I’ve had in a long time. I haven’t really connected with anyone like that in years. I want this between us, but I know I have to come clean before you’ll give me a shot.”

  I stare directly into his eyes. “Why’d you do it?”

  “I had to. For Tyler. I was paid enough money to pay for all his medical bills. Believe me, I didn’t want to. I swore to myself that I would never use my knowledge for bad. That’s why I worked for the CIA. I wanted to help catch the bad guys, and here I was, becoming one of them.”

  I inhale a deep breath, taking it all in.

  “Please believe me. That’s not who I am. I asked a lot of questions, and they swore up and down that no people would be harmed..”

  “How did they find you?” I ask, absolutely dumbfounded.

  He lets out a small chuckle. “I’m pretty well known in the underground world. Every good hacker keeps their ear to the ground, and our fallout with the CIA got leaked somehow. They knew about Tyler and that we were in need of some
cash.”

  “How many people were involved?”

  “I don’t know.”

  I look down, biting the inside of my lip, taking deep breaths.

  “Say something.” His fingers rub against mine. “Please, tell me what you’re thinking.”

  I shake my head ever so slightly. “I don’t know what to think. How am I supposed to take this all in? I barely know you, yet you just told me you caused a massive blackout in an entire city.”

  He drops his head back, trying to think of what to say that could make it all better when I’m not sure if anything he says would make it better.

  “Did you steal?”

  “No,” he says matter-of-factly.

  “No?”

  “No. I was paid to do a job.”

  “A job that ultimately set up someone else to steal?”

  “I don’t know that.”

  I narrow my eyes at him. “Seriously, Jason? Of course they stole.”

  “No, you can’t say that for sure.”

  “Then, why would they shut all the power off in Vegas if they weren’t stealing?”

  “I don’t know, and I don’t want to know. The less I know, the better.”

  I push him away. “Is that supposed to make me feel better?”

  He frowns, pushing his hands back in his pockets. “No. But they swore to me that no people would be harmed or robbed.”

  “And you believed them? Hackers? Because they are so trustworthy.”

  “But you need to understand that they knew, if I really wanted to, I could find out who they were. I’ve never not been able to find someone; that’s why the CIA hired me. I’m one of the best. If anything bad happened, they knew I would turn them in.”

  “So, you were willing to risk innocent lives on the word of hackers?”

  His head falls to his chest in defeat. “Hackers aren’t killers. I promise you.”

  I run my fingers through my hair, shocked at what I’m hearing.

  “Nothing has changed about who I am. Everything about that night was real. I went there to do a job, but things changed when you fell in my lap.”

  I let out a sharp laugh at the reminder of how we met. He takes the opportunity to reach for my hand again.

  “I did everything I could to get you out of my mind, but everywhere I went, you were there,” he says.