The drive from the airport to the Holiday Inn in Aurora took about an hour. As they pulled up to the luxurious five-star hotel, Hannah poked Jack with a puzzled look.
"Are you sure Mr. Wolf didn't give us the wrong address? Why would someone on the run stay in such a high-end hotel?"
Jack shrugged. "They're actually in the presidential suite. As a poor man, I find it hard to understand you rich folks. Maybe it's because the towels are more comfortable in luxury hotels?"
"Chris wants to impress the girl!" Justin's message had read.
Jack didn't need to hear her voice to sense her irritation; her message was full of angry emojis.
Knowing the close, almost familial bond between Justin and Chris, Jack reassured her while knocking on the door.
"Even if Chris finds someone special, it won't change your relationship with him. Trust me, you don't want him to be lonely forever, right? This is a big step for him, and as his closest family, you should encourage him."
Jack typed rapidly on his phone, and Hannah, curious, peeked over his shoulder. After a few moments, the door finally opened, and a rather disheveled Chris appeared.
"Hannah, my girlfriend. This is Chris, the accountant."
Jack introduced them briefly and then handed his phone to the still dazed Chris.
"Justin's mad at you. You'd better smooth things over with her."
"Uh!" Jack noticed a petite woman lying awkwardly on the couch. He glanced back at Chris, who was now frantically typing on his phone, and teased, "Don't tell me you rented a presidential suite in a five-star hotel and just sat on the couch all night with a pretty girl?"
The sound of their entrance woke the girl on the couch. She sat up quickly, wiping the corner of her mouth with the back of her hand. Judging by her reaction, Jack could guess their previous position—likely chatting late into the night until she fell asleep on Chris's lap, and he, inexperienced in such situations, had probably sat there stiffly the whole time.
"Jack Tavoler. Just call me Jack." Jack extended his hand.
"Dana. Dana Cummings. Are you friends of Chris?" Dana nervously wiped her right hand on her hip before shaking Jack's hand.
It was clear that Dana also had some social anxiety, making her a good match for Chris.
Jack briefly explained his relationship with Chris and refrained from teasing him further. Today's dose of jabs was enough. He just pointed to the corner of Chris's mouth, indicating a trace of lipstick still there.
When Chris returned from washing his face, Jack updated him on his conversation with Ray King.
"He'll come over from DC as soon as possible. Just try not to make too much of a scene; it's hard to clean up afterward."
Chris nodded expressionlessly, though it was unclear if he truly took it in.
"We analyzed the attack last night. The missing $61 million from 'Lifebots Corp' reappeared on their books. They did this to inflate their cash flow for the IPO."
"Dana, the company's cost accountant, was the first to notice the discrepancies. After I found the missing profits, their CFO died at home from an insulin overdose. Soon after, both Dana and I were targeted."
After hearing Chris's analysis, Jack nodded. "So, you think your new employer is behind the attacks?"
Contrary to Jack's expectations, Chris shook his head. "I'm not sure. The person who hired me for the audit was Rita Boone, the sister of Blake Boone, the CEO of Lifebots Corp. I need to talk to her first."
Jack remembered the original movie being a bit jumbled, and he didn't recall all the details clearly. What stuck in his mind was Chris fighting his way into the villain's home, having a dramatic showdown with his brother, and then casually killing the boss—likely the Blake Boone Chris mentioned, not Rita.
Jack's main concern was sticking close to Chris to prevent any unintended consequences due to the butterfly effect. He didn't want Chris accidentally killing his own brother, leading to a tragic outcome. Having brought Chris and Justin to a near-normal state, he couldn't afford to lose such valuable allies over a misunderstanding.
"Alright, let me think." Jack scratched his head, feeling he was becoming more adept at plotting from behind the scenes.
"Hannah, can you help protect Dana? When Ray King arrives in Chicago, meet up with him and go to Lifebots Corp to secure the records and documents Chris reviewed as evidence. Can you handle that?"
Dana nodded eagerly, and Hannah patted the Glock on her waist, signaling she was ready.
"Find me a weapon. After dark, we'll pay a visit to Ms. Rita Boone to confirm who's behind this."
Jack looked at Chris as he spoke.
The accountant naturally completed his thought, "Then we'll put a bullet in his head. It's the best way to end the threat to Dana."
Jack saw a sparkle in Dana's eyes, almost star-struck. It seemed saving a damsel in distress was indeed a foolproof way to win affection. Dana appeared ready to fall for Chris any moment now. Jack sighed. "Alright, let's go with that."
Jack had already done his best to elevate Chris's emotional intelligence from negative to positive, and it was unrealistic to expect more.
Remembering the original movie where Chris casually gave away a Pollock painting worth millions as a gift, Jack thought few women could resist such a straightforward gesture of affection.
Leaving Ray King's contact information with Hannah, Jack cautioned both women to stay safe. He and Chris then left the hotel for Chris's house in Plainfield.
The small house in front of them was more of a garage than a home. As Jack walked inside, he found most rooms were empty, without any furniture. The bedroom didn't even have a bed.
"Are you still sleeping in your RV?" Jack asked, surprised. Chris shouldn't have sleep issues anymore.
Chris was busy checking the house's surveillance footage on his computer. Embarrassed, he explained, "I don't use this place anymore. Justin and I are planning to move to LA. I'm worried about her relapsing and want to stay close to you. We've bought a farm near the San Fernando Valley."
"Professor Hubble is handing his research institute over to his students. He'll be living with us."
"Are you sure he won't be worried about this?" Jack fiddled with a mounted M134 "Minigun" in the corner of the room. Its terrifying rate of 6,000 rounds per minute covered most of the house's backyard.
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