The Billionaire's Assistant

Chapter 18

Kat arrived home to everyone waiting for her, an occurrence that was becoming more common but no less intimidating, and she laid out what she'd learned, the six of them pouring over her hasty scribbles. The group came to the conclusion that Kat should target 31 key positions and learn as much as she can, operational and security details as priority number one. The problem with the plan as a whole, a problem Jack had uncharacteristically spoken up to point out early on in the process, was the fact that they didn't know exactly what they were targeting. They knew for a fact that waste occurred and they were fairly certain of malfeasance in some form, be it legal or otherwise, but they weren't quite sure what. In fact, they weren't sure how to go about the process of looking.

Beyond that, discovering illegalities wasn't enough. They would need to somehow determine the most wasteful element of Tillibenton's operations and put it to a permanent stop. The permanence was another issue that needled at the group's minds, coloring especially Andy's perception of their chance of success. What could they do that wouldn't immediately be undone, that a multi billionaire dollar company wouldn't have the power to rectify? If there was an answer, Kat intended to find it.

She woke up the next morning earlier than usual, their variable sleeping arrangements finding Conner and Brent on the bunk bed, Emma in the twin, and her on the cot. Jack had slept in the other room, a fact only notable because Conner and Brent had been out late last night and the bottom bunk was the house's largest and most comfortable space to sleep, enviable and usually highly contested. He'd left it empty, instead choosing the couches outside while she, Emma, and Andy sat in the small room and talked lightly about nothing, Andy distracted by her perpetual knitting project and Emma letting one arm dangle from the side of the bed, a library magazine resting open across her chest.

Beyond the den, the library was a place FES visited often, it was the most environmental way to get entertainment, sure, but they were also close with the librarians on staff, close enough that Emma was allowed to leave with the building's magazine subscriptions with 'DO NOT REMOVE' written across the address label in black sharpie. The majority of books in the den were library throwaways they'd rescued, and nowadays the few staff left at the underfunded public service knew to set aside damaged books for one of the hippy-esque young people that constantly stopped by.

Jack's choice, although not strange exactly, had kept Kat awake the night before, laying in the dark as she thought while Emma snored breathily. Now, in the early light of day, things were no clearer, and it was time to call in reinforcements.

She crossed to Emma's bed in socked feet and shook her shoulder firmly. Emma didn't even halt her snoring, and Kat rolled her eyes as she shook her more aggressively.

"Seventeen," Emma mumbled, her mind yet to enter the world of the wakeful as her body had. "It's an emu."

Kat smiled then shook the small young woman again, this time hissing, "Emma," as she did so.

Emma's eyes shot open and she smiled when she saw Kat's face close to hers.

"Hello," she trilled sleepily, closing her eyes again with the smile still on her face.

"Emma, Emma no, wake up," Kat whispered, poking her shoulder till the women's dark brown pupils were visible again.

"What," Emma whined, fully awake now. "Is it even morning? What year is it?"

Kat laughed then straightened up. "C'mon," she said with a tug of Emma's hand. "Get up. It's early but I have to talk to you about something." She stole a glance at the open door, Jack's still sleeping form bundled on the couch visible from where she stood.

"About Jack," she whispered more quietly, and suddenly Emma was sitting up straight, pushing back the covers.

"It's about jack?" She asked, her voice falling to match the volume of Kats. "No. No way. What happened?"