Breaking Out Bk. 02 Ch. 13

Greg didn't quite know what to expect from the meeting with Byron. Would he be OK or would he get angry because Ellie was at the meeting too and she was showing no sign of changing her mind about a divorce?

Byron spent a lot of time during the meeting looking at Ellie and Greg could see the pain in his eyes, he was sure that the pain was a sign that Roger was finally taking Ellie's plan to divorce him seriously. For her part, Ellie was polite and pleasant and kept the conversation focused on the business and never let it slip into more personal matters.

Helen had asked Byron to see them in an advisory role because she knew that she was way out of her depth. The size of the PSC job was enormous and she had no idea how to price the job so she wanted some advice from Byron about that.

He listened quietly to her as she outlined the work and, when he asked her for more granular details, she admitted that she didn't have those details yet. He frowned and sat with his hands clasped under his chin as he was obviously thinking about the job entailed.

When he spoke Greg could see that he was making a real effort not to talk down to them and he was amazed at what a change it seemed to make in the man.

"I guess I don't have to tell Greg, or you Helen, that there are some jobs that are just too big for a small business and taking on those big jobs can actually destroy your business rather than help it grow.

"I think that there is a real danger of that happening here ... but it depends on what the CEO at PSC is prepared to accept. There are a number of different elements to this job and, if he is happy for you to break the job down into those elements and tackle a few at a time then that would be good.

"Doing it that way might take longer but it would place less strain on your business and, if you were paid for each element as you completed it, your cash flow is not going to disappear like it would if you had to hire a lot of staff and then wait till the larger job was completed before you were paid.

"However, if the CEO wants it all done at once ... and he may want that seeing that security is an issue here ... then you should walk away from the job because it will kill your business. Even though you might be able to survive by borrowing money to tide you over the dry spell you could end up seeing your profit eaten up by interest payments.

"Walking away from the job will also damage your business so it's something that you really need to consider carefully. However, I may be able to help with The Syndicate member who has the most invested in PSC so the damage, if you walk away, may not be as great as it would otherwise be."

Helen nodded thoughtfully, "Thank you for reminding us of the issues that arise when the job is too big ... it's so easy to get caught up in the excitement of getting a job like this that you tend to overlook the fundamentals.

"It is something that we will look at ... and there might be some things we can do to tighten up the security across the board that will keep the CEO happy while we are working our way methodically through the list.

"And thanks for offering to help with The Syndicate too ... you know that we would be in one hell of a mess without all the help you have given us.

"I also need some help in putting the quote together so that I get the pricing right and don't end up doing the job for less than it is really worth. Do you have any suggestions there?"

Once again Byron sat with his chin resting on his clasped hands and thought for a few moments before replying.

"I think that most small businesspeople would be reluctant to hire anyone for a particular job who wasn't actively and directly contributing to producing the outcomes required for that job. However, there are some jobs that benefit greatly from having someone on board who can stand back and see the bigger picture.

"I would suggest that you guys should hire a project manager who can help keep everything running smoothly and I can also put you in touch with an expert in the area of pricing. I will give him a call this morning and ask him to see you as a matter of some urgency.

"I would also suggest that you guys think about looking for some angel investors for your business. I know that you would not want to go down the venture capital route ... and you might find that most venture capitalists wouldn't touch you anyway ... but The Syndicate has some funds set aside for businesses like yours and it could really help smooth out what could become quite a rough patch for you."

Byron looking at each of us and we looked at each other, "I know that all three of you are going to be busy for the next couple of days and then you are going to be away Helen so when is a good time for you?"

Greg had begun thinking about the funds that they had right at that point, and he could see a lot of expenses in the near future that they may not be able to cover so if they were going to take some angel investments they should start organising that now.

Helen was on the same wavelength, "I'm almost certainly going to stay over in DFW tonight so could we do a Zoom meeting for 5pm PST?"

Byron agreed and the meeting ended. Helen stayed back to hug and kiss him while Ellie and Greg walked out into the garden between their two houses.

"He seems to be trying to change," Greg said, and Ellie agreed.

"Helen told me that he actually saw a counsellor yesterday but it's too late. I'm calling my lawyer this morning and telling him to go ahead with both actions." She still sounded as determined as ever so Greg made no further comment.

While big things were happening at home Greg headed north to Bakersfield to meet with Marsha Granic.

About an hour out of Bakersfield Greg gave her a call, "Good morning, Mrs Granic."

"Hello Greg, aren't we formal today?"

Greg laughed, "Well I was going to say, 'Hello sexy babe' but I wasn't sure how well that would be received."

"Why don't you try it and find out," she said softly

Greg hesitated for a moment and then decided that it was a case of nothing ventured, nothing gained, "Hello sexy babe, how are you this beautiful morning?"

"I'm so nervous I can hardly stop shaking ... it's not the business stuff that's making me nervous ... it's what else might happen ... you're calling me sexy and beautiful and I'm not any of those things Greg."

That wasn't quite the reply that Greg had expected, and he was instantly into damage control mode.

"Marsha, I've seen the photo you sent me, I've seen you in our Zoom meeting, I've done some research and seen other photos of you. I don't know who has been putting thoughts into your head that you're not attractive but you have to stop listening to them because you are very attractive!

"But Marsha, I'm sorry if I misinterpreted some of the things that you have said in earlier calls and I'm way outside your boundaries ... nothing other than talking business needs to happen. Just tell me where you're staying and I'll book a separate room ... or even stay at a different hotel if that will make you feel more comfortable."

"Oh god no ... don't do that Greg ... please?"

"Marsha I don't want to put you in an awkward position ..."

"Greg," she cut in, "you are not misinterpreting anything and I'm the only person putting me in an awkward position by acting like a silly schoolgirl so let me make it quite clear ... if there's even the slightest hint of chemistry between us then I am going to fuck your brains out.

"I've booked us into a two-bedroom suite so if I get too much for you then you can escape into the second bedroom otherwise, we're sharing a bed and lots of body fluids. Are we on the same wavelength here Greg?"

Greg laughed, "Absolutely Marsha but if you don't give me the address of the hotel none of this is going to happen."

"Oh god," she laughed, "you can see that I don't do this very often."

Marsha had booked a two-bedroom suite at the Homewood Suites, a relatively new hotel within easy walking distance of some good restaurants. She mentioned to Greg that there was no valet parking and she would meet him at the front of the hotel so she could show him where to go to park his truck.

"It's not obvious so I will be more than happy to show you where to go."

The closer he got to Bakersfield and the hotel the more nervous he became too. He couldn't believe that he had butterflies in his stomach ... Greg Weston ... the super-stud pornstar getting nervous over meeting some woman from Hicksville California. Helen would wet herself laughing if he told her how he was feeling.

And then he realised that he was missing Helen too ... she would be at the airport now, waiting for the flight from Australia that was bringing in another computer expert and he could imagine Helen getting impatient as she had to waste time waiting instead of being on her way to DFW.

15 minutes out of Bakersfield Helen rang him and told him to find a spot he could pull over and call her back. While he was looking for a place to stop he called Marsha and warned that he could be a little late.

"Hi Helen, I'm off the highway and parked under a shady tree so are you OK?"

Helen laughed, "Yeah, I'm fine ... the plane from Sydney is running a few minutes late but I think that it's on the ground now so we won't have to wait too much longer.

"But that's not what I wanted to talk to you about ... there have been a couple of interesting developments since you kissed me goodbye ... and I'm missing you already so I wanted to talk to you before things got crazy."

Greg groaned, "I'm missing you too ... the closer I get to Bakersfield the more I'm wishing I was with you."

Helen giggled, "Sure you are Lover ... some fresh pussy to play with just a few miles up the road ... I bet you are so not wishing you were with me.

"Anyway, the developments ... just some things to think about before our Zoom meeting tonight ... things have gone from bad to a whole lot worse for PSC. They shut down the production lines this morning after Bog, Roger's expert from Florida, did some scans and found some malicious code buried in some of the control software they run.

"Bog reported it to Roger and he didn't hesitate to call the FBI back because ... well ... there are obvious signs that getting that code into the software was an inside job.

"As far as Roger and Bog are aware those systems are air-gapped ... there is no connection to the outside world ... but then no one in PSC's IT department has any clear idea of the location of all the workstations and other computers or laptops that might be hooked into that system so there could be a connection and they just haven't found it yet."

"Do they know what that code is designed to do?" Greg wondered if things could get any worse for PSC.

"Roger told me that it appears to be designed to cause certain parts of the production system to overload while, at the same time, continue to report that everything is normal. The end result would be an extremely large and devastating explosion."

"So what's happening now?"

"Roger said that the code appeared to have been in place for some time so they did nothing other than alert the FBI. He didn't inform anyone at the plant because he didn't know who he could trust and it was the FBI who ordered the production lines to be shut down and disconnected from the control systems.

"At the moment PSC's IT team is being questioned and Ken Griebler, the CEO, has asked us to put together an emergency IT team to run the systems when they are allowed back online ... and before you ask, I have already asked the obvious question.

"Bog has a couple of his post-graduate students flying in from various places plus he has spoken to a couple of people in Houston and DFW and borrowed some more staff. Ken rang me to let me know that I should just, in his words, 'add it to the fucking bill' ... so I am."

Greg was about to say something, but Helen stopped him, "But wait, there's even more, Roger has spoken to Ken Griebler about bringing in a Red Team."

"What the fuck is a Red Team?" Greg had thought that he knew all the jargon that was used with computers and operating systems but now he was beginning to realise that he knew almost nothing.

Helen sighed, "A Red Team is a group of highly skilled hackers ... don't get your knickers in a twist Greg ... these are good guys. They're job is to find all the ways that the bad guys can get into all the computer networks that PSC has so that Roger and his team can block those openings and keep the bad guys out.

"The Red Team does its work in secret and gives PSC a report at the end and the good news is that we don't have to find these guys. There are businesses out there who do this Red Team thing all the time and Roger knows where to find them.

"So, that's the PSC news to the moment ... now here is some news closer to the home front. I was talking to Byron this morning and he is going to talk to the trustees of Ellie's trusts and recommend that they don't contest Ellie's action to gain control of her own money.

"He is also not going to contest the divorce or and he will agree to whatever settlement she offers him. She seems to be in a bit of a daze at the moment, so I guess he has already told her.

"He is also going to offer us a million dollars during our meeting tonight as an outright, interest free, loan from him. He says that we have done an amazing job of bootstrapping our business but the job with PSC will take a lot more resources than we have at our disposal and he is happy to help bankroll us."

"Interest free?" Greg could hardly believe his ears, "Has he really got that sort of money?"

"That's what I thought too ... I'm sure that there must be a catch somewhere but I'm just too overwhelmed with this PSC shit to see it at the moment.

"Anyway ... gotta go ... I can see a couple of big Homeland Security people escorting an insignificant looking little wimp and they're heading my way so that must be Roger's man from Australia.

"Why is it that all IT heroes look like wimps?"

There was a flurry of goodbyes and "I love you," and Helen was gone leaving Greg deep in thought.

After a few minutes Greg shook himself and got back on the I-99, "Hi sexy babe ... are you really going to fuck my brains out?"

Marsha giggled, "Count on it big boy ... but seriously, is everything OK?"

"Absolutely and I should be there in about ten minutes. I see that we're now approaching lunch time so why don't I pick you up at the front of the hotel and you tell me where to take you for lunch?"

"I like that idea," and he could hear the smile in her voice.

"Good ... now I have a question ... what is your approach to PDA's?"

"I don't know," she laughed, "because I don't know what a PDA is?"

"A PDA is a public display of affection ... so in this case would you object if I kissed you in public or held your hand if we were walking somewhere?"

There was dead silence for so long that Greg thought that his phone might have dropped its connection to the nearest tower.

"I ... I ... you would really do that?" he could hardly hear her voice.

"Of course I would ... I don't do it with every client ... but you've indicated that you want more ... and so do I ... so ..."

"Greg ... I haven't been really kissed by a man in over ten years and no one has wanted to hold my hand for longer than that. If you want to kiss me in public then please do ... but just be prepared for me to faint.

"And you can certainly hold my hand but be warned ... I may never let you go ... and I won't want to give you back to Helen."

He saw the hotel's sign up ahead and the driveway looping off the road and up to the front doors of the hotel and he could several people standing about near those doors.

As Greg swung into the driveway all but one of the people who had been standing around the doors seemed to disappear leaving Marsha by herself ... almost in profile. Greg slowed so that he had a little time to let his eyes roam over her.

She may have been carrying a few extra pounds, but Greg had never got so instantly aroused by a woman in a polo shirt and a pair of Bermuda shorts as he did when he saw the curvaceous Marsha.

She looked stunning to Greg, and he hoped that she saw someone just as likeable in the guy she was about to meet.

Greg pulled up at the foot of the steps that led up to the front door and for a moment he was almost mesmerised by the way her breasts bounced as she came down the steps.

"Hi, I'm Marsha," she said softly as she slipped into the passenger seat.

"Hello Marsha, I'm Greg," and he leaned over and kissed her full on the lips. For a moment he thought that he had pushed too far but then her lips opened and her hand went to the back of his head to stop him from pulling away before she was ready.

"Oh," she sighed, "it's so very nice to meet you Greg."

She directed him to a restaurant about 400 yards down the road and he found a parking spot just a short distance further on so they could walk back.

"Ah ... before we get out," she murmured, "can I have another kiss please?"

This time her lips were open and ready and for a moment her tongue touched his lips and then withdrew.

He took her hand and squeezed it gently as they walked back to the restaurant. Marsha had made a reservation once she knew what time Greg would get in but there was still a few moments delay in being seated.

While they were waiting Greg had to step behind her to allow a couple of people to pass and he automatically put his hand on her hip. He was surprised when she moved to press back against him and then took his other hand and rested it on her other hip.

She didn't quite know what to do when Greg held her chair for her, and the waitress told her that Greg was a keeper because there weren't too many real gentlemen left in the world ... but both women laughed when they saw Greg blush.

The waitress had just given them the list of specials for the day when Marsha's phone rang and after some fumbling she managed to extract it from her purse and answer it. Greg couldn't hear the conversation but the shock on Marsha's face was unmistakable and he knew that something serious had happened when she ended the conversation with: "I'll come straight home."

She put her phone down and sat back, "Umm ... that was my daughter ... my husband collapsed at work about an hour ago ... the paramedics couldn't revive him ... I need to head straight home.

"I'm sorry for bringing you all the way up here ... but I'll be in touch with you ... you can count on it."

"Hey Lover ... where are you? That doesn't look like a motel room ... that looks like you're in my office."

If he couldn't be with Helen then he could at least see her in a Zoom meeting, "I am in your office my love ... the trip to Bakersfield ended when she got a call from her daughter to tell her that her husband had passed away suddenly."

"Oh the poor woman, is there anything we can do for her?"

"I'm not sure and I'm not sure that I'm the one who should call her right now."

"You're right ... text me her number and I'll call her in the morning ... and I'm sorry my love but when I bring Roger into the conversation you will probably see that he looks rather ... well-fucked ... and Ellie and I will be giving him more after we've zoomed through the meeting."

"Bitch!" Helen and Greg both laughed and Greg asked where his photos were.

"I'm saving them for after the meeting ... we all need to stay focused on this job."

As Helen began bringing the others into the meeting Greg sent Ellie a quick message, 'Missing you but I'm glad you're having fun with Roger ... I love you.'

'Missing you too ... Roger's OK ... but I wish I was sleeping with your arms around me tonight ... l don't feel complete unless you, Helen and I are together.