Chapter 5

Margo had made a list of things to do and get in order before and after BAAM hit the Federal Reserve Bank. She also had to work on creating the virus. Then she would have to put the virus through several trials to make sure it worked.

BAAM sat inside an office in an old factory located in the industrial district of Tampa. It used to be a sewing factory until the crash in 2008. The recession after the crash doomed the factory for good. No one had been in it since. According to Aaron, the owner of the building was a motivated seller, and he got the place dirt cheap. He had used a dummy corporation to get a loan from the bank and put down fifty grand as a deposit.

            “Well, this is it. What do y’all think?” Aaron asked.

            “It’s big and dusty,” Bobbi answered with her noise turned up.

            “I’ll be sure to hire a cleaning service,” he said sarcastically.

            “We haven’t had a chance to really look around,” Anthony stated.

            “As long as it has power, internet, water, and a place where I can work in peace, I like it,” Margo said.

            “It has all of that. Now, let’s get down to business,” Aaron said. “You guys bring your money?”

            Margo and Bobbi handed Aaron cashier’s checks. Anthony handed Aaron a cashier’s check and dropped a small black duffle bag on the desk.

            “What the hell is this?” Aaron asked with confusion. “You said you had the cash. This is only for a hundred thousand.”

            “The rest is in cash in the bag.”

            “Seriously?” Aaron asked with annoyance.

            “Look, I don’t trust banks like y’all do. Hell, we have robbed them of millions ourselves, you know,” Anthony said.

            Bobbi laughed.

            Margo had to chuckle herself.

            Aaron grinned. “I see your point. It’s probably for the best if I made some of the deposits in the dummy escrow in cash, anyway. Now that we got that out of the way, Bobbi, do you have an announcement to make?”

            Bobbi grinned like a Cheshire cat. “I do. I got the executive assistant job at the Dallas reserve.”

            “Cool,” Anthony said.

            “Yeah, all I had to do was fuck the potential boss, who is now technically my boss,” Bobbi said. “He’s pretty old, but it wasn’t that bad. I’m impressed that he could get it up at his age.”

            “Ew!” Margo cried with a frown.

            “Damn, girl,” Anthony said as he shook his head. “Well, we appreciate you taking one for the team.”

            “I’m glad you do. I’m sure it won’t be the last time,” Bobbi said nonchalantly.

            “When do you start?” Margo asked.

            “Next Monday.”

            “That only gives you a week to get settled,” Anthony said.

            “I’ve already started submitting applications for an apartment under my Federal Reserve alias,” Bobbi said. “Until then, I’ll have to stay in a motel.”

            “I’ll allocate money to you today for the temporary move,” Aaron said. “After I get this place dust-free, you guys can move in what you need to work on IDs, the virus, and everything else.”

            “Do you think this place can be used as a temporary living space?” Margo asked. “Considering that we have to leave Florida afterwards, I’m going to have to sell my house. Just in case it sells before the heist, I’ll need a place to live.”

            “You can stay with me if that happens,” Bobbi said.

            “Bobbi, you’re going to have to sell your place too,” Aaron chimed in. “Sooner is better than later.”

            “Yeah, you girls should get your money out of the real estate as soon as possible,” Anthony said.

            “What about you?” Bobbi asked.

            “The house is in my mom’s name for tax purposes. She can rent it out for extra cash after I’m gone. The only thing in my name is the restaurant. Morris has wanted to partner with me there for a while. The only reason I hadn’t let him is because I know he’ll use it as a front to sell more of his . . . merchandise. I didn’t want to jeopardize what I had going on there by letting him conduct business in my restaurant. But since I’ll be leaving, I’ll just let him buy the place from me out right. He should have the cash for that.”

            “There is a loft upstairs and some rooms in the basement,” Aaron said. “Matter of fact, I think I might set up a little sleeping spot for myself here, so just in case I’m here late at night, I don’t have to drive back to the boat.”

            “So how long will I have to work for the reserve?” Bobbi asked.

            “Hopefully no later than December twenty-first,” Aaron said and looked at Margo.

            “Yes, hopefully,” Margo confirmed.

            “You can do it, Margo, baby,” Anthony said with confidence.

            “If anyone can, it’s you,” Aaron added.

            “Just in case I can’t, is there any way we can put this off until next year?” Margo asked.

            “Not worth the effort, and it could be even harder to crack their system next year. Every year the Federal Reserve upgrades the firewalls and scanning capabilities,” Aaron explained. “It’s best we do it this New Year’s since I’ve already collected all the need-to-know information. It’s still current. Next year, it won’t be.”

            “All right,” Margo said.

            “So, Bobbi, you know what to do once you start the job, right?” Aaron asked.

            “Yeah, like I always do. Learn the computer system as best and as quick as I can. Note any security cameras. Become friends with anyone associated with physical and cyber security.”

“And to find a computer that you can d******d the virus on,” Aaron added. “Or see if we can get into the mainframe room.”

            “Yeah, that’s new, but I haven’t forgotten,” she said.

            “Margo is working on creating the bug. Anthony and I will be creating false identities and creating a trail of history for them so no one will notice that millionaires have popped out of nowhere,” Aaron said and started digging into his pockets. He pulled out keys. “These are keys to the front and back door of the factory. You guys should be able to move your equipment in by the end of the week.” He passed the keys out to them.

                                                                                   ****

            Margo pulled onto Sunset Boulevard with the drop top down on her red Mustang. She waved at her neighbors as she drove by. When she got to her house, she had nearly slammed on the brakes. Bruce Style’s black SUV was parked on the street, and he was sitting on her porch steps with a bouquet of white roses.

            She pulled into her driveway. He approached her as she got out of the car. Margo didn’t have time for this. She was in the middle of the biggest score of her criminal career. The last thing she needed was an FBI agent with a crush popping up unexpectedly.

            “Hi,” he greeted with a smile.

            “Hi,” she said wearily. “Bruce, what are you doing here?”

            “Waiting on you. Here, these are for you,” he said and offered her the flowers.

            “What are these for?”

            “This is to show you that I am sincere about making up for the stiffed tab at the country club last year.” His eyes were almost as vulnerable as a little boy’s.

            She softened and took the flowers. “Thank you. They are beautiful.”

            “Will you let me take you out to dinner tonight?” he asked seriously.

            “Bruce, the flowers are enough. White roses are my favorite. You’re forgiven, okay?”

            “I appreciate your graciousness, but I still feel like I owe you a meal. I know a place that cooks a mean steak. You like steak?”

            She did, but she couldn’t go out with him. Then a thought entered her head. Bruce lost interest in a woman when he believed he had conquered her. That’s what happened with him and Bobbi. Once Bobbi was suckered in by his charm and she had slept with him, Bruce had disappeared quicker than a mouse who had gotten the cheese without tripping the trap. With that fact in mind, she decided to accept his invitation. “I love steak. You’ve convinced me.”

            “Great,” he said with excitement. “You won’t regret it. I’ll pick you up at six.”

            “Hold on,” she said. “I drive myself on first dates. And make it seven.”

            “I can agree to that.”

            “Where do you want me to meet you?”

            “Jimbo’s Steakhouse,” he said proudly. “And don’t dress up all fancy. It’s just a good ole joint were people are just people.”

            Oh God, it sounds like a place where sawdust is on the floor.