Shattered Legacy Read Online Free PDF Page A

quicker.”
    “I'll call security, Merrick.”
    The woman's gaze never left the screen. “Aaron, turn around and walk out that door.”
    “You're not supposed to be here,” the man persisted. He took another step closer and ran a hand through his thinning hair. “Our deal was that you were never to visit me in person. Hell, you aren't even supposed to be in this building!”
    “These changes needed to be done internally.”
    The man stood silent as he stared at her back, his thumbs jammed in his belt loops. He leaned over her shoulder to see what she was doing.
    “Don't worry,” she assured him. “I created my own user accounts.”
    Fontana's face darkened as he recognized what she was accessing. “You can't change the main inventory databases from here! What about the system logs and the backups?”
    “I’ve taken care of it.” She logged off with a final flourishing keystroke, pushed back her chair and stood, pausing for a moment to brush a piece of lint from her sleeve. When she turned around, the two were directly facing each other, inches apart.
    Fontana remained directly in her path.
    “Nobody,” he said firmly, “and I mean nobody messes around in my computer network without my permission. Whatever it was you changed, you're going to change it back. Right now.”
    Merrick shook her head, looking the younger man up and down with an appraising eye. “All that money you make, and you still can't afford decent clothes? Doesn’t this place have some sort of dress code?”
    “Lady, this is my workstation you're playing from. It's -”
    “Risky?” Merrick offered.
    “We could get caught.”
    “No,” she corrected him. “ You could get caught. I pay you to handle the risk.”
    “Screw the money. This is my job on the line.”
    “Want to put your marriage on the line as well? Or don't you remember that night at the LA Technology Expo?” She cocked her head to one side, looking up at him with narrowed eyes. “I still have the photographs, if you need a reminder.” She smiled knowingly, and then lowered her head and attempted to slide past.
    Fontana shifted to block her. His mouth was set in a scowl, nostrils flaring. Merrick glanced up at him, and then shoved him aside. Enraged, Fontana lashed out. He grasped her right arm with both hands and held tight. In a desperate attempt to maintain her balance, Merrick swept her free arm back across the desk, scattering papers to the floor. The arm lamp swung against the shelf, shattering the light bulb. The area plunged into near darkness, save only the glow of the computer monitor.
    Her stumble was a brief one, but enough for Fontana to attempt a more secure hold. Merrick twisted as Fontana wrapped his arms around her torso. Locked together, they grappled face to face, each angling for advantage. Fontana forced her backwards. Merrick braced herself as they bumped hard against the server rack. She felt her spine scrape against the metal shelf. She panicked, realizing that as the larger of the two, Fontana could overpower her.
    She struggled again and managed to wriggle her left arm free. She slammed her fist into Fontana's back, just below the ribcage. The system administrator grunted in surprise. The moment he loosened his hold was all the opportunity Merrick needed. Her gloved fingers scrambled over the shelf and curled around the handle of a small Phillips screwdriver. In one smooth motion, she swung her arm and buried the tip of the screwdriver deep in his thigh.
    Merrick gave the tool a half twist before yanking it from his flesh. Fontana staggered back, gasping in shock and clutching his thigh with both hands. Without hesitating, Merrick reached out, grasped a fistful of his hair, and slammed his head down against the lower shelf. Holding the side of his head with one hand, she jammed the screwdriver against his neck with the other, pressing the tip firmly under his jaw.
    One quick thrust would drive the point clear into his throat.
    Fontana held his