"I need to know who did this, Bryon."<br/><br/>Jessica stood with her arms crossed, her eyebrows furrowed. Along with the hard, vexed visage, she wore a black turtleneck outfit that clung to her stern body, ending just above her knees. The black leather, knee-high boots tapped with impatience at the man in front of the glowing monitor. Byron had learned long ago to take heed of every expression Jessica displayed, but to take them in stride as he completed whatever task she set him to complete. The two had slept together once years earlier, though the tryst ended up fostering a healthy respect for one another in place of anything that resembled burning passion. Byron was someone in whom Jessica could confide and trust absolutely, and he just happened to be the head of digital operations and security at Griffin Financial.<br/><br/>"It's okay, Jess. Don't worry ... we'll find out what happened," he said, assuring.<br/><br/>"Well, I AM worried, Byron. This has already cost me a promotion. Who's to say that it won't also cost me my job?"<br/><br/>Most people would witness a glacier melt before they would witness Jessica Gorman display even a shred of vulnerability. And, although Bryon had his romantic interests established elsewhere long ago, that did not mean that he did not care. He turned from his computer and uncrossed her arms to hold one of her hands. "That's not going to happen." Bryon voiced the declaration with dead seriousness. "I promise."<br/><br/>Jessica swallowed, wiping the hint of a tear from her eye before nodding. She crossed her arms again as Bryon returned to his screen, typing several lines of investigative code. Twenty minutes or a half hour might have passed before he made a curious hum. Jessica leaped onto the possibility of progress. "What? ... What is it??"<br/><br/>"Someone ... has definitely been monkeying around with these accounts of yours," Bryon said. The barrage of typing had been replaced by succinct, strategic clicks of his mouse. "The diversion code is very well done. But, there is a pattern to where those profit margins from the run-off tabulations were headed."<br/><br/>"Where?" Jessica asked in a demanding tone. "I bet it was to Jonsson's account. He's such a fucking snake! He's been after me since the day I arrived here."<br/><br/>"No," Byron said. His voice came reflective as the blue lights from his monitor danced across his sharp features. "The funds weren't diverted to another portfolio. They exited the system altogether. Looks like the money landed in a privately secured account."<br/><br/>Jessica paused at the notion. "You mean ... my portfolio is the victim of petty theft?" she asked.<br/><br/>Byron only chuckled. "If you call $325,417.00 petty, then yeah."<br/><br/>"Well .. whose account was it?!" Jessica asked, impatience bursting through.<br/><br/>"That, I don't know," Byron replied. "Answering that question is a whole other legal and administrative ball of wax." The look on Jessica's face bordered between anger and disappointment. Byron knew that the hostility that brimmed behind the fierce woman's dark eyes was not directed at him, and he felt his resolve melt in the wake of old feelings. "I don't want the FBI on my heels, but ..." The look that Jessica gave him reminded the software savant of why they slept together all those years ago. The strength she fronted was more than a facade, and the fibers of her resilience were only matched by her zeal and determination. She loved who she wished to love, and Byron felt special to have been in the limelight of her trust. "I'll search what I can. Alright?"<br/><br/>She got on her knees and hugged him, kissing him on the cheek. "Thank you," she said, grateful. "Anything you can find will be greatly appreciated."<br/><br/>Byron nodded and went back to work, tapping into websites that even Jessica knew were part of the Dark Web and wholly restricted. A nervous tinge tickled her core; was she taking this too far? Was her need for knowledge and subsequent revenge taking over her better judgement. Byron was such a dear to her, and she realized that he could be in serious trouble for probing in illicit territory. She sighed to herself and was about to wave him off, when he spoke. "Found it." Jessica's heart beat in her chest. The answer to her vengeful prayers was at her fingertips -- she simply couldn't walk away now.<br/><br/>"Who is it?" she nearly whispered.<br/><br/>Byron narrowed his eyes. "Do you know a ... Sydney Rollins?"<br/><br/>A pause, then a hateful venting of her lungs. "You've GOT to be kidding me," she retorted. "That worthless piece of whore trash?"<br/><br/>"I don't know who she is," Bryon said. "Care to explain?"<br/><br/>Jessica sighed once more, this time in exasperation. "She's Damon's personal assistant. Damon Grier?" Byron shrugged slightly. "He's another senior financial officer and competitor," she explained.<br/><br/>A faint bleep sounded from Byron's computer, and he went to investigate. "Well, whoever he is has just been awarded that vice-principal position," he said, looking at the data on his screen. "Yeah, it looks like she's slated to be brought along with him to the executive suite."<br/><br/>The twisted evil of revenge infested Jessica and contorted her features. Her breath might as well have been muted fire. "Byron ... we need to stop them."<br/><br/>Byron spin in his swiveling Aeron chair to face the enraged woman. "Hold on, Jess ... there's nothing you can do about Damon. His promotion has already received executive approval."<br/><br/>"Has hers?" she asked.<br/><br/>Byron turned back to the monitor and brought up Sydney's administrative profile. "Not yet, thought her status has been switched to active. Damon probably requested she follow him, and she's mobile in the system." Byron watched Jessica deep in thought, unsure if she would explode at the reality of her relative defeat. He tried to offer what consolation that he could. "Look, Jess ... you can file a grievance and report her. She's embezzled company money for personal gain. She can go to prison for ---"<br/><br/>"Assign her to me."<br/><br/>Byron paused, blinking. "What?" he asked.<br/><br/>"I can't do anything about that nimrod, Damon ... but, I can have my way with that scheming tart of an assistant."<br/><br/>"Jess, I'd need to ... fake a position transfer, which is risky," he said.<br/><br/>Jessica tilted her head, a delicious smile on her lips. She knew -- though they were no longer an item -- what turned the man on. "What if I made it worth your while, my love? I know that you like Cynthia from marketing. What if I told you that Cynthia is bisexual and has been wanting to find a suitable man to share a bed with her and Lisa Dobrin?" Her smile revealed her perfect, white teeth. "I think you would be a wonderful addition to their night love-making, and Cynthia happens to take everything I say quite seriously." Jessica had sauntered toward Byron slowly, her fingers dragging up under his chin.<br/><br/>Byron's mouth drew down in befuddlement. "Um ..," he stammered faintly. "Is ... is tomorrow, okay? I can ... have her start for you in the morning? If that's alright?"<br/><br/>The smile Jessica surrendered combined erotic intent with deep adoration. She leaned down and gave Bryon a soft and tender kiss on the lips. Her fingers lightly flicked the tip of his nose. "Good boy," she said, quietly. She stood and left the office, the smile on her face betraying all the devious acts of retribution that were quickly filling her wicked mind.