Black The New Beauty

Chapter 3

Stefan entered his office on Monday morning and found Sarah on his seat. He hadn't had up to three hours rest and it was telling on him. He just wasn't ready for Sarah's trouble

"Can you stand up?" he asked calmly.

'No," she answered simply

He shook his head and dropped his keys and phone on the large oak desk. "Sarah, I'm not ready for your trouble. Stand up." he said looking more serious.

"Fine," she stood up and began to walk towards him. He turned the other way and walked to his chair.

When he sat down, he asked, "How did you get in here

"I have a spare."

"That will be rectified," he answered coolly

"Blah. Now, can I get to business?"

He stared blankly at her "Frankly, I have no business with you."

with you."

"Yes, you do. "she answered.

"Please, do refresh my memory," he said as he turned on his laptop

"Lindsey," Sarah said, as if saying the name alone was disgusting

He looked up from up from his screen," Oh you even know her name"

"Whatever."

"What's up with her?"

"I want her out of EVON " Sarah said simply

He looked up and chuckled. "That simple. Give me one reason, and maybe I will consider it."

"She's black"

He frowned, "Why are you against her being black? She's a normal human being like you. You might even like her if you got to know her."

"Never Stefan, she disgusts me. She's like dirt, and she's going round, spreading her dirt."

He shook his head, "You seem really jobless this good morning, Sarah. I am not sending her anywhere. If you feel you don't like her, maybe you should be the one looking for another job."

She gasped, "Stefan! What has gotten into you? You know, I have heard stories about African banshees a

sorcerers, Maybe she's using black magic on you."

He laughed, "Thanks for your concern, but I'm perfectly alright."

There was a knock on his door, "Come in. " he answered simply

Lindsey stuck her her head into the office and grinned

Stefan could do nothing but stare openly at he. She was looking totally transformed. Just last week when she had started working with him, she had had her hair in a hun always. Her clothes have always been conservative almost shapeless.

Now, she had braids like a true African. She wore a white silk top and grey blazer with a black pencil skirt She was using make up. He couldn't deny it, but he liked the new look.

It was Sarah's voice that brought him back. "What are you doing for here?" Sarah asked Lindsey.

He was going to reply when Lindsey answered herself. " I believe it's not your name on the door." she said

Stefan was surprised. Something had definitely happened during the weekend. The Lindsey he had known for a week wouldn't answer Sarah that way. She wouldn't dress that way either.    

"Sarah, please do something useful with your life, at least for now," he said calmly

"You'll regret this. Both of you" Sarah said and stormed out

"Sorry for that," he said. 

Lindsey smiled, "It's alright"

"Yeah. So, can I help you?" he asked

"Actually..." there was a knock on the door. Someone rushed in, "Sir, we have a serious problems. Mary is waiting for you at the C.ID." the person said and walk

"I'm sorry, but this might have to wait," Stefan said as he stood.

"I'm guessing C.ID is the bigger hall," Lindsey murmured 

murmured,

"Yeah, "he said as he walked out

"I'm coming with you." she said, following closely behind.

"No need. You'll feel useless."

Try me," she said.

He sighed, "Alright. as you wish

When they got to the CI.D. people were the

around Stefan spotted Mary sitting on a chair with her legs crossed looking calm as usual.

"Stefan," she spoke and immediately she did, everybody kept quiet. "I am never here, so me being here should tell you that this is serious " she continued.

"Yeah, I noticed It will be rectified as soon as I can get idea of what's going on"

While someone was giving, Stefan an update, Lindsey was studying the screens in the wall

"Vaber" she said absently, not realizing she said it out loud until she how people including Stefan and Mary 

looking at her 

"Please  may I" she told a big guy that stood at the control unit of all screens

"Lindsey" she heard Stefan call.

"Please I think I know what's wrong. I just need a chance she said half pleading

"But.. "he was cut off by Mary.

"It's alright, " Mary said to him and then facing Lindsey she continued "let's see what you can do."

"Vaber. It's an International hackers Network. Don't ask me how I know. They pool knowledge together and can cause serious damage. They have access into this network, that's why all this is happening." as she was speaking her hands were moving swiftly,

Someone gave her a chair to sit down and she did. At a point, she stood again and continued to work

"whose in charge of Network Access?" she asked 

"I am," a young guy responded

" Would you come here, please?" Lindsey said. When he got to where she was, she instructed him to do some things and he did as instructed

Lindsey kept working for over an hour. Once the Vaber put the wall it became very hard to remove it. All Lindsey could do was try.

It's not until Sarah spoke that Lindsey realized she was in the room. 'Mary, if you ask for my advice, I'll say we should stop wasting our precious time allowing her to do it and give it to the professionals

"That's why nobody is asking for your advice, so, just shut up" Lindsey heard Stefan say. She said a silent prayer as she was about to conclude what she knew how to do. If it didn't work out it would  be a great embarrassment.

She consciously counted to ten before putting in the last code and just as she entered the code, all the other halls showed "V-WALL REMOVED' which meant the Vaber wall had been removed and no other damage could be done to the EVON network.

Lindsey had no idea when she jumped up from the chair and into Stefan's arms. She didn't even know when Stefan got beside her. She was seriously jumping in glee and the thunder of applause from different corners. When she finally let go, she adjusted her looked at Stefan. She noticed that he was a bit flustered

"Sorry," she murmured, still beaming.

"It's alright. Thanks," he answered. She nodded and faced Mary who was smiling broadly

"You're Lindsey right?" Mary asked.

"You know my name!" Lindsey realized she was being foolish

Mary laughed "It's alright. Thank you very much. I trust Stefan to reward you well."

"Thank you ma'am, " Lindsey said.

"Mary. Call me Mary. I'm not some kind of old woman"

"Alright, Mary,"

"Great," Mary smiled and walked out. Sarah followed after her, looking quite angry and disappointed.

"Alright people, this angel here has done all the work for you. What we need to do now is to check the amount of damage that has been done. Get to work people, Lindsey, follow me" Stefan said and began walking towards the office. She followed briskly behind and by the time she got in he was already on his seat.

 "Yes?"

"Great job,"

"Thanks, " she murmured, smiling again.

"Permit me to ask where you learnt that from." he asked

"I told you before. I'm a good hacker, "she said.

"That's not the point, Almost everybody out there knows how to hack. My question is, how did you learn to bring down the Vaber wall? he asked,

Lindsey was silent. She knew that he would be disappointed if she gave him her reason for being able to break the wall

" I suspected it was Vaber," he continued when she was silent "I've heard of them and I know they are very dangerous Network hackers. They are more than just trained. It's in their blood. So, Lindsey I am asking you now, how were you able remove their wall?"

She sighed, "Fine. I was a Vaber," she said and looked at him trying to gauge his reaction.

He sat silently for a while as if trying to control his anger " Do you  know how much hatred Mary has for Vaber? If she ever gets a chance to meet one of them, which she already has, do you

what she can do?"

"That was why I left. I was there for only eighteen months. I knew that being there wouldn't get me the fulfilment I needed, so. I left " she said.

"Even my job is endangered hiring you, " he replied.

"I'm sorry and I will resign if that's what needs to be done."

"No need. Just forget it. This secret is between us. My mouth is zipped, it's left to you to do the rest, " he said.

"Thank you"

"There's no problem, " he said and smiled.

"Wait, I hope this doesn't sound too rash and inappropriate at a time due to what we just discussed but I can't help asking Do I get to move to that hall?" she asked.

He laughed, "No, it doesn't sound inappropriate and yes you get to move to that hall. I might even have to surrender this office"

"Thanks, but no. I want the bigger one down there"

"I get to move there when someone dethrones me here" he chuckled.

"That would hurt. Don't worry. I'll be okay in the C.I.D

"Then by tomorrow, you'll have a table there." he assured her.

"Thank you," she smiled and walked out. As she threw her fist into the air, "Yes!"

"Moving to our bigger hall?" a friend from the whom she had made the previous week asked.

"Yeah," she answered, grinning.

He smiled and gave her a fist bump. "This calls for celebration. I'll inform the other guys. They'll be more than glad to have a drink with today's hero,"

"I'm flattered but I'll have to be home before six or my roomie will start fussing."

"You can invite her " David said

"She doesn't do parties."

"So you're turning down my offer, " he said.

She laughed. "Alright. I guess I can squeeze in a drink. Where?"

"Why don't we go to the diner down the road?"

"I'll meet you guys by 4p.m. " Lindsey said and she then waved at him. He gave her a thumbs up and walked away.

When Lindsey got to her cubicle, she met Sarah sitting on her chair with her legs crossed.

"I thought you wanted nothing to do with burnt people," Lindsey said

"You've won this round", Sarah said frowning

" I had no idea we were counting scores"

"If you think Stefan will fall for you, then you are truly mistaken. Stay away from him and stay away from my business", Sarah warned.

Lindsey laughed, "I have no idea what you're talking about, but don't worry, Stefan wouldn't want anything to do with burnt people so you can be rest assured, "she gestured with her hands.

"You're messing with me, Gilbert. Don't try me or you might regret what you'll get."

"I have no business with you, Sarah. I understand you don't like black people. Frankly, I don't give a damn, but it won't get you anywhere I can assure you that," Lindsey said.

Sarah hissed, "Don't preach to me about my hatred for you blacks, If only you had stayed there, we wouldn't have had to cross paths. Now I'm I won't want to make your life miserable," she stood and pushed Lindsey away as she strolled away.

 Lindsey stared after her for about thirty seconds before finally sitting down to work, As she switched on her computer. She found that it was slow. Most likely because of the Vaber damage

While she allowed the computer to come on, she picked up her phone to check for any messages. After replying her father on her phone she looked up and found Cody staring intently at her. He was the most quiet guy in the office. Even as a rookie, she still had more friends than him and from the information she

he had been around for almost two years. When she stared him down, he flushed and looked down

Lindsey shook her head and faced her phone again. One thing she detested was undue attention.

She began to have the feeling that someone was watching her. She looked up and saw Cody standing in front of her. It spooked her out. The guy was so silent.

She plastered a smile on her face, "Hey. Can I help you?" He seemed short of words for a moment, but he

to regain himself. "I am sorry. I don't normally stare at people. It's just that you're pretty and I wouldn't want any thing happen to you."

Lindsey picked to things from his statement. Two facts that said: she was pretty and that he felt something was going happen to her.

"Umm ... thanks, I guess. But what do you mean?" Lindsey asked.

He looked round suspiciously and then grabbed empty chair from the cubicle opposite Lindsey . "Look, in the little time I've spent here, I have learnt a lot. One of those things is that Sarah Evon can be very  dangerous when she wants to be. From the look I saw in her eyes, she was furious, and furious Sara is

not good."

Lindsey smiled. She spotted a slight accent in his tone, sounded a little bit like her. That is, she sounded slight Nigerian. "I appreciate the information, Cody, but I'm not scared of a spoilt brat who has a brunt against blacks."

He frowned, "I know how she can be to Africans. She wasn't so nice to me when she found out I'm bi-racial. My mother's a Nigerian. She was Igbo, died last year." That explained the accent, although he didn't look any bit like Nigerian.

"I'm sorry to hear that, Cody, I'm actually also Igbo. Anyway, like I said earlier, I can handle Sarah. Thanks for having my back" Lindsey smiled sincerely at him.

She looked at  at him for a while before stretching out her hand. He accepted it gently surprised her by bending to kiss it. He released her and put a finger to his forehead in a kind of salute before he returned

 the chair and walked back to his cubicle

 He seemed like a person. Too bad she found that out as she was leaving this hall.