Jake closed his eyes deep in thought, then he took a deep breath eyes focused as he decided.
"I want to inspect the hotel," Jake said, turning back. "Every floor, every room. I need to know exactly what we're working with."
Edward nodded and stood up. "I'll take you around myself."
For the next two hours, Edward walked Jake through the Lux. The basement had solid foundation, large storage areas, backup generators that still worked. The rooms needed updating but weren't unsalvageable. The roof had structural integrity.
Jake made mental notes. 'The location was near higher ground, which would matter when the flooding started. The building itself could be fortified. If he could secure this place, refurbish it, maybe even expand...'
"It could work," Jake muttered.
Edward glanced at him. "What could work?"
"Nothing, just thinking." Jake pulled out his phone and took pictures the generators, the layout, the exits.
They returned to Edward's office as Jake sat down, his mind already calculating.
"I'm going to save this place," he said, making his decision. "But I need your help."
Edward studied him carefully. "What do you need?"
"Time and discretion. Angela and Markus can't know I'm moving on this until I'm ready."
"They already know you're here," Edward said as he pointed. "Sorry to say this, but they probably have their spies here."
"Then we control the narrative." Jake leaned forward. "Tell them I came to look around, that I didn't seem interested. Whatever to throw them off my real purpose."
Edward's tired face cracked into a faint smile. "Okay, I can do that."
"Good, thanks Edward." Jake stood and shook his hand again. "I'll be in touch. Just keep those records safe."
"No problem Jake."
Jake left the hotel, stepping into the midday sun. His phone buzzed with a message.
Jules: Blue bell Café. 1 PM. Don't you dare be late!
He checked the time. 12:30. He had thirty minutes to get there, so Jake flagged another cab. "Blue bell Café."
As the car moved through traffic, Jake's thoughts churned. The hotel was an asset, might even be a lifeline. But it wasn't enough, not enough for what was coming. He still needed capital and fast.
Suddenly a thought hit him. Cursing, Jake sat up. "Damn, can't believe I forgot this."
Pulling up his phone, he searched: Vertex Solutions stock.
Looking at the various hype around Vertex Solutions, the company was riding high on hype for an experimental medical treatment. But Jake remembered what happened next. In exactly seven days, they'd announce failed clinical trials and the stock would tank by sixty percent overnight.
'If he could short it with even the small loan the bank offered...'
Jake opened his calculator. If he put in five thousand and the stock dropped from $47 to $18... looking at the numbers, Jake's breath quickened in excitement. Roughly eight thousand in profit. Not enough for Cronetech, but enough to build momentum.
"First step," he muttered.
The cab pulled up to Bluebell Café, a cozy spot with outdoor seating and hanging plants. Jake paid and stepped inside, scanning the room for Jules.
Jules was already there, waving from a corner table. Her blonde hair was pulled back this time, her energy infectious even from across the room.
Jake smiled and walked over. "Hey."
"Jake!" She stood and hugged him quickly before sitting back down. "I already ordered for us. Hope you still like turkey sandwiches?"
"Yeah, that's fine." Jake answered as he sat down.
Suddenly Jules leaned forward, eyes bright. "Okay, so I have to tell you about my new job. It's insane."
"Yeah?" Jake sipped the water on the table. "Where are you working?"
"Nexus Corp." Jules said in excitement.
Jake's hand tightened slightly on the glass, but Jules didn't notice, continuing excitedly. "I'm in their special projects division. We're working on climate adaptation infrastructure. Like, seriously revolutionary stuff. The pay is ridiculous, and my boss keeps saying we're 'building the future.'"
Jake forced his voice to stay casual. "Sounds intense. What kind of projects?"
"I can't say too much with the Non-disclosure and all that. But I can tell you it's big. Like, shelters, resource management systems, sustainable energy grids." She grinned. "Honestly, it feels like we're preparing for the end of the world or something."
Jake's blood ran cold, but he kept his expression neutral. "That's ambitious."
"Right?" Jules pulled out her phone, scrolling. "Oh, and they're hiring. Like, aggressively. You should apply. They need people like you, smart people. And the benefits are insane."
She handed him her phone. The Nexus Corp careers page was open, listing dozens of positions.
"I don't know, Jules," Jake said slowly. "I've got a lot going on right now."
"C'mon, you gonna need to do something now that you left the Carlson's," she pointed out.
"Just think about it." Jules took her phone back. "Cause it's probably closing by July from what I heard."
Jake's chest tightened. July. 'That's when the apocalypse begins.'
"July," he repeated carefully. "What will happen then?"
"Not really sure. Just that it's the 'activation phase' or something." She shrugged. "Corporate jargon, you know?"
Their food arrived. Jules dug in immediately, talking between bites about her coworkers, her new apartment, how busy she'd been. But Jake barely tasted his sandwich. His mind was racing about the information Jules dropped now.
Jules was already inside Nexus Corp. She had access, information, resources. And she had no idea what was coming.
"Jules," he said suddenly.
She looked up. "Yeah?"
He wanted to tell her, to warn her. But, how could he? She'd think he was crazy. And even if she believed him, what could she do? It might put her in danger.
"Nothing," he said finally. "Just... be careful, okay? With the new job." Sounding worried.
She laughed. "Why? You think corporate espionage is a thing?"
"Something like that."
Jules reached across the table and squeezed his hand. "I'll be fine, Jake. But thanks for worrying."
She pulled back and checked her watch. "Crap. I must get back to the office. Lunch meeting at two." She stood, grabbing her bag. "It was so good seeing you Jake. Let's not wait so long next time, okay?"
"Yeah. Definitely."
She hugged him again, then hurried out. Jake sat alone at the table, staring at his half-eaten sandwich.
Jules was at Nexus Corp. She'd be there when everything collapsed. And in his previous life, she'd died two weeks into the apocalypse.
"Not this time," he whispered. "Not this time, Jules."
He pulled out his phone and opened a new note.
Priority: Get into Nexus Corp, find out about Phase One and save Jules.
Jake returned to the motel as the sun dipped lower. Tracy wasn't at the desk, probably on break.
He climbed the stairs to his room, fishing out his key. Just as he reached the door, something felt off.
Jake paused, studying the doorframe. No scratches or visible damage. But the handle was slightly warm, like someone had been gripping it recently. Skills he had honed during the apocalypse.
He unlocked the door slowly and stepped inside.
Everything looked normal his bed the same way he left it, his bag in the corner. Laptop on the table. But his papers were moved.
Just slightly. But Jake noticed the corner of his notes on Cronetech was folded differently. Also, the pen was on the left side of the notebook instead of the right.
Jake's breath quickened as he walked to his bag and checked the zipper. It had been opened and closed, but the teeth slightly misaligned.
Someone had searched his room. Professional but careful. Just not careful enough.
Jake pulled out his phone as he opened his messages and texted Richard.
Jake: We need to accelerate the timeline. They're already moving.
The reply came within seconds.
Richard: Understood. I'll file emergency motions tomorrow. Be careful.
Jake sat on the bed, staring at his phone screen. Outside, the motel hummed with evening life. Cars passed as voices drifted from other rooms.
Inside Room 14, Jake sat in the dark, his jaw set and his mind already three steps ahead as he made different plans.
"I have no enemies so it's definitely the Carlsons. But I will be ready for whatever they bring."
Staring at the window, he looked at the night sky. "I hope you are ready too."