Love is dangerous

Author's note: I want to thank everybody for their adorable reviews. I know that I said that I would be updating my other stories first, but it isn't that easy. I know what I want to write next in Reversed but it is going to be a delicate chapter, so I want to take my time writing it. Same goes to Second Chance, I know where I want to go with the fiction but I am not sure how to develop the next chapter without giving too much away, which I don't want quite yet. As for Freak of the week, well I know how I want the story to end, but there is a long way until that and I am just not feeling it in the moment. This chapter on the other hand practically wrote itself, so I will postpone the other two until some time after my exams.

I made a mistake in the last chapter. I wrote "he" when I referred to the manager, but it is a "she". I hope I didn't confuse you too much. I will correct it in the near future.

Finally a chapter that is a little bit longer, so I hope you will enjoy it.

Text in italic script is a flashback.


Chapter 4 – Threat

Vincent was sitting in his office. His thoughts were trailing to Jasmine as very so often in the past three days. He couldn't forget her. He couldn't believe that she had refused him.

Jasmine let out a chuckle.

"What's so funny?" he was irritated. He didn't expect this reaction. He wasn't cocky, but normally women responded very well to him. Often he didn't even have to ask. And yet, here she was standing, laughing louder minute by minute.

"I'm sorry, but you have to admit that asking me on a date while not even knowing my real name is kind of funny. Even more if you consider that I had you pinned on the floor a short time ago," she stated the obvious.

"Then tell me your name," he urged, ignoring the second part of her explanation.

Again she chuckled softly. "Now, why would I do that, Mr. Keller?" she teased him. Quicker than he could respond, she shut the door in his face. Stunned, he raised his hand to knock again, but he just let it rest against the door defeated instead.

"Earth to Vincent!" JT brought him roughly back to the present. "Oh there you are. For a minute there I thought, I lost you in Jasmine-land," he teased him once he saw Vincent's head jerk up.

"Very funny, JT!" The truth was that Vincent wasn't amused at all. The fact that JT knew exactly how this woman affected him infuriated him. For years no woman had gotten under his skin. He had female friends; some with benefits, some without. He cared the most for those without. Then he was always able to find women who offered him only the benefits if he liked so. But wasting thoughts on a woman who had rejected him? Never. The worst part was that when he had asked her out he didn't have an one night stand in mind. There was something about this woman. Since the very first glance he wanted her. He just had to have her. She had to be his. The fact that she didn't give him the chance to win her, angered him.

"And gone he is again," JT sighed.

"Is there anything in particular that you wanted, JT, aside from annoying me?" Vincent didn't bother to hide his discomfort.

"Seriously man, you have to talk to her!" JT pressed.

"You hardly came over here to tell me that, did you?" Vincent pointed out.

"As a matter of fact, I came to talk business, but I figured that you wouldn't be in any condition to do business until she says yes to that date, after I saw you zoned out," JT winked at him.

"I'm listening," Vincent ignored the part about the date.

"Someone got to level six. That's the furthest..:"

"The furthest anyone got so far. I know my game, JT. Was it a regular player?" Vincent asked alarmed.

"No, it was quite a newbie. He only started two months ago. He hasn't lost in any level so far, besides from level five. No one else has managed that," JT elaborated.

"Where is he from?" Vincent pressed further, sounding annoyed that his partner wasn't giving him the information without asking.

"He is from New York according to his IP. Thanks to this anonymity crap I can't tell you much more though," JT reminded him.

"I want the records of all the stages he has played so far, including the one he failed in. Tell the technicians to be call, I might need them when I find an improvement for the last five levels," Vincent ordered.

"Jesus, V. It's already seven p.m. It will take hours to work through the records and you want to also work on AARON?" JT was incredulous.

"JT, do you think that our little genius will respect office hours before trying to pass the next level? I don't think so. We can't let him pass another one. He is too close. Level five is the first security obstacle. He can't win the game. We can't afford to lose so much money before the deal in China. Neither can we afford to lose our prestige" Vincent reminded him.

"I know that. But Vincent, level six is nothing compared to the other five. There is a reason why he didn't manage to go any further straight away," JT tried to calm him.

"Well, it will be only a matter of time, if we don't take it seriously," Vincent insisted.

"I almost forgot how thorough you are. Let me take half the records," JT offered.

"No. If you want you can have your own copy and work on it. I have to see all of his work to find out what he is capable of," Vincent disagreed.

"Alright then. I won't take long," JT disappeared out of the office.

Vincent, alone once again surrendered to his thoughts. This time they concerned his company, SOFOS. He was a successful businessman, turning his mathematical knowledge into profit. Aaron wasn't his first game, but it was the most crucial one. He had built his fortune with those games and with the newest one he was taking a great risk. The older games were only there to cover running expanses such as salaries and allowing him to live a comfortable life. They were barely adding to his fortune. AARON was supposed to be his big break through. He had contributed all his knowledge and the most excellent ideas into its design. One had to be an extraordinary mathematician to reach the last levels; and brilliant with information sciences. The price was high if anyone was ever to win it. It would cost Vincent a great amount of his money right now. It also would possibly cost him the deal in China. Of course the bets involved analogical high numbers, which enabled high profit for Vincent and his partner. JT was his expert in information sciences. He checked over Vincent's products and improved them in that area, but the ideas as well as the prototype of the games escaped Vincent's inspired brain. Still, Vincent had made him his partner, second in charge; something that most people didn't understand, JT being one of them. But Vincent knew that he owed his best friend his fortune as much as he owed it to his sharp mind; and possibly his life. He was one of the only two people who knew his secret.

Vincent was already one of the richest men under thirty. He could afford losing this game. He could still live a prosperous life, but he would lose a lot of capital and power. If he could postpone it for another half year, he would be untouchable. The deal with the Chinese would be done and he would become an even greater legend in his field. The game had been running now for over a year. Two years were the mark he had calculated. The point after which cracking the game would barely touch him. And if after three years no one had managed to solve it, it would be taken down. That was the ideal situation as Vincent knew for certain that after that people would be paying him to get the change to crack it. Whoever this person was, Vincent had to make it harder for them.


JT and Vincent stayed up all night but eventually they found a solution. It was six in the morning when Vincent urged a technician to hurry to work. Now at nine a.m. JT was entering Vincent's office with a huge smile.

"It's done, big guy. This dude has to be a genius to figure it out. Level five is now more difficult than level one was before!" he exclaimed.

"Good job buddy," Vincent approved with a tired voice.

"It was all you, V, as always. I just added the final details," JT pointed out.

"The details are the key," Vincent smiled.

"You should crash for a few hours. The paparazzi will be all over you as soon as they find out."

"You need to rest as well. I will inform Tess to call me if it is urgent."


JT was right. By noon Tess was overwhelmed by phone calls, so Vincent instructed her to arrange a press conference for six p.m.

The reporters were waiting patiently in a spacious room in SOFOS, designed for such occasions. As Vincent entered, flanked by JT, fidget started amongst the rows. After Vincent took a seat he directed his attention towards his eager guests. "Thank you all for accepting my invitation. Mr. Forbes and I will gladly answer your questions."

That was enough for the crowd to barrage the two friends with questions.

"Mr. Keller, is it true that you altered AARON this morning?"

"Is it true that it is because someone got too close?"

"Are you afraid of losing a great deal if AARON fails to stay on the market?"

"There are rumors that SOFOS is in danger!"

Vincent chuckled lightly. "I believe that by now you should know that I prefer one question at a time. Yes, we altered the game. When I introduced AARON almost one and a half year ago I mentioned that it would be a game in continuous development as most of my products. There had been two upgrades in the past year, although neither was as massive. Every player is informed of this condition during the registration and our current players have received a notification automatically. SOFOS has never been in any danger, so the rumors are not valid. As for the deal, I have never announced one. It is true that one player has gotten remarkably far and I want to congratulate this person. They must be an excellent mathematician. We have been working on this upgrade for quit a time now. Of course the development of the game gave us reason to work faster, but it wasn't the reason of the upgrade."

The last part was a lie and Vincent hated lying. However he had eventually accepted that lying was of great essence in this business.

The both of them answered a few more questions but when the reporters started to take advantage of the meeting to question Vincent about his personal life he ended the session politely.

Back in the office Vincent poured JT and himself some of his finest Scotch to celebrate. They had been in the monitor room and the technician on shift had informed them that their trouble maker had failed the level three times, losing a great amount of the money collected in his account. If he lost one or two times more he would have to use new funds. This would slow him down unless he was wealthy.

"Now that the drama is over, we can talk about the other issue," JT started the conversation.

"Which issue?" Vincent asked although he knew the answer.

"This Jasmine girl."

"JT…"

"No! You will listen to me first, you stubborn fool. I haven't seen you thinking about a woman like that since her." Vincent flinched at the last word.

"It hast been five years, V. She would want you to be happy. She won't come back. You've got to start living again!"

"I already asked her out, JT; on a real date. She refused. This was a big step for me It might have been on impulse, but it still was a big step," Vincent explained.

"So? Where is the vigorous Vincent that I know? You are a winner. A charming winner for crying out loud. Go and get her! What are you waiting for?"


Jasmine had just finished her performance and Tori, the manager, had informed her that there was a customer for her in one of the private rooms. Letting out a sigh she opened the door.

"You," she whispered; her eyes wide with surprise.


Author's note: So this chapter concentrated on Vincent and his career. I hope it wasn't too boring but I just had to write about this. First because intelligent men are extremely hot :D Second because it is essential to a later plot. And third because I got to mention the secret. What do you think that it is? Is it related to Vincent's "dark years"? Any ideas?

They are referring to the player as "he". Short information, they don't know the gender, they just assume, because the male population is more attracted to their products.(There are excellent female mathematician, information scientists and gamers, but are there many that combine all three? I just had to be a little stereotyped for the sake of the story.)

Some of you assume that Jasmine is Catherine. Are you sure? What about the woman JT mentions every so often? She seems to have been very important to him. What do you think happened to her?

How do you think is Vincent going to approach Jasmine or is he at all?

Let me know what you think of this chapter and offer me some suggestions. I love to read your guesses! Even if they are wrong, they often are very interesting.

The next one will involve more of Jasmine, I promise.