Looking for the Guinea Pig

After abandoning the hideout and sailing for nearly ten hours, driven by the fear that Julian might find them, they were forced to arrive at a place they didn't know—Spain, to be precise. From that moment on, everything had to be improvised. As soon as they set foot on land, Luca searched for a signal so he could rent a place that fit their needs. They had to look like a real company. Aubrey would take care of creating the supposed organization to make it feel more legitimate, while Olen handled transportation.

Luca chose an apartment that included a meeting office so everything would look more professional, a place with a view of the entire city. The apartment was truly charming—so much so that Olen, upon trying to tidy up, wandered around like a small child in awe before saying out loud, "This place has class. If I really worked somewhere like this, my daughter would definitely be proud of me."

Aubrey, standing behind Luca, simply sighed as if the weight of the world rested on her shoulders. She dropped her backpack onto the couch. Luca remained standing at the entrance, searching for the right words until he finally said, "We have to put the plan into motion. We can't wait any longer. We just need to post the ad on social media—the basics. We find someone, and then we leave."

Then he asked Olen, hoping for a yes, "You brought the new computer, right?"

Olen replied as if the question had offended him, "Of course I did, bro."

After a while, they split up. Olen went out to get food for the night, while admiring the beautiful view of Barcelona. Despite the scenery, he felt uneasy. Even though he was in one of the most beautiful places in the city, something felt off. Luca was anxious, and that anxiety made him pace through every corner of the apartment, like someone searching for a mistake.

Aubrey watched Luca pass by her like a dog that hadn't been outside all day, almost like a ghost. She could tell he was having the anxiety attacks he always had in situations he couldn't control. Trying to calm him down, she said, "You need to stop for a few minutes and rest, Luca. I'm serious—you look like a zoo animal. It's not that hard. Just post the offer and that's it. You're making a mountain out of a molehill."

Instead of calming him, it made him more anxious. A jolt ran through his body, making him stop in front of her as he said, "You don't understand what's at stake. We're putting everything we have on the table. If Julian catches us, we lose all our work—and I'm not willing to let that bastard steal everything we've built." He ran his hands over his face. "I lose my job, you lose your freedom, and Olen... Olen loses the chance to ever see his daughter again. So please don't say 'you're making a mountain out of a molehill.'"

She interrupted him, a little annoyed but keeping her voice calm. "I know what we're doing isn't easy. I know we're exposing ourselves by looking for someone like this, but we have to take bigger risks if we want to get where we want to go."

Olen stepped in to defuse the situation, smiling as always. "You both make good points. Luca, you need to calm down a bit. You're anxious and want all of this to be over quickly. Don't jump to conclusions about things that haven't happened yet. I know the risk is real, but I also know something else—I have the best team there is. You're like family to me, and family supports each other and trusts one another. And I know this too: someday, we're going to be truly complete."

Luca and Aubrey looked at each other and smiled.

"That's the sweetest thing I've ever heard," Luca said calmly, raising an eyebrow. "But I'm pretty sure I've never heard you say that before."

Olen laughed, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Well, now I've said it. Case closed, period. Now let's carry out the plan. Let's post the ad and wait for the candidates. There's no time to waste."

Without another word, Luca turned on the computer and began typing on every job platform he could find:

Person wanted with at least one year of experience.
Must know how to organize cables, cook, and clean.
Male or female.
The job consists of living and working on a boat.
We are an organization dedicated to protecting whales.
Note: must not be afraid of the sea.
Send information to this email:

Everyone was excited, but that excitement slowly faded as the inbox remained empty. Luca grew desperate, refreshing the inbox every five minutes. Aubrey noticed and made him a chamomile tea and a sandwich. Taking the computer away from him, she said, "You need to be patient—and eat. You haven't even had breakfast."

Luca looked disappointed, his head down and shoulders slumped. He interrupted her, saying, "This isn't going to work, Aubrey. I don't think anyone is willing to 'work for free.' Obviously, we're doing something wrong."

Aubrey tapped him on the head. "That's not the attitude Olen would expect from you. People have lives, you know. There must be thousands of job postings besides ours, so be patient."

Luca took the sandwich and, before taking a bite, said with a pout, "I'm tired, Aubrey. I can't take this anymore."

She kissed him on the head. "Something tells me things are going to change in the next few hours."

But nothing changed. For hours, the inbox of the disposable email remained empty. Luca was about to give up when a miracle happened—résumés started coming in. Luca looked at Aubrey with joy. "Almost there, Aubrey."

Three days passed, and interview day arrived. During those days, Luca watched videos on how to conduct interviews properly, while Olen watched him from a corner, barely holding back laughter. Every now and then, he'd say, "It's not an exam. I don't get why you're so nervous."

Aubrey kept making him sandwiches and occasionally took the computer away so he could rest. Finally, the day came. Luca was dressed elegantly, just like in the videos. Every time Olen saw him, he struggled not to laugh. Luca checked his watch and said with forced calm, "It's time to do the interviews."