The Accidental Honeymoon (18 page)

“Shut up! You’re under arrest for violation of section 342 point 1 of the criminal code - Unauthorized use of a computer to obtain stolen information. You have the right to remain silent. And I suggest you use it!” Agent Vinx tells Tor.

The agents lift up the bloodied blogger. He is no longer ranting and raving. He looks at Ryan. And for the first time, Tor appears defeated. The CEO looks at him for a moment. Ryan appears as though he wants to say something to him. After all, the CEO has had 15 years of pent up rage to vent at Tor. No. Instead, Ryan goes back and attends to his wife. It is the ultimate insult to the blogger who considers himself the most important man in Silicon Valley.
Ryan has no words for him.

Ryan helps his wife onto her feet. He brushes some of the dirt from her hair. In the distance, the couple can hear ambulance sirens. “Miss Wilde, do you require any medical assistance?” one of the agents asks.

“No, thanks. I’m fine.

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah, he just knocked me over. I’m in good hands,” Karin answers as she embraces her husband.

The couple takes a few moments to answer questions from the FBI agents as well as local police who have shown up at the scene.

“Do you want to get out of here? The media will be showing up at any moment,” one of the agents asks the couple.

“I want to go for a little walk right now. I’ll call a car to come pick us up,” Ryan answers. The FBI agent acknowledges Ryan’s wishes and leaves the couple alone. Ryan takes his wife by the hand and begins to walk with her down the street.

“I think I may have provoked him a little too much,” Karin jokes about Tor. Ryan doesn’t answer. He looks at his wife and runs his hands across her hair. Ryan waits until the couple turns a corner. The couple walks to a small park right next to the Stanford campus. Ryan turns his wife towards him. He looks at her. And for the first time, he appears really nervous. “Is anything wrong?” Karin asks.

“We agreed to be husband and wife for one year. But I can’t accept that anymore.”

“Ryan?”

Karin’s husband, boss and lover falls to one knee. “I want to wake up and see you by my side every day. Every single day for the rest of our lives. Karin. Will you marry me? Again? And forever?”

The young woman stands there in shock. She looks at her right hand, adorned with a ring that was supposed to come off of her finger after one year. Karin begins to cry. Her knees shake. She takes her husband’s hand and nods, “Yes. Yes.” Ryan stands up and kisses his wife. Karin holds onto her man, knowing that this time it is forever. Ryan has spent his life building an empire. But for him, this is his greatest acquisition.

The couple collapses onto the lawn. Their view may not be the most spectacular in the world as they watch the Palo Alto rush hour traffic zoom past. But to them, it doesn’t matter. Right now, they are enjoying the first moments of eternity as truly husband and wife.

On October 14, the IBS shareholders agree to the merger with Emperor Technologies creating the seventh largest company in the world. Ryan Wilde is named CEO of the combined Emperor-IBS company while Michelle Ackman is named Global President.

Tor Janz was indicted on 37 counts of theft of information by computer. During the trial, over one hundred former Barbarian Blog employees testify against their former boss. But the star witness, former editor Rick Graves, proved to be the final nail in the coffin for the bully blogger. Rick provided the digital paper trail that linked Tor directly with the hackings. At the end of the three-month trial, Tor is found guilty on all 37 counts. He was sentenced to 20 years in a Federal Penitentiary. While out on bail, Tor attempted to flee to the non-extradition country of Venezuela. He was captured at a private airstrip in Sparks, Nevada and sent directly to prison. En route to the penitentiary, the now 400-pound blogger suffered a massive heart attack. He is currently detained in the Federal Penitentiary Hospital in Pensacola, Florida where prison doctors have placed Tor on a strict 1,200-calorie daily diet of non-fat, non-sugar and low-carb meals. Tor is currently suing this Federal Prison system for cruel and unusual punishment for “lack of edible food.”

After the trial, former editor Rick Graves turned his adventures at The Barbarian Blog into a best-selling memoir.
The Barbarian Diaries
reached number one on the non-fiction bestseller list for over a year. He became rich. Hollywood purchased his story and Rick found himself relocating to Southern California with a three-book deal and an ocean view home in Pacific Palisades. Rick always finds time to write, that’s after he makes time to be with his wife and his daughter.

After being removed from his job as R&D Chief, Scott Appell spent over six months in Boulder, Colorado working for Emperor’s Software Development team. His stint was short-lived. He soon left Emperor to start his own online outdoor equipment company. Scott’s extensive Silicon Valley experience combined with his passion for skiing allowed him to build an online store that generated hundreds of millions of dollars - in sales - within the first six months of operations. His company even attracted big name investors. One of which happened to be Ryan Wilde himself.

Author Stevens retired from Emperor-IBS soon after the merger. The now 54-year old former lawyer moved to Pebble Beach where he has found a new office - the golf course.

Karin Wilde is no longer an intern at Emperor Technologies. Instead, she now finds herself juggling two jobs. Karin is now the executive director of the Ryan and Karin Wilde Foundation, where she manages a ten billion-dollar fund to help develop hospitals and schools in underprivileged areas. Her second job? Expectant Mom.

Since then, Ryan has instituted a strict policy of getting out of the office by 5 p.m. on Fridays to be with his four-month pregnant wife and child. This evening, the couple is taking a trip up to Marin County for a quiet dinner. Karin pats her belly as she feels her baby act up. “The baby is really kicking tonight.”

“Our little one did the same thing last Friday on our way to dinner.”

“I swear I think the baby knows it’s Friday night. And we’re together on our dinner date.”

“That’s going to be a smart kid.”

“Well, the baby is certainly a wild kid,” Karin remarks as she feels the baby continue to kick.

“A really wild child!” Ryan jokes.

Karin smiles. “It looks like it runs in the family.”

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