“That totally stinks. At least we know who they are, right?”
“Right. Turns out they work for Sinam Tech in Silicon Valley. Computer technicians who were in the area for a conference and went out for a run.”
I paused with a forkful of sweet and sour pork at my mouth. “In jackets and dress pants?”
“Apparently so.”
“What is Sinam Tech?”
“A Chinese technology company. Their official portfolio states they work in standard interfaces, communications and data architecture.”
“And the unofficial portfolio?”
“Certain peeks into their network indicate they serve as a front.”
I wasn’t going to ask for his definition of certain peeks. “A front for what?”
“Cyberattacks. Cyberintelligence. Hacking. You name it.”
“Hmmm...Silicon Valley. That would be a pretty convenient location. You know, I’m seeing a lot of avenues going back to China. Any connection to the Red Guest hacking group?”
“Funny you ask. Remember I told you about Jiang Shi, the head of Red Guest? His nephew was the one who tried to kidnap you in New York. Turns out Jiang Shi’s uncle happens to own Sinam Tech.”
“Wow. Talk about keeping it all in the family.” I set down my fork without eating the bite on it. “I think you may be on to something, Slash. But my role in all of this is unclear.”
“Maybe not as unclear as you think. I still think it has to do with whatever you’re working on with the Zimmermans. But they won’t get close to you again. They may be good hackers, but they’re amateurs at capture and deception.”
“Well, that certainly makes me feel better.”
He reached over and took my hand, looking directly at me. “They aren’t going to get you. I mean it.”
“I believe you.”
“Good. So, let’s eat.” He released my hand and picked up his fork.
I pushed my food around for a moment, trying to steady my nerves. “So, what’s on the agenda after dinner?”
He took a bite, chewed and regarded me thoughtfully. “You up for some gaming?”
“Really?” I perked up. “I don’t think we’ve ever gamed together before.”
“We haven’t.”
I took a slow sip of wine. “I should warn you, I’m pretty advanced.”
“Excellent. I was afraid I might be bored.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Just so we’re clear, I’m not going to go easy on you.”
He touched my cheek with his fingertip. His eyes shone back with interest and something else...a sexy, competitive edge. My pulse kicked up a beat. Wow, who knew that gaming with him would be such a turn on?
“Trust me, cara. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
* * *
The rest of the week passed with the twins walking me through the precise steps of the manufacturing process and teaching me how to calculate various calibrations while spotting dangerous deviations. Slash stayed every night at my apartment, which meant a double dose of security on both of us.
The twins and I finally finished up my training on Sunday afternoon. I was exhausted, but confident I could oversee the process with at least some predicted measure of success.
“You’re going to do great,” Elvis said, patting me on the shoulder.
“I agree,” Xavier said. “You’ve got this.”
I rubbed the knot at back of my neck. “You guys are just saying that to make me feel better for screwing up that last round of calculations.”
“Not true.” Elvis unzipped his suit and carefully stepped out of it, leaning on the counter. “I made a series of errors in that exact same place. It set us back three weeks. I couldn’t figure out what I was doing wrong. Xavier spotted it finally, thank goodness. Otherwise we would have been sunk for good. I let you make the same mistake so you’d remember it.”
I shuddered to think what the world would have missed out on if Xavier hadn’t caught the error. Then again, I wondered how many scientific discoveries were lost because of mistakes...or found because of them.
“So, what are you guys doing tonight?” I asked the twins.
“I’m going to Basia’s.” Xavier hung his suit on the hook. “We’re going to have a quiet night in and watch some television before you guys leave for Indonesia in the morning.”
“Great.” I bumped elbows with Elvis. “How about you?”
“Bonnie and I are going out.”
“Really? That’s great. Is everything is okay?”
“Maybe. I’m figuring it out.”
Xavier punched his brother lightly on the arm. “Come on, guys, let’s get out of here.”
Xavier put an arm around each of us as we headed to the elevator, laughing and jostling.
“So, what are you doing tonight, Lexi?” Elvis asked.
“Going to my parents’ house. I promised to stop by and see them before I left. My mom is completely freaking out about the trip. All the incidents that have happened to me lately have her convinced that I’ve got one foot in the grave and the other on a banana peel.”
Elvis shook his head. “Wow. I don’t envy you that conversation with your mother. Good luck.”
I thought about how my mother’s voice had sounded on the phone. I had a feeling it was going to be a long evening.
“Thanks, Elvis. I’m going to need it.”
Chapter Twenty
Slash picked me up at my apartment after nine o’clock. He’d been running late trying to finish up some last minute work before heading out. To my surprise, he suggested we stay overnight at his place since it was closer to the airport. I agreed and was waiting in my kitchen, my suitcase by the door when he arrived.
He kissed me on the cheek. “There’s a convoy of security vehicles in the parking lot.”
“Ugh. My neighbors are beginning to wonder what’s going on.”
“How was your visit with your parents?”
“You don’t want to know.” I rolled my eyes.
“Si, I do.” He brushed his arm against mine. “Tell me.”
“Painful. They’re worried about me.”
“I’m worried about you, so I totally get it.” He tousled my hair. “You ready for tomorrow?”
“Strangely, yes. I’m actually getting kind of excited. How about you?”
“I packed this morning, figuring it would be a late evening at work tonight.”
He took my suitcase while I grabbed my purse and set my alarm. We walked down to the parking lot. I stopped by my security detail.
The driver rolled down his window. “Where are you going?”
“To my boyfriend’s. You can follow us there.”
“We already know where it is.”
Of course he did. “Okay. What time do you want me to be ready for the airport tomorrow?”
The driver consulted with the guy in the passenger seat. “We leave at ten-thirty. Meet us out in front of the building.”
“Okay. Have a good night.”
“You, too.”
Slash had already loaded my suitcase, so I climbed into the car. He pulled out of the parking lot, with the FBI and my security detail in tow. I watched them over my shoulder, then turned around in my seat.
“This is so annoying.”
Slash fiddled with his sound system. “Welcome to my world.” He pushed a button and the piano music of Hai Tsang filled the car.
I sighed, immediately relaxing. “His music is so soothing.”
“Si, it is.”
I listened for a few minutes before I spoke. “I wish we were traveling together, but I have to be on the company plane. I don’t like flying.”
“I know.” He put his hand on my knee and patted. “But you�
��ll be fine, flying in luxury, or so I understand, on a Gulfstream plane.”
“You researched my plane?”
“Of course.”
He always seemed one step ahead of me. “What time does yours take off?”
“Seven-thirty in the morning. I’ve got to leave at four o’clock to make it. I’ve got a layover in Tokyo, but I should be in Jakarta before you land. Your layover is in Hawaii but you should be right behind us. I’ll be at the airport watching for your arrival, but I’ll meet you at the hotel later. I made sure we’re staying at the same one.”
When we got to Slash’s place, we headed right for the bedroom. Slash pulled me in for kiss and then touched the earrings he’d bought me.
“They need cleaning,” he said.
“I thought you said never to take them off.”
“Except to clean them.” He reached behind my earlobes and slid them out. “Don’t worry about it, I’ll take care of them. You go hop in the shower and I’ll join you there shortly.”
I undressed and stepped into the shower. “Which showerhead do I turn on?” I asked.
“Turn on all three and see which one you like.”
I did as he said and stood underneath each of them, before stopping at the vortex of all three. It was an amazing feeling, like a rinse and a massage at the same time.
“Wow.” I slicked back my hair with my hands. “They all feel great, Slash, but I like the kinetic spray best.”
Slash stepped in and stood under the massage one, letting the water beat on his neck and shoulders. “I choose depending on my mood.”
“It’s entirely possible I could live my entire life in here. All I’d need is computer access.”
He grinned. “I’m working on it.”
We soaped each other up, laughing and enjoying ourselves. I didn’t understand how we weren’t sick of each other after spending so much time together. There was so little logic to relationships, and yet for mystifying reasons, this one was working for me.
After we dried off, Slash stood at the sink shaving and I went to the bedroom to get my pajamas. I opened my suitcase and carefully pulled out the royal blue lace teddy I’d ordered online and received yesterday. It was really soft, but in terms of material, there wasn’t a lot there. I slipped it over my head and it slid down my stomach, reaching just past my hips. It wasn’t as racy as some of the others I’d seen, but it showed an awful lot of leg. The front was mostly see-through lace with some cross-stitching and the girls were on full display. I didn’t quite understand the rationality of wearing anything that was see-through. I mean, if you can see everything anyway, why even bothering covering it? But my research had indicated this style was popular among males, so I’d bought it.
I stood nervously near the bed, shifting on my feet and trying different poses in an attempt to appear sexy. What I really wanted to do was crawl under the covers and hide.
When his hand touched my hip from behind, I jumped and whirled around. “Wow, Slash. You about gave me a heart attack. Are you finished in the bathroom?”
He didn’t say a word, just let his gaze slide over the length of me all the way down to my toes and back. Sliding a finger under the strap on my shoulder, he nudged me closer.
“Is this new?”
I tried to relax and act like I bought lingerie all the time. “Sort of. I thought I would spice up the wardrobe, you know. Women do that all the time. Spice things up.”
“Basia suggested it?”
My cheeks burned. “No. I just thought it was time for a change. You know, to indicate that I’m open to trying new things. Not that I think there is something new.” Aaack. This was not coming out as casual and sophisticated as I’d hoped.
His brown eyes assessed me thoughtfully. “You do know I love you no matter what you wear, right? Remember the first night we met? You were dressed in that ridiculous T-shirt and nothing else. I was captivated from that moment.”
“You were?” His confession made me smile. How far we’d come from that first moment. “Well, in that case, I’ll go change into my T-shirt.”
He put a hand on my shoulder, holding me to the spot. “No, you don’t. Stay right here. I like it. You did this for me?”
I touched the lace on the front. “Yes. I researched the different kinds of lingerie and cross-referenced it with popularity with males based on culture and preferences. I purchased it online. I wasn’t sure about the color, so that was a guess, but teddies were the most popular choice among European males, so I went with that. Was it a good choice?”
He turned to assess me, sliding both his palms down my sides and securing them on my hips. “I assure you, it’s an excellent choice. You’re bringing it with you to Jakarta?”
“Yes.”
“Even better. We’ll break it in tonight and have plenty of time to explore it more while in Jakarta.”
I wasn’t sure exactly how we’d go about exploring lingerie, but knowing Slash and his inventive mind, I was pretty sure I’d enjoy it.
My pulse jumped. “Count me in.”
Chapter Twenty-One
Slash woke me up to give me a lingering kiss before he headed out. It was still dark outside. As I yawned, he gave me the key and the alarm code to make sure I locked up tight.
“See you in Jakarta in about twenty-four hours,” he murmured against my cheek.
I slid my arms around his neck. “I wish we had more time to say goodbye.”
He was already dressed with his leather jacket on. “Don’t tempt me.” He cupped my cheek. “Be good, cara, okay?”
“Okay.”
“I put your earrings on the dresser. Don’t forget them.” He kissed me and stood to leave.
“Hey, Slash.”
“Si?”
“Have a good flight.”
“You, too. See you soon.”
After he left, I went back to sleep for another few hours. I got up at nine, brushed my teeth and got dressed. I was about to head downstairs when I got a call from Finn.
“ComQuest security called and it looks like an airplane mechanical problem has delayed pick-up until about three this afternoon.”
“Great.” I tried not to sound disappointed. After all I was going to Jakarta to make hardware history. It’s just I was losing all those hours with Slash in paradise where I could be sharpening my womanly prowess.
After a dull day of reviewing my upcoming duties at the production plant and taking on another level of Hollow Realm, at two fifty-five sharp I locked up Slash’s apartment and met my security detail in front of the building as planned. My driver told me we were headed to the executive side of the airport where a private chartered Gulfstream waited for us. Sounded like a cool plane, but traveling on anything smaller than a giant airliner left me feeling a bit queasy. I’m not a big fan of flying, but I sucked it up in the name of technological revolution.
“Do any of you know how many hours it takes to get to Hawaii?” I asked the security guard next to me. “It’s our first stop before heading on to Jakarta.”
The driver met my eyes in the mirror. “My wife and I took a trip to Hawaii for our fifteenth anniversary. It was hotter than the devil and expensive as hell, but she loved it. Took us about thirteen hours from here, I’d say. In your fancy jet, you might get there faster.”
The other guy typed something on his cell phone and looked up. “Yep, and that’s the short leg. You’ll have thirteen more hours from Hawaii to Jakarta. It’s going to be a heck of a long ride.”
I sighed. It was going to be a freaking flying marathon. Ugh. At least I’d dressed for the occasion. Jeans, T-shirt, my gray comfy sweatshirt and tennis shoes. My hair was in a ponytail and no makeup. Not exactly corporate dress, but I’d rather be comfortable. I’d brought more businesslike clothes for working, even though I’
d spend most of my time in a hazmat suit in the factory.
The airport soon came into sight. The driver skirted the main airport and drove along a fringe road ringing the runways. I started to worry something weird was up until we made a turn and headed toward a small, swanky terminal with tall glass windows and a roof that swept up like a wave. Maybe this executive travel wasn’t so bad. No busy public terminals and long security lines.
Glass double doors swung open and a woman in a neat suit and colorful scarf welcomed us in. My suitcase was plopped onto a cart and disappeared before I had time to scrounge in my purse and dig out a tip for the handler. At least I wouldn’t have to wait in line to check my bag.
Inside, our group mingled, munching cookies and drinking coffee. I could use some of each to jump-start the long flights ahead. Others in the group stood attentive, ignoring the food and monitoring the people and their surroundings. More security, I presumed.
Finn and Basia chatted with each other. Finn wore a suit, likely a casual one by his standards. Basia had on navy pants and a comfortable top in Xavier’s favorite color, keyboard white. Her oversized red purse hung on a shoulder and matched her shoes. I didn’t envy her the heels, but she made them look as comfortable as my tennis shoes.
To my surprise, Xavier and Elvis were there, too. Elvis’s blue eyes lit up as he walked over to me. “Lexi, glad to see you made it. I was afraid the flight delay gave you time to reconsider the dangers involved.”
“Are you kidding? I wouldn’t miss this for the world. This is going to be better than beta testing Dragon Kingdom VI. You came to see us off?”
“Of course. That’s our baby you’re bringing to life.” A funny look swept across his face and then he laughed. “Seriously, Xavier and I really appreciate this. I appreciate it.”
I shoved my hands into my jeans. “I’m honored to do it. Honored you considered me capable. History, here we come.”
“I wish I could be there to oversee it, too.” He hesitated for just a beat too long and I saw something flash in his eyes. “But I’m just not ready to travel yet.”
No Room for Error: A Lexi Carmichael Mystery, Book Seven Page 11