by Janie Crouch
He thought of waking up every day next to the beautiful, shy woman he’d left in his bed this morning. He couldn’t think of many things more appealing.
“Are we done with the Inquisition here?” he said. “Maybe we can go work on solving the case by questioning Powell?”
“Sawyer and Cam have already been in there playing good cop/bad cop,” Juliet said as they walked through the door.
“I was bad cop.” Sawyer grinned.
Juliet ignored her brother. “We were trying to keep your cover intact if possible. But Powell’s not willing to talk to us, no matter how much we insinuate that we know.”
“You think me going in there and shaking things up will get him to talk?” Seth was willing to give up his cover, especially since the sale must be imminent with everything that was happening.
“The guy is definitely scared,” Cameron chimed in as they walked down the hall. “To be honest, I think he feels like he’s in over his head. But he has no idea how to get out.”
Seth wasn’t without pity for the younger man. “Fine. Then we get whatever info we can from him and help him get out.”
The Bransons murmured their agreement and Seth entered Powell’s room. The man, twenty-four years old and with a good future ahead of him before he got greedy with these buyers, looked much worse for wear.
Someone had done a number on him. No wonder he was scared.
One of his eyes was completely swollen shut, the other side of his face filled with scrapes from where he’d been held against some hard surface. One arm had been broken and now rested in a cast.
Powell obviously wasn’t expecting Seth to walk through the hospital room door. And, because he hadn’t seen Seth in his street clothes on Thursday, Powell didn’t place Seth right away.
Seth walked over and stood silently at the window until the other man figured it out.
Despite the beating and the painkillers in Ryan’s system, it didn’t take too long. “Wait, aren’t you the janitor?”
“Among other things, yes.”
“You’re a cop.”
“Yes.”
“When those other cops came in here I thought they were just fishing for information. I didn’t think they knew anything.” Ryan shifted and winced in pain. “I guess you know a lot more than I thought.”
“We know you’re in way over your head, Ryan. You need to tell me what you know, how deep you’re involved, and let us help you.”
Ryan looked away and Seth thought he might not give up any information, but then he looked back toward him.
“Last year, when I finally was given full clearance in the lab, I was contacted by a man who wanted to know if I was interested in making a little side money.”
“Who?”
“I don’t know. I still don’t. We’ve only ever spoken via phone or email, never met face to face.”
Seth wasn’t surprised. “What did he want you to do?”
“Nothing terrible. Bits of information here and there. Nothing that was of critical importance or top secret.”
“And you gave it to him?”
Ryan cringed. “I needed money. I have nearly a hundred thousand dollars in student loans from undergrad and graduate school. He was paying very well for stuff that really wasn’t important. I just figured he was reverse engineering some stuff and needed the info to make it easier. But I swear, none of it was state secrets.”
If that was true, and Ryan hadn’t let it progress any further, then he wouldn’t be in real trouble with the law. Theft was bad news but not nearly as bad as selling government research secrets. That would be considered treason.
But minor theft wouldn’t have left this kid so badly beaten and in the hospital. There had to be more to it.
“But it escalated,” Seth prompted.
Ryan nodded. “That other stuff… I don’t think it was what the buyer wanted at all. I think it was just to reel me in, to force me into a place where I couldn’t say no when something big like the microchip became available.”
“We caught a transmission to a suspected terrorist cell that originated somewhere on campus and mentioned the microchip, that’s how we got clued in to the situation.”
Ryan looked sharply in Seth’s direction then winced in pain. “I never instigated communication with the buyer, only received info from him. If you intercepted a message offering to procure and sell the microchip, it wasn’t from me.”
Seth believed him. “Who do you think it was from?”
“It could be a number of people. I didn’t know there was anyone else the buyer had in his pocket, but he obviously does.”
“Intel leads us to believe it is either Lydia Williams or Dale Hudson.”
Ryan shrugged. “Both of them had access. Especially Dr. Hudson. Lydia’s a grad student like me, but Dr. Hudson would have complete access to everything.”
Plus, Hudson was having an affair with Lydia. Were they working together? Was he keeping Lydia close to prevent her from figuring out what he was doing?
Omega agents were tailing both Lydia and Hudson. If either of them did something odd, it would be reported immediately.
“I haven’t told you everything,” Ryan whispered.
Seth’s eyes locked back with Ryan’s. “What?”
“The microchip is basically code-breaking hardware. If it gets into the wrong hands it could cripple the U.S. Government — allow hackers to break into government computers, military installations, even make changes in air traffic control reception.”
Seth already knew all that. It was why he had been undercover as a janitor for two months. “Yes. So?”
“Without the initial algorithm it’s pretty useless. There’s no baseline for the microchip to begin its progress.”
“So it takes two parts in order to make it work.”
“Eventually it won’t need the separate algorithm, that’s part of what we’re working on in the computer lab on campus. But yes, right now, two parts.”
“Okay. What’s the problem?”
“I realized on Thursday the algorithm had been replaced with a fake. I came across it accidentally. Whoever switched it out obviously meant to do so undetected. I found it almost by accident.”
“So one of the two parts needed is already gone.” Damn it.
Ryan’s look was pinched. “Actually… both parts are already gone.”
Seth walked all the way over to Ryan’s bed from where he had perched on the wall. “What exactly are you saying, Powell?”
“When I noticed the algorithm switch, I took the microchip.”
“Do you have it now?”
“No. I went to a restaurant on Thursday. Lydia and Dr. Hudson were there.”
Yeah, Seth had been there, had just missed Ryan by a few minutes, it seemed. And had missed Ryan kissing Rachel, which was probably for the best. But Seth didn’t mention any of this, just let the man finish.
“I wasn’t sure what to do about the algorithm code. It was possible that it had been changed on accident, just human error. But I was also afraid about security of the entire project. The three of us fought. Well, not fought, but had tense words.”
Seth nodded. “Okay.” That had to have been just minutes before Seth arrived. “Tell me more about that.”
“Lydia was defensive since she was the last one to set the algorithm. So if it was an error, it was hers. She didn’t like that. Dr. Hudson wasn’t thrilled with my accusation either.”
That could be because Hudson was sleeping with Lydia.
Ryan shook his head. “I told them I thought we needed to up security. Dr. Hudson told me I needed to not do anything rash like report it. He would look into it himself and take the necessary measures.”
“But you didn’t think that was enough.”
“No.”
“Yet you didn’t really want anyone looking into security because it was going to uncover the other things you’d done.”
“Pretty much.” Ryan nodded.
“So you d
ecided to handle it yourself? What? Go back and get the microchip?”
“No. I went home. I walked, which was a stupid idea. I never made it. I was attacked.”
Seth rubbed his hand over his face. This didn’t make any sense. What purpose would it serve for the buyer to attack Seth?
“What was it, a warning? To back off about the security or to scare you into stealing the microchip for the buyer yourself?”
Ryan shifted in his bed. “No. I had already taken the microchip before I even went to the restaurant Thursday.”
“What?” Did this mean the chip and the algorithm were already gone? “Did the attacker know that?”
Ryan nodded.
“So the buyer already has the microchip.” Damn it. Seth turned away. He needed to get out of here and get the Bransons and every other available Omega agent on this. Like right now.
“No.”
Seth took a deep breath. “Finish Powell, now.”
Ryan started talking quickly. “After I had the argument with Dr. Hudson and Lydia, I got nervous. They were acting weird. Plus, two big guys were hanging there that I had seen around before. So I handed the microchip off to someone else.”
“Who?”
“I don’t think you know her, but she works on campus, not in the computer department. I kissed her and slipped it into her sweater pocket while she was distracted.”
Seth could feel his teeth grind together. “You gave the microchip toRachel Branson?”
“Oh, you know her?”
“Yes.”
“She was the only one I knew for sure wasn’t in on this. I couldn’t trust any of my computer science colleagues.”
Things from the last twenty-four hours snapped into place. No wonder someone had trashed her apartment and tried to abduct her from her office.
She had the microchip.
“And you told whoever attacked you that you gave it to her.” Seth could feel rage pooling in his blood.
“I just said some girl named Rachel. I don’t think the thugs who hit me meant to put me in a coma, I just hit the wall wrong.”
Seth had no doubt that if Ryan had remained conscious he would’ve given up every detail about Rachel and she’d be dead or badly hurt and the microchip in the buyer’s hands.
“Is there anything else?” he asked the younger man who now had a sickly cast to his skin.
“No, that’s it.” Ryan’s voice was small.
“People did come after her, Powell. It’s a good thing for you she wasn’t hurt.” Or else Seth might be finishing what the thugs started.
“I’m sorry. I was just trying to make up for the other bad stuff I’d done. Make sure the buyer didn’t get his hands on the microchip.”
Seth nodded. Ryan was finished in the graduate program. He’d be lucky if he didn’t actually do some prison time. But Seth believed he’d been trying to do what he’d thought was right in this situation.
Thankfully Rachel was safe at his house. No one knew where he lived. His name and address listed at the university was totally different from his real apartment.
Cameron came inside and tilted his head towards the door. “Can we see you out here?”
Seth nodded then looked at Ryan. “I’m not sure how this is all going to play out, but I’ll be sure to let it be known that you were trying to help.”
Ryan just nodded and Seth walked out with Cameron.
“We got a report,” Juliet said once the door closed behind them. “Lydia Williams slipped her tail about thirty minutes ago.”
“Deliberately?” With D.C. traffic, tailing someone wasn’t easy. Someone could slip it without it being deliberate. That had been true in San Francisco also.
Cameron nodded. “Very deliberately.”
“Okay, I need to get back to my place. It ends up Rachel has the microchip. Ryan planted it on her.”
All three Bransons were looking at him oddly. “On Rachel?”
“It’s a long story.” He grabbed his phone to call her and realized he had two missed messages from about twenty minutes ago.
Hey, I forgot my charger at my house yesterday. Phone is about to die so I’ll just see you when you get here.
But the next one had him running down the hospital corridor at a sprint.
Lydia Williamsjust called. She’s coming over to chat.
He called Rachel’s phone as he ran, but her battery must’ve already been dead. It went straight to voice mail.
Seth ran faster.
CHAPTER TEN
Rachel didn’t tend to have a lot of girlfriends. She didn’t really tend to have many friends at all, actually. Her books were her friends.
But Lydia had become a pretty good friend over the past few weeks. Despite being in the computer field, Lydia wasn’t any sort of geek. She was tall and blond and striking. She worked in a male-dominated field, but that didn’t seem to faze her at all. Lydia liked knowing that all the men thought she was beautiful.
There was a hardness to Lydia, Rachel caught glimpses of it every once in a while, but she’d never been mean or unkind to Rachel. Rachel had no doubt the other woman had the savvy and drive it would take to make it in the business world.
Rachel was the opposite. But she enjoyed having a friend that was confident and beautiful.
So when she’d seen that she’d missed a couple of calls from Lydia last night and another this morning, Rachel had been kind of glad to hear from her. And then Lydia’s text:
Hey, where ARE you? Two kisses on Thursday from two different guys and then I get NO details. Need a girls chat, stat.
Rachel knew her battery was about to die in her phone. Seth had made it sound like it would be quite a while before he returned. She didn’t really just want to sit in his apartment with nothing to do. Might as well invite Lydia over.
I’m at Seth’s. He’s out for a while. Want to come over?
HECK YEAH. I’ll bring coffee.
She gave Lydia the address. She texted Seth to tell him about her phone and Lydia. She waited, but when he didn’t respond right away she went ahead and turned her phone off. He was busy. It may be a while before he could respond.
Rachel wasn’t really sure how good she would be at girl talk. What she’d shared with Seth last night had been beyond amazing. When making love he’d made certain her mind was as fully engaged as her body, something her very few other lovers hadn’t seem to realize she needed.
Seth had all but worshipped her in his bed. She might have doubted yesterday that he truly found her beautiful, but she could not possibly have those same doubts this morning after last night. She could still feel him everywhere. If she closed her eyes she could feel his lips skimming over her throat and shoulders and beyond.
But that wasn’t the sort of stuff she wanted to share with Lydia. That was private, personal. She didn’t want to share those details with anyone but Seth. She hoped Lydia wouldn’t push for an account of their lovemaking.
Rachel had just finished getting dressed in what she’d brought from her house —yoga pants and a long sleeve shirt— and had braided her hair down her back when the doorbell rang. Lydia must’ve been already in this general area of D.C. to have made it here so soon.
Rachel opened the door and Lydia bounded in.
“Hey sweetie.” The taller woman threw her arms around Rachel, even with coffee cups in both hands. “Look at you all here in a man’s house so early in the morning. There must have been some naughty deeds going on last night!”
Rachel returned Lydia’s enthusiastic hug a little awkwardly. She wasn’t much of a hugger.
“Not so much naughty, but very nice.”
Lydia released her and they walked into the kitchen. Rachel added some milk and sugar to the coffee cup Lydia handed her, because it needed it, but also to gain a little space.
“Rewind to Thursday and start with Ryan. Is there something going on with him? I had no idea. And now Janitor Hottie?” Lydia was firing out the questions faster than Rachel could answer t
hem.
“No, there’s nothing going on between Ryan and I. He kissed me at the restaurant totally out of the blue. I had no idea he was interested in me like that.”
“That doesn’t seem like Ryan. There must be more between you than you’re telling me.”
Why did Lydia want to talk about Ryan? Rachel was here in Seth’s house. Obviously she had chosen him not Ryan.
She shrugged. “There’s not much to tell. It was pretty awkward.”
“How did Ryan do it? Move in fast? Slow? You guys were outside, right?”
As much as Rachel hadn’t wanted to share intimate details about her night with Seth, she definitely did not want to talk about her kiss with Ryan.
Rachel took a sip of her coffee. “Seth’s kiss was much more interesting, that’s for sure.”
Lydia wouldn’t be detoured. “But you’ve known Ryan for a while, right? Do you guys have a past? There’s more than you’re telling, isn’t there?”
Rachel shook her head, taken aback. “No. Never. I’ve never been interested in him in that way, nor did I think he was interested in me.” Despite the kiss she still wasn’t sure he was interested.
Lydia was studying her from across the table as if looking for clues. Was this how girl chats normally went? If so, Rachel hadn’t been missing much over the years. This was decidedly uncomfortable.
“Okay, no past history and Ryan just came up out of the blue and kissed you. Did he say or do anything weird?”
“Besides a very public, unprovoked kiss? Um, no.” Wasn’t that enough?
Lydia took her phone out of her pocket and texted someone. This entire situation was strange. Rachel was used to most social interactions being awkward, but this was even beyond that. Lydia finished her text and looked up from her phone.
All semblance of the friend who had come to the door a few minutes ago was gone. The person sitting across from her now was cold, calculating, unfeeling.
“This is your last chance, Rachel.” Lydia leaned forward on the table. “Tell me what is going on between you and Ryan. Are you partners?”
Rachel sat up straighter in her chair. “Nothing is going on between me and Ryan. Something happened between me and Seth, but you don’t seem to care about that.”