Anything and everything.
He just hoped it didn’t come to that.
His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a vehicle coming up the long drive that ran along the side of the house and to the back detached garage. He wasn’t alarmed. Clearly it was someone who had the code to open the gate.
A moment later, a white van stopped in front of the garage. Stryker and Harrison hopped out. They opened the back and grunted as they tried to heave something out.
Matteo stood and carefully placed Annika’s feet on the patio. With one more kiss to her forehead, he told her, “I need to go help them.”
She followed as he bounded down the steps and to the driveway.
“Dare I even ask what that is?”
Stryker grinned. “3-D printer. High end.”
“Yeah,” Harrison said. “We’re talking CIA-type stuff.”
Matteo grabbed one side. It was heavy!
“Dare I ask where you got it?”
The group started slowly and carefully shuffling toward the house.
“No,” Stryker grunted.
And left it at that.
Chapter Thirty
The following day, Annika found she had a mixture of nervousness and excitement coursing through her.
Tomorrow evening was the big event. It was do-or-die time.
Okay, that’s a somber way to put it, she thought to herself. Perhaps she should think of it astomorrow is where the rubber meets the road.
Either way, it was going down. Everything was on the line.
“How are you coming with the hacking?” Stryker called out.
A group of them were in the den. Stella was pounding away at the keyboard at the desk. Black screens with green data fluttered up quickly before her.
“I’m going to get it,” Stella replied.
Annika continued to pace about. She’d worked on the hacking some, too. Progress had been made. But it was a big job for one person. So, she and Stella had relieved each other.
They were close. So close!
“Dang it!” Stella cried.
Annika’s heart skipped a beat. She rushed over, fully expecting to be handed a piece of bad news.
Was the whole mission off?
“I can’t get past this last piece of encryption.” Stella sighed in frustration. “Once we’re past that, I think we’re in.” She shook her head. “My skills are just a bit rusty. I haven’t really kept them up.”
“Want me to take a stab at it?” Annika asked.
“Sure.”
