I hoped.
I couldn't say I was horribly enthused as I walked toward the cafeteria with the others. I didn't really want to admit my mess had gotten Abe hurt, but Hank would strangle me if I lied to him. Abe wouldn't be too happy with me either if he found out.
By the time we reached the cafeteria and got drinks, I was chewing on my thumbnail. I really hoped this hour went quick. I wanted to be where Abe was, not here having to explain I was the world's worst boyfriend. If I could even classify myself as Abe's boyfriend. That one was still kind of up in the air.
"So, talk to us, Danny," Ian said after we got sat down. "When you called on the phone, you were pretty freaked out."
I still was.
"Why don't you start at the beginning," Andrew suggested, "since we weren't all on the phone with you."
"Yeah, okay." I took a deep breath and started explaining the worst—and the best—forty-eight hours of my life. By the time I was done, I was totally exhausted. All I wanted to do was curl up beside Abe and sleep for a week.
"How much have you been able to find out about this Atkins character?" Hank asked.
"Next to nothing." I frowned as I thought about it. I was pretty good at what I did, even when it was a little less than legal. I should have found something. "It's like he's insulated."
"Insulated?" Hank asked. "How?"
"Do you remember when we were investigating Lake? How easily I was able to find all sorts of stuff on him?"
Hank nodded.
"I've found almost nothing on Atkins. Granted, I don't know his full name, but even connecting him with the other clues I have, I still haven't been able to find anything on him."
"What other clues?"
"The thugs he sent after me for one. They trashed my house two days ago. The license plate on the car they were driving. The fact that he knows my professor and—"
"Wait." Ian grabbed my arm. "This ass knows your professor?"
I nodded. "Professor Bradley. He was talking to him in the hallway when he ordered Michael's death."
"Right," Ian said. "I think you mentioned that on the phone. I just never put him together with your professor."
"Danny, could this have anything to do with your work at the lab?" Hank asked.
"No." I knew that for a fact. "My grant is for a secure file structure program easily accessible to the university admissions office. It's not the cure for cancer. I probably could have designed the darn thing in my sleep."
Hank chuckled. "I believe that."
"I'm not sure it has anything to do with me personally."
"Seems to me that this Atkins guy has made it personal," Corporal London Judge said before taking a sip of his coffee.
I was kind of surprised he said anything at all. He didn't seem to talk much.
"He had Michael killed, trashed my house, sent his thugs after me on two separate occasions, threatened my grant, and hurt Abe." I clenched my jaw and fisted my hands. "It's very personal."
"So," Judge mused as he looked me straight in the eyes, "what are you going to do about it?"
I didn't even have to think about it. "Once Abe is healed, I'm going to make this bastard regret he ever messed with a geek."
Judge smirked. "I knew you had it in you."
Why did people keep saying that?
I glanced at Hank. "Can I go see Abe now?"
