“Before you get onto the big screen, you’re vetted,” Mina answered. “We don’t play at Secure Watch, but your circumstances were dire enough to bring in the team while still checking you out.”
“That’s fair,” Bec said. “I think it would be a waste of time, though. Ignis Cerebri hasn’t been in the facility for that long.”
“Be that as it may, you’ve always had deadly viruses and pathogens there, correct?” Mina asked, and Bec nodded. “Then it stands to reason Ace could be any scientist who previously worked there. They may not know about Ignis Cerebri, but they know you don’t want anything inside that lab to escape or fall into the wrong hands.”
“I hadn’t thought of it that way, but you’re right. We can only hope and pray they don’t know Ignis Cerebri is here.”
“Do you have access to Walter’s personnel files?”
“Sort of. He keeps them in a file cabinet in his office, but he has the key on his belt. Cal also told me not to mess with anything in his office until we can bring the police in on this.”
“A key is no problem. Zac can open a file cabinet in his sleep. You have gloves there?” Bec nodded as Mina smiled. “Even though your prints are already on everything in that lab, wear gloves and touch only the cabinet. Grab any and all files for the employees who quit or were fired. Especially anyone who wasn’t a scientist.”
“Why?” Iris asked.
“Scientists usually aren’t big tech people,” Mina answered, and Bec pointed at the screen.
“True that. We can do what we need to do for our research and work, but what we’re dealing with here is a level unlike anything I could ever think up, much less know how to write a program to take control of an entire system.”
Mina nodded. “The faster you can get the information, the better. Iris, I would like you to record it from start to finish. We want to document anything we do in his office that requires breaking and entering to prove it was necessary during the course of the investigation.”
“I still think we need to call the police,” Bec said, biting her lip. “The only person who will pay for waiting will be me.”
“While I would normally agree with you, I can’t in this instance. If we bring in the cops, they’ll take over and prevent Iris from getting her work done. Not to mention, that also puts more people in the middle of Armageddon. We can’t take our eyes off the prize until the facility has been secured again and there’s no risk of those pathogens finding their way out the door. After that, we’ll call the police, FBI and any other three-letter organization we need to find this guy.”
“What if it’s too late for Walter?” Bec asked, and Iris heard the tremble in her words. Her heart hurt to know Bec was going through this, and there was nothing she could do to help other than keep mashing away on the keys and pray she could turn this around for them. Well,there was one other thing she could do, so she did it. She slid her hand over Bec’s knee and gently squeezed it to let her know she was there for her.
“It could already be too late for Walter, but it’s not too late for the rest of the world. I know that’s a hard pill to swallow when your friend is in danger, but this is a rock and a hard place situation if I’ve ever seen one. Give Iris twenty-four hours to get the place locked down safely. We’ll bring in the authorities if we haven’t heard from Ace by then. My gut says Walter is still alive. Ace isn’t done with us, and he’ll need Walter alive as a bargaining chip if he hopes to get any money out of the facility. There was no other reason to storm in and take him. He could be traveling to a different state or letting you sweat for a while, so you’re more apt to do what he demands when he reaches out. Either way, we stay the course until we hear from him.”
Bec nodded several times before she straightened her spine. “You’re right. I called you guys in to help, so I need to trust what you’re telling me to do. If I’m left holding the bag and go to prison at the end of this, it will be worth it as long as no one dies a horrible death due to one of the pathogens in this facility.”
Iris squeezed Bec’s knee again. “Cal and Mina won’t let that happen. Neither will I.”
“She’s right,” Mina said with a smile. “We got you. Trust the process and get me those names ASAP. I’ll radio Zac to head in and open the cabinet for you now. Keep me abreast of anything that comes in from Ace or if you get the systems back online.”
“Will do,” Iris said without letting go of Bec’s knee. “India, out.”
The screen went blank, and Bec’s shoulders sank the moment they were alone again. “I don’t feel good about this, Iris, but I’ll do it if we can save Walter.”
“I’m sure he would want you to do anything you can think of to help him,” Iris said, turning her chair and taking Bec’s hand. “Remember that Secure Inc. won’t let you get caught up in this mess. That’s why you hired us to help. We wouldn’t have taken the case if we didn’t think we could handle it.”
Bec blew out a breath and nodded. “Right. I need to remember to trust you.”
“You trust me?”
“From the moment Cal introduced you,” she said, her smile small as she dropped her gaze to their hands. “I just hope you trust me, too.”
“I wouldn’t be holding your hand if I didn’t,” Iris said before she grimaced. “Sorry—”
Bec put her finger to Iris’s lips. “Remember that you can be yourself here without apologizing for it. I hate that people in your past made you feel like you had to, but not with me, okay?”
Iris forced herself to hold Bec’s gaze for several seconds, and she found herself lost in her eyes for a beat longer than she had expected before she answered. “Okay. I’ll probably forget more than I remember, though.”
“Then I’ll keep reminding you until it comes naturally,” Bec said with a wink. “Why did you call yourself India on the call with Mina?”
“Oh, I should tell you about that. Secure Inc. uses code names when contacting another team member on assignment. Mina is Whiskey because her real name is Wilhemina. Cal is Charlie. I’m India.”
“Declan is Danger,” Bec said, laughing as though she finally understood the situation.
