“Why? We’re bros.”
“We’re notreallybros. And also…it’s just weird. I don’t usually confide in people, and when I do, it’s with Ava.”
“Ava’s not here,” he pointed out.
Alex stared into space, his jaw flexing. “No kidding.”
“Because she’s at the DHS talking to the feds about The Board.”
“Thanks for reminding me,” Alex grumbled.
Kyle clasped his hands, leaning his elbows onto his knees. “Alex…Maverick…Mav…we need to talk. I’ve been upgraded to a full member of the team. Even Raven has accepted it. I think it’s time you did, too.”
Alex shifted his weight as the files finally finished loading. He ripped the drive from his laptop and set it aside before hedove into another program, desperate to decrypt something–anything before they got the information from Raven instead. “It’s not that I don’t accept it, but…”
“But?” Kyle prodded.
“Look, Doc, I’m not really a touchy-feely sort of guy, okay? I don’t want to share my innermost thoughts with you. Especially now.”
“I understand your holdback, but speaking as your physician–”
“You’re not my physician. And I have a very pricey celebrity therapist I can call at any time.”
Kyle narrowed his eyes. “Well, okay, I’maphysician, and the stress you’re under can be extremely taxing. You need an outlet.”
“I have Ava.”
“You can’t tell everything to Ava,” he shot back. “I have a sneaking suspicion that you’re not one hundred percent on board with this whole DHS thing.”
Alex heaved a sigh, the words cutting him like a knife. “I’m not. I’m just…worried she’s going to get caught up in something she wasn’t expecting.”
“That’s understandable. You’ve both been pretty caught up in a web here.”
“Ava’s smart, and she’s savvy. She can handle herself, but…I just can’t shake this bad feeling I’ve got. Like somehow, this whole Homeland Security thing is a big mistake.”
Kyle bobbed his head, his features turning pensive. “She’s not admitting to anything with Raven, right?”
“No,” Alex said as he leapt from his seat to pace the floor. “And that’s the trouble. Like what if they know more than they let on, and they start asking her about how she got me out of that facility?”
“Wouldn’t they know about Raven, then, too? I mean,assuming they knew you were kidnapped and that we rescued you.”
“Yeah, and they may even know she’s been meeting with them.” Alex flung a hand in the air. “I just see them presenting her with a picture of her meeting with Raven and demanding answers.”
Kyle winced at that. “Yeah. But your attorney will shut that down, right?”
“If he can. I mean, they’re claiming under the Patriot Act, they can do what they want. I know Ava can withstand the pressure, but…I don’t want her to have to do that.” He kicked a shoe against a piece of fuzz on the rug before he swiveled on his heel and walked in the other direction.
“Hopefully, it’ll all be over soon,” Kyle answered. “Now, in the meantime, what do we have going on here?”
Alex puffed out a breath. “Trying and failing to decrypt what’s basically a military-grade encryption on these files before Raven does.”
Kyle’s features pinched. “Why not just let Raven do the hard work?”
“Because I don’t trust him,” Alex shot back. “Whatever comes back on these files…it’s going to be what Raven says is on them. Not what weknowis on them.”
“You think he’s lying?” Kyle said with a shrug. “To what end?”
“To manipulate us.” Alex collapsed into the seat. “I mean, think about it…we knownothingabout this guy.”
