Look what that got me! The fucker might die before he gives us the intel we’re after!
Sam had known the custodian had answers the minute he walked into the control room. A decade and a half of running spec ops had imbued him with the ability to spot when someone had mischief and mayhem in mind.
And Vick?
Vick had had both.
Lifting his hands away from Vick’s chest, he noted the bleeding had almost stopped.Thank fuck.Although, he wasn’t sure if it was due to Fisher’s tourniquet or due to Vick running low on fuel.
Glancing over, he saw Fisher still had his phone out and recording.
Fisher might come off as a fool, what with all his clowning and craziness, but the man had a mind like a steel trap. They could be in the middle of a warzone and he had the amazing ability to keep his wits about him.
This mission was unsanctioned. Which meant they were going to needprooffor Eliza’s father and for Madam President that they’d had cause to come to Texas, impersonate federal agents, and…you know…shoot a man.
Vick and his wackadoo story about the Chinese partnering with the U.S. was that proof.
“Let me see if I have this straight,” Sam said. “You were hired by a man named Yang who claimed to work for the Chinese government. And this Yang dude told you he was working jointly with his counterpart here in the U.S. to plant malware inside the Texas power grid. But the aim wasn’t to take down the grid. The aim was simply to prove to ERCOT they had a weakness in their system.”
“Yes.” That one syllable was windy sounding and Vick’s subtle nod was more of a twitch.
“And why would they do that? Why not just have the feds go to the powers that be in Texas and say, ‘Hey guys, you got yourselves a problem and here’s how you fix it’?”
“Yang said the current p-political…” Vick trailed off, wincing with pain. When he reopened them, his pupils nearly eclipsed his irises. A sure sign he was getting close to going lights-out.
Urgency had Sam gritting his next words through his clenched teeth. “Come on, man. Finish what you were saying.”
Vick coughed and cried out. “I thought I was on the right side for once!” Hot tears leaked from the corners of his eyes. “I thought I washelping.”
“You were duped.” Sam tried to keep the growing impatience from his tone, but he wasn’t sure he was totally successful. “China and the U.S.do notengage in joint ventures. And they certainly don’t engage in joint ventures on U.S. soil against a U.S. state. But keep going. What were you saying about the political environment?”
“Yang said the current political environment is too fucked. That the Texas government didn’t trust the federal government. That Texas would requireproof.”
“And you were supposed to provide that proof. Upload the malware. Expose the weakness. Bada bing, bada boom.”
“Yes.” Vick nodded…er…twitchedagain.
“So why chooseyou?” Fisher piped up, his eyes on the screen of his phone as he continued to record.
“I know how to c-code.” More tears leaked from Vick’s eyes. A snot bubble formed in his right nostril and Sam experienced a stab of pity for the poor gullible fuck. “And I’m the right gender and the right color is what Yang said,” he finished on a hard sob that popped the snot bubble.
Vick’s blood was beginning to dry on Sam’s hands, making the skin beneath feel tight and uncomfortable. He ignored it. “What were you offered in return, Vick? What did Yang promise you? I mean, you weren’t doing this outta the goodness of your heart.”
“T-two million,” Vick breathed.
Fisher snorted and Sam let loose with a humorless laugh.
“That shoulda been yourfirstclue.” He shook his head and noted Eliza had started slowing down to take an exit ramp. “Uncle Sam is a stingy bastard.” Then, because Vick’s eyes were beginning to roll, he added, “And what about Hannah? How does she fit in to all this?”
“Who?” Vick blink blearily. He wasn’t even gray anymore; he was chalk white and panting shallowly. “Who’s Hannah?”
Sam gestured over his shoulder. Hannah had turned in her seat so she could watch the goings-on in the back. Her expression was one he recognized, shock mixed with emotional exhaustion mixed with hours-old adrenaline.
He wished he could reassure her they were near the end, that this whole horrible ordeal was just about over. But he didn’t have the time.
“The D.O.D cybercrimes specialist who got wind of your little scheme and who was framed for handing over classified information to a ransomware syndicate,” he clarified for Vick.
The man lifted his chin, spied Hannah, and blinked in astonishment. “You’re…her?”
