“Tonight, the moon will be full, my moonchild, and the wolves are howling. Come out and embrace the shadows at midnight. The reward for hunting certain dead things could be more than you ever dreamed of.” Hitting ‘enter,’ the corner of her mouth quirked as she sat back.
“FuckingA, Drew,” Ari bitched, only half joking, as she stared at the screen. “You are going to have those imbeciles in Purgatory a drooling, slavering mess. Thefuck?”
Dara, however, was laughing. “Your moonchild won’t be able to resist, will she? At the very least, she’ll want to know exactly what you’ve figured out. Since I personally think you’re right on the money,Cyb3rmoonwill show up, although I also believe she just might have planned this in advance. As you’ve already said, she is highly intelligent. Watching you two has been like watching two grandmasters of chess battle for supremacy.”
“Then let the games begin, as our femmes always say,” Drew smirked, her smile turning a bit dark. “Now, we wait for midnight. We have our get-together at Seashells tonight with Infinity before they head back up to Tallahassee in the morning. We’ll relax for a few hours…before it’s time to find out what my moonchild istrulyup to.
“Midnight on the night of the full moon is considered to be the witching hour in some cultures.” That dark smile grew. “ButCyb3rmoonwill soon discover there’s no evading the shadows inmylair. No matter how intelligent she may be.”
?ω?ω?ω?
An answering smile touched the mouth of the woman who received The Shadow’s message. “Aren’t you persistent, lover?”she thought as she rapidly sent a return message, confirming she would be in Purgatory at midnight. Despite everything that was at stake, she hadn’t had this much fun inyears. “I do believe I have finally met my match.” Drew Hollister, the counterintelligence lead at Armstrong Protection Services, was brilliant, cunning, bold, and so damndangerousthat she had the entire dark web shaking in their boots at just the thought of her.
Tossing the phone on the bed beside her,Cyb3rmooncurled up to take a quick catnap. Tonight, however, they would see who was the hunter and who was the hunted. “I suspect you just might be surprised, lover,” she thought as she started to fall asleep. “I’ve already told you it might bemyfangs sinking into your neck in the end. What a tasty treat you will be. And I can’twait.”
Chapter 31
“Sambo was originally developed in the Soviet Union,” Indi told Drew, Dara, and Ari, taking a sip of her iced tea. “The word ‘Sambo’ is actually a Russian acronym for the phrase ‘Samozashchita Bez Oruzhiyathat,’ which translates to ‘self-defense without weapons.’ Like Krav Maga, it’s a combination of multiple disciplines. Unlike Krav, however—which, as you know, was developed in Israel—Sambo is recognized as a specific style of wrestling and a combat sport. Krav is more geared toward using very aggressive techniques and can involve weaponry.”
Chuckling, Drew sipped her own iced tea. “I have a feeling Casey and Sabine just might kill us for having this kind of discussion without them.”
“AndKelly?” Ari shuddered. “Jesus, she’ll knock the shit out of us.”
The Infinity operative laughed. “In this day and age of online chat, they won’t be missing much,” she said in her quiet way. “It will probably take some coordinating of schedules, but we can always find a way to talk, catch up, and discuss things like this. I’m an idiot when it comes to figuring out chat, but Brielle—and I’m sure Trill or Teagan—can make sure we’re connected.”
That night at Seashells, the APS and Infinity associates were enjoying a relaxing evening together before the Infinity operatives left the next morning to drive back to Tallahassee. True to their word, Indi and Drew were at a corner table with a few of Drew’s team, Indi loftily telling Shaelyn and Dani this was the “singles safety area,” as Drew gave her a high five, while the rest of the associates snorted and flipped them off. Now, Dara asked Indi if she could tell them more about Sambo.
“Absolutely. Krav Maga, for example, is considered a lot more unique than other forms of martial arts, as well as one of the deadliest ones out there. Primarily, it’s centered more around physicalover-aggression. Sambo—specifically Combat Sambo—emphasizes grappling and throwing techniques instead of aggression and quick, decisive strikes.”
“Which is not to say Sambo still isn’textremelyeffective,” called Dani from where she was sitting two tables away, smirking. “I’ve seen Indi flatten an asshole using Sambo while wearing abikini. Amazing how dudes think small women who look like her are easy pickings.” She tut-tutted while those around her burst out laughing.
“Combat Sambo is also known for its dirty tactics.” Indi’s lavender eyes twinkled as she shrugged at the grinning table. “Anyhow, I’ve been studying Sambo for a long time,” she said, looping a golden curl around her ear. “My instructor, Pavel Vasilev—who was born and raised in Kazan, the capital of the Volga Federal District and is now one of my best friends, as is his wife, Svetlana—was trained there. Pav emigrated to Florida in the late 1990s. Sambo has become more popular in recent years, and I, for one, am happy to see it gets the exposure it deserves, especially in North Florida.”
Brooke and Blake came over to their table and plopped down. “I don’t want to hear shit about this being your ‘singles safety area’ either,” she informed Indi with mock disdain, a smirk lingering in the corner of her mouth. “If I want to crash the party so I can spend more time with you before you go, then that’s what I’ll do. Suck it up, bitch.” She leaned over and gave Indi a hug, which was readily returned.
“I seem to remember the last time you two were together, it didn’t work out so well,” coughed Blake, examining her fingernails with a grin.
“Shut up, Blake,” growled Brooke with an exasperated huff, smacking Blake in the arm while Indi asked, “Is she always this much of a smartass?”
“You don’t even know, sister. Seriously, you have no damn clue what any of us puts up with every day. It’s amazing she’s still breathing.”
Shaking her head as the rest of the table laughed, Drew asked Indi, “Did you grow up in Tallahassee?”
Indi nodded. “I did. Born and raised. Although I’ve traveled extensively within the United States. My dad is a nut,” she chuckled. “He is a computer programmer and analyst who’s had his own consulting business for eons. After his kid was grown and gone, he decided to do something about their empty nest syndrome because it was making my mom a little depressed. So, he started taking one-year contracts in different cities around the United States. San Antonio, Albuquerque, Denver, Phoenix, just to name a few. They’d rent an apartment, he’d work, then the two of them would explore the area on the weekends.
“I always managed to fly out to where they were at least once or twice, so I got to see a lot more of America than most people typically do. Dad’s retired now, and it’s nice to have them home, although my father still gets itchy feet from time to time. That’s where I get it since I’ll travel anywhere at the drop of a hat if Shae and Dani need me to.” She looked quizzically at Drew. “What about you?”
“Whimsy-born and bred, not much different than you,” she told Indi. “My parents are still here in the house I grew up in, although my little brother lives in Houston with his wife and their two kids now. Thankfully, they visit a couple of times every year, and Mom and Dad make a trip to Texas every three or four months.”
“You sound close.”
“We are. Do you have any brothers or sisters?”
“Nope, just me. After Mom and Dad had me, they never wanted any more. They were perfectly happy with their brood of one. Of course, because my dad can be an utter lunatic, he constantly tells meanysane person would have stopped after I showed up.” She shook her head and rolled her eyes in mock exasperation as the table sniggered.
The night wore on, with everyone chatting and laughing, until Bryn called a halt to the festivities at about eleven. “Four-thirty comes early, and Shae told me they want to hit the road about six,” she told everyone as they rose and prepared to go. “We’ll meet outside in the morning to give Infinity their send-off before we get to work.” After hugs and cheek kisses all around, the teams moved toward the entrance.
“Shaelyn, Dani, Indi, I’ve said it before, but thank you again foreverything. As sorry as we are to see you go, we also know there is a pile of people in North Florida who are missing you something fierce. Take care, reach out anytime you need because you can be damn sure we’ll be doing the same. APS and Infinity Security make one hell of a team, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for both of us.”
