"I know that too."
"But I don't want to slow down." She cups my face. "Is that crazy?"
"If it is, we're both crazy." I pull her closer. "Because I don't want to slow down either."
We eat at the counter, standing close, stealing kisses between bites. It's domestic and easy and everything I convinced myself I didn't need anymore.
After dinner, she settles on the couch with her laptop while I review files from the briefing. The cyber analysis keeps naggingat me. Something about the sophistication level, the way they covered their tracks.
"This cyber component," I say after a while. "It's bothering me."
Gwen looks up from her laptop. "Why?"
"Because Rivera is right, Garrison's smart but she's not tech smart enough to pull this off on her own. And Briggs is muscle, not brains. Which means there's someone else involved. Someone we haven't identified yet."
"The analyst said they need a specialist."
"They do. But more than that, they need someone who understands military networks specifically. Someone who knows how to navigate base hierarchy and architecture." I set down the files. "I know someone. Civilian cyber security specialist, works defense contracts. She's consulted on network security for half the bases on the East Coast."
"Can you trust her?"
"Professionally? Absolutely. She's brilliant. Personally? She's got a smart mouth and an attitude problem, but she's the best at what she does."
"Sounds delightful."
"She's British. That should tell you everything." I start typing a message. "Her name is Lennox Bradshaw. Goes by Nox. If I can get her cleared through Rivera, she might be willing to take the contract."
"Do you think she would?"
"If the problem's interesting enough. And this definitely qualifies." I pull out my phone. "Won't know until I ask."
I dial her number. She picks up on the third ring.
"Caine. It's been a while." Nox's voice carries that familiar British clip. "What kind of mess have you gotten yourself into now?"
"Federal investigation. Need someone who can track a ghost through military network architecture."
"A ghost? How delightfully dramatic." Keys click in the background. "And here I thought you'd gone soft doing protective details for senators' wives."
"Not a senator's wife."
"Oh?" The keys stop clicking. "Do tell."
"Civilian trauma surgeon. Equipment theft investigation turned into something bigger. Database manipulation, sophisticated trail covering through military systems."
"Military systems specifically?" Her tone sharpens. "Not just civilian network protocols?"
"Someone who knows base architecture, security protocols, audit structures. Professional level work."
"Which means defense contractor background or active duty with cyber training." More clicking. "What's the scope? Single penetration or ongoing access?"
"Ongoing. They manipulated inventory databases, audit logs, reconciliation reports. Made fraudulent transfers look legitimate for months."
Nox whistles low. "That's not ghost work. That's someone embedded in the infrastructure. You're looking at persistent access, probably multiple entry points." A pause. "NCIS is handling this?"
"Rivera's team. They've got cyber analysts but they need someone who understands military networks specifically."
"Rivera. That hard-ass from the San Diego investigation?" She laughs. "God, she hated me. Kept insisting I needed official oversight while I was in their systems."
