“Fuck me,” frowned Ben.“That actually hurts.”
“Is what it is, brother.I’d rather be mature than dead,” grinned Kiel.
They stood sipping their coffee, watching the younger men scan screen after screen, their fingers flying across multiple keyboards all at the same time.Or so it seemed.
Ben stepped forward, then stopped, stepping back.
“What’s wrong?” asked Kiel.
“Do you hear that?” he whispered.Kiel listened, shaking his head.“Step forward, then back.Listen.”
Kiel did exactly as he’d done and frowned.He did it again, looking around the room.As he stared up at the entryway they were standing in, between the small, secluded kitchen space and the workspace, both men started to feel around the casing.
“What are you guys doing?” asked Wyatt.
“There’s something here.Something is making a clicking noise,” said Ben.The others stood, walking toward them.Ben told them exactly what he’d asked Kiel to do and they all nodded, hearing it as well.
Taking out the big tools, they began unscrewing the metal casing around the door way.
“I’ll be a son-of-a-bitch,” muttered Hiro.
“Such a potty mouth,” frowned Wyatt.“I’m telling your wife.”
Hiro flipped him the bird and reached up along the casing.In a thin line was a fiber optic line you could barely see.
“What the hell is that?” asked Ben.
“It’s gathering intel.It’s telling them who is here.Every time someone enters that kitchen, it reads their badge or phone.Probably both.They know who’s working and their details.Once they have that information, they can follow their signal to the computer they’re working on and track the work, the sites they visit, everything.”
“Are you fucking with us right now?” asked Kiel.
“I am not,” said Hiro shaking his head.“They know which computer to target.It gives them a name and probably a whole lot more.And gives us a place to start.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
“What do you mean they’re gone?” she asked in a sleepy voice, not even turning on the bedroom light.
“I mean, they’re all gone.The house is empty, the computers are gone, everything.It’s all boarded up and there’s police tape over the doors.”
“Did you break it?” she asked suddenly sitting up.
“I’m not a fucking idiot.No.I didn’t break it.I was able to get in through a window.All the lights were still on and there was food everywhere.Fucking bugs will take over soon.”
“Burn it down,” she said callously.
“What?I’m no fucking arsonist.I’m not burning it down.”
“Burn the fucking house down or I’ll burn you down.Just set it on fire.No one will give a shit.”
“Everyone will give a shit.It’s next to other townhomes.They could catch fire as well.”
“I don’t care.Do it or you won’t get paid.”She could hear him thinking other end of the line.Money spoke.To everyone.Not just her.It spoke to all mankind.It could get you anything you wanted.She didn’t just want money.She wanted power and control.She wanted the ultimate power and control and more than anyone else in this shit-hole, she knew how to get it.
“Fine.Fine, I’ll fucking burn it down but it will cost you extra,” he said quietly.
She only smiled, tapping on her phone as she sent him an additional ten-thousand dollars.
“Done.Go buy yourself something pretty when you’re done.”
