We both give her disbelieving glances.
“What can I say? She’s so ahead of her time. She’s everything the hacker world pretends it wants women coders to be but actually punishes them for. It makes so much sense that she’s behind TruthDrop. No one has ever tracked the sources. The media thinks it’s a large international group, butit’s just her. I mean, I'm sure the other two help, but she’s obviously the tech-savvy branch of the whole operation.”
Enzo mutters, “You sound like you’re writing her fan mail.”
“She’s one of the few people doing something real—not waiting for permission, not pretending the system works.”
“No one is under the illusion that the system works, E,” I say.
“E, let’s run a file on Jules Sinclair. Then, compile what you can find on Luna and Pippa with it. I don’t think they are going to take us up on our offer, but if they do, I want as much info as we can find.”
Eva perks up. “Enzo, you already told them we have clients that are on their hit list, right?”
“Right.”
“Good. Then we start there. Let’s offer to set up a meeting with a high-value client—someone they couldn’t easily access without us. You give the girls the name, the location, the setup, whatever they need, and then you get out of the way. Let them handle it however they choose.”
Enzo rubs his jaw, thinking. “It’s not the worst idea.”
“I know.” She grins. “What about Jonathan Vale? He’s been causing problems for our other clients ever since his son landed on Troy’s ticket. You said Troy was on their list, so this could be perfect.”
The suggestion lands heavily. Even the sunlight seems to dim a little. Jonathan Vale, father of the Vice President, advisor to world leaders, political kingmaker, and the kind of man who could make a phone call and ruin a life before breakfast.
“So, we open negotiations with offering them the father of the Vice President?” Enzo asks, incredulous.
“Relax. All we have to do is make the offer. See if it’s the olive branch they need.”
“Let’s pretend this isn’t a stupid idea—that it’snotthe kind of plan that is likely to get us killed by Vale’s cronies. How exactly should we make that offer when they’ve specifically told us not to approach?” I ask.
“Last I heard, you and Luna still work together.”
Enzo and I scoff.
“It’s not like she can avoid you forever.”
I sigh, rubbing my temples where a dull headache is starting to form. “So, I ambush her at work. Which, let me remind you, is the FBIheadquarters…and offer a chance for her and her friends to take out a golden goose? Someone too tempting to ignore.”
“Exactly!” Eva claps in excitement. “Even if she’s mad, she’ll realize what we are offering.”
“And what’s that? Besides our possible deaths?” Enzo retorts.
“A way to prove that we are in this with them, that we have skin in the game, and maybe a reminder that not everyone in this city is an enemy,” Eva says. She clearly knows she has us hooked.
I look at Enzo.
He gives a slight tip of his chin.
“Fine,” I say. “I’ll see what I can do.”
“How hard was it to admit I was right?” Eva teases.
Enzo and I both chuckle as we leave the kitchen.
I guess I’m going to find out if Luna Steele and I are still friends. That is, if she’s even willing to talk to me after last night.
NINE
concession
