Page 26 of Shadow Undercover

Ben grabbed his laptop and sat in the chair in the hallway. “I’ll take the watch until Brent is free.”

With a nod, Trace tapped on the door to the recovery room and slipped inside.

Bridget glanced up. “Finished?”

“For now. Nico assigned research tasks to all of us. We need to find Hugo, fast.”

“I’m all for finding my sister soon, but what’s the rush?”

“Pedro was old school, interested in drugs and guns. Hugo has something to prove and thinks he knows the perfect way to make his mark in the world.”

“What is he planning?”

“To dabble in chemical and nuclear weapons.”

The little color Bridget had in her cheeks drained away. “You can’t let him near those weapons. The world would never survive his ego.”

“Shadow has been given permission to stop him no matter what it takes.”

She was silent a moment. “What research did Nico assign you?”

“Learn everything I can about Ruth and Hugo from you, then dive into Hugo’s life online. Every tidbit of information will help with a whole picture and give us the best shot at predicting his movements and reactions.”

“I can help.”

“You’re recovering from serious injuries.”

“I’m lying in a bed, recovering from minor injuries that don’t prevent me from using my hands and brain. Let me help you, Trace. Research is what I do. Besides, Brent is vetting me for a research job with your company.”

Trace’s brows knitted as he dropped into the chair beside her bed. “Are you serious?”

She nodded. “He’s checking my background and references. You and I might be co-workers soon. Ruth is my sister. I need to help you find her.”

He grabbed his laptop from his Go bag. “Scoot over. I can’t let you loose on my computer without overseeing where you go on the information superhighway.”

“Why not?” Bridget eased over to the far edge of the bed with a flinch.

“Fortress databases are filled with classified information. Zane also loaded programs capable of breaking into secure databases.”

She held out her hands for the computer when Trace stood. “A hacker’s dream computer.”

He chuckled. “That’s what Zane claims.”

“Sounds as though he’s a very handy man to have on your team.”

“I can’t tell you how many times he’s saved our lives. All Fortress operatives owe him.” He settled next to her and typed in his password. “Where do you want to start?”

“Hugo. I’ll tell you anything you want to know about Ruth. I want to know the man who took my sister.” She glanced at Trace, a hard light of battle in her eyes. “Hugo Torino will pay for what he did.”

CHAPTER TEN

Trace and Bridget worked for two hours, tracking every kilobyte of information they could find on Hugo Torino. When she had to erase the search phrase she’d typed for the third time, he glanced at Bridget. One look and he knew she was in pain. Stitches and a concussion meant a massive headache.

He placed a hand over hers, stilling the movement of her fingers. “Let’s take a break.”

“I can’t. Every minute counts.”

“True,” Trace agreed. “We aren’t the only ones looking for Hugo’s tracks. This is a team effort. You’re exhausted and in pain. If you push yourself to keep going, you might miss a trail.”

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