Page 14 of The Knight

Raptor had trialed the chip on innocent veterans who had served their country, including Fox’s woman Abbie. Abe would be glad when all of it was finally locked away for good in Norway’s government vaults.

Fox hooked a stool to sit on as Freya walked up to the boxes. “Every box is labeled with an alphanumeric code. I devised thesystem myself to ensure maximum efficiency for storage and cataloging in Norway.”

“Impressive.” Abe cranked one eyebrow.

Freya dipped her head slightly, acknowledging his compliment.

“The core algorithms driving the microchip’s neural interface are stored on my encrypted laptop.”

A small silver door was set into the wall above the counter on the far side of the room. She tapped on a digital keypad, and the door released with a smooth, well-oiled click. Reaching inside, she pulled out a sleek laptop case.

“My laptop.” She placed it on one of the pristine stainless-steel counters. “My flight is at eight tomorrow evening so we shall leave for the airport at one pm?—”

“Isn’t that a little early?” Abe walked down the lines of boxes. Each box was stamped with detailed stickers, placed with geometrical precision.

Her plush lips pressed together. “Actually, it’s precisely calculated. Based on a statistical analysis of flight departures from Keflavík International Airport over the past five years, there’s a seventy-three percent chance of experiencing delays of thirty minutes or more during this time slot. Additionally, security wait times increase by an average of twenty-two minutes between five and eight pm due to overlapping flight schedules. Factoring in these variables, along with a standard deviation for unforeseen circumstances, a one pm departure provides an optimal ninety-eight percent probability of making our flight without undue stress or rush.” She paused for breath and propped one hand on her hip, challenge bleeding from her brilliant blue eyes. “Does that answer your question?”

Hot damn. How did one woman make statistics sound so fricking sexy? Abe flashed her his teeth in a grin. “I guess it does.”

“And the laptop is secured?” Fox asked.

She popped open the latches and pivoted the case so he and Fox could see. The computer was built into the frame of the case. The lid housed a slim, high-resolution touchscreen monitor, seamlessly integrated into the case’s interior while the bottom half contained a low-profile keyboard. “My laptop runs an encryption algorithm I personally developed. It’s virtually unbreakable.” Her chin tipped upward by a degree.

“Virtually?”

“Nothing is unbreakable, Abe.” Her lips pursed. “The algorithm is encrypted to my face. Only I can open the documents it contains. Of course, I will change that when we arrive in Oslo, but until then, the data is secure.”

Abe scrutinized the laptop. “If your encryption includes a facial recognition lock, how do you account for potential spoofing attempts using high-resolution images or 3D-printed masks?”

She blinked and folded her arms across the perfect rise of her breasts as if reassessing him.

Not all grunt, heh, Duchess?

The muscles in her jaw popped almost imperceptibly. “Well, I’m impressed you’re aware of such vulnerabilities.”

“For a hoorah shouting SEAL?”

Fox shifted from his perch on a stool, his gaze flicking between Abe and Freya with newfound interest.

She squared her shoulders. “To answer your question, yes, there is a facial recognition component. However, it’s far more sophisticated than standard systems. I’ve implemented a multi-spectral imaging system that captures data beyond the visible spectrum. This includes near-infrared and ultraviolet wavelengths to detect the unique subsurface features of living tissue.”

Abe met her gaze with genuine interest. She continued to amaze and intrigue him. She was like no other woman he’d ever encountered.

When he didn’t speak, she continued. “In addition, my program analyzes micro-expressions and involuntary muscle movements. This effectively counters any static image or mask-based spoofing attempts such as you described.” Her eyes remain locked on him, almost daring him to ask for clarification. “Further, there is a kill switch embedded in the encryption, in case of a worst-case scenario.”

“That’s reassuring, Freya. Thank you.” He ensured his tone was genuine.

“Hmm.” She made a tiny noise that drew his attention to the curve of her mouth and arrowed instant heat to his cock.

Struggling to maintain his professional composure, Abe made a show of checking his watch. The unexpected surge of heat threatened to overwhelm him. He drew in a slow breath. "Can we confirm our departure point?—"

The sterile quiet of the lab shattered as an alarm klaxon screamed to life.

9

Freya clampedher hands over her ears as protection against the strident wail of the fire alarm.What now?

“The fire alarm?” Abe’s hand was already moving to the holster on his hip.

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