Page 82 of One Last Stand

“I don’t know. I’m working on that.”

Shep walked over to the wardrobe and grabbed fresh clothes, brought them to the bathroom. “If you’re not here about the hit, what couldn’t wait until dinner?” He dressed, then came out in a pair of jeans and his last clean shirt.

“I don’t want to speak about this in front of London,” said York, who had gotten up and paced to the window, keeping his voice low. Now he turned. “We’re going to need your help delivering the virus into Cryptex.”

Shep cocked his head. “I thought Tomas was going to do that.”

“Yes, well, first—the virus Tomas created just might be a decoy. Our hacker, Coco, has tested it and is pretty sure it’s actually an access device that allows a back-door entry into the crypto wallet of any account that touches London’s wallet.”

“Like the CIA?”

“Or any other group. If she were to send money into the exchange, it could be disseminated to all other accounts.”

“They could hack into every other account.”

“It seems that way.”

“London said she didn’t trust him. Clearly for good reason.” His stomach growled. “So, what virus do you need uploaded?”

York pulled out a jump drive. “This one. We’ve been developing our own virus, and this one will follow the money too, but right back into the account of the Petrovs and then slowly corrupt it . . . and like the other, corrupt every organization that they touch.”

“Not taking out just their terrorist money but the money of every terrorist network.”

“Yes.”

“Brilliant.”

“So we’ll actually defund them instead of just causing factions. Better, right?”

“Why don’t you just switch it out, Tomas none the wiser.”

York looked out the window, his hands in his pockets. Shep’s gut tightened at the look on York’s face.

“Because during the blackout, Tomas escaped.”

Shep wanted to punch something. For a man who hated violence, his recent impulses irked him. Still.Escaped.“How?”

“The locks on the doors lost power. When the lights came back on, he was gone.”

Shep shook his head. “London needs to know this.”

“Of course. And we’ll tell her of the new plan, but . . . just in case something happens, I’m giving you the virus.”

“Something . . .happens? Could you be clearer?” He took the jump drive that York held out, closed it in his palm.

“Yes. Like . . . I don’t know. Tomas waiting to apprehend her or?—”

“Kill her?”

“We don’t know his plan, so . . .” York shrugged.

“In that case, the last thing I’ll be doing is uploading a virus. My job is to keep London alive and bring her home.” And suddenly, he was very, very glad for that job description,thank you.“I am not a spy. I’m a rescue tech.”

“And you were a soldier.”

His mouth opened, closed. “I was amedic. I didn’t even carry a weapon.”

York considered him. “Just . . . hang on to the jump drive. And where London goes, you go. She can upload the virus. Leave finding Tomas to us.”

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