Page 4 of Misunderstood Hacker

I took a gulp of the Mountain Dew Sam had brought me this morning, wishing I had vodka to go with it. The thought of Jessica in a coma for a few more days made my stomachturn. She had had another CT this morning. We were waiting for the doctor to tell us if the swelling had gone down.

“We need to stopbeing so negativeandstart thinkingpositively,” I said.

“Seriously?” Patty asked.

“Yes, seriously.”

“Shewas runoff the road. Her bodyis piecedback together. How can I not—?” Patty was crying so hard she couldn’t get the rest of her sentence out.

Sam must have blamed me for upsetting Patty because the stare he sent my waywas intenseenough to peel paint off the wall.

“Pixie, why don’t you go for a walk with John for a few minutes.” Hearing his name, John popped his head into the room.

Patty was about to protest when John walked in and pulled her from Sam’s lap.I was not in the mood for one of Sam’s lectures. Needing to escape the room before Sam started, I placed my laptop on the table next to me andstarted to stand.

“Brock, sit down.” When I hesitated, he pointed to the chair. “Now. We need to talk.”

Once John and Patty had left the room, Sam continued. “You need to understand that what happened to Jessica was not your fault. You couldn’t have stopped it.”

On second thought, I wished he would yell at me for upsetting Patty. This conversation was heading down a path I didn’t like. I knew Sam was about to bring up a part of my past that needed to stay there.

“If I had been paying closer attention, I would have seen her sneak out the door.”

Sam ran his hand down his face, a sound of frustration coming from his throat. “Do you blame me for her accident?”

“Why would I blame you?”

“I was there too and didn’t see her leave. Jessica is a grown woman and made this decision herself, just like your CO did all those years ago. You need to stop blaming yourself for something you didn’t have control over. I see you holding on to the guilt for your team members.”

This was the exact conversation I didn’t want to have, how my team had been killed because I gave them lousyinformation. A half dozen people would still be alive if I had had the time to double-check the intel my CO had received. Deep down, I knew it wasn’t my fault. I had told him I wanted to check out the source more thoroughly before we acted.

“You know I don’t talk about that part of my life. Drop it,” I demanded.

Sam ran his hand down his face again and sighed. “I will not drop it. Neither of these accidents were your fault. If you keep letting them fester, you will drive yourself crazy. Jessica will be fine, and you can spend the rest of your life doting over her.”

Was it that obvious that I had a thing for Jessica? Ever since the first day I laid eyes on her in Sam’s office, I knew she was special. But she had been going through a divorce, so I kept my distance. Once shewas releasedfrom the hospital, I wouldn’t let her out of my sight until we found her attacker. I couldn’t fathom the thought of losing her.

“First, I will find out who did this. I won’t rest until then. And you shouldn’t expect me to drop the case. I was there to help you protect Patty. Stand with me now to protect Jessica.”

Luckily,Patty and John came back with Dr. Greyson, and the conversation that made my stomach turn upside down stopped. I needed good news to pull me away from the thoughts of what happened to my team and Jessica potentially having brain damage from the accident.

Dr. Greyson was a younger doctor. His presence filled the room. He had to be around six feet five inches and two hundred fifty pounds of muscle. He reminded me of a linebacker. From his expression, I thought I mightfinallyget that good news.

The small roomwas crowded. Patty and Sam were sitting to the left of Jessica’s bed. I was sitting on the other side, and John stood in the back corner.

Dr. Greyson glanced at the clipboard in his hands one more time before addressing the room. “The swelling around Jessica’s brain has gone down. We are stopping the IV ofphenobarbital, and in about eight to twelve hours, she shouldstart towake.” The doctor turned toward me. “You need to go home, shower, and take a quick nap. She needs you at one hundred percent when she wakes.” Dr. Greyson didn’t leave anyroom to argue.

Once he finished double-checking her vitals, he and the nurse left.

“You heard the doctor. Go home,” Sam demanded. “We’ll callif anything happens.”

Knowing I wouldn’t win the battle, I grabbed my laptop and licorice and headed for the door. I looked over my shoulder one more time before I left. Jessica looked so weak, lying on the bed alone.

* * *

When I walkedinto Jessica’s room six hours later, Sam was sleeping in the chair. Patty had pulled up another chair, and her fingers were flying across the keyboard.

“Who are you hacking, Patty?” I asked, hoping she had found a lead.

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