Page 12 of Viral Justice

“He can be intimidating,” Eugene agreed. “But he’s also the best man I’ve ever worked for, in or out of the military. He’s had my back in a couple of tricky situations.”

“Who has his back?”

“Your da...” He cleared his throat. “General Stone.”

“Has Max needed the general’s help often?” Most people who were good at their job pissed someone off somewhere along the way.

Eugene froze for a second before swallowing and saying, “A few times. Some regular army types. Not everyone agrees with how Colonel Maximillian runs the team. There’s been some grumbling since Akbar started his personal war on us. Somehow information has leaked out and we don’t know who’s doing it or how. But it keeps happening. Akbar is always one step ahead of us.”

Leaked out? Information doesn’t leak, it’s transmitted. If someone with access to information in this lab was sharing that info, they had a big problem.

“Let’s work on that.” She liked this kid. He was a good bridge between the team and the rest of the army. “I need to see all the specs on the security for this building. I’d like to find out if you think there are any holes in it or if any of the staff who work here have mentioned any deficiencies.”

Eugene’s eyebrows rose. “Okay. Con...Sergeant Connor Button was going to look at everything and give us feedback, but he got called out to an outbreak and hasn’t had time since.” The kid’s voice trailed off. “I don’t think it’s a technical issue. I’ve checked the hardware.”

“You think it’s a person,” Ali said slowly.

“Yeah, but I literally have no idea who.” Eugene’s right hand closed into a fist.

“Start with a list of everyone who has access and permission to access information about the lab, the staff, and what the team is doing. It’s probably longer than you think.”

“Yeah?”

She smiled at him. “My job is to protect Colonel Maximillian. Not just the man, but everything he’s accomplished. This team is important. I want to be proactive rather than reactive. Make sense?”

The kid sat up a little straighter. “Yes, ma’am, I mean, Stone.”

“Good. So, tell me something about the team that I don’t know.”

* * *

Colonel Maximillianwas clumsy, awkward, and ungainly.

They’d been sparring for about fifteen minutes and he seemed two seconds behind every move she made. No matter how hard she put him down, he didn’t get angry or the least bit frustrated. It was almost like he wanted to lose. Wanted to have bruises all over his body from getting thrown, tripped, and tossed to the mats. She’d never worked with anyone this hesitant, like he was doing it on purpose, and it was starting to piss her off.

She flipped him onto his back, then stepped back to give him room to regain his feet. “Attack me,” she ordered.

He froze and frowned. “I’ve been attacking you for over an hour now.”

Like hell.“No. Really attack me.”

He shrugged helplessly. “Do you want me to say it in another language?” Then he said it to her in French.

Her hold on her patience slipped and she stepped forward. He responded by moving a pace backward, but she changed her direction with her next move.

He hesitated, his body jerking one way then another as he tried to change direction also, but it was too late. She swept his feet out from under him, then grabbed one arm as she pounced, forcing him onto his back. A twist of his arm and he was under her control.

They stared at each other for a couple of seconds, then she got up. “Is it because I’m a woman?” If it was, she’d misjudged him.

“Pit me against anyone here, the result will be the same,” he told her in a low tone. “I can’t attack anyone.”

“Can’t or won’t?”

He ran both hands through his short hair in a jerky motion. “Both.”

Was he serious? She wanted to shake him, order him to pull his head out of his ass. She tripped him, trapping him on his belly with an arm twisted behind his back. She leaned down to ask in his ear, “Why the hell did you join the army?”

“I told you before, this is where the work I want to do is being done,” he said coldly.

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