Page 69 of Blue Embers
Turning, the photo of the hacienda faded away and in its place appeared numerous pictures of Ares, some candid and others staged. They kept appearing, crowding around each other until there were too many to look at.
“I want Ares Nite,” the man said. “I’ve looked through your databases and it hasn’t been much help.”
“Because he’s fallen off the grid,” I said, disappointed. “He disappeared--”
“After the attack at his gala. I know. Thing is, you both know him better than any digital library does. So what would he do now?”
“Flee like a coward,” Draven said, bitterly wrinkling his nose.
“No doubt,” the stranger said. “But to where?”
“Meet us in person and we can look for him together,” I said.
“‘Fraid not,” he spoke with atsk.
“Then how do you expect us to help each other?” I said with a bored undertone.
“Well, a deal’s a deal,” the man exhaled. “You told me what you knew, which was essentially nothing, and now I guess I should keep up my end of the bargain. Your tracking program should have picked me up by now.”
Draven and I looked up at each other with surprise and I couldn’t help feeling a bit more intrigued by this stranger now. I held back a grin and kept listening, glancing at the computer screen as a red dot began flashing on the map displayed on the monitor.
“You’ll find the compound at that location,” the stranger said. “It’s where the Falcons have been manufacturing most of their weaponry, including the stuff they’re selling to the sectors.”
“Is that where you are?” Draven said, his voice growing with suspicion.
“For now. I’m blending in.”
“What’s that mean?” I asked.
“It means I’m good at what I do.”
“What exactlydoyou do?”
He chuckled again as if my questions were amusing him.
“My own thing. But here’s a little something extra since I can tell you two are good guys under those elitist, Draak exteriors. I’m sending you some information I just picked up last night on these ancient systems the Falcons have here,” he said, his voice almost appalled at whatever equipment he had been forced to hack. “It might interest you.”
I glanced at the computer monitors again to see a message come up with an attached file. My intuition was telling me this mysterious hacker had interests that aligned with ours, for the most part. I tapped the file open, watching images and what looked like maps and blueprints scatter across the screen.
“What are we looking at?” Draven asked sternly.
“Plans,” the stranger said on the phone. “Plans to remodel the sectors once this rebellion chases all you Draak away or kills you. No more Draakir. No Order. Just Zephyre running a world filled with idiotic people. They plan to tear down every building just to spite you. Fun, huh? Looks like these plans are old, but in case the concept of Zephyre domination hadn’t soaked in yet.”
“For someone who does his own thing, you seem quite eager to help us prevent a hostile takeover,” I said, sifting through images.
“Hey, I like the world the way it is. Well, more or less. I enjoy pretty much everything in it. Hell, I even considered volunteering in the Red Race a few years back. You know, for the riches. Then I decided just to hack into some dipshit’s bank account and transfer the riches he was getting from kidnapping young girls and selling them into sex trades,” he laughed. “You should have seen the look on his face when he couldn’t fund his own business anymore.”
Once more, Draven and I were exchanging confused looks, only now my interest in this stranger was almost aggravatingly high. A hacker with no face who’d invaded my privacy and that of countless others was sparking something that could only be identified as excitement.
“What’s your name?” I asked, desperate to know who we were dealing with.
“Ahh, names are for people who want to be recognized,” he said. “Imagine what being recognized would do for someone who makes a living off of not being seen.”
Draven glanced at the map again with the flashing red dot marking the compound our friend was talking about. I could sense a strong want to head out and find the place himself, and perhaps the hacker.
“I won’t be at the factory, friend,” the stranger said. “That would be pretty dumb of me, don’t you think? But I’ll leave the phone. Follow the breadcrumbs. Maybe if we both get what we want, I’ll bless you both with a handshake or something. I don’t know. Whatever it is civilized people do.”
“Wait,” I said just as the call was cut off. I let out a breath of frustration and slid my phone into my pocket, leaning forward on the metal desk in front of me. “Well that was partly disappointing,” I complained. “First he makes my security look like a chicken wire fence and hacks my entire system and then I come here hoping to meet the wizard and he points us to this factory in the middle of nowhere.”
