Page 53 of Being Bold
How the fuck did she get past our security?
Chapter 15
Bo
After Selene introduced Yumi to the guys and everyone settled down, Victor reminded them he was still on the call. They all turned to the computer screen at the sound of him clearing his throat.
“Can we get back to business, people?”
Message received.
Before he could say another word, Yumi wedged herself in front of the camera. “Those attacks your firm wants Dao for? They were demonstrations.”
Victor frowned, dark eyes narrowing. “What kind of demonstrations?” The guy’s buzzed head and no-nonsense jaw were usually enough of a warning that he didn’t put up with bullshit. Everyone on their team had learned that if you had a point, you got to it fast.
Yumi was about to get that lesson. She rubbed her right temple as if tension lingered there. “A proof of concept, if you will, for Sentient Shadow.”
Romeo got the question everyone was thinking out first, “What the fuck is that?”
Something in Yumi’s stare sent a chill through the room as her gaze trailed over them. “What he’s calling the weaponized AI.”
“Well, fuck,” Herc muttered.
“How do you know this? Can you track it down?” Bo wanted answers. Not more questions.
Her face said she was annoyed her skills were being questioned. “Already have, G.I. Joe. The first trial was four years ago in Afghanistan.”
Great, he’d made her testy. “Where?”
“Kandahar.”
Little warning tones chimed in Bo’s head. He was in Kandahar four years ago.
Yumi continued, oblivious to his inner struggle. “They used it to remotely detonate a female suicide bomber. Apparently, she was the wife of someone who betrayed Dao.”
“So the fucker got his test, and he sent a message about the dangers of double-crossing him.” Duke sounded almost impressed, which would’ve pissed Bo off if he wasn’t too busy suffocating.
“Was it—” Fuck, his throat was dry as bone. He swallowed and choked out, “Was it in Martyr’s Square?”
Yumi arched a brow. “Yes. Why?”
“I was there.” His statement sucked all the oxygen from the room as if everyone were afraid to breathe. It was understandable. He was having trouble pulling in air at the moment himself.
Selene moved, breaking the tension. “There’s nothing you could’ve done, Bo. That bomb was going to go off whether you killed the woman or not.” She squeezed his forearm and whispered, “It wasn’t your fault.”
For the first time since he’d woken up in the hospital and his commanding officer told him Nugg was gone, Bo truly believed those words.
The detonationwasn’this fault.
With his acceptance, the darkness constantly stewing in his gut receded a fraction. Enough that he didn’t feel in danger of drowning in it, at least. Maybe he couldn’t have changed the outcome of the bombing, but now that he knew the fucker responsible, he had every intention of rendering justice for Nugg.
Dao was going down. And Bo wouldn’t be gentle about it.
“There’s going to be another one soon.”
“Where?” Victor demanded.
“Taipei. The plan is to show the weapon off, then start the bidding. He’s auctioning it to a group that makes even the Yakuza pucker.”
