Page 52 of Finders Keep Her
“He shouldn't know anything about your mother.” This time a note of that anger bleeds out into Ronan’s words. Zero flicks a glance over at him, not missing it either.
“Check your server.” Zero pushes the laptop over to me.
The server he’s talking about is the one with our handler. The thing is, it’s beyond secure for people on both ends. Every now and then, I get a message from another hacker in that box. Most don’t leave notes with a bunch of details. It might be secure, but you can never be too safe.
It’s mainly used so you can’t be tracked. You see someone is offering a contract, and if interested, you find your way to do that. Everyone has their own ways of going about things to make them feel safer.
It only takes a few key strokes and I’m in… and the last thing the messages I see make me feel is safer. That pisses me all the way off.
Chapter Twenty-Five
RONAN
He knows who my little fox is. It takes all my willpower to not grab the laptop and snap it in half. There are only a few pictures of her, but they are there. Along with almost a hundred other messages. This motherfucker and I are going to the hole together. He’s going to regret the day he was fucking born, and I’m going to be the one that makes him.
The messages are all over the place. Cyberius goes back and forth, from being pissed off to circling back and telling her they'd make a great team. I had to pull some information when I knew it was Cyberius that Ellie was hiding from. He was a dick, but partly sane. This is becoming unhinged.
I cool my rage. It’s not what Ellie needs. Instead, I force my muscles to relax as I lean down and kiss her neck. I’m sure this is rocking her to her core. It looks like she’s chosen anger to deal with it.
“You’re safe with me.” Ellie nods her head, her eyes trained on the computer screen, her fingers now flying across the board with a sheer determination.
“What are you doing?” Z leans in. “Marks.”
“How does he know this shit?” Ellie is talking more to herself than anyone. It’s hard to stay off the grid; in fact, if you ask me,I’d say it’s near impossible unless you’re willing to walk away from all parts of your life and start over with nothing.
Even then you still might not make it, and I’m betting with how technology is growing, that too would only last so long. This is why it’s pointless to hide. Everything catches up to you.
“Marks.” There is a slight warning in Z’s tone, and I know it’s not against her, but whatever she might be kicking up, this may not be the time.
“You’re smart, Marks. Don’t let anyone best you.” Her fingers freeze mid-stroke. “You don’t have to do irrational things,” Z reminds her.
“I’m not desperate." Bingo. “I’m the hunter.”
“She is.” Cosima nods. “Her kill shots in Call of Duty are second to none.” My sister makes a chef’s kiss motion. “Always hitting that mark.” Cosima's tone is filled with pride.
"Now," Z pulls the laptop back to himself, checking the time, “I have no doubt that Cyberius has tracked you back to this warehouse. He’s been circling, which has worked in our favor.”
Ellie turns her head up toward me; I’m sure she’s piecing together how he would be aware of this place. “I know.” It had been a risk when I lured Ellie out, and at the same time figure out who she was hiding from. Meaning Cyberius would then know the location of this warehouse.
“How has it worked in our favor?" Ellie asks.
“He can’t get into it online, so he’s come to town.” I don’t know enough about Cyberius to have predicted if he would do that, but I’d wanted him to. It’s what I would have done if I’d been looking for her. This warehouse was the last lead.
“This whole warehouse is a trap,” I tell her. “And we’re going to buy some time.” Ellie's brows pull together.
“And he’s circling again.” Z smirks. That was the risk with going back online, as Z had when he pulled out the laptop and started showing her the intel he’d pulled together.
“Do we need to get out of here?” Ellie sinks her teeth into her bottom lip.
“We’re leaving.” I grab her backpack off the floor.
“Right now?” She hops up from the chair as Z grabs a few things off the counter, ditching the laptop.
“You wanted to go to the farm,” I remind her. “And it’s safe there.”
To a degree. You’d have to be insane to try and breach it and not think it was a suicide mission. Except I know I’d do it if Ellie was there.
“Can I push the button?” Cosima bounces on her heels excitedly. “I want to push it.” I walk over to the coffee table in front of the couch and flip it.
