Page 19 of Shadowed Hearts: Frost
"That's not good," Xander mutters, suddenly serious. "They're tracking you specifically."
A new window opens on the center screen, code scrolling faster than even I can process. Cole's posture changes subtly—a slight tensing of his shoulders the only indication of his surprise.
The code stops abruptly, revealing a simple text message that appears for exactly 3.2 seconds:
Enjoying the chase, Asher?
I freeze, my body going completely still. My heart rate spikes, but my expression remains unchanged through years of training.
"He knows your name." Cole's voice holds a rare note of genuine concern.
The confined space of the van suddenly feels even smaller, the three of us frozen in the blue glow of the monitors.
"What the actual fuck?" Xander breaks the silence, his bulk shifting uncomfortably.
A notification appears from Kade on a side screen:
Secure all systems. Immediate protocol breach. Report status.
Cole types a response when another message flashes across the screen, disappearing almost instantly.
You missed something at the café.
"Initiating full trace protocol." Cole's voice is controlled but tense as his fingers move across the keyboard with renewed urgency. "They've bypassed our standard security parameters."
"How the hell did they get your name?" Xander's usual boisterous energy has transformed into focused alertness. "That information is buried under layers that even Cole would struggle with."
The air in the van feels thick, the cramped space intensifying the tension between us. I watch as Cole deploys a series ofadvanced tracing algorithms, following the digital ghost back through its labyrinth.
"Doesn't matter how they got it." My voice betrays none of the unease prickling under my skin. "We need to know who they are and what they want."
Cole pulls up three auxiliary screens, running parallel tracking protocols. My shoulder presses against Xander's arm as we both lean forward to see. The message sender has covered their tracks expertly, but everyone leaves some trace.
"This isn't amateur hour." Cole's tone sharpens as his fingers fly across the keyboard. "Whoever Echo is, they've got resources and skills that rival our best security."
"Government? Private contractor? Foreign intelligence?" Xander's questions hang in the hot air of the van.
"Could be any of those." Cole maneuvers through network nodes, following fragments of the digital signature. "Or someone we haven't categorized yet."
I watch Cole work, my focus narrowing to the code racing across the screens. The outside world fades away, the way it does when I'm lining up a shot through my rifle scope. This is a different kind of hunting, but the precision required is the same.
"Deploy the secondary counter-measures, Cole. We need better visibility." My words come out clipped, professional.
"Already on it." Cole activates a series of defensive protocols, creating safe corridors through which we can pursue our mysterious opponent without exposing our systems further.
Xander shifts his weight, accidentally bumping the equipment rack. "Sorry," he mutters, finding a new position in the tight quarters that allows him to see without disrupting Cole's work.
"Got something." Cole highlights a data packet that doesn't immediately dissolve. "It's holding stable."
The van falls silent as we examine the information unfolding before us. Financial records, shell companies, property holdings—all connected to Paradise Elite. Names of board members, transaction histories, offshore accounts.
"Wasn't that connected to Steele's operation?" Xander breaks the silence, his usual bravado subdued.
My muscles tense as connections form. "Paradise Elite was what Jenny was investigating before she was killed. And Roman was looking into one of their clients—suspected ties to human trafficking."
This unknown player is now connecting dots between Steele, Jenny's death, and Roman's disappearance.
"They're not just showing off." I scan through the data as Cole scrolls through it, cataloging each piece. "They're sharing intelligence."
