Page 30 of Web of Lies
I just need to get within range, and five full seconds in close proximity should be enough for the data transfer to complete.
I casually weave through small groups. As I approach Dalton from behind, I time it perfectly, brushing up against his arm with a soft, clumsy nudge, as though I hadn't seen him there.
His arm jerks, and his drink sloshes dangerously close to the rim, but it doesn't spill. Dalton reacts swiftly, catching my arm with his free hand and stabilizing me. His grip is firmer than necessary, his fingers wrapping around my upper arm. He draws me a little closer, his eyes narrowing with curiosity.
"Oh my God, I'm so sorry," I say in a high-pitched, panicked voice, interrupting the conversation between Dalton and theman beside him. The beeping of my in-ear device picks up, counting the seconds.
"You okay?" he asks in a casual tone. The smile on his face is polite but distant, not quite reaching his eyes.
"I'm just a little overwhelmed by the crowd. I hope I spilled nothing on you, sir." I nod and place my palms flat on his chest to check him over.
"Not at all, darling. Everything's fine," he says with a smug chuckle.
A long beep sounds in my ear, followed by a smooth, robotic voice. "Data successfully transmitted." Relief rushes through me. I force a smile and take a polite step back. "I didn't mean to interrupt you, gentlemen. Again, I'm really sorry."
"Oh, there are worse fates than being interrupted by a beautiful woman," Dalton replies, his voice dropping an octave. The surrounding men erupt into amused laughter, and I let out a soft, flustered chuckle, careful not to overdo it. "Hope to see you around later?" he adds, his eyes drifting down to my cleavage, where they linger for a few seconds too long.
"I hope so," I say with a smile, taking a step back before turning and disappearing into the crowd.
Mr. Hunt is standing at the edge of the event, talking to Ethan. With hurried steps, I approach them, and at the sound of my heels clicking against the marble floor, they both turn to look at me.
"There you are," Mr. Hunt says, offering me his arm. I slip my arm through his and curl my fingers into the crook of his elbow.
"Sorry, I got a little lost," I say with a soft smile. "But I found what I was looking for."
"Wonderful. Ethan has also successfully placed the access point." His lips twitch into a fleeting smile before he turns to Ethan. "Be so good as to accompany Riley. Drive her home once she's done."
"And what about you, sir?" Ethan asks.
"I still have business to attend, but I'll be fine. Thank you."
"Of course." Ethan nods and steps closer. His hand hovers just a few inches above the small of my back, but never touches me. Regardless, I feel the heat radiating off him through the thin fabric of my dress.
I slip my hand out of Mr. Hunt's hold and allow Ethan to guide me toward the exit. As we approach, I steal one last glance at the boss, who is talking to someone new. A young blonde I've never seen before, standing closer than anyone usually dares. She looks like she stepped straight out of a magazine, wearing a soft pink gown that clings to her slim frame.
Ethan pushes me forward, and we slip out of the building, heading back to the car in the nearby parking lot. He opens the back door for me, and I climb inside while he stands guard.
I pull my laptop onto my lap to start the process. After plugging in the skimmer, I begin transferring all the collected data. A progress bar crawls across the screen, gradually filling up until it reaches 100%. Instantly, the screen switches to the company intranet. Dalton's information autofill’s into the login fields, and after another loading screen, a message pops up.
Login confirmed. Welcome,MalcolmDalton.
With full access to EmergentNet's internal systems through Dalton's account, I dig deeper. A few clicks later, I locate the configuration for the secure Wi-Fi access point. My fingers fly across the keyboard as I deploy the reconfigured Evil Twin that mirrors the company's official network. I spoof the SSL and reroute the DNS to Hunt Corp.'s servers. All that's left is to boost the signal.
I set my laptop aside, bend over the center console, and press the buttons on the car radio to activate the hidden repeater in the trunk. After that, I fall back into my seat, scoot closer to the door, and glance up at the building.
Dalton's office on the top left floor is dark except for the soft blue glow of the network hardware. After pressing the activation command and waiting through a brief loading delay, the Evil Twin goes live. A list pops up on my screen showing all the devices disconnecting from the original network and reconnecting to mine. One by one, they form secure sessions, and the data starts to flow. Credentials, file transfers, session tokens, and the list goes on.
My earpiece crackles with static, followed by Mr. Hunt's voice. "Status?"
"Twenty percent of the devices have been switched," I say, stealing a glance at my screen. "We should have full access within ten minutes."
"Any sign you were noticed?"
"No."
There's a pause. A second too long. "Good." The words send a shiver down my spine. They aren't suggestive, but the low purr in his voice lights something inside my chest. My pulse quickens, and my palms grow damp against my laptop.
"Thank you," I murmur, my fingers tightening around the edge of the keyboard.
