Page 37 of The Flame of Carson
Stacey picked up her sweet tea and took a swallow, “That’s what Gage said, and I agree.I just hope in his ranting emails he will eventually slip and give us a hint as to who he is.”
“Are you reading the emails?”Alora asked.
“Not anymore.All they do is give me a damned headache.I get one, I just forward it onto Blackout and the Feds.Actually, I don’t give a damn what he has to say to me.Maybe that’s the real reason why I’m able to stay calm about this.”Stacey answered with a nonchalant shrug.
What she wasn’t saying however, was the more she thought about the situation, and what little she and Gage talked about it; Stacey was beginning to have a different theory about the person.She bounced the idea around and around in her head and her gut was starting to tell her she may well be right.She would wait a few more days before voicing her thoughts to Gage and the others.All she did know was Lord help them if she was right about this.
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Across town, Ethan, Tony, and Gage stared at the screen reading the latest e-mail that Stacey had received just that morning.She had told Gage that she wasn’t reading them anymore and frankly she didn’t want to.She only wanted to know what was in them if it pertained to her day-to-day dealings or if the guy threatened Gage again or anyone else in her inner circle for that matter.Gage respected her for her strength and resilience to this whole mess.His eyes narrowed as he read the email again.
You think you’re so brave by ignoring me?You know nothing Stacey.You don’t know me, but soon you will.
Your boy toy can’t keep you safe.The Feds can’t keep you safe.Those friends of your boy toy can’t keep you safe.
Soon, oh soon Stacey you will know TRUE pain and fear.
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Gage couldn’t readanymore, “We have to stop this fucker.”
“We will Gage, I promise.”Ethan vowed.
“I will say this, he’s good.Damned good.”Tony gritted, his fingers flying over the keyboard.“I’m using every trick I know to find out where exactly he is, but nothing is working.”
Gage ran a hand through his hair as he began to pace.Jimmy and Cain had said the same thing of their own tech geek.The day after the man showed up at Gage’s house, both Tony and the Feds installed tracking software in Stacey’s work and home computers in the hopes of pinpointing the exact location.So far, nothing and it was damn frustrating.How were they supposed to protect his woman if they couldn’t find this man?He still had not voiced the nagging thought he got when he read the first email Stacey got in Austin.The thought that maybe Stacey DID NOT in fact know the man.
“Gage.”
Gage stopped pacing and turned to face his friend, his boss, his former commander, “Yeah?”
Ethan took a few steps toward him, and lay his hands on Gage’s shoulders, “Listen to me buddy.I know how frustrating this is for you, how crazy it’s driving you, but you have to stay focused.I know you’re keeping a distance from this on the Blackout end, but personally you’re right in the thick of it...”
“I can’t just turn it off damn it!”Gage interrupted with a growl.
“I know you can’t.Brother, you have to keep a clear head here.Okay?If this escalates even more, and you are too clouded to see, that’s when Stacey or you could get hurt.”
Gage could feel his gut clench and unclench at Ethan’s words.As much as he wanted to deny them, he knew Ethan was right.“I hear you.It’s funny, when we took Krista’s case and I watched you go through this, I was the voice of reason.I thought I would handle this better if I were in your shoes.”
“Gage, you’re handling it much better than I did, but I can see you starting to lose that rigid focus.You have to be careful there.”Ethan added.
Tony looked up from the computer and faced his friends.“If you two love birds are done, I may have something.”
“Fuck you, Tony.”Gage and Ethan shot back in tandem, causing Tony to chuckle.
“Yeah, yeah.Anyway, I haven’t found him, but I think I’ve found out why me and the Feds are having a hard time finding him.”Tony started, “If what I’m reading is right, he’s using a filter.This particular filter is one I’ve only heard rumors about.I’ll reach out to my counterpart with Jimmy and Cain to confirm.”
“What’s so special about this...filter?”Ethan questioned.
“Well, this particular little bastard not only masks the IP of the user, but it also blocks hackers.For a few years now, I’ve heard whispers that this program was around but never really believed it.Yet, it’s the only possible reason.I know the tech guy Jimmy and Cain use and if he’s having the same problems I am, then it means this program is in fact real and out there.”Tony explained.
“Then how does that help us?”Gage asked.
“It doesn’t help us exactly, but what it does mean is that this guy knows his way around the hacker community and that could help us identify him.I’ll need a few days to reach out to my contacts there, but if my gut is right, I should have more clues and hopefully some answers for you.”Tony replied.He then let out a heavy sigh.“This information could also hinder us.”
“How do you mean?”Gage questioned.
“If he knows his way in the hacker circles, that could also give him another layer of protection.See, hackers will protect their own.Doesn’t matter if they know the person or not.It’s like an unspoken code.Kind of like in the military or law enforcement; you protect your own.Now, that code can be broken for the right...price so to speak.Like I said, I’ll reach out to my contacts and talk to Cain and Jimmy’s guy if you still want me to try this route.”Tony explained, looking at both Gage and Ethan.
