Page 45 of The Flame of Carson
––––––––
Gage and Tony walkedinto the Federal building.After being checked out by security, they headed for the elevators.Tony studied his friend as they rode the car up.He didn’t miss how Gage was standing.His body was rigid, fists clenched at his sides.Tony wanted to say something but had known Gage long enough to know if he opened his mouth right know he would get a fist to the face for his trouble.Yes, this wasn’t good.The car stopped and Tony led the way down the hall.
“So, who’s this guy we’re meeting?”Gage asked, his voice hard as granite.
“His name is Elias Walker and we met during my first enlistment.We hit it off and stayed in touch.Like Ethan, Elias was born and raised in Austin.After he got hurt six months into his second enlistment over in Iraq and medically discharged, the feds recruited him.”Tony answered.
“How bad was he hurt?”Gage questioned.
“Got half my left leg blown off by a damned IED.”A man said, exiting an office.“It was a rough day at the office that day, but hey.I am still alive, got a bionic leg to boot, and now I get to play with computers all day.Elias Walker.”Elisa grinned, extending his hand to Gage.
“Gage Carson.Nice to meet you.”Gage nodded shaking Elias’s hand.
“How are you doing Eli?”Tony grinned as he and Elias hugged like brothers.
“Was doing fine till you brought me a damned ghost buddy.”Elias smirked.“Come on, the guy we are meeting is in here.His name is Doug Latimer, goes by the handle GhostReaper.”
“Seriously?”Gage droned, lifting a brow.
“Sadly.”Elias said, opening the door.“Hey Doug, these are the guys I was telling you about.
Gage studied Doug.He didn’t look anything like what Gage thought a hacker should look like.Doug was an average looking guy.Short blond hair, glasses.He looked more like a businessman on wall street in the expensive looking suit he wore than a hacker.Doug stood and extended his hand to Tony first and then to Gage before retaking his seat.Gage and Tony sat as well, and he let Tony take the lead here.
“Thanks for meeting with us.”Tony began.
“No problem.”Doug replied.
“Doug, we need your help.Tony and I are both working a case and the guy we are looking for is using a filter that...well frankly...”Elias said.
“That shouldn’t exist?”Doug asked, lifting a brow and smirking.
“Basically.”Tony answered.
“We have only heard whispers and rumors about this filter, but nothing about it being completed.Has someone successfully created one?”Elias inquired.
Doug shifted a little in his chair.Gage did not miss how his body language gave away that he knew more about this damned filter.“You want to start talking buddy?”
Doug’s eyes cut over to Gage, “What?Is this where you beat me up?Huh?Look I came in voluntarily.I don’t have to say shit.”
Before Gage even registered what he was doing, he was out of the chair and hauling Doug up and off his feet by the lapels of his jacket.
“Gage!”
“Hey!Hey, get your hands off me!”
“Listen to me you little shit.This filter is being used to stalk my woman.You better start talking.”Gage hissed.
“Gage, let him go.”Tony ordered, breaking Gage’s hold on Doug.“Alright, you need to get the hell out of here Gage.Now!”
“Tony, Ethan wants...”
That was as far as Gage got before Tony bodily shoved him out into the hall.After closing the door behind them Tony got right in Gage’s face.“I know what Ethan wants and damn it, you might very well have just blown the one chance we had to finding out how to track this bastard.Get the hell out of here and let me see if I can salvage this.I’ll text you when I’m done.Go take a walk or something.Clear your head.”
Gage watched as his friend and teammate turn on his heels, walk back in the office and closed the door.It was then he realized he was shaking.Looking down he saw his knuckles were white from how hard he had his fist clenched.He needed to get out of there.Now.Turning, he walked back to the elevators and jammed at the button.A small eternity later, Gage all but burst out of the federal building into the early November air.His chest felt like a boulder was on it.He could not catch his breath.What the hell was wrong with him?
––––––––
––––––––
