“You wouldn’t have listened to me. Not without concrete proof. Whoever the client is really wants the drive and fast. Like I said, they’ve tripled the bounty.”
“And you’re sure it’s Dufor’s drive?”
It was my turn to nod. This was a lie. The truth was that I wasn’t sure, but all the signs pointed in that direction. To have someone, a powerful someone with deep pockets, suddenly triple the bounty for drives at the very time Dufor’s drive went missing? It was too big of a coincidence. Despite that, I couldn’t get my mouth to say yes.
“This Kamal. How have you been tracking him?”
“Following and befriending him.”
“Of course. Following and befriending without backup.” She shook her head. “This is against my better judgment, and if I didn’t feel in my gut this was a good decision, it wouldn’t be happening. But the search will continue on my terms.”
I froze. Was she going to cut me out?
“The first term is that you, Agent Hadden, are going to get a shadow. I’d replace you, but we don’t have time for that.”
“That’s me,” Halluis volunteered. “I’ll be her shadow.”
“You think I would trust you to be her shadow? I don’t think so. You’re on my hit list right now.”
Halluis’s face reddened slightly. He did not like to be censured.
I didn’t want to, but I nodded. “Fine.” I couldn’t help but think of Jeremy. Where was he and why hadn’t he already come back? If a Division director wanted him to come in and he hadn’t, he must be in deep. I hoped he wasn’t dead somewhere. I couldn’t think that way. Instead I imagined him working miracles and saving the day.
“Come up with a plan while I go find Christy a shadow. Ace can work on new drives that can’t be tracked and we’ll try to follow these drives to the one Dufor was supposed to give us. In the meantime, Christy will keep working the personal angle to try to find out where Kamal is keeping the drives. Ace, you get Christy whatever tech she needs, and Halluis, you try to find out who else is looking for the drive. Bring me the plan when you’ve got it down.”
Siron left the room and the three of us got to work on a plan to get the drive: How many listening devices we’d need and where to put them, how many agents to have on standby to swoop in and retrieve the drive once we found it. Three hours later we had a proposal ready for Siron. The first thing on the list was to check out the suspected clearinghouse I’d seen Kamal go into yesterday.
“I’ll take it to her,” I said, looking over my shoulder toward Siron’s office. The door was shut.
“You don’t need any more punishment. I’ll do it,” Halluis said.
“All right.”
“I’ve been working on a solution already.” Ace said. “It will blow your mind. Se magnifique!”
“Can’t wait. I need to get out there and steal some stuff.” I rolled my eyes.
“You are my favorite thief, darling,” Ace said with a southern American accent as he left the room. “Come see me later today.”
I will. “And you’re my favorite tech magician.”
“And I’ll get information gathering and see if I can find who wants the drive so bad they’re willing to pay three times for it.” Halluis went straight for Siron’s office and I watched as he knocked on the door. When it opened, I saw Summer Barnes.
I squeezed my eyes shut and looked away. I turned back. The scene hadn’t changed. Summer was in Siron’s office. A heavy feeling landed in my gut, and I forgot what I was supposed to be doing. I stared dumbly as Halluis explained a few things to Siron as she looked over the proposal. She shook her head and then spotted me. I quickly turned away and headed for the exit. I had no intention of learning why Summer was there and could hardly bear the thought of having to talk to her. Things were hard enough as they were right now, I didn’t need anything taking my head out of the game. In two steps I’d be gone, down the hall that led to the exit and it wouldn’t matter, but Siron’s voice cut through the air. “Agent Hadden!”
I froze. My lower jaw jutted forward, and I closed my eyes with a sigh. I didn’t think things could get worse, but I’d been wrong. I pulled in a big breath and straightened before turning around and walking to the office, shoulders squared. I put on a fake air of confidence and even managed a smile before arriving at the office, but inside, I trembled.
I kept my eyes on Siron. “Yes, Director?”
“Come in, Christy. Your shadow’s arrived.”
I flashed a look at Summer, whose jaw was slack, eyes rounded. Guess this was a shock to her as well. As our eyes met, her look of surprise or maybe horror vanished and her eyes narrowed slightly before returning to normal.
“Close the door, please,” Siron shuffled through some papers on her desk. I stepped farther in and shut the door.
“My shadow’s arrived?” I asked, hoping beyond hope things weren’t as they seemed.
“Yes,” Siron said, looking up. “Agent Hadden, meet Agent Barnes.”
Summer’s left eyebrow raised. No. This could not be. “Director, I’m not sure this is such a good idea.”
The director’s head popped from Summer to me and back again. “Oh, you two know each other already? Great. That will make things easier.”
“No. Seriously, with our history—”
Siron interrupted me. “I don’t care what kind of history you have. From this point forward, your history will soon include the fact that you were both professional Division agents who worked together on a case and triumphed.”
I opened my mouth to explain, but she cut me off again. “Summer was kind enough to leave her training in Germany to be with us today and from what her handler says, she’s a great shadow. You are lucky to have her. The
