Dr. Weber nodded. “I told you about my earlier career. With the help of my mentors and even some aggressive EU law application, I actually managed to retract and cleanse the internet of my earlier shame. I maintained copies for my records, but I realized physical copies were too dangerous for my career, so the only thing left were computer backups.”
Shay pointed with her thumb over her shoulder at his overturned computer at his desk. “I don’t know if they tried to access the computer.”
“I don’t think they were looking for the computer.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small black device with a tiny display and a silver panel. “I believe somehow they knew about this.”
“A DNA-locked secondary authenticator.” Shay’s gaze flicked from the device to the academic. “I’m guessing this gives you a code that lets you access where your papers are.”
Dr. Weber nodded. “A few years back, I had a nice chat with a lovely fellow in IT who explained some of my security options for sensitive material. The backups of my papers are stored on an encrypted cloud service the university uses, but this is needed to access it.”
Shay pulled out her phone to tap out a quick text to Peyton.
He’s got an authenticator. Get ready to receive the code.
“Okay, I’m on it,” Peyton responded in her earpiece.
The tomb raider held out her hand. “Let me see it for a second. Go ahead and authenticate.”
Dr. Weber placed his thumb on the DNA scanner and then handed it to Shay. She tapped in the long authenticator sequence into her phone and sent it to Peyton.
The department head cleared his throat. “If I may ask, who are you texting?”
“A friend.” She furrowed her brow. “A friend who knows James Brownstone. I figure maybe he can look into this for you. It’s probably better than getting the cops involved. They’ll ask a bunch of questions, and it’ll look bad for the university.”
Dr. Weber paled. “Oh, my. I hadn’t thought of that. James Brownstone, though, as in the James Brownstone?”
“Scourge of Harriken, Granite Ghost, adopter of half-Oriceran girls? Yeah, all that.” She almost added Prince of Ab Town.
Shay was lying through her teeth. James might send the Brownstone Agency after the Demon Generals who had bounties, but he wasn’t likely to want to get involved in the situation otherwise.
It didn’t matter. She just needed a plausible lie to keep Weber from going to the cops and complicating things. She might need to dish out a little bloodshed later.
I’ll let James know I’m borrowing his name a little later.
“I’m into his files and copying them now,” Peyton reported.
Shay handed the authenticator back. “I’d go on vacation for a couple of days. Stay at a hotel. Clean this up so no one’s too suspicious, and I’ll have my friend get Mr. Brownstone to do what Mr. Brownstone does best.”
Dr. Weber smirked a little. “Those ruffians will have swift justice delivered.”
Swift justice? I care more about why some punk street gang is suddenly interested in magical artifacts. There’s something more going on here, and I need to find out what.
Shay shrugged. “Yeah.”
It’s not as if no justice would be delivered. If a few Demon Generals died along the way, the world would be better off.
Chapter Thirteen
Peyton leaned against a lab wall, a smirk on his face. The place was interesting enough with rows of tables containing piles of electronics in various states of repair or construction, and a wall of shelves with about every sensor and meter known to man. He was sure the four computers on the opposite wall were connected to some ridiculous processing power.
I’ve got processor envy again, but there’s something else way more important in this room.
Despite all the cool gadgets on display, the man’s gaze kept drifting away from the technology to the slender neck and pretty face of his girlfriend.
How was I lucky enough to land a woman like her?
Amber turned from the table containing several small silver and black boxes with long black antennas to frown at him. “Are you even listening to me, Peyton?”
He nodded quickly. “Yeah, yeah, applying physics to communication in space. Those are prototypes for probes that they are talking about launching with the help of magic. Your part in this is to help with the code that does signal filtering.”
“Okay, so you got all the main details right.” She pursed her lips and crossed her arms. “But I still get the feeling you weren’t listening.”
“Even though I just explained everything you were doing?”
“Probably just listening to a few sentences here and there. Skimming, but with listening.”
Peyton waved a hand. “Look, all the projects you’re helping out with are cool and all, but you seem tense.”
She lowered her glasses to eye him. “Huh? What do you mean?”
“Tense. You know…not relaxed.” Peyton grinned. “And when a person is tense, they aren’t going to be able to do their best thinking. Maybe that’s what’s distracting me, your tension. Yeah, definitely, it’s your tension.”
Amber pushed her glasses back up. “And how am I supposed to relax?”
His eyebrows lifted. “I’ve always wanted to make out in a lab. You know, passion near the final frontier of knowledge and truth. I’m sure you’d be very relaxed if we did something.”
Amber scoffed, and her face grew scarlet. “We’re not at either of our apartments. I think it’s illegal to do that kind of thing in public.”
“Make out, not have sex, and no one’s even here.” He nodded toward the door. “You told me no one would be here, and that was why you wanted to do the little tour now instead of later.”
“Yeah, because I didn’t want anyone giving you the stink eye while I explained all this stuff.” Amber shook her head. “Even if I were interested in making out with you, I can’t because…” She sighed and gestured to his clothing. “Not when you’re wearing that, of all things.”
Peyton looked down at
