“Catrianna DeCroix!” Jenira exclaimed, fear and anger replacing the lingering gratification of her rendezvous with Garrett.
“I got out right away! Whoever texted me can't trace me; I made certain. They shouldn't have detected me, but Rennert has amazing security.” Even though she was still frightened, awe painted her tone. Jenira sighed and paced their small living space while twirling her dagger.
“How positive are you that they can't find us?” Jenira motioned to the silent bank of computers. The incident must have severely shaken her confident sister because she never turned off her machines. Cat launched into a complicated monologue of switching servers, rerouting addresses, and jamming frequencies that threatened to make Jenira's head explode. She interrupted her sister. “Ok, I get it; you think we're safe. Can you tell if they traced you when you turn back on?”
Cat turned back to the computer. Her face wasn't visible, but her shoulders shrugged underneath a nest of brown curls. Holding back an amused smile, Jenira picked at a piece of fuzz tangled in her sister's mass of hair.
“I think so, but I'm also not going to go back into Rennert's system. Our defenses will warn us if anyone is approaching, via mechanical or physical means.”
Jenira embraced her sister. The damage was done, and Jenira would be prepared to handle the fall-out if negative consequences rose from her sister's snooping. Cat faced her, one eyebrow raised.
“You're feeling better. Did you work some energy off?” Jenira blushed; her sister was the only one who could provoke a blush from her, and it was the only answer Cat needed. “That was quick. I’ll never understand how you snare them and let them go so quickly.”
Jenira shrugged. They'd discussed the subject multiple times. In Jenira's mind, finding sex was similar to finding food. She got hungry, she found food, and she ate - end of story. Though her brain was more scientifically inclined, Cat preferred romance or nothing at all.
“We should test if you can go online again without giving away our location. I need to know who I might meet at this party, and the only way we’re going to research that is through the internet. We also need to decide on my dress.” Cat nodded, and Jenira was happy she had partially soothed her sister’s fears.
Chapter Eight
Davin Rennert
Davin Rennert intertwined his long fingers on the desktop, contemplating the report he'd just received. Evening light cast long shadows through his office, soft and shifting as the city lights played with the sunset. Jen Dering, or whatever her real name was, presented a mystery. Davin didn't like puzzles, he hated secrets, and he didn’t like feeling nervous. His mercenary's unknown identity coupled with the intruder in his most secure files unnerved him. He pushed a button on his phone. Rock didn't always play the role of his receptionist, but Davin counted him among the few he trusted. Despite his imposing size, Rock moved silently as he entered. He sat in the same chair Jen had occupied.
“The blonde woman - what did you get from her?” Davin asked without preamble. He had suspected the identity of his efficient mercenary long before he scheduled the meeting on the rooftop. The personal assistant position had been an engineered excuse to meet the elusive Desert Rose without her disguise. She was even more beautiful than he had thought. Part of him had hoped the mask disguised a hideous face, but that wasn’t the case.
Rock met his eyes, his dark gaze wise and assessing, and Davin waited. Rock always weighed his words before speaking. “She’s intelligent and capable. The only magic I sensed was the blade; if she possesses innate magic, she shields as expertly as you. She is weak or very powerful.”
Davin unfolded his bulk and paced to the window, his hands clasped behind his back. He enjoyed this view of the city. The magic and tech flickered in the city streets and distant buildings. He sensed each as individual forces, but his iron self-control prevented his dueling natures from constant battle. Finding the connections between magic and tech, not thinking of them as opposite forces, and learning how to connect them reduced the conflict in his brain. “She is not weak.”
“I am not surprised.”
“However,” Davin continued, “she is not as experienced as I hoped. She didn't sense the tracking device I put on her dagger. Subtlety seems to be a struggle for her.” He smiled.
“And?”
“The tracker transmitted as far as the Washington Quarter before interference blocked the signal. It remains offline, but we have a fixed field to work with now. There aren't many residences in that area of town because of the automotive factories and transportation hub. I sent personnel to scout the area; they’ll either identify the source of the interruption or spot her moving to and from her residence.”
“That tracking device is one of the most sophisticated we own, if not the best, so blocking it would require an ingenious jammer. It’s one of the few pieces you’ve designed that can resist magical interference.”
“She's working with a techie. We've always wondered how she hides every image of her exploits on the web, and I think we've found the answer. It's a smart solution to a simple problem. Mercenaries who are only technical or magical never survive long because one always outsmarts the other. I want the identity of her partner.” Davin's voice darkened.
“Jealous, boss?”
Davin didn't reply, maintaining his stare-down with Brenville's glittering lights. Only Rock would feel comfortable asking that question; he was also amazingly perceptive. Davin wasn't proud of his more primitive reaction. The Desert Rose wouldn't partner with someone she didn't trust, but what kind of man could win the trust and devotion of such a suspicious woman? It could be a family member, but the level of magic in Jen’s blood argued the idea. Potent mage families did not beget fantastic tech minds, but exceptions always existed. He was one.
“There's something else.” Davin paused, and silence filled the room. The windows and walls of his building contained noise and limited the racket of the city. “Someone hacked into the secure files today.”
The impressive feat finally forced emotion from Davin’s stoic companion. “The secure files?” Rock was just as impressed as he had been, despite the danger. Those files were buried so deep, only the most skilled techie could have uncovered them.
“Yes. The intruder only stayed a total of three minutes. They took the bait, clicking on the dummy files.” The most vital files existed on an in-house server, meaning the data in the hacked files wasn't as complete as the information on the computer in his penthouse. The critical files were not even accessible from his office system. “They didn't copy the data.”
“Hmmm,” Rock mused, “they weren't doing a job, then. They were reading the files, which means they were looking for something in particular or...”
“Or understanding them,” Davin finished Rock's train of thought with a nod. “I gave the intruder a scare, and they severed the connection. The speed with which they covered their tracks was as impressive as their ability to enter the files.”
“Did you pinpoint a location?”
The hand that rested on the cold plate glass tightened into a fist. “No. The signal originated from the Eastern Territory, but that's all I learned.” Rock chuckled at Davin's weak attempt at humor; of course, it originated in the East. That it wasn't an international threat was only slightly comforting.
“Do you think the hacker is the same entity that's organizing the mage murders?”
Davin released his view of the city, retaking his seat behind the desk. “My guess is no, this seems too sophisticated and underhanded to be their work. The information the mage killers have used to find their targets has been easily accessible, and there is no indication they are targeting a particular Integration product. The woman, Jen, agreed a mage is probably involved.”
Rock's thin lips tightened. That a mage would turn against other mages in such a blatant and brutal manner was a sore subject. Although both men kept solid ties to the tech world, the betrayal stung. Davin had questioned whether he would feel the same
disappointment if a techie betrayed another techie. Since most were selfish bastards, he assumed he wouldn't. The magic community developed more intimate ties, perhaps because the threads of the earth connected them and their magic was stronger together.
“What are your plans regarding the hacker?” Rock asked. Davin fidgeted with a pencil, turning it end over end as he considered how to answer his friend.
“Nothing at the moment because I can't trace the signature. If they understand the material in the files, I suspect they will return; they won't be able to resist. I'm not convinced it's an enemy yet. If we hear mutterings in the techie underworld, though, I want to hear immediately. No one else possesses that data. If Rennert Industries is connected to that particular device, we can blame the hacker. Then, we will step up our efforts to find the person and quell any rumors.”
Rock nodded, but even if he didn’t agree with Davin, he wouldn’t argue. Rock was just a mage. Davin understood a brilliant mind would return for more if they harbored any interest in Integration, whether good or bad. He would crush the hacker if his motives conflicted with Davin's interests. He would also speak to Andrew about designing a more sophisticated tracking program; it would provide him with an intriguing challenge. His nephew would be similarly awed someone had found their bait file.
“Who did you send to the Washington Quarter?” Rock changed the subject.
“MacCarthy and Michaels. If they see anyone resembling our deadly little Rose, they will report back. We'll locate her residence before long.”
“And then?”
Davin shrugged. “As long as she's on my side, nothing. I want insight into her partner, but I have no other concerns at the moment. She would kick me in the teeth for saying this, but it's for her protection. If I can find her, so can our enemies, and if anyone else is tracking her, I will persuade her to move her base of operations. She won’t want to because she’s stubborn and overprotective of her partner, but I’ll insist upon it. If she runs, we will have to reassess; she knows too much.” Davin didn’t want to examine why he hated the idea of her running from him, and Rock didn’t comment. The two men shared a long history. Out of his few loyal employees, Rock was one of two he counted as a close friend. Only he and Andrew knew of Davin’s Magitech nature.
“Anything else, boss?”
“Is the convention arranged?” Rock nodded. “Good. I'll walk out with you. I'm going home.”
Davin’s home was up, and Rock’s was down, so they only traveled as far as the elevator together. Rock keyed the perimeter alarm that would signal security if anyone tried to intrude, virtually or physically, and Davin finished the security measures which permitted him direct access to his penthouse suite.
The usual quiet of the apartment was typically comforting, but tonight it made him feel sad for some reason. The thought made him laugh aloud, the sound echoing in the spacious area. It would be disappointing if he were growing lonely and sentimental after almost four decades of guarding his secrets.
He heated some food and took his plate to his office. The room boasted another layer of protection and was encased in iron coated walls to prevent the electromagnetic waves emitted by his electronics from interfering with his magic. The computers were top notch, state-of-the-art machines. He readily admitted to himself that the video he pulled up had been viewed more times than necessary for data retrieval.
The visuals were grainy and dark, but Davin didn’t rely on unknowns. Since none of the public satellite feeds and private security cameras could detail his mercenary's actions, Michaels had been assigned to tail her one night with a recorder. Not all the images displayed with clarity, but they provided insight into his employee.
His favorite video detailed her second job in his employ. A nosy journalist had poked through the imports Rennert Industries received from the subsidiary in Calhigh which produced their smaller components. Davin hadn't wanted the man killed, but he wanted him too scared to complete his research or publish a story. The Desert Rose didn't disappoint.
Michaels filmed from a distance. Dressed in her ridiculous shorts, she'd scaled the fence around the journalist's extravagant residence. The estate was too luxurious for a mere newsman, and Davin suspected he pursued illegal side projects. That activity wasn't his concern if the journalist didn't interfere with Rennert's interests. The first time he'd watched the footage, he'd questioned how she intercepted the perimeter and house alarms. Now, he knew that the mysterious partner deserved the credit.
On the video, the mercenary crept toward the guards stationed outside the door. Two silent kicks rendered both men unconscious but not dead. Davin considered the first test passed. Unnecessary deaths of innocents or paid lackeys wouldn't have netted her continued employment. The scene wavered as Michaels ran toward a window outside the sitting room.
Jen approached on silent feet and placed a dagger to the journalist's neck. She moved like a phantom, never attracting the attention of her prey. He speculated that her elusiveness was an aspect of her magic or an enchantment cloaking her. He couldn't hear the words she spoke to the man, but he could see the trail of piss streaming from the chair under him. The journalist erased the evidence from his computer immediately.
The following morning, the reporter told his boss he would never again write an article on Rennert Industries. A similar threat ensured the newspaper's remaining reporters didn't connect Rennert to any material Davin didn't want to be printed. Any of his men could have done the job, but he'd wanted to appease his curiosity. He'd been interested in the Desert Rose since her presence first bounced across his searches. Her work in York had captured his attention, and he'd been pleased when the underworld whispered she had arrived in Brenville.
He flipped the feed off and started another. This video hadn't been viewed as many times as the other, but he wanted a refresher. He'd needed to manipulate the circumstances so his man could film the footage he desired. It could have ended poorly for Michaels, but Davin was convinced at that point that the Desert Rose would only hurt the specified target. Then again, she seemed to possess a particular dislike of cameras.
The footage showed Jen sliding the dagger across the perp's neck, clean and quick. Michaels zoomed in on her face. Her eyes showed she didn't relish killing and she didn't cause the man unneeded suffering, although Davin gathered she wasn't above a little torture if the matter called for it.
The video had disturbed him for months. His employees had died from a dagger sliced across their throats, and he'd wanted to meet her in person to rule her out as a suspect in the mage murders. His intuition told him she wasn't the killer, but he hadn't risen to his current position by blindly relying on his instincts. Her eagerness about the job and the magic in her blood reassured him. A mage might be involved in the killings, but it wasn't the Desert Rose.
That video was the last time he’d gained documentation of her nighttime exploits. Michaels followed her once more, but a device had jammed all recording equipment in the area. Blanket jamming was a monumental feat - again the work of her partner. He had harbored a small hope she was a Magitech like him, but the earpiece and admitting to a partner denied that idea. She wouldn't need to communicate with anyone else if it were her tech. Still, the fact she could even wear the earpiece and jammer with her level of magical ability provided insight and possible hope for his Integration products. If mages and techies were working together without either one’s talents being negatively affected, there was a chance they could still unite the races.
He reclined in his chair. The footage was frozen on an image of Jen’s masked face, and he compared it to her appearance in daylight. The fake glasses were a clever ruse. Only poor people wore eyeglasses, and poverty removed attention regardless of beauty. He still felt like she was hiding something, though. He looked forward to seeing her again if only to figure out that secret. If there were other reasons for his excitement, he wasn’t ready to acknowledge them. He was a solitary man, and he didn't think a one-night stand with the
Desert Rose would satisfy his magic’s or his body’s desires.
Chapter Nine
Jenira
Jenira faced the full-length mirror in their small bungalow. She cocked her head to the side, studying her reflection. “Are you sure this is the current trend?”
“Yes, I'm as sure about it now as I was the first two times you asked. And you are gorgeous, Jen, so quit pouting. We're lucky the dress fits since you insisted on ordering it online instead of trying it on in a store.”
“It's dangerous to shop with all those security cameras, and it would be suspicious if the signal blinked in and out. Besides, you know how much I hate shopping. It's why we bulk-order all my clothes to the postal office. I also hate these damn shoes.” Jenira twirled again. She spent too much time in her hoodie and Desert Rose uniform because anything else felt awkward and irritating.
She and Cat had worked together to find a muted version of the current Elite style, and she had to admit the dress was beautiful. The shimmery blue material matched the color of her eyes and rippled like water. Its form-fitting grace made hiding her daggers impossible, although it did show off her toned curves. Even in the warmth of the apartment, though, her nipples were clearly outlined under the thin material, but Cat insisted all the Elite went braless. Jenira refused to go commando, especially since the slit that raced up each thigh would expose everything if she lifted her legs for any reason. The unique fabric of the panties wasn’t even noticeable under the dress, but Cat had laughed when Jenira asked for a bra in the same material
“Come on, Jenira, you need to show off your assets. You want everyone to think you're a dumb blonde, only capable of sex and fashion. If they're distracted by your nipples, they won't consider your brain or your strength. The Elite may acknowledge women techies, but any woman who isn't at the very top is just decoration.” The truth angered both of them, but Cat had a point. The bias could be used to her advantage.
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