“I started running countermeasures, trying to see what they were accessing. It looked like a data hack. They were after personnel information.” Sawyer grinned at me. “Luckily they mistook the dummy files you created as real.”
“Dummy files?” This came from Kel at the far end of the table.
Max nodded. “When we were running our pen-test last year, Emmie created dummy files. She set up a bunch of fake personnel files. Even created fake case numbers, fake clients, fake accounts. The money in them is real, she used the Christmas slush fund. At the time, it was all done with Pax’s permission. After the pen-test late last year, we had Christmas holidays and they were scheduled for deletion early this year. But then Emmie was shot, and we all got extra case work, so their deletion date kept getting pushed back and”−he shrugged− “we just never got around to it.”
Sawyer slumped casually in his chair, a pen spinning absently in one hand. “She did a fucking ace job on those dummies. When we did the tests last year, some of the guys didn’t realise they were fakes. It’s why our team”−he flicked a hand between us−“won. Leaving the dummies is actually not a bad thing. It may have just saved our company.”
Max nodded vigorously. “By the time Sawyer arrived, Declan had shut down the servers. Once Sawyer got here, we didn’t reboot. It was too essential to keep them out.”
“So you’re saying we lost nothing.” This came from Luc.
“No.” Sawyer shook his head, answering for Max. “No, we did lose stuff.”
“What?”
“Emmie.” All eyes flew to me and then back to Sawyer, who had dropped the pen and was now leaning forward. “All of your records. They targeted you.”
“My client records?”
He nodded. “All of them. That’s why they took your dummies. They were after anything with your fingerprints.”
I closed my eyes. Dread, guilt, and fear danced like angry bees in my gut. Anxiety hit as they started talking options.
“We need to lock her down.” Brean frowned.
“They’ve blown our deniability.” Pax agreed. “This is overt. We haven’t reacted the way they expected. They obviously think Emmie didn’t know. They’re stepping up. They’ll be watching to see what we do.”
“Do we keep them on the back foot? Throw them off the scent?” Jarrett suggested. “Maybe mount our own counter?”
“The thing that doesn’t make sense to me is why they’re warning her off?” Luc tapped the pictures. “They’re tipping us off. Why not just kidnap her if they know where she is?”
No one had an answer.
“Good question but there’s a bigger issue.” Sawyer gestured at the briefing material. “When I got here and saw the print out, I called in some favours. Page eighteen.”
We all flipped to the page. “That’s images from the last three days, each spaced three hours apart.”
The compound images showed no change. Three cars sat unmoved; there were no heat signatures.
“Page nineteen, it has the proceeding three days.”
Cars, people, movement. Heat signatures. Lots of them.
There was a long silence as we all processed. My heart thumped loudly in my chest. I opened my mouth to speak, finding myself suddenly incapable of making a sound. Fear overrode my rational brain.
They’ve abandoned The Front.
When I was small, one of my older brothers had found some rope. We’d been playing in the bush. He’d suggested we play cops and robbers. I, of course, was the robber. He’d hauled me up, throwing me against a tree and roughly tying me to it. The rope squeezed my chest tightly. I’d tried to scream, tried to tell him to stop, but all that had come out were gasping breaths as I struggled to breathe. I’d passed out at some point, awakening to find Abel standing over me, protecting me.
This was exactly what that felt like. My chest constricted, my ability to speak halted. I watched black squiggles dance in my periphery. I panted; air seemed to be a struggle. My fingers tingled and my legs felt weak.
Oh God.
“They’re gone.” Luc broke the silence.
“Yes,” Sawyer confirmed. “I alerted AFP. They’re sending a team to check it out today, but…” he trailed off.
This was planned. There was little chance of any evidence being found.
“Where are they likely to go?” Max asked.
Fuck.
“I need–” I shot to my feet, looking for an exit. “Bathroom.”
I ignored startled looks as I hurried from the room, Luc close on my heels.
“Emmie!”
I hit the hallway, turning towards the stairs. Fuck waiting for a lift, I needed out of here. I pulled out my pass, swiping through to the internal stairs, pounding up them, jumping two at a time, heedless of my protesting side or weak leg. I had one goal in mind, get the fuck out.
I headed for our locker room, swiping in. Inside, I ignored my own locker, instead heading for one at the back. Its door was dinted and had an out of order sign stuck to the front. It was always on the to-do-list, but no one had got around to it. I ripped off the sign, turning the handle. Inside were my bags, filled with all the things I would immediately need. T-shirts, jeans, underwear, water bottles, muesli bars. I pulled the big duffel, revealing the sealed envelope below. I ripped it open, contents tipping into my hand. Fake IDs, cash, road maps. Nothing they could track. Nothing that would lead them to me.
No trace.
I dumped the items in the pack and lifted, swinging it onto my shoulder as I turned.
Luc.
He stood in the doorway. His eyes, his gorgeous blue eyes, gut wrenchingly furious as he stared at me, arms crossed, blocking the door.
“What the fuck, Emmie?”
“I…” The panic threatened to engulf.
“You?” he snapped.
“I’m leaving.”
He glared.
“I need to go.”
“You need to go?” he repeated.
“Yes.” I nodded emphatically.
“Because of today?”
“Yes.”
“Because of one setback?”
I cracked. “It’s not a setback, Luc! They’ve disappeared! You heard them.” I dropped the bag, my hands flying about as I lost control. “The whole group has fucking gone. They’re on the move, Luc. They’re on their way. I know it. You know it. Everyone sitting in that room knew it. You think this is a mess now? Wait until they fucking get here!”
His eyes narrowed. “Life is messy, Em. You think we all get to pack up and run ‘cause shit gets hard?”
“You haven’t walked in my shoes, Luc.” I stabbed a finger at him. “You don’t get a say.”
He dropped his hands. “No. No, I don’t. ’Cause you won’t fucking let me speak. This is a relationship. Not a fucking dictatorship. I love you. You love me. Doesn’t mean life is a stroll.”
“I need–”
“Me. You need me.”
I shook my head, desperate not to listen. “I need to go.” I tried to push past him; he threw out his arms, blocking my exit.
“No. Not again. This is your battleground. Here. Now.”
“I’m not a fighter, Luc.” I tried to make him understand. “I run. It’s the only way to stay safe.”
“What utter fucking bullshit. You are a fighter. I know it. Your friends know it. I look at you, and I see you fighting every single day. You do it by living your life. That’s your big fuck you to them.”
“My half life? The life I thought I wanted? The life I’d happily dump and run? That life? Do you get it, Luc? Is it making sense? Are you clued in? I leave. I don’t stay. I pack my shit and I get the fuck out.”
“Emmie –” He tried to reach for me. I spun, frantically dancing away from him.
“No, it’s my turn now! You changed this.” I pressed a hand to my chest. “You changed me! We have a home. We have a life. We have each other. Addie, Kel, Jarret, Pax, Jetta… all of you… I want to be here. I want…”
“You want what, baby?”
“I can’t. I won’t. Don’t you get it? You think you know. You think you can fight this. You can’t. They’re better. You have the physical strength, but they have the power. They’re smart, they know where to dig and how deep to go. They know what information will break you. And they will. They’ll tear you apart piece by piece until all that’s left is ruin. Sophia, Eloise, your parents, our friends… No one is safe. They’ll ruin everything to get to me. To make me pay.” I dropped back, my hands wrapping around my middle as I tried to keep the pain inside. “I need to go.”
“Then let me run with you.” My eyes snapped up, meeting his. He was serious.
“No.” I shook my head in denial. “I won’t destroy your future.”
“You are my future. Jesus Christ, if you don’t know that by now, what the fuck have we been doing?”
It took a moment for his words to penetrate
I threw myself at him. Lips smashed, hands grabbed, material ripped. Then down. Down onto the floor, one of his hands fisting my hair, the other wrapped around my back, clasping me to him.
I clawed at his sides, his back as we rolled, pants pushed down, breath short and sharp.
I ignored common sense. My little voice telling me to leave. To go now.
I pushed it back and lost myself in the man I loved.
The man who loved me.
He entered me and we both gasped. His eyes locked onto mine, his hand tightening in my hair.
“You are a fighter, Emmie Franklin. And you deserve an army behind you. I can give you that.” He thrust, over and over.
I came on a sharp cry, arching under him. A moment later he followed, his grunts harsh and angry before he collapsed on me.
Our breaths mingled, and I took a moment to memorise this. Memorise the feel of his skin on mine, the taste of him on my tongue. I wanted to breathe him in. To savour every moment.
“You’re going to run.”
I didn’t answer.
“I’ll find you.”
I closed my eyes, listening to the quiet confidence in his voice.
“And when I do…”
He tipped my head, waiting for me to look at him.
“When I do, we’re having wild sex and getting married.”
My heart skipped, and I felt a million butterflies take flight in my stomach.
“’Cause you’re it. And no matter how much you wish it weren’t true, Em, you know I’m yours.”
I sighed, allowing myself to imagine our future. Our life. Our home. Our family. Boys with my eyes and his smile. A girl for him to spoil. Too much. Far too much.
Put it away.
“Not going to happen.”
“You said that before.” He pushed himself up, standing above me with his signature smirk. “And look where that got us.”
I let him pull me up, straightening our clothes.
“Come back down, baby. Come back down and listen to our plans.”
Twenty-four hours, I promised myself silently, I would give him that. I owed him that.
Chapter Forty-Five
Luc
She was going to run. I knew it. Emmie fretted, clenching her fists, her eyes constantly shooting glances towards the exit.
I wanted to take away her fear, reassure her it would be okay. It burned that I couldn’t make those promises.
We’d replaced the bag, sticking the out of order sign back up on the locker. It fucking destroyed me that she had these bags hidden all over the place, her fear so real she couldn’t feel safe anywhere.
We returned to the room, her cold hand trembling in mine. We resumed our seats, the team deep in discussions.
“AFP are on their way.” Kel tucked a pen in her high bun. “We’ve been keeping them updated but this is serious. We need their state contacts. See if they can put out feelers.” She leaned across the table, snatching a picture. “This one shows make and model of cars. We have something to go on. Something concrete. AFP can connect with local police to track them.”
Pax crossed his arms, foot tapping while he considered options. He caught my eye, raising an eyebrow. I gave a slight nod, letting him know we were good.
“Kel, call AFP. Tell them we need them here ASAP. Sawyer, I want you and Max working on the files. Their targeted attack says they’re only after Emmie, but something about that is hitting me wrong. Jarrett, I want you and Brean to work with Jack and Luc on a physical protection plan.” He leaned forward, reaching for the brief. “We need eyes on these bastards. Three days is too long. We let that ball slip, that’s on us.”
“It’s long enough to get to Canberra,” Emmie whispered. “If they’re not here yet, they could be soon.”
I dropped her hand, pulling her rolling chair closer, looping an arm over her shoulders. “We got this, Keys.”
I burned from the inside. The fear on her face, the pallor of her skin, the hopeless look in her eyes. If I had to, I would murder every single one of those motherfuckers.
Her hand found my thigh, squeezing.
“AFP want a crisis meeting tomorrow,” Kel called from her corner.
“Set it up,” I told her, feeling Emmie shudder. I pressed a kiss to her forehead. “It’s okay. Just hold on to me, I got you.”
I glanced at Brean. He caught it, glancing from me to Emmie and back. He tilted his head up in acknowledgment.
“Em and I are heading home.” I pulled her up, tucking her under my arm. She was nearly catatonic, simply going where I directed. She’d detached, shut down. Her default was to withdraw. It cut me. I needed to get her home, get her settled, get her reengaged. This wasn’t healthy. This wasn’t the strong woman I knew. This was her fear talking.
Once I had her settled, safe, then? Then I’d go hunt these motherfuckers.
Brean casually pushed back from the table, stretching. “You know what? We can figure out the arrangements at Luc’s. It’ll be easier to assess weaknesses at the location.”
Jarrett followed, his face grim, his eyes locked on Em.
We settled her in the car, I slid into the backseat beside her. She curled into herself, sitting flush against the door, looking like she wanted nothing more than to disappear into the leather. Jarrett and Brean were in the front, muttering quietly to each other as I reached for her.
“Keys,” I called, brushing a hand over her back. “Emmie?”
There was nothing, no acknowledgment, no recognition. I didn’t try to pull her back. I didn’t try to force her process. She’d come back to me when she was ready.
I pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Come on, Keys. Let’s get you home.”
Chapter Forty-Six
Emmie
I didn’t remember the drive to Luc’s. To be honest, I didn’t remember leaving work. The blankets were enveloping me in a cocoon of warmth as I lay, listening to the sounds of Luc’s house.
There were people in it. Their footsteps and quiet discussions echoed down the hall.
The bedside clock said early afternoon. I didn’t remember being put in bed. Did I sleep? I felt exhausted, my limbs heavy, my brain foggy.
I shoved back the blankets, hauling myself out of bed. I pulled on pants, reaching for a hoodie. I pulled the hood up, padding silently down the hall. I paused just out of eyeline, listening.
“So, they’re ghosts?” Jarrett sounded annoyed, frustrated, angry.
Sawyer answered, his normally jovial tone tight. “Yeah. They’re not dumb. This was planned.”
“This is because of Emmie?”
There was a pause.
“Maybe. It seems…”
“Excessive?” Luc asked.
“Mm,” Sawyer agreed. “She’s one person. I mean, I get sending a few guys over, but all the women and children? Leave your base unprotected? Either they’re dumb, which I don’t believe, or she’s worth more to them than we realised. There’s something else going on.”
“Worth more? How?” Jack asked.
“That’s the question
.”
I poked my head around the hall door, catching a glimpse of them in the kitchen. Jarrett, Luc, Sawyer, and Jack were leaning against the benchtops or sitting at Luc’s breakfast bar, mugs in hand.
They were distracted, still thought I was asleep.
This is your chance.
I crept back to the bedroom. As silently as I could, I pulled on shoes. On his bedside table he’d left his wallet and phone. I hesitated for a moment, then snatched the items, shoving them in the pocket of my hoodie.
The bedroom window was one of those old push up wooden frames. It had a flyscreen, but the security screens weren’t due to be installed for another month. I shifted the frame, slowly jiggling it from side-to-side, pausing as it scraped against the wood and metal. Heart pounding in my throat, I strained to hear if I’d been discovered.
Once open, I lifted the screen, gently tossing it outside. I lifted, wedging myself out the small opening, biting my cheek to keep from groaning as the windowsill scratched my exposed back.
Outside, I kept low, moving to the back of the property. Luc’s yard was completely enclosed by new seven-foot fencing. I made my way to his garbage bins, pulling myself up, balancing, then using the extra height to pull myself over.
I dropped down to the neighbour’s yard, letting out an oomph as I landed.
My thigh hurt, my side ached. I ignored both as I moved up towards the street. Using Luc’s phone, I ordered a taxi, hiding in the shrubbery while I waited. It rolled to a stop in the driveway, the driver peered through the windscreen at the giant house.
I hurried down, sliding into the backseat.
“Where to?” The guy asked, eyes meeting mine in the rear vision mirror.
Yeah Em, where are we going?
I hesitated. I didn’t have ID, I didn’t have unlimited money. I had to get to one of my back-up locations.
“Civic bus station please.”
The taxi took off and I ducked in my seat, pulling my hoodie over my face. I couldn’t see any movement from Luc’s house as we drove past.
At the station, I pulled out the wallet, using Luc’s credit card to pay the driver. I headed for the bus stop, buying a ticket to Wollongong. The fifty dollars in Luc’s wallet would be enough to get me through today. I’d work out tomorrow later.
Bleeding Edge: Elliot Security (Elliot Security Series Book 2) Page 19
