Embraced by Fire (17 page)

“Glad to know my almost getting blown up came in handy.”

“Very handy.” Spock tapped his knuckle against some notes he’d scribbled down on a piece of paper. “Solving this kind of encryption is all about the right kind of thinking. After working on those files, I was in the right frame of mind to find the approach to opening up this baby.”

“What have you found?”

“Not everything is decoded yet, but I thought you might be interested in what I’ve got so far.” He spun his chair back to his computer and pulled up some files.

“That looks like Redhawk data.” Delilah pointed at several of the files.

“It is.” Spock nodded. “We’ve got links here to almost all the data theft instances we’re aware of, and a few we weren’t.”

“This is exactly the evidence we’re looking for.” Adrian leaned forward to get a better look at the files.

Derek stepped back, giving Adrian space. “What I don’t understand is why Johnny had these files at all. I thought you said all the stolen data was wirelessly transmitted. Why have a flash drive?”

Adrian exchanged a look with Ryu. “That’s the question isn’t it? He shouldn’t have the files.” He straightened and clapped a hand on Spock’s shoulder. “Keep up the good work. Let me know as soon as you find anything else.”

He stepped back, a tip of his head gesturing for Ryu to talk to him.

After they’d stepped away from the crowd around Spock, Adrian said, “I think Johnny may have got his hands on something he shouldn’t.”

“I was thinking the same thing. Initially I thought he was taking copies of all the data as insurance, but it looks like there are files on there that don’t belong to any of the corporations. That means they belong to someone else. If Spock can decode them they might lead us to buyers.”

“That’s what I’m hoping too. By the way, thanks for your text the other night. We’ve been going through the photos and reports you mentioned. There’s one image that might have what we want.” Adrian ran his fingers through his hair. “I haven’t had a chance to look at it personally, but I hope it nails the bastard to rights. Razor has been a thorn in my side for too long.”

Ryu nodded. “I’m sure there’s at least one photo with Razor it in, but he might have been in the background. Of course we’d still have to prove one of the other men was a buyer but the likelihood is high.”

A knock interrupted anything else Ryu planned to say. They both looked at the door.

“Who is it?” Adrian called out.

“Me, sir. Message, sir.”

“Hass, come in.”

The door opened and a tall, slender man stepped inside. He closed it carefully and saluted Adrian.

Adrian sighed. “I’ve told you before, you don’t need to do that, Hass.”

“Sorry, sir.”

Adrian sighed again and Ryu fought back a smile. Hass was smart and capable, but he was new to their team and still trying to get used the dynamics.

“What’s the message?” Derek asked, like Ryu he knew how much Adrian hated being saluted.

“Neil wants to see Mac and Adrian.”

“Way to suck the fun out of tonight,” muttered Delilah. “I’m so jealous, not.”

Ryu bit back the anger surging through his blood. He had to work with the man. He couldn’t keep reacting with fury every time he heard Neil’s name. He needed to stay in control. Besides, he was damn sure Neil enjoyed knowing Ryu hated being in the same room. Every time he reacted, he let Neil win.

Ryu took a deep breath. Control. He could be an adult around Neil. He could be human.
My dealings with Neil are in the past. This assignment is only temporary. I won’t let my team down
. With that mantra in mind, he braced himself.

“Mac, you coming?” Adrian asked from the door.

“Yeah.” Ryu hurried after him.

They’d converted several motel rooms into their ops-centre for the duration of the mission. Adrian opened the door to the next room over.

Neil sat behind a desk waiting for them. “You took your time.”

Ryu saw Adrian swallow back annoyance, and remembered him saying he didn’t like working with Neil either. They sat in front of the desk and waited for Neil to let them know why he’d dragged them over.

“How is Pottack doing on those files?” Neil asked, leaning back in his chair.

It took Ryu a moment to realise Neil meant Spock. Simon Pottack’s nickname was so embedded no one called the techie by his real name.

“He’s starting to decrypt the files now,” Adrian replied.

“Good, let me know when there’s a result. I want to know what’s on Johnny’s flash drive.”

“As do we all.” Adrian confirmed.

“Which brings me to my next problem, Johnny. Where is he?” Neil steepled his fingers over his chest as he looked at them.

“We don’t know, sir, but we’re following all leads.” Adrian leaned back, apparently at ease.

Neil turned his gaze to Ryu. “I’m disappointed you didn’t manage to nab him at Fantasia Alive this morning. More than disappointed, I want to know why he slipped through your fingers?”

Ryu kept his gaze level. “You asked me to attend the meeting this morning, sir, I couldn’t be in two places at once.”

“Which reminds me, you should have ascertained exactly what Ms Jones found before you came to the meeting.”

“I told you, she didn’t wish to discuss it over the phone.”
Control, Control,
Ryu reminded himself.

“Where’s your creativity, man. I’m sure you could have persuaded her.”

Ryu tried to keep his temper at the expression in Neil’s eyes, tried not hating the leering bastard. “She’s not an agent. I can’t simply order her around.”

“I expect better work finding this Johnny character.” Neil’s eyes dug into Ryu.

“We’re right on it, sir,” Adrian replied before Ryu could say anything.

“No more letting him slip between your fingers like this morning. As our agent on the ground, MacKay, I hold you personally responsible for that mishap.”

Ryu felt the dragon flicker in his eyes, and held his temper back with difficulty. He didn’t want to embarrass Adrian. “We’ve implemented around the clock monitoring on Fantasia Alive and Johnny’s home. We’re also adding additional surveillance for other members of staff he’s close to, in case he goes to one of them for concealment.”

“I don’t understand why these measures weren’t in place already. Sloppy work, Adrian.” Neil shook his head as though saddened, but Ryu saw the malicious pleasure in the bastard’s eyes. It was like the selfish worm enjoyed screwing with them more than solving the case.

Suddenly, it was too much.

The combination of being unable to comfort Kait, not enough sleep, his own history with Neil, and hearing Adrian talked to like that—Ryu cracked.

“The reason those measures weren’t already in place,
sir,
was because as leader of this assignment you hadn’t ordered them to be implemented. Nor did you give us the power to put in place our own measures.” The words, like poison from a punctured canister, exploded past clenched teeth as Ryu fought to keep the remnants of his control.

Neil leapt up and leant over the desk. “Are you saying this is my fault, Mackay?” His eyes narrowed dangerously.

“You’re damn right it’s your fault.” Slamming both hands on the desk so they couldn’t wrap around Neil’s neck, Ryu stood eye-to-eye with the other man. “If you weren’t such a sloppy leader, this wouldn’t have happened.”

“Mac—” Adrian tried, but was cut off.

“I’m a sloppy leader? If you had the balls to get into that girl’s pants, we’d have more leverage over her.”

Claws burst out the end of Ryu’s fingers and dug into the desk. “That’s your solution to everything isn’t it?”

“Don’t act so high and mighty, it wouldn’t be the first time you’ve enjoyed exerting a little
leverage
.” Neil’s lip curled in a sneer.

“Mac.” Adrian’s hand came down on Ryu’s shoulder, his fingers digging painfully into the muscles.

The contact anchored Ryu and, with a shuddering breath, he forced himself to take a step back. His claws vanished. Gritting his teeth till his jaw ached, he stared at Neil. He hated the way he let the toad push his buttons. Hated knowing he’d let Adrian down. Hated how close he’d come to losing complete control.

“We’ll implement the changes to surveillance and inform you as soon as we have the results of the decryption.” Adrian kept his hand on Ryu’s shoulder.

“I expect better discipline from your people, Adrian, this kind of disrespect is unacceptable.”

A muscle jumped in Adrian’s cheek as he nodded, not saying anything.

“MacKay, I won’t stand for another incident like this. If Adrian can’t control you, I’ll pull you back onto my team permanently.”

Still breathing hard, Ryu didn’t allow himself to say anything, but when Adrian’s hand tightened, he nodded. When Neil nodded in return, Adrian pulled Ryu out of the room and closed the door behind them.

“What the hell was that about?” Adrian shoved Ryu against the wall.

“Shit.” Feeling like he’d been run over by a concrete-mixer, Ryu rubbed a hand over his face. Guilt, and the sharp bite of brick at his back, digging into him. “I’m sorry.”

“Sorry is not good enough. If Neil looked down he’d have seen dragon’s claws. You don’t think he’s going to wonder how those gashes ended up in his desk?” Without waiting for a reply Adrian continued, “You’re strong enough to control the change, to understand the risks of exposure.”

“I know. It won’t happen again.” Ryu focused on the ground, not wanting to see the expression on Adrian’s face.

“It better not. I can understand in the middle of a fight, we all slip occasionally, but not in front of a man like Neil.” Adrian managed to catch Ryu’s eye and they stared at each other, predator to predator.

“Please don’t kick me off your team. If I ended up with Neil again I think I’d…” Ryu struggled to know what he’d do, but either him or Neil would likely end up dead. Although Ryu looked like a man, sometimes the dragon’s primitive response was closer to his true identity.

Adrian grabbed Ryu’s shoulders and shook him none too gently. “You’re part of this team, I’m not letting you go.” When Ryu nodded, Adrian released him and stepped back. “I protect my team where I can, with that in mind I’m keeping you away from Neil whenever possible.”

“Thank you.” Ryu’s words were pulled from deep in his chest.

Adrian looked at him speculatively. “My door’s always open if you need to talk.”

Ryu looked away, shoving his hands into his pockets. “I’m fine, but thanks.” He hated Neil for mentioning his past. Shame swirled its dark poison through his blood.

“I already knew about your past assignments, Mac. I make sure I know everything about someone before I bring them onto my team.”

Ryu’s eyes leapt to Adrian’s in surprise. “You know?”

“I know, and the way Neil works is not the way I work.” After a final hard look Adrian walked away, leaving Ryu feeling lighter than he had in a long time.

Adrian didn’t despise him for what he’d done. A smile drifted across Rhy’s lips, like it was filled with helium. Realizing Adrian wouldn’t use him the way Neil had, eased a fear Ryu had barely known he carried. He breathed out slowly, shaking his head in wonder.

Adrian knew, but he never treated Ryu like it made him soulless. He’d never realised how much having another man, a man he respected, know his past and acquit him, mattered—validated him. It stopped him being a thing, a tool, and made him a man once more.

He pushed away from the wall, standing taller. He still couldn’t imagine telling anyone he’d once felt little better than a prostitute but, if he ever had to, the words would be there. For the first time he could focus on the lives his actions saved, the troubles he’d averted, instead of the dirty deeds done to accomplish the results.

He could almost physically feel his psychological wounds start healing, closing and scaring over. Walking back to the motel room his steps felt buoyant, like another man filled his feet. Not having to keep his past a secret shame opened the future wider, filled it with possibilities, especially chances for intimacy he’d previously rejected. The image of Kait, her long, red hair blowing behind her, filled his mind.

Work was still his priority, but for the first time fear was replaced with freedom.

Chapter 18

Kait pulled her car to a stop outside the park and looked across the tree-scattered, green expanse. One of the swings in the children’s playground rocked peacefully in the morning sunshine. The fluttering breeze the only one enjoying the play equipment and dancing through the trees.

She gripped the steering wheel white-knuckled. Did she want to be doing this? Meeting Johnny alone? Ryu didn’t know, no one knew. Her handbag and the copy of the flash drive therein, taunted her. She was a fool.

She should have called Ryu. He could’ve been waiting in the background, ready to help her if anything went wrong. She released the steering wheel and rubbed chill, damp palms over her jeans. No, she’d been through this half a dozen times already. If she called Ryu he would take Johnny into custody. She wanted a chance to have a persuasive chat then allow Johnny to leave, give him time to think things through.

Her fingers clutched spasmodically at her thighs. At least, she hoped it would be a persuasive chat. If she could convince Johnny to turn himself over to the police this whole situation would be…manageable. She fought to find the right word, because nothing was going to make it better. Nothing would fix what he’d done.

Taking a deep breath, she got out of the car. She needed to face him and get this over and done with. Slinging her bag over her shoulder, she walked slowly to a park bench. It was here she and Johnny had indulged in innumerable picnics over the years.

She sat down to wait. Gripping her bag tightly on her lap, she closed her eyes. She remembered laughing and joking with Johnny a few weeks ago. He’d been acting the fool and climbing on the jungle gym. When he’d fallen off they both ended up in gales of laughter.