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“It’ll take a few seconds while the program runs.” He tapped some controls on the app, and the lights on the door panel flashed as it scanned for Danvers’ password.
“When did you have time to make that thing?” I peered over his shoulder, watching as numbers spun on the screen, searching for the right combination.
“I’ve had it for a while. This isn’t the first time I’ve had to break into a security-level-alpha QT office.” He waggled his eyebrows at me, and I gave him a mock look of shock.
“Well, I’d never think you’d stoop so low. Do I even want to know why?”
“You know why, Lexie. I wanted to find out about you, about what had happened to you after you’d left all those years ago.”
I jammed my hands into my pockets and looked away. He didn’t know all of it. And he definitely didn’t know about what had happened to him. While I hated Branston for experimenting on us, I couldn’t hate the fact we were hopefully smart enough to stop them.
“There we go.” The numbers settled into a pattern, and his phone screen turned green. The door clicked open. “Brains before beauty?” Asher asked, holding the door open for me.
“Ha ha. Funny.” I slipped inside and pulled out my flashlight, shining the beam around the room. It looked exactly like it did when I’d met with her a few weeks ago — sleek modern desk, low bookshelves along the wall, a small table with three chairs in the corner.
Asher moved to the other side of the desk and sank into Danvers’ chair before turning on the computer. The glow filled the room enough for me to switch off my flashlight.
“I’m still not sure why you have to use Danvers’ machine for this,” I said as the sound of the keyboard clicking filled the room. “Wouldn’t it have been easier to do it remotely?”
He shook his head, the light from the screen making his eyes shine weirdly blue. “It’s forensics. I can’t have Branston tracking this back to me. And, hopefully, there’s already a link between networks. Even my skills probably aren’t good enough to sneak in undetected.” He paused, chewing his lip as he typed. “There. The first firewall is down. I have access to her email.” He let out a low whistle. “I hate that we were right. Here’s Amy’s email with our planted info. Looks like she sent the plans to Danvers and Major Grant at Branston immediately after we left last night.”
I clutched the edge of the desk as my head spun. Amy and Danvers both had been working for Grant. Of course. It all made sense now.
“Hey, you okay?” Asher half-rose from the chair, and I shook my head.
“He emailed me right before the explosion. Branson told Danvers to run the test, knowing it would fail.” My voice shook. “I hate that that guy freaks the hell out of me.”
He frowned. “Well, I hate that I never suspected Amy or Danvers. And I hate even more that I didn’t believe you when you tried to warn me, Lexicon.”
A warm glow pushed away some of the nausea churning in my stomach. “If we’re going to be friends, you should probably get used to the fact that I’m always right, Rosen.”
“And you should get used to the fact that I plan on being more than friends.”
Heat turned my skin to goosebumps at the confidence in his words. When had I fallen so hard for the guy? And though he was cute, it wasn’t even how he looked that made my skin tingle. It was his brain, his sense of humor. Everything that made him Asher.
I forced myself to look away before I threw myself at him. “Back to work, buddy. We’ll have plenty of time later.” My voice was husky, and I hoped he’d think I was just trying to whisper.
“Promise?” He grinned as he continued hacking Danvers’ computer.
My phone vibrated in my pocket before I could respond, and I pulled it out to check the text message from Max.
Photon core removed. Five more minutes, and we’ll have the detonator installed.
“Is that Max? What’s their status?” Asher asked.
“They’ll be done in five minutes. How are we doing? Almost there?”
He nodded. “I’m almost through Branston’s network. The exploits worked perfectly, especially since Danvers has a path to the network on this machine already. I’m copying over as many of their files as I can while I scan their system.”
The knot of panic in my stomach eased a bit. “What else is there to do?”
The corner of his lip twitched. “I created a little virus to destroy all copies of the original Project Infinity. Even better, it’ll take down their system and destroy most of their records, including the ones they stole from Los Alamos and the other facilities. It’ll take five more minutes at the most.”
We’d been there fifteen already, but I wasn’t going to rush him.
“There. I’m in and loading the virus.” Asher leaned back and crossed his arms behind his head. “Where do you want to go for dinner after we’re done here? I’m starving. I thought maybe we could drive into Knoxville. We could finally have our date at that quiet little restaurant downtown.”
“I think Coco’s is closer. And I’m going to need a piece of her chocolate silk pie. Stress-eating for the win.”
He chuckled. “And you weren’t even the one doing all the work. Maybe I should make you buy me dinner.”
Before I could come up with a snappy answer, an earsplitting shriek cut through the building. Lights flashed on and off, filling the room with blinding light. My whole head filled with piercing pain.
Asher pounded his fingers into the keyboard. “Shit. The security system just kicked in. We’re on lockdown.”
“Max and Zella? Are they okay? Did they set this off?” I pulled my phone out of my pocket like I was moving in slow motion. Every action made my very bones ache. I scanned the screen, but there was no signal.
“The protocols shut down all computer networks, wifi signals, and cell signals. I’m already inside the system, but it looks like it was set off somewhere on this level.”
“Was it us?” I yelled over the sound of the sirens. The sound echoed oddly in my head.
“No. It was me.”
Dr. Danvers stood in the doorway, and my stomach bottomed out like I’d dropped ten floors in the elevator. She looked calm and unflustered as always, professionally dressed in a pantsuit with her hair scraped back into a bun.
She pulled a hand out of her pocket and pointed a small handgun at us. “Move away from the desk.”
