I had come up with a long list of potentials and crossed it with people who were frequently out at the Vault or other clubs around town, then narrowed it down to fifteen.
One of them was standing directly in front of me, the center of attention in a mix of people and tables.
Kellan Barnes.
Younger than most of the higher-ups around here—hotter than them, too—and well known to like blonde girls who fell all over him.
I rolled my eyes, stepping up to the tall table next to his in the VIP section.
Aiden didn’t follow me, but I knew he wouldn’t go far. My eyes found him in the crowd and he gave one sharp nod—a silent agreement for me to go ahead.
I listened in as Kellan spoke, going on and on to the women surrounding him about his newest car. It was the standard droning about himself, so much so he didn’t even worry when I brushed against him. He glanced back, a cocky smile spreading across his face, and I gave him one to match, then turned to my table without a word.
There was a small pause in conversation, one more glance in my direction before he was back to the girls at his table, picking up his story exactly where he had left off.
Aiden looked over, probably wondering what disastrous thing I was doing now, his question satisfied when I flashed a phone in his direction that he would know wasn’t mine.
Mine had a cute little knife on the back to hold on to... this one was a boring wooden case belonging to the man behind me.
Aiden’s eyebrows jumped up, but he didn’t move. He was smart enough to let me work, knowing a strange phone in my hand could lead to good information.
I moved fast, sliding the phone into the slim black box nestledinside my purse. I’d been hoping for a chance to use it tonight. The new upgrade was supposed to crack passwords in seconds—if I hadn’t screwed anything up.
The box blinked once—soft blue light—and I held my breath. The screen on the phone flashed, went black, then lit up again, this time with a familiar logo and a thin progress bar crawling across the bottom.
It wasn’t supposed to do that—at least I didn’t think it should. I had created the program, but hadn’t used it on a stranger’s phone yet. Any little thing could throw it off and leave me with no way to get in it.
Thirty seconds felt like five minutes. I stared at the screen like it might judge me for failing. Then, with a soft click from the box and a barely there vibration, the lock screen disappeared.
“And I’m in,” I whispered, trying not to sound too pleased with myself. I started scrolling immediately, contacts, emails, texts—I would go through them all until Kellan started looking in my direction.
My heart raced as I clicked into the emails next—his contact list proving useless.
I went right to the search bar, typing inAndersonand waiting agonizing seconds as it loaded.
Three emails popped up and I opened the most recent.
It was short—only a time and location for a meeting. Nothing unusual, but then my eyes hit the bottom.
Jack Anderson.
I stared at the name, my heart thudding to the beat of the bass.
I did it.
We finally had it.
He wasn’t a ghost or a theory. We weren’t chasing an invisible threat anymore. We had a full name.
And now I knew exactly who to look for.
I would be able to hunt him down and find out exactly who he was, who he has been, and what he wants with us.
I pulled out my phone, snapping a picture of the screen before clicking into the other to make sure I didn’t miss anything.
Excitement burst in my chest—I’d done it. I was the one who found his name, actually contributing to taking care of Anderson.
Aiden froze, his jaw tightening as he glanced past me. I felt Kellan before I saw him and slipped the phone behind me. He didn’t say a word, a slightly drunk smile tugging at his lips.
