Page 45

“Yep. Simple as derived algebraic geometry.”

Fallon huffed out a breath that might have seconded as a laugh. “You’re talking about walking into a house full of armed criminals, Cass.”

“I’m talking about walking into a room with a computer. As long as it’s not a crowd of people, I’ll be fine. Ryder gets me to the room, I work, he gets me out. Nobody ever knows I’m there.”

She could hear how confident that sounded. Nailed it, Cass. Oscar-worthy.

She could also feel the tremor in her hands, which she kept flat on the desk where Fallon couldn’t see them.

“These are kids, Fallon.” Her voice came out stronger than the rest of her felt. “That data is sitting on a machine down the hall from where Ryder is staying, and he can’t get what he needs. Every day we wait is another day those kids don’t have.”

“I know.”

“Then let me go. I can do this.”

She could do this. Especially since it meant children would come home safely to their families rather than suffer unbearably.

For a moment, she thought Fallon was going to say no. But evidently, she’d come to the same conclusion Cassandra had.

“Okay. I’ll message Ryder. Tell him to call when he can so we can let him know the plan.”

Cassandra exhaled. “Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me yet. He’s not going to like this.”

Cassandra shrugged. “None of us like it. But we like the thought of kids suffering much less.”

“Let me get going on this. Meet me over at the briefing room in an hour.”

Fallon left. The lab went quiet. Just Cassandra and her screens and the hum of equipment that didn’t care what she’d just agreed to do.

She was freaking terrified.

What if it was a system she couldn’t hack?

She looked around the lab. Her screens. Her practice terminal. The coffee mug she’d been refilling all day. No, she wasn’t going to work herself up. She’d be able to do it.

Computers, she understood. All kinds. Let her brain do what it was good at: find the pattern then use it to her advantage. Meanwhile, she’d research everything she could about air-gap systems.

She was just leaving for the briefing room when she got a message from Fallon. Ryder got a window and is calling now. Briefing room.

Cassandra dropped everything and rushed over. Fallon was already talking to him when she eased the briefing room door open.

“I’m outside, got maybe ten minutes before somebody notices.”

His voice was low, a little out of breath, wind behind it.

“We’ve been working the problem since your call,” Fallon said. “Problem is, we basically need a computer expert to do this. Cassandra can’t teach you or anybody else.”

“Then what’s the play? Peter?”

“No, he’s out of the country.”

“Fuck.” Frustration fairly oozed from Ryder. “I’ll take another shot at it. Cass can⁠—”

“We’re sending Cassandra in, Ryder.”

“Absolutely fucking not. No way in fucking hell. She’s civilian.”