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“Lauren,” Leo called from inside the office, “We need to show you something.”
Lauren gave me one last suspicious look as we headed in. Leo and Dave’s office was its characteristic mess, with empty takeout containers and candy bar wrappers littering every available surface. Both of them lived here. Like, literally. Dave had proudly told me at a meeting earlier in the day that he hadn’t been home for three weeks.
Silicon Valley was like that. We wore our nonstop-work dark circles like badges of honor. Well, I used high-end concealer to cover up mine.
I cleared some empty coconut-water containers from a portion of the couch and warily sat down next to Dave, who wore scuffed Vans sneakers and a hoodie that looked as if he’d owned it since ninth grade. I hoped there weren’t M&M’s stuffed into the cushions like the last time I’d visited the guys. They’d stained my favorite skirt.
Leo, who looked more like a scruffy undergrad than a high-powered tech executive, hunched over his desk, tapping rapidly on his keyboard. Dave bounced his laptop on his bony knees. He held out a bag of Twizzlers to me.
I wrinkled my nose, disgusted by the unnaturally red candy. “No, thanks. And you should probably eat some real food—did you have dinner?”
Dave held up the Twizzlers, looking guilty.
“Ugh, how many times do I have to tell you two to eat normal meals? And to get outside and go for a walk? You’re both so pale and skinny—”
“There it is,” Leo said.
He pointed to the screen, and Lauren leaned over to see the piece of code.
“She put something in our firewall. I don’t understand what it is. It’s not a code I’ve seen before. And why would she do that?” Lauren asked, her brow furrowed. “As far as I know, she still wants my technology. She shouldn’t be trying to destroy my system.”
Leo scratched his patchy beard. “I’m not certain it’s a virus, but I also don’t understand what it’s doing in our firewall. I need to check it out further. Have you heard anything from her—has she been in touch over the last few weeks?”
“No, not recently.” Lauren’s phone buzzed. “It’s Gabe—I’ll just be a second.”
“Do you want me to order takeout for you?” I whispered to Dave. “I can get Japanese delivered. I can order you something with protein and vegetables—remember them?”
“But I like Twizzlers,” Dave whined.
“No—please tell me that isn’t true,” Lauren said into the phone, her voice too loud. Her shoulders shook.
I jumped up. “What is it?”
“I don’t…I can’t believe this is happening. I’ll call you back.” Lauren hung up and put her face in her hands. “That was Gabe. He just heard—Jim Pace was shot tonight. He’s dead.”
“Who’s Jim Pace?” Dave asked.
Lauren’s throat worked as she swallowed. “Fiona Pace’s husband. Fiona Pace, the Protocol Therapeutics CEO.”
Dave’s brow furrowed. “I don’t know who she is…”
Lauren’s face was a pale mask. “She’s Li Na Zhao’s latest target. And now her husband’s dead.”
Chapter 6
Wes
Gripping the kitchen island, I pulled myself up and pushed the wheelchair away—I hadn’t technically been cleared for long-term standing, but after hearing about Jim Pace, I no longer gave a shit. I grimaced for a moment, catching my breath.
Then Gabe came into the kitchen, and I straightened myself. I had no intention of letting my strain show.
“Are your brothers on their way back?” I asked.
“Yeah, they’re on the red-eye,” Gabe said. “Fiona had just contacted them and hired them for personal security—right before this happened.”
He was quiet for a long minute. “I can’t believe Jim’s dead. He and Fiona were college sweethearts. Jim was a great guy, brilliant—and he had a big heart. He loved his wife and his girls.”
“They shot him right outside his office?”
