Total pages in book: 152
Estimated words: 143779 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 719(@200wpm)___ 575(@250wpm)___ 479(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 143779 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 719(@200wpm)___ 575(@250wpm)___ 479(@300wpm)
“Hutch, I need you to be quiet.” MaeBe’s voice was barely a whisper, as though she was worried someone might hear her from across the city.
A chill went through him. “What’s happening?”
“Our friend is approaching the door, and she has a keycard in her hand,” MaeBe explained. “She’s going in. Fuck. The system just registered Noelle’s card. She’s using Noelle’s keycard.”
The door started to come open, and Hutch realized he was in trouble.
Chapter Fifteen
Hutch glanced down and realized he was seconds away from finishing his download. He moved behind one of the large servers.
Someone had either stolen or duped Noelle’s keycard. Someone was setting Noelle up on the same night Jessica was meeting with men who would love to hide her research.
Whoever was coming through that door was actively working to steal Noelle’s ideas, to take a future she’d worked hard for. Anger started to war with fear, though his training had taken over and a calm started to descend.
“She’s moving in. She can’t see you at this point.” MaeBe’s voice had gone calm. “She’s pulling out a drive. Yours is finished, Hutch. It’s done and all you need to do is get the fuck out of there as soon as you can. She’s coming your way. Your best bet is to move around the opposite direction. She’s coming the same way you came in. I think she’s going for the same system.”
Was it possible Cara had sent in her own person? The special agent seemed like a woman who might get impatient and try to do the job with her own people. If whoever the intruder was worked for the FBI, they probably wouldn’t kill him. Of course they also probably wouldn’t have used Noelle’s keycard.
He couldn’t risk it. Whoever was coming around the corner likely hadn’t been trying to throw a suspicious coworker off the scent. If she was a pro, she would have a gun, and therefore the only advantage he had was the fact that she didn’t know he was in here.
He wasn’t carrying because Kyle would have asked why he’d grabbed a gun to go to the bathroom.
He hoped he had everything he needed because he was not going to get another chance at this.
He moved as quietly as he could, the hum of the machines around him giving him some cover. He caught sight of someone coming around the corner as he pocketed his drive and eased out of sight.
How quiet had the door been? He’d had to use a bit of force to push through, so it was probably on a self-closing hinge. Could he get out without her hearing or would the very act alert her?
“I’m in. Yes, I’m going to get it done, and I used the girl’s keycard,” a quiet voice said.
Hutch stopped, the idea of learning more information suddenly more important than getting out.
“I know. I can do things right sometimes. I only get tripped up over one thing.” She was quiet for a moment. “Don’t think I’ve forgotten for a second. I won’t let personal feelings fuck up this job. I’m going quiet now. I expect payment upon delivery.”
“Oh, I’m going to track this bitch,” MaeBe promised in his ear. “I’ve got a good bead on her. I think if you stay where you are, we’ll be okay. I’m watching her. She’s not pulling financial data down. She’s in another file. Fuck, she’s pulling research. Noelle’s research. She’s downloading everything they have on the helium project.”
He wanted to tell MaeBe to screenshot what she could, to capture the espionage in progress. They had to figure out who this was. If she erased the files…
Noelle was in the building. If she erased the files, Noelle would know immediately. Noelle would contact someone.
“I’ve got what we need. Tell our Russian friends I’ll let them look at the real data and they can decide if Layne’s insane offer is worth it. Hold on.”
“Hutch, she’s moving your way. I think she heard something.” MaeBe’s calm declaration sent a pulse of adrenaline through him. “And she’s got a Glock 9. She’ll be coming from your left. Quick but quiet.”
The ground beneath him was carpeted, and that would help enormously. He moved across the aisle toward the other side of the room, the one he’d come from. This was a game of cat and mouse, and he was worried he was about to be the mouse.
“Is someone here?” a feminine voice asked. “Sorry, I didn’t know I wasn’t alone. I’m new.”
Sure she was. It was a good try, but he wasn’t going to buy it. No one would if they’d heard her talking. She was trying to figure out where he was. Any sound at all would help.
Hutch moved, flattening out against the side of the machine at the end of the aisle.
“She’s behind you, but she’s stopped halfway down the aisle. I’ll let you know if you need to move. For now, stay completely still. She obviously doesn’t have backup watching,” MaeBe pointed out.