Logannarrows his gaze. "You’vebeen inside our servers for eight months,Kaila.You’veseen our routes and our safe houses."
"AndIhaven't sold a single byte of it,"Ishoot back.Mygrip cramps on the edge of the redwood table.Ihold his stare. "IfIwanted to hurt you,Iwould have drained your accounts inNovemberwhenEliasleft that port open on the treasury server.Ipatched it instead."
Shanesnorts. "Eliasisn't gonna like hearing that."
"Eliascan get better at encryption then,"Icounter.
Daniel'schest rumbles against my shoulder blades.He’senjoying this.
"Why?"Logandemands.
"BecausetheCostashave my brother."Theconfession rips out of my throat. "Kevin.He’snineteen.Theytook him to force me to crack your network.Theywant your shipping routes for the new guns you're moving out of the warehouse onFourth."
Theroom goes deadly silent.
Loganstands, placing his hands flat on the table. "Wedon't move guns,Ms.Reyes.Werun an outfitting business."
"Cutthe crap,"Isnap, adrenaline burning through my veins. "Iknow about the crates marked 'TentSpikes.'Youneed to realizeDominicconsiders theBrokenHalosa mere side-quest."
Ilean forward. "Hehas something much bigger happening inChicago.I’veseen the encrypted pings.Arival clan with no name in the public records is squeezing his operations.He’slosing millions in the city every night, and he needs my hacking skills to find the leak in his organization before his whole world implodes.You’rethe pest he’s trying to swat while he fights a phantom in theWindyCity."
Ajagged breath leaves my lungs. "Idon't care about his wars.Icare about the photos of my brother he sends every single day.Kevin’sgot a split lip in the last one.Dominicis showing me exactly how easily he could break him.Ihave to get him out beforeDominicloses his patience."
Ipull my phone out and slide it across the table.Thescreen shows the latest picture.Kevinsits tied to a radiator, one eye swollen shut above a split lip.
Loganexamines the photo.Thetemperature in the room seems to plummet ten degrees.Heslides the phone back toward my hand.
"Trackerclaims you can find him,"Loganstates.
"Ican find anyone,"Iconfirm. "Ineed access.Realaccess.Ihave to infiltrate theCostainternal comms, andIcan't do thatfrom a frozen cabin with a satellite uplink dropping during every snowfall."
"Youwant to use our resources,"Austinmuses. "Tostart a war with theCostas."
"Theystarted it,"Danielcuts in.Hisbroad hands clamp over my shoulders. "Theytook a kid.Theyhunted her.She'sunder my protection,Logan.Mine."
Theword echoes.Mine.
It’san archaic caveman declaration.Icode in five languages.Idon’t belong to anyone.Hearingthe iron-clad certainty in his voice forces a hot flush through my chest.Itunknots a tensionI’vecarried sinceNovember.
Loganshifts his stare from me to his brother.Asilent conversation passes between them.Loganinclines his head.
"Ifshe’s yours,Tracker, she’s your responsibility.Sheleaks one coordinate to theCostas, and the fallout lands strictly on you."
"Iknow,"Danielreplies.
"Sether up,"Loganorders. "Shane, double the perimeter guard.IfCostafigures out she’s gone, he’ll come looking."
"Onit,"Shanegrunts, stalking toward the door.
Danielsteers me out of theChapelbeforeIcan speak.Webypass the loft stairs entirely.Heshoves open a side door revealing a repurposed supply closet packed tight with server racks.Thesteady hum of cooling fans washes over my frayed nerves.
"Sit," he commands.Hepoints to a rolling chair parked in front of a massive custom rig featuring triple monitors.
Itake the seat.Myfingers itch to hit the keys. "Youtrust me?"
Danielleans over the desk, bracing one hand on the wood and gripping the back of my chair with the other.Hecages me in.Helowers his face inches from mine.Itrack the harsh line of stubble covering his jaw.Hesmells like spearmint and cold leather.
"Ichecked your logs," he says, keeping his voice low. "Isaw the patches you wrote and the viruses you quarantined.You’vebeen guarding my family better than some of my own brothers."