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Chapter Twenty-Six

Ciska

O ceanShore Coal Company , Indiana Harbor...

"How much longer?" Carlisi snapped as he barreled through the door.

Ciska didn't turn around but continued to type the code she was busy with. "As long as it takes," she said in a dour voice. She was beyond tired. The bastard forced her to work around the clock. By her count, she barely had ten hours of sleep in the week she had been there. She was beginning to despair whether Rex had received her message.

Even if he did, he wouldn't know where to find you. Did you even think about that?

Of course, I have, but hope is all I have left.

Then, let's not hope. Ditch that shit. Manifest positivity. Jax and his friends are going to find us.

Yes, you're right. Jax will come for me.

"I'm sick and tired of hearing the same response, Ciska. I want a direct answer. The framework was there. All you have to do is recreate the code that will integrate with the Federal systems and find a secure way to hack into the various entities without detection."

"If it was that easy, any of your IT crew could've done it by now, so get the fuck off my back. I can't concentrate with you constantly hovering over my shoulder. Either leave me to work, or I stop and take a nap. You choose."

"You have two days, Ciska. Finish it or—"

"Or what? You're gonna kill me?" She sat back and looked at him. "Tsk, of course not. You won't dirty your hands. Big ole Cobra over there will probably snap my neck, or that coward of a Theo will shoot me..." She placed her feet on the desk and leaned further back. "Where is the asshole, by the way? I haven't seen him for a couple days."

"His movements are none of your concerns. Now, get back to work. I want this done. Two days, Ciska. Don't test my patience. Death isn't in your immediate future, but extreme pain is. Choose wisely because if you keep wasting time, Cobra will make sure you understand the error of your ways."

As the door slammed shut behind Carlisi and his henchman, Ciska's shoulders sagged. She released her breath in a shaky exhale. The tension she'd been holding in her body slowly began to uncoil, but the knot of fear in her stomach remained.

"Freaking flying pigs, Rex! Please tell me you got my message," she muttered under her breath but kept her voice barely above a whisper. Carlisi's threat hung heavy in the air, and Ciska still felt the phantom pressure of his hand on her shoulder.

Two days. Just two days to pull this off or face... what exactly? Her mind raced through various visions, one more gruesome than the last. She had always prided herself on her ability to compartmentalize, to push fear aside and focus on the task at hand. But now, alone in the room with nothing but the hum of computers and the echo of Carlisi's threats, that fear threatened to overwhelm her.

"Focus, Ciska." She took a deep breath and forced her racing heart to slow. "Whether you want to or not, you've got work to do. It's the only way you might survive this."

Turning back to her workstation, her fingers flew across the keyboard. To an outsider, it might look like she was simply coding at an impressive speed. But what she was doing was far more complex and dangerous.

On the surface, she was designing the program Carlisi wanted— a sophisticated piece of software capable of infiltrating government databases undetected. But hidden within the lines of seemingly innocuous code, Ciska was weaving a tapestry of self-destruction.

Hiding in plain sight , she thought, a grim smile tugging at her lips. That's the key.

She embedded intricate algorithms deep within the program's core functions. To the untrained eye, even to Carlisi's high-level hackers, they would appear to be standard subroutines necessary for the program's operation. But Ciska knew better. These hidden sequences were ticking time bombs, set to activate the moment the program attempted to upload to its target.

As she worked, her mind wandered to the mechanics of her sabotage. The virus she was creating was designed to spread rapidly through the program's own functions, corrupting data and disrupting operations faster than any security system could respond. At the same time, it would trigger a beacon, broadcasting the originator's IP address and location data to both the FBI and CIA cyber divisions.

I have no intention of going back to jail, you asshole , Ciska thought bitterly, especially since you're forcing me into a criminal act this time .

The irony wasn't lost on her. Here she was, committing a crime to avoid being framed for one. But the alternative— helping Carlisi succeed or facing whatever ‘extreme pain' he had promised— was unthinkable.

As the hours ticked by, Ciska constantly glanced at the door, half-expecting Carlisi or one of his men to burst in at any moment, either to bring her meals or lay down new threats. The fear never fully subsided. Instead, it settled into a constant, low-grade anxiety that thrummed through her body.

Come on, Jax, she silently pleaded. Tell me Rex got my message, and you guys are on the way.

As day turned to night, Ciska continued her intricate dance of coding and sabotage, forcing her numb body and tired brain to keep focusing. The quicker she finished the program, the more time she could spend perfecting the trap that would expose Carlisi and his entire Sandolens Group... even if it meant she didn't survive the ordeal.

Jax

O ceanShore Coal Company , Indiana Harbor...

"You and your team take the back entrance," Iceman said, gesturing to the window on the second floor above them. "That's the only window barred with steel rods and the only room with a light on, so my guess is, that's where your little lady is. We'll find whoever is on guard and eliminate them. I don't believe he'll be here, but on the off chance he is, Carlisi is mine. The Godfather wants to personally deal with him. Is that understood?"

"You can have all the fucktards in the building. All we're interested in is Ciska," Jax said as he, Max, Dexter, Rex, and Axel slowly made their way down the alley toward the back of the warehouse.

"On guard, Nitro," Max ordered his trusted Belgian Malinois, a trained military K9 who hugged his right leg. The dog's ears twitched as his senses immediately came to full alert.

The night air crackled with tension as Jax and his team approached the back door of the warehouse. Their breath formed small clouds in the cold air. Jax had no doubt their hearts were pounding with the same anticipation as his. As they approached the back entrance, Jax raised his fist, signaling the group to halt.

"Dexter, Rex, Axel, take point," Jax whispered. "Clear the way for us to get to the stairs."

The men nodded. Their faces were grim with determination. As Dexter kicked open the door, the first guard barely had time to register surprise before Rex's silenced pistol coughed twice. The man dropped with a look of shocked confusion frozen on his face.

"Two down, who knows how many to go," Rex muttered as he scanned the area for movement.

"Let's keep moving," Dexter hissed.

The team flowed into the building like a lethal tide. The sounds of fighting and gunshots echoed from the front of the building as Iceman and his soldiers fought their way inside.

Their senses were on high alert. Suddenly, a shout from their left drew their attention to three more guards heading their way with their weapons already drawn.

Dexter reacted with lightning speed, and his knife found its mark in the nearest guard's throat. The man went down gurgling, but his companions opened fire.

Jax and Max returned fire as they dove for cover behind a stack of crates, while Axel, seemingly unfazed by the bullets whizzing past, charged forward like a human battering ram. He caught one guard with a devastating right hook that sent the man flying into the wall with a sickening crunch.

Rex rolled to a protected position and returned fire. His aim was true, and the last guard fell with a precision shot between the eyes.

"Damn, Rex," Axel grinned, rubbing his knuckles. "You've been practicing."

"Someone's gotta keep you meatheads alive," Rex shot back with a wink.

As they reached the stairs, more guards poured in from adjoining rooms. The three men formed a protective circle around Jax and Max to create a path for them to ascend.

"Go!" Dexter shouted with his knife flashing as he parried a guard's attack. "We've got this!"

Jax and Max raced up the stairs, with Nitro hugging Max's leg. At the top, they encountered a burly guard in front of the steel door where they believed Ciska was held.

"Watch out," Jax shouted as he watched him reach for his weapon.

"Attack!" Max commanded Nitro in a sharp and clear voice.

The Belgian Malinois turned into a blur of muscle and teeth as he launched himself at the guard with a ferocious growl. His powerful jaws clamped down on the man's arm, who elicited a howl of pain. The guard's free hand scrambled for his gun.

"Oh, fuck no, you don't," Jax growled as he was there in a flash and delivered a brutal uppercut that snapped the man's head back and sent him crashing to the floor. "Keys, I need the fucking keys," he muttered as he searched his pockets for the key with trembling hands. Adrenaline and fear for Ciska's safety made his movements clumsy. The longer it took to get her out of the building, the bigger the chance of failure. They brought limited resources, and they had no idea how many men were scattered all over the warehouse. "Got it!" he shouted as his fingers finally closed around the cold metal.

"Come on, come on," he muttered as he fumbled with the lock. The door swung open, and there, bathed in the harsh glow of a single light bulb, sat Ciska. Her shoulders were slumped with exhaustion. The dark circles under her eyes were testament to the ordeal she'd endured. Her eyes widened in disbelief, then softened with relief and love as she looked up when he walked into the room.

"Jax," she whispered in a croak as her voice cracked with emotion.

In two long strides, Jax crossed the room and swept her into his arms. He held her tightly, burying his face in her hair, inhaling her scent as if to reassure himself that she was real.

"God, Ciska, I thought I'd lost you," he murmured in a voice thick with unshed tears. "I'm so sorry it took so long. I'm sorry I couldn't protect you."

Ciska pulled back slightly as she cupped his cheeks. Despite the exhaustion etched on her face, her eyes sparkled with their usual mischief.

"Hey now, J-Ster. Don't go getting all sappy on me. You know I can take care of myself."

A choked laugh escaped Jax's lips. "Yeah, I can see that. You really redecorated the place," he quipped, gesturing at the sparse, dingy room.

"What can I say? I have a flair for minimalist chic," Ciska retorted with a trembling smile tugging at her lips.

Their choked laughter mingled together in a release of tension and fear, joy and relief... all rolled into one. Jax leaned his forehead against hers. His voice lowered to a whisper.

"I love you, Ciska. More than I ever thought possible."

"I love you, too, you big softie," she whimpered as she finally gave in to the tears and started to sob softly. "C-Can we pl-please blow this joint? I've had enough of Carlisi's hospitality to last a lifetime." she hiccupped.

As if on cue, an explosion rocked the building, followed by the sound of gunfire and shouting.

"Looks like Iceman is having loads of fun," Max drawled from the doorway.

"Iceman? Seriously? You managed to convince Lombardo to help you?" Ciska looked from one to the other.

"Yep. It seems J-Ster really can negotiate." Max retorted with a grin on his face. "Well, I'd say that explosion was our cue. It's time to make our exit, lovebirds."

"No! I can walk," Ciska protested half-heartedly as Jax scooped her into his arms.

He ignored her and said with a wink, "Your chariot awaits, m'lady."

As they made their way out of the room, Ciska looked over Jax's shoulder at the unconscious guard on the floor, then at Nitro who was trotting alongside them, tongue lolling happily.

"Nice work, furball," she cooed as she reached down to scratch behind his ears. "Remind me to get you the biggest bone I can find when we're out of here."

"RRaaff," Nitro agreed, his tail wagging furiously. Even in the midst of chaos, surrounded by danger, Jax couldn't help but smile.

Her eyes still shone with the usual spark of her indomitable spirit. She was stronger than he had ever imagined. Now that she was back in his arms, come hell or high water, he wasn't going to let anything separate them ever again.

Once outside, Iceman approached them. "Not surprisingly, Carlisi shines in his absence. Probably ensconced behind the impenetrable walls of his penthouse suite at the Casino 777." He gestured toward a bloodied man held upright between two of his soldiers. "That's according to one of his Street Bosses and, unfortunately, a cousin of mine." His eyes glimmered with vicious intent. "Not that it matters. In my world, family either stands on your side or they are the enemy. Sanchez will soon realize there's only one way he might survive this night... get me into Carlisi's domain or die protecting him."

"Thanks for your help," Jax acknowledged the success of their mission was due to their presence without saying it outright. "However, is it wise to storm into Carlisi's tower? I thought Lombardo wanted to bury him using the program Rex designed that's similar to what Ciska was doing?"

Jax suppressed showing his regret for ever asking for their help. These men were hardened criminals, murderers, and the rush of the kill was still flowing hot inside Grecco's veins. Iceman's jaw locked as his bloodthirsty eyes cleared when reason finally took over.

"Fucking waste of time, if you ask me, but you're right," he smirked. "The big man wants to handle Carlisi personally."

"Here you go," Rex said as he handed over a flash drive. "If your IT team is as good as you claim, they'll be able to decrypt the folder for the instructions. Just be warned, once that file downloads, his entire group will sink."

"Good. They should all fucking die, not rot in jail, but in the end, it's not my call to make."

"Oh, just in case your boss has the grand vision of using this program for other dark measures, it's a once-off release. It was designed to link only to Carlisi and the Sandolens. It'll disappear in the intricate web of virtual reality once it does its job... kinda like a self-destruct mechanism, if you will."

"Why am I not surprised?" Iceman grunted. "Dealing with straight motherfuckers like you is simply exhausting."

"Jax," Ciska's voice sounded forlorn as she pressed her face into his throat. "Can we please go home now? I need a long, hot bubble bath."

With a curt nod at Iceman, Jax carried his precious package to the Jeep.

"I'll get you home, love. For now, just sleep."

"Don't let me go, J-Ster," she mumbled as her fingers locked around the front of his shirt, as if she was afraid to let go.

"Never, my love."

Once in the air, and with Ciska fast asleep on his lap, Jax looked at Max.

"I'm not letting her go again, Max. She's not going back to Tampa. Either Willow opens a branch in New York for Ciska to manage, or I'll offer her the IT Director position at JCP, but from this moment on, I'm never letting her out of my sight again."

"Don't worry, Jax. Willow has already put out feelers to expand. I guess she knew before the two of you did that one day soon, her IT Director was going to spread her wings, and she's too valuable for the company to lose."

"Remind me to buy your fiancé a ton of her favorite chocolates."

"Please don't. It's the one thing with which I can't compete. In case you haven't learned it yet, a man should never come between a woman and her chocolates."

"Oh, believe me... I already know."

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