Chapter 26

26

Cody tried to shrug off the chill in the air as Paige and Tai started studying the virus hard drive, plugging it into a safe laptop that was disconnected from the internet. He hovered behind them, aware that Mason and Graham were keeping him in view. The feeling of camaraderie had evaporated quickly, replaced by a palpable tension.

Not that he blamed these folks. Even if they bought his Tanner explanation, they'd need time to digest this.

The plain fact was, he did work for the enemy, right up until he contacted Paige in Croatia. Going undercover meant pretending to play along. Only, he never killed anyone. Even before his religious awakening, he'd shied away from murder. He spent his time sabotaging Consortium plans and building his knowledge about the organization's inner workings, biding his time until he had enough intel to take them down. But Paige and her team wouldn't believe any of it. They might think he had a change of heart and wanted to defect, but they'd never believe he hadn't been a willing participant from the start.

Not that he needed their blessing. All he needed was for them to let him help end the Consortium. So far, that part was going according to plan.

Except for that kiss.

He tried to shrug it off. Everyone was entitled to a lapse in judgment. Okay, fine. He'd had more than his share. Deal with it.

Paige's fingers flew over the keyboard, her brow furrowed in concentration. Tai leaned in, occasionally muttering under his breath. Cody wanted to help, but he knew better than to intrude. Plus, Paige was way better at this than he was.

"You sure this is going to work?" Mason's voice was a low rumble, his skepticism clear.

Cody nodded, keeping his tone steady. "It's our best shot. The virus is complex, but there are patterns. We just need to find the right one."

Graham snorted, crossing his arms. "And you're the expert on that, huh?"

Cody met his gaze, unflinching. "I spent years studying their tech. If anyone can figure this out, it's us."

"Why don't we just fry the thing?" Mason asked.

"We have no idea how easy it would be for them to make another one," Cody responded. "Better that we figure out how to create an antidote."

Paige glanced over her shoulder, her expression guarded. "Give him some space, guys. We need his expertise."

Mason grumbled something under his breath but stepped back. Graham hesitated, then did the same.

Cody exhaled, focusing on the screen. The data scrolled by, a complex dance of code and encryption. He could almost hear the hum of the laptop, the faint clicking of keys as Paige worked.

The memory of the kiss flickered in his mind again, unwelcome and persistent. He tried to push it away, concentrating on the task at hand. He couldn't afford distractions, not now. Not even self-created ones.

"Anything yet?" Tai's voice broke through his thoughts.

"Still looking," Paige replied, her eyes never leaving the screen.

Cody felt a surge of determination. They had to succeed. He wasn't just fighting for redemption; he was fighting to take down the very organization that had once controlled his life. And maybe, just maybe, proving himself to Paige and her team in the process.

"Let's get this done," Cody said, his voice firm. "For all our sakes."

He tried to ignore the lingering sensation of Paige's lips, ordering himself to focus on the now.

But even as he told himself that, another part whispered that maybe, just maybe, he didn't want to forget it entirely.

One thing at a time. Save the world first. Everything else could wait.

Paige squinted at the screen, the blue light reflecting off her eyes. "I've got the first layer of the file directory on screen. We're ready to access the inner files. Tai, any ideas?"

The huge Marine leaned closer, his finger tracing the air above the keyboard. "We could try a brute force attack on the encryption. It's risky, but it might get us in faster."

"Not a good way to go," Cody insisted. "Consortium won't respond to direct assaults. There'd be blowback built into the program. There's usually a back door in these codes, something the creators use to access it without the hassle."

Paige shot him a sideways glance, her lips quirking in a reluctant smile. "Back doors, huh? Like the Tanner persona?"

Cody chuckled softly. "Exactly."

Tai typed furiously, the clatter of keys filling the room. "Alright, let's see if your back door theory holds up."

Meanwhile, Bridger, Fenn, Kate, and Mason gathered their gear. "We'll secure the perimeter," Bridger announced. "I want a clear perimeter one mile around the embassy. Tai, are your drones online?"

Tai nodded without looking up. "They're ready. Just need to launch them."

"Good. Let's move," Mason said, leading the group out of the safe house.

Cody's attention snapped back to the screen as Paige clicked through the first several layers of code. The lines of encryption peeled away, revealing deeper layers of the virus.

Paige's breath hitched. "We're getting somewhere."

Cody leaned in, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly. "Keep going. We're close."

But then, disaster struck.

Paige's fingers froze over the keys. "The file's empty."

Tai stared at the monitor, his face paling. "There's no code here. Nada. Are you sure you grabbed the right drive?" He directed the accusation at Cody, his eyes narrowing.

Cody's heart sank. "It's the correct drive. I'm sure of it."

Paige stepped in, her voice calm but firm. "Let's not jump to conclusions. Cody wouldn't lie about this."

Tai clenched his fists. "Then where's the virus?"

"I don't know. But we need to figure it out, fast." Cody could only pray Paige, and the others, would believe him.

Paige scanned the screen. "We'll find it."

They had to. Cody's mind raced, trying to piece together what had gone wrong. The drive they stole was supposed to contain the virus. But if it wasn't here ...

He took a deep breath, forcing himself to focus. "Let's go over everything again. There has to be something we missed."

Paige's fingers resumed their dance over the keyboard. Cody held his breath as she delved back into the layers of code.

They couldn't afford to fail. Not now. Not when they were so close.

"Come on," he whispered. "Show us what you're hiding."

Paige pushed back from the table, shaking her head. "The files are completely empty."

He squinted at the screen. "Erased?"

"Blank," Tai corrected. "It's a decoy."

Of course it was.

The weight of the Consortium's deceit pressed down on him, grinding him into the floor.

He replayed the scene in the lab through his mind and groaned. The memory was as clear as day. When he ordered the techs out, the tall woman had snatched up a tote bag. He'd thought it was her lunch, even remembered the faint scent of bologna and mustard. But her desk was closest to the computer attached to the drive. There'd been a minute there where he noticed her body blocked the unused computer station from view. Could she have had enough time to punch in a passcode and eject the disk?

Very possibly.

His stomach sank. He stared at Paige. She pressed a hand to her belly, her eyes widening with realization. "One of the techs took it," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Yup." How could he have missed that?

Tai threw his pen down on the tabletop. The clatter echoed in the silent room. "Game over."

Cody's gaze flicked to Tai, then back to Paige.

She put a hand on Tai's arm, but she spoke to Cody. "Not over. Just ... complicated."