Page 35 of Russian Rescue

“You need me watching those security feeds to be your eyes in there.”

She sighed. “We’re going to have to go in blind. We can’t risk you getting caught.”

“Piper, you know how fast things can go sideways. Let me go somewhere, anywhere, where I can watch those cameras for you. Please. I have to do something to help.”

“I’m sorry, Wes. We can’t risk you getting spotted. You’re pretty recognizable.” She waved a hand over my frame, and I reached up and touched the stubble that had started growing on my face ten days ago. “I’m sorry, Wes. You’re too powerful to risk getting caught. If they get you and your sister, you know what will happen.”

Fear, real fear, flickered inside her emerald irises. I stepped forward and slid her hands into mine.

“You’re not going to have to kill me, Piper. I won’t get caught again. Before, I was clueless they were after me, but now, I know to watch out. It’s a different situation.”

“We don’t even know who they are yet. That’s another problem entirely. Is this the Russian government? A smaller terrorist cell? We have no idea. But whoever they are, what’s to keep them from grabbing Amanda back up again if they catch you after we free her. In fact, what’s to keep them from grabbing anyone in your family? Marcus brought up a very valid point that you’re not going to like hearing.”

“What’s that?”

“You and your family can’t go back to your normal lives. We’re going to have to make some calls to Elite Stealth Force after this is over and beg them to help you all form new identities. Disappear.”

“What?” I choked out the word. “You want me to tell my entire family they have to leave their lives and go into witness protection?”

She squeezed my hands. “I know it’s not what you want, but it’s the only way to prevent you and your family from just ending up right back here again.”

“Then we stop them. Get rid of them. Eliminate the threat. Just like we used to.”

“We don’t even know who they are, Wes.”

“Then I’ll find them. I’ll backtrack my steps and get onto their system and then tear it apart until I know who they are. Will you help me find them? Get rid of them so we can protect my family?”

“You know I’ll help you, Wes, but until we figure it out, your whole family is at risk. And if it’s the Russian government, then even we’re not good enough to protect you. There are just too many of them. Disappearing is your only option. And we won’t have much time. They could go after anyone in your family as soon as we get Amanda out.”

“Then I’ll move fast. You know I can, and I know you guys are the best at what you do. We’ll stop them. Whoever they are.”

“And you have no idea? I mean, you still haven’t told me how this happened... how they found you.”

I dropped her hands and walked a couple steps. “It was stupid.”

“What was stupid?”

Groaning, I exhaled a sigh. “I was bored at home and flipping channels, then I saw this news story about Russian nukes and that they are trying to expand their program against regulations. Basically, it said they were getting creative within their boundary lines. Then I started to wonder if they really were staying within their boundary lines, so I decided to just hop on over and take a peek behind the curtain.”

“You were bored? This is all happening because you were bored?”

I shrugged. “The video game I was playing had an update, so I had an hour to burn.”

She palmed her face. “So, because you had a video game updating, you’ve been kidnapped and taken to Russia, and your entire family is in danger?”

“Well, not technically. Technically we’re all in danger because while I was sniffing around in Russian servers, my mom called to talk about the wedding. So, I logged off, but I must have forgotten to close one of my security doors properly. I was distracted by her meltdown over what flower to use in my boutonniere. Someone must have noticed I’d been in there, back hacked me, and got my location. So fucking stupid. I’m the best hacker in the world, and I made one teeny tiny mistake that led them straight to my door.”

“And this someone must have known how powerful your hacking skills were to get you in there in the first place.”

“Exactly. That system was set up so securely I thought for a few minutes I wouldn’t be able to get in. And if I thought I couldn’t get in, then that means pretty much no one else on this planet could get in. So yeah, I basically painted a target on my head saying, ‘I’m the best hacker in the world, and here I am if you want to come get me and use me to your benefit.’” I smacked my forehead.

“Well, shit.” Piper shook her head. “That’s bad luck your mom called.”

“Major rookie mistake. I’d never have made that mistake when we were still going out on ops. But I’m out of practice for the whole covert thing, and my mom has been a disaster over wedding planning, so she was super distracting. I still can’t believe I didn’t completely wipe my tracks, but I must have left one tiny trace behind, and they found me. Now my mistake has caused serious hardship for my family. And for you guys.”

“We’re fine,” she said. “All of us like getting a little action now and again, so don’t worry about us. But yeah, we are worried about your family. And we have to figure out who these guys are, or it’s witness protection for all of you. Any ideas at all? What did they want you to hack? Did they say?”

I cringed. “Uh... something about nukes.”