Far Beyond Duty

Chapter 18

Dakota

I lean over Crow's shoulder while her fingers fly across the keyboard. The office sits almost dark, lit only by computer screens and moonlight filtering through the windows. She's been working non-stop for hours, surrounded by empty Red Bull cans and snack wrappers.

“Holy shit, look at this!” she mutters, pointing to a series of bank transfers. “Our little actress has been busy these past months.”

“What did you find?”

“Her Hollywood career is dead, girl. Like, dodo dead,” she responds without taking her eyes off the computer. “Hasn't had a decent role in over two years. The last movie she was in was pure garbage and the reviews… well, let's say I've seen better reviews for food poisoning.”

“No wonder I couldn't remember any of her movie titles,” I confess.

Crow pauses to crack open another energy drink, taking a long gulp before continuing.

“Man, but check out this chick's lifestyle,” she points out, opening several Instagram photo windows. “Yachts, private jet trips, Saint-Tropez parties… All started about eighteen months ago. Look at this pic, that watch costs more than my car.”

“Right when she started dating Anna?”

“Exactly. But here's where it gets juicy. The cash wasn't from Anna. Look at all these transfers,” she points, showing me a long list of deposits. “All from shell companies linked to traditional energy. Best part is the idiot didn't even try to hide it well. Useless moron,” she snorts.

“Can you trace the origin?”

“You taking me for an amateur?” she protests, clutching her chest dramatically and pretending to be offended. “You know I'm the best. Offshore companies in the Cayman Islands, then Liechtenstein, finally Singapore. It's like a world tour of money laundering. But I recognize the pattern from when we investigated Thorne Bishop's accounts. It's his way of moving cash,” she adds, leaning back in her chair and stretching like a cat.

Suddenly, her expression changes. She lets out a puff, and I fear we're missing something.

“You know what? It's almost insulting how easy it was to follow the trail. These guys are so arrogant, they don't even bother covering their tracks well. Only the attack on the company servers was professional work. That time you can tell they spent money and hired a good hacker. But this? This is pure trash. Amateur hour.”

Just then, Anna enters the office with a tray of coffees. Her hair's pulled back in a messy ponytail, and she looks tired, but her eyes light up when we update her on the investigation.

“I brought real coffee,” she announces, setting the tray on the desk. “Not that radioactive stuff Crow drinks.”

“Hey, don't diss my drink,” Crow complains, tossing a can into the trash like a basketball shot.

“Just kidding. I also love that energy drink.”

Anna sits beside me, watching the screens with furrowed brows, while I pass one of the coffees to Crow, who sniffs it suspiciously before taking a sip.

“Okay, I admit it's good,” she confesses, nodding.

“What does all this mean?” Anna asks, pointing to the transfers on screen.

“It means your ex-girlfriend was on Thorne's payroll even while dating you,” I respond, lowering my voice and watching her reaction.

“Are you serious?”

“They used her,” I confirm, taking her hand in mine. “They needed information about the project, and she needed money.”

“Well, she needed money and she's stupid. Don't know how you dated that snake,” Crow interrupts. “But damn, it's brilliant. A failed actress living way above her means. Perfect target. Like living her own movie in real life.”

Anna sits on my lap and lets out a long sigh, likely processing the information. Her face reflects a mix of pain and anger.

“We're presenting the prototype on Friday,” she announces after a long silence.

“So soon?”

“My team's been working non-stop. Everything's ready,” she states, leaning to kiss my neck. “Once we show the technology to the world, explain how it works, trying to kill me won't make sense anymore. The knowledge will be out there, they can't stop it then.”

“And until then, they'll try to stop you any way they can,” I remind her. “These days will be the most dangerous.”

“That's why I need you to find everything you can about who's behind this,” she responds, squeezing my hand.

“Already got it,” Crow interrupts with a mischievous smile, wiggling in her chair like she's dancing. “Look at all these emails. They had it well planned, except they didn't count on Olivia having half a brain cell that doesn't always work.”

“Names?” I ask, leaning toward the screen.

“Better than that. Evidence. Meetings, transfers, the whole money movement pattern. Even an email where the idiot asks if they're going to kill you,” she adds, pointing to Anna.

“Can we take it to the police?” I ask, though I already know the answer.

“I'll send it to Izzy tonight. Plus, I can leak it to the press right after police open the case. Anonymously and untraceable, of course. Boom! Everyone will know who they are and what they tried to do. Like dropping a nuke on their privilege bubble.”

Anna stays quiet, studying the data on screen while nervously playing with a button on her jacket.

“You okay?” I whisper, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

“It's just… hard to process all this. Olivia, Thorne, Dottie. All people I trusted. I feel stupid.”

“You're brilliant,” Crow cuts in. “So brilliant, you scared a whole industry. That's not stupid, that's being a fucking threat to the system.”

“I agree with Crow,” I whisper, kissing her lips.

“Okay, okay, lovebirds, focus,” the hacker quips, rolling her eyes dramatically and pretending to gag. “Jesus, you two get so mushy, you're giving me diabetes.”

“We need to increase security until the prototype presentation,” I state, shaking my head at the silly comment I just heard.

“Man, this is like Game of Thrones, but without the dragons,” she jokes.

We all laugh, but we know the next few days will be crucial. The world's about to change forever, we just need to make sure Anna stays alive to see it.

“One last thing,” she adds before Anna and I head out. “When this is all over, I want to be maid of honor at your wedding. But I'm not wearing some frilly dress, got it? That's where I draw the line.”

“Crow!”

“What? Deep down, I'm a romantic. All the info's with the police now. Go on, shoo, get out of here, you're getting too lovey-dovey,” she insists, waving us toward the door.