42. Chapter 42
Chapter forty-two
Alex
Alex looked at his reflection in the mirror; he looked like shit. The bags under his eyes were so enormous he’d have to pay a baggage fee to ride the elevator. He opened the bedroom door, smiled at Nurse Ringwood, and said good morning. She smiled and said she needed to check on Danyal and take some readings for Dr. Donalds. Alex said he’d leave her to her work before he walked down the hall toward the kitchen. He could smell bacon cooking––that meant Galen was making breakfast.
“Smells delicious. What’s a guy have to do around here to get a home-cooked breakfast?” Alex stopped as he turned the corner to see Zoe sitting on a stool by the kitchen island. Alex could feel the anger boiling in his chest. “What the hell, Galen! Do you invite all our suspects for breakfast?”
“Alex, it’s not what ya think. Yur face is red. We’re all mates here.”
“So, we’re friends with the enemy now?” said Alex.
Galen turned to Alex and slid a file across the kitchen island. “I’d let ya sleep more if I knew this was the mood ya were packing.”
“You didn’t answer my question; why is she here? She could be a threat, and you brought her into the penthouse without consulting me,” Alex said, as his breathing increased and his heart pounded faster.
Galen stepped between Alex and Zoe. “Alex, yu’re starting to scare me. Don’t know if Zoe can see it, but ya’ve streams of purple energy leaking from yur eyes. Focus on yur breathing because yu’re close to losing control.” Galen stood in front of Alex and placed his hand on Alex’s chest. “Read the file, Alex.”
“I’m not reading any fucking file; you need to get her out of her immediately.”
Galen turned slightly toward Zoe. “Mind briefing Alex on the situation?”
Zoe nodded. “Dr. Lieth, I can assure you I mean you and Danyal no harm.”
“I warn you now, don’t let Danyal’s name cross your lips again.”
“Alex!” yelled Galen as he slammed his fist on the counter. “Please trust me and let her talk. Ya know I’d never put ya or Danyal at risk. Please continue, Zoe.”
Zoe said Alex had every reason not to trust her, but she was not his enemy. She said his instincts were good to suspect she was withholding information. Zoe looked over at Galen, who nodded. She said there was no easy way to say it, so she’d tell him bluntly. She’d been working undercover at PGC at the request of Yuzuru Ryo. She said she worked for Interpol, and her presence was requested because unknown agents had stolen PGC intellectual properties and technologies, which had made their way to numerous international groups, including the Sons of Enyaluis.
Alex’s face grew pale as Galen moved over to stand by his side, while sliding a plate of eggs and bacon on the counter in front of Alex.
“Interpol?” asked Alex.
“Yah. Interpol,” said Galen.
“How do we know this isn’t a lie?”
Galen tapped the file on the counter next to Alex’s food. “It’s all in the file, and Ryo will back her up.” He added he butted heads yesterday with Ryo over employee files; initially, he thought Ryo was being an ass, but it turned out he was worried about blowing Zoe’s cover.
Alex slowly opened the file. “So, how did you figure this out, Galen?”
“Did surveillance at her condo yesterday. Had enough evidence to confront her last night.”
Alex raised one eyebrow. “So you confronted a suspect on your own last night?”
“Ya confronted a suspect on yur own yesterday. Let it go.”
“May I proceed, Dr. Lieth?” asked Zoe.
Alex said yes without looking up.
Zoe explained that over the past two years, PGC technology systems and medical advancements were being sold on the international black market. Only someone deep inside the company could’ve done it. Her sole focus was to find the source of the leaks and stop them.
“How’s that going?” said Alex sarcastically.
“Poorly, sir, and it gets worse. Mistakes were made.”
Alex looked up with a hard stare. “What mistakes?”
“It’s OK, Zoe. Go ahead,” said Galen.
“We foolishly allowed the virus that resulted in the data breach into the system.”
Alex took a deep breath as the cabinets and all the items on the counter began to shake. Galen’s firm grasp on his shoulder brought him back into the moment.
“Alex, play nice,” said Galen, as the shaking ebbed away.
“What do you mean you allowed?” said Alex.
“When you brought the phone to be analyzed, we suspected it had a trojan horse virus but had no clue what consequences it would cause.”
Alex said with a clenched jaw, “So Galen almost getting killed and Templeton getting executed, are only ‘consequences’ to you?”
“You don’t think I fucking know that?” said Zoe, with tears in her eyes. “You know I care for Galen, and Templeton was my friend. I know his wife. For god’s sake, my mistake cost his unborn children their father.”
“You also let me take the blame for introducing the virus.”
“I know, and I’m sorry. But I did fight for you, Dr. Lieth; please recall I debunked the theory that you destroyed the city’s electrical grid.”
“So, inflicting emotional damage on me is OK?”
“I deeply regret it, but I also identified the enemy was trying to kill you.”
“Like they could.”
“The bottom line is, I deeply regret any pain I’ve caused you.”
Alex, Galen, and Zoe sat in awkward silence.
“Can ya find in yur heart for some forgiveness, Alex?” Galen said.
“Forgiveness has to be earned, Galen.”
“Not long ago, I betrayed ya. Ya forgave me.”
“That’s because I’d touched your soul and knew you weren’t on the side of darkness.”
“Light and darkness. Don’t think it’s that easy, Alex. Life has a lot of grays,” said Galen.
“The only thing I want to know from Ms. Palmer, if that even is her name, is who’s behind the leaks?”
“The evidence we’ve gathered is confusing. Sometimes it seems as if someone in research and development is involved, while at other times the data points to the medical staff.”
“You can remove Veronica Donalds from the list; she’s not a suspect.”
“OK,” said Zoe.
“Is Bruno a suspect?” asked Galen.
“At times, yes, and at other times no. The technology often stolen is his advancements, but he doesn’t have the computer skills to pull this off. He’s a scientist, but can barely reboot his computer when needed.”
“Was his inoculation formula stolen in the breach?” said Galen.
“That’s both true and untrue. The data was stolen, but kept on a computer system not connected to the mainframe.”
Alex raised his head and looked at Zoe directly. “So you’re saying someone internally stole the formula, and we have no idea when it occurred?”
“Yes, I’m afraid so,” said Zoe.
Alex sat, running his fingers through his hair. “Galen, I’d like a moment alone with Zoe.”
“Alex, I trust ya, but yu’re in a rare mood this morning.”
“She’ll be safe, Galen.”
“It’s OK, Galen. I’ll be fine,” said Zoe.
“Will be out on the balcony. Both of ya behave.”
Alex waited for Galen to leave before directing his attention to Zoe.
“So, I guess you want to read my energy to determine if I’m lying to you, Dr. Lieth?”
Alex said no; he wanted to apologize for letting his temper get the best of him. He admitted he could get a little paranoid when people were coming for him, and seemingly there was danger around every corner. Alex asked why she took so long to come forward with this information, given that it directly affected his and Galen’s safety.
“Guilt,” said Zoe softly. “I was dealing with the guilt of losing Templeton and Galen’s injury.”
“Don’t leave out your feelings for Galen. He told me you briefly hooked up, and I know your feelings go deeper than friendship.”
“You can see that?”
“I don’t need special abilities to see you have feelings for him.”
“That puts us in the same boat,” said Zoe.
“Excuse me?”
“You might not admit it, but your relationship with Galen is more than employer and employee. Are you upset with me because you think I’m a traitor, or is it because he might have spent last night in my bed?”
“We’re just friends, Ms. Palmer.”
“So it’s Zoe when you want something from me, but Ms. Palmer when you’re brooding because I know him in a way you don’t. At first, you were friends, but I heard every word and emotion when he thought you were dead.”
“How could you know what happened and his feelings about it?”
“Ryo had me monitor all your communications equipment to get to the bottom of the assault, and I heard everything. Plus, I’m not blind. Galen dropped everything shortly after he met you and was devastated when he thought you were lost. Being his boss doesn’t inspire such avid devotion.”
“You’re a clever woman, Ms. Palmer, but you are way off base here. Yes, Galen is more than an employee; he is now a dedicated friend whom I trust with my life. But the man I love is lying in a coma about a hundred feet down the hall. Don’t diminish our fucking relationship.”
“Which relationship? You have two of them. I’m a trained agent, Dr. Lieth. Learning how to read people can be the difference between life and death. Someone will get hurt, and I fear it will be Galen.”
“Galen’s physical and emotional safety is my priority, and I don’t have to explain it to anyone. So where does that leave us, Zoe?” asked Alex coldly.
“It leaves us on the same side with no secrets,” said Zoe. “Ryo and I will share our information with you and Galen going forward.”
“Can you get Galen to witness this agreement?”
Zoe stepped over to the balcony window and tapped it three times to get Galen’s attention. Galen stepped inside and walked back into the kitchen.
“We’ve called a truce, Galen, and have agreed to share information. I’ve one stipulation––I want Bruno under twenty-four-hour surveillance and all his calls monitored,” said Alex.
“He has an agent on him, and I’ll ensure additional agents are assigned. Galen, can you handle the phone monitoring?” said Zoe.
“One step ahead of ya. Reviewed all his company internal phone and cell phone records.”
“And?” said Alex.
“It’s confusing. Doesn’t call on the company cell phone except in the building.”
“That’s alarming,” said Zoe. “I’ll see if I can get a warrant to monitor calls from his house. It may take a while to get a judge to sign off on it.”
“Thank you, Ms. Palmer. Galen, can you show Ms. Palmer out?”
Galen nodded and escorted Zoe to the elevator door, which closed behind her.
Galen turned to walk back into the kitchen as Alex began to eat his breakfast. “Tasty; you’re a good cook, Galen. Thank you for breakfast.”
“That’s all ya’ve got to say after nearly going scorched earth again? Thought ya were going to hurt her.”
Alex turned to look at Galen. “I’m sorry. Emotions are riding high these days. I was half asleep and startled she was in the penthouse. I thought we agreed to keep it a safe haven?”
“We did, but ya needed to hear it ASAP.”
“Go get some rest, Galen. You look exhausted. Did you get any sleep last night?”
“What did ya and Zoe talk about when I was outside?”
“We exchanged our favorite recipes.”
“Alex, cut the shite. Ya get this little twitch over yur left eye when yu’re being dishonest.”
“Fine, we talked about you. Zoe feels guilty for putting you in harm’s way and wants me to keep you from getting hurt physically or emotionally.”
“Did ya think I might have a say in that conversation? Ya know what? Screw it, going to bed. Enjoy yur breakfast. Don’t fuckin’ expect it again.”