20. TENUOUS
TWENTY
tenuous
Hudson
My first day back to FBI HQ is fucking chaos.
It’s been all hands on deck for federal and presidential security detail protocols.
Malin’s cause of death was ruled as natural causes, but President Troy has been frenzied in the four days since he died.
It’s clear Victor Malin was the only federal employee he trusted to keep him safe and now he’s lashing out.
He’s been requesting different teams each day, fighting with our director, demanding private firms over federally vetted ones—a shitshow if I’ve ever seen one.
My unit has been tasked with assessing additional risks from organized crime groups that would want the president harmed during this time of perceived weakness. We’ve brought in agents from other offices and I’m just too tired for this shit.
I rested at Enzo’s for three days before returning to work.
He and Eva wanted me there longer, but I was getting restless.
Luna could only cover for me for so long.
She used my phone the morning after the shooting to text the director I had a stomach bug.
I was able to keep the facade up once I woke and it bought me a few days off.
Lucky for me, it aligns with the fact that I still feel like shit.
Enzo was angry I was returning to the office so soon, but Doc said I was fine. I needed to get back so I could talk to Luna. Jules left a few hours after I woke up, once it was clear I was going to be just fine. And we haven’t seen any of our vigilantes since.
Three days of barely answered texts from me to Pippa.
Three days of convincing Enzo to text or call her—with no damned luck.
Luna seems to have been nominated as the go-between; she and Eva have been keeping all parties updated on the other.
Jules, Luna, and Pippa knew I was healing well.
And we knew they were “busy.” They fed us excuse after excuse that everyone was caught up in the aftermath of the Malin and McCarter deaths hitting Washington.
All cover for avoidance. Our fledgling alliance seems to have evaporated into thin air before it really even started. My injury became the perfect excuse for everyone to return to business as usual.
I fucking hate it. I’ve let Enzo know as much.
Which means between my crankiness at the separation, his annoying stubbornness, and my healing…we’ve shared no more than a kiss here and there.
I’m hoping I can talk to Luna today. I know she, Eva, and I are aligned on working together on the next mark. I’m just unsure how Jules feels and I can’t overcome the obstinate personalities of Enzo and Pippa on my fucking own.
Jesus Christ, those two.
I was pulled into the director’s office as soon as I arrived and Luna’s been behind closed doors with Novak and his team for a few hours now. I’m keeping an eye on the door to their conference room, hoping to catch her when they break for lunch.
“Hey, Boss,” Alex Rios greets me as he approaches my desk. He’s a junior analyst in my unit.
“What’s up, Rios?”
“You feeling better?”
“Yeah, stomach bugs are the worst.”
“Totally.”
“Glad to be back.”
“Awesome. Well, I had a hit on something I wanted to run by you.”
“Shoot.” I adjust my position in my chair with a grimace.
“Have you seen the headlines about TruthDrop?”
“Of course,” I answer. Not a case that’s landed on the desk of organized crime, but I was familiar with it before I learned who was behind it.
“Well, there is no proof that a group is out there doing vigilante expose work, but the media has been speculating about who could be behind the media drops on all these men, right?”
“Yeah. From what I understand, no one has been able to track where the files have come from, right?”
“Exactly. Which has led people to believe it has to be some highly skilled hackers.”
“That’s what I heard, too,” I respond. “What does this have to do with organized crime, Rios?” Hurry it along, man.
“While you were out, I caught some chatter that maybe the group could be tied to the mafia. The assumption with this theory is the criminal organizations that have been protecting these men could be the same people now exposing them. Blackmail gone wrong—or something like that.”
“Interesting theory. Could have some legs, I suppose.”
“I thought the same thing. So, I kept an eye on the chatter to see if any other links came out of it. Pretty quickly, the forums dismissed it, saying they really think the group is composed of women. That only women would go after these powerful men like this.”
I chuckle. Christ, if only he knew.
“And then people started talking about Eva Luciano.”
Fuck. I try not to blink or breathe or give anything away. “Oh, yeah?”
“She’s known for being good with computers, she’s believed to be behind some past hacking scandals. No proof, but the rumors have circulated for years. I have no idea if she’d have the skill to pull this off, but it hasn’t stopped people from talking.”
“What are they saying?” Calm Hudson, stay fucking calm.
“Well, they think she has the connections to get dirt on these men—her family has been working here in DC for generations. She’s believed to have the coding skills to send untraceable file drops, even if I’m not sure if that’s true or not, but ever since her name was mentioned, the theory has really taken off, with hundreds of comments and posts pointing in her direction. ”
Well, fucking hell. “Is hers the first name anyone has linked to TruthDrop?”
“This is the first theory I have seen stick longer than a day. Even the hacker groups seem to think she could be behind it.”
“Okay. Definitely interesting. Good job keeping an eye on this, Rios. I can take it to the Director from here. I’ll get in touch with the team running point on TruthDrop and see what they have so far. Send me the files you have when you can.”
“Will do, sir. One more thing… I mean, I know she’s a Luciano, but, if she is behind this—or even if people just think she is—she could be in danger. Anyone else afraid of being exposed wouldn’t hesitate to take her out if it saved their skin.”
“I’ll make sure we get eyes on her and see how Director Marsden wants to proceed.”
Rios confirms and returns to his desk.
I won’t be telling Marsden a damned thing.
When Luna gets out of that room, we have a hell of a lot more to discuss than how to keep our group from splintering. Maybe everyone will put their egos aside to make sure Eva is safe.
A guy can fucking hope.
Thursday Night, Day 29
Luna and I have managed to convince everyone to meet tonight at the mansion. We assured them it was an emergency, which has everyone around the table eager to hear what is going on. The tension is palpable as fuck and not in a good way.
The energy radiating off Pippa is borderline manic, although she’s trying to hide it. She’s fidgeting, clearly uncomfortable and ready to bolt. Enzo is a shield, Jules is unreadable. Eva, Luna, and I eye each other wondering what the fuck to do about these three.
“I’m so sorry,” Luna begins, “this is my fault. I mean, it’s our fault.” She gestures at Jules and Pippa.
“No, Luna—” I interrupt.
“No, Hudson, just let me tell them. You all figured out pretty quickly we’ve been behind the TruthDrop files.”
Enzo, Eva, and I confirm.
“I’ve been really careful—there is absolutely no way to trace the files back to anyone.” She looks to Eva, then Enzo.
“What’s going on Luna?” Jules asks with concern.
“The public’s theory over the past several years is that it’s been angry women or victims who have been sending files to the media.
From time to time, people have made assumptions that it’s someone on the inside.
Someone in organized crime or trafficking who knows the ins and outs.
Maybe family members of the predators even—”
She’s rambling. I decide to step in. “What Luna is trying to say is that hackers and media alike have been grasping at straws because there is no real proof out there. Today, an analyst told me a group online is pointing fingers at Eva.” I look directly at her.
“Me?”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” Enzo says.
“Some chatter started a few days ago that whoever is behind this would need inside criminal knowledge and hacker-level computer skills. You’re a woman who fits the profile.”
“Fuck!” Enzo slams his fist on the table.
“Eva, I’m so sorry.”
“It’s not your fault, Luna,” Eva assures her.
“The fuck it isn’t!” Enzo is fuming.
“Enzo, back off!” Pippa warns.
“Back off? Back off? Are you serious? Four nights ago, Hudson was shot, and now my sister is being targeted. And why? Why are the three of you going after these men?”
“We fucking told you why. We also told you to stay out of it. Don’t you dare start blaming us for this shit.” Pippa and Enzo are both standing now, facing off against each other across the table.
Luna, Eva, and I are trying to tell them to calm down. Everyone talks over the other. But it’s Jules who silences the chaos. With one long whistle, the room quiets.
“Eva, we’re sorry this is happening. Everyone sit down, let’s figure out how to keep Eva safe.”
“I can keep Eva safe, I don’t need your help,” Enzo snarls.
“Enzo, for fuck’s sake. Stop!” I stare.
He stares back, nostrils flaring.
“Seriously, Enzo, this isn’t their fault.” Eva looks at him, but he’s still staring daggers directly at me.
“We all agreed two weeks ago that these men needed to be taken down,” Eva continues.
“Even if our paths never crossed, this would have happened. And then we wouldn’t have known anything about who was really behind it and wouldn’t have had anyone to turn to.
So just calm the fuck down,” she commands.
After a few beats, Jules starts again. “Eva, I think between you, Luna, and me, we can find a way to quiet the chatter online. In the meantime, you’re safest here in the mansion. Don’t leave, but if you do, Enzo and Niko must be with you anywhere you go.”
“She’s not going anywhere,” Enzo mutters.
Eva rolls her eyes.
Pippa huffs.
“Something funny?” Enzo directs his anger at Pippa again.
She doesn’t take the bait. She remains silent as they engage in a stare off.
“Anyway,” Eva starts, “I think that is a good plan, Jules. Enzo, I’ll be safe and play by your overprotective rules. I’m sure this will pass.”
“I think so, too, Eva, but you have our help until it does,” Jules says tenderly.
“Thank you,” Eva and I both say.
“Tell me why,” Enzo says, directed at Pippa.
“Why what?” she responds.
“What is the real reason you are going after these men? Who are the three of you? Really? Who do you work for?”
She laughs. “Back to this? Jesus, if we were working for someone, don’t you think you’d have figured that out by now?
For fuck’s sake, Enzo! Luna and Eva have been sharing code and files and cloud systems for a week.
Eva has been to our warehouse twice. I’m sure she would know if there was anyone involved besides the three of us. ”
Enzo looks to Eva who simply shrugs. “Then why?” he asks again.
“My best friend’s and my sister’s lives have been put at risk for your damned cause.
I know why it matters, but I need to know why you and by extension, why us?
I deserve to know who you are if I’ve put my family on the line for your vigilante justice. ”
“It’s none of your fucking business.” Pippa rises to leave.
“This isn’t over,” Enzo calls after her.
She whips around. “Over?” Pippa huffs a laugh. “It never even began. You made sure of that.” And then she’s gone.
Enzo excuses himself from the table and goes to his office.
The four of us look around the table at each other in silent agreement that those two are going to fucking kill each other.
Just my luck that the two people I want most would be this fucking stubborn. And hot-headed. And control-freaks.
Fuck.
Luna, Eva, Jules, and I head to Eva’s office to begin damage control.