Chapter 19 Darren #2
Nyle nodded, directing their attention to yet another set of data.
“I cross-referenced the numbers with the rest of Marcus’ warehouses and other compounds of similar size, and while, yes, I can see it occurring across all of them within the lower end of those parameters, none of them show amounts as highs as eleven-point-five percent. ”
Aiden frowned at the numbers. “Even spaceports and power distribution centers rarely go over ten.”
“That’s gotta be where our vault is then,” Bea concluded, dumping the tablet she’d been looking at in Kristen’s lap. “And the spike is extra juice for whatever special security measures they have in place.”
Would extra security cause that high of a spike, though?
Going by what Aiden had said, it seemed unlikely, or at least when it came to standard security measures.
So then, for these numbers to make sense, Marcus had to have come up with some new high-tech solution.
Or, alternatively, it wasn’t the security system that was causing the spike, but something else.
Production? But what of if the warehouse was supposed to be mostly for storing things?
“Exactly!” Nyle clapped his hands. “That’s what I think, although they could be using it for something else. Maybe there’s a data center housed inside, like a small one which wouldn’t require as much power.”
That too was an option, Darren supposed, but in the end, it didn’t really matter what Marcus used the extra power for. All Darren needed was a way in and out.
Nyle drummed his fingers along his chin. “Ideally, I’ll need an extra day to try and track down what security vendors were used. That should hopefully give us enough to work out what sort of stuff they have in place.”
“That’s fine. It means”—Darren licked his lips, a pleasant tingle starting where his and Aiden’s hands were still joined—“Aiden and I will have time to study the layout.”
“You aren’t going alone, then?” Bea leaned back into her chair and folded her arms behind her head.
“No.”
She grinned, looking between him and Aiden. “Good.”
“Um, so, are we thinking traditional infiltration here?” Rick piped up, his gaze bouncing between him and Aiden. “Like a breaking and entering? Or do you intend to sneak in as part of the personnel?”
“Either,” Aiden beat Darren to it. He let go and laced his hands together on top of the table. “But I think sneaking in is preferable.”
Nyle nodded. “That’s the part I have yet to work out aside from the security issue.”
“Maybe I can help. I’ve dealt with a couple of the DuLaurent subsidiaries on Mars, so I might know someone who works there. Granted it’s an actual storage warehouse and not a front for something else,” Rick suggested. His taut expression betrayed he wasn’t a fan of the breaking and entering option.
If Darren and Aiden could get in and out through the front door… that was certainly going to make things easier. If not, then Darren had every intention to get them in and out anyway because even if he was rusty, this kind of thing had been his specialty.
Theoretically, he could also handle whatever security Nyle couldn’t disable remotely—or if the hacking device failed—and if Aiden had held his own against those two henchmen at Horizons, then Darren didn’t have to worry about him not pulling his weight.
Still, it was probably a good idea to go through some basics of subtlety and quick incapacitation with Aiden in the hideout’s training area.
“It looks like we all have stuff to do.” Nyle clapped. “I’ll carry on digging about the vault…”
“What’s wrong?” Darren asked, sensing Nyle’s hesitation.
“It might be nothing, but… I came across Claudia’s name in some of the correspondence I intercepted recently.
” He gave Aiden an apologetic look. “It was just a couple mentions, but considering she’s…
Well, I thought it was strange that someone was talking about her.
I can look into it further if you want me to. ”
The entire crew held their breath as Aiden thought Nyle’s offer over. His eyes grew distant and he stayed quiet for a few moments. “Yeah. Yeah, I do.”
Darren could understand why Aiden wanted to follow that thread.
Maybe it would lead somewhere, maybe it was nothing.
They didn’t know, but if it could shed some light on the woman’s motivation, it would help close that chapter of Aiden’s life.
It would give him closure, and Darren wished for that wholeheartedly.
Nyle nodded, his lips lifting up in a sad smile.
“Okay. I’ll tell you if I find anything but I’m not making any promises.
I’ll also start the decryption process of the earring in the meantime,” he announced, placing the star-shaped ornament on the table and plugging a very thin physical connector into its data point.
Darren assumed it would route the data through the scanner-like black device Nyle produced from his pocket.
“The security of these things is very tight, so it takes a while to bring it down.”
Snorting, Bea sprung up from her chair. “Cool. Kristen, let’s go fit in that new cooling bracket I got you,” she said and practically dragged him out into the hangar.
Darren watched the two until the massive doors closed, then turned his attention to Nyle and Rick, who’d scurried to one end of the table and were discussing the likely vendors Marcus would’ve hired to install additional security measures.
This left him and Aiden as the only two without something to do.
“We should familiarize ourselves with the building’s layout,” Aiden suggested, probably also realizing they had better things to do than sit and stare at Nyle and Rick working.
Darren bobbed his head in agreement. The part of the building that they had layouts for was pretty straightforward, though what worried him was the rest. He hoped Nyle would manage to get the plans for it too, but if he didn’t, then they had to go in blind.
“Hey, I was thinking I could show you some moves first?” he said, aiming a friendly smile Aiden’s way.
“Nothing too complex, I promise, but enough so anyone regrets picking a fight with you. We don’t really know what Marcus is hiding on those lower levels, and it never hurts to be ready, just in case. ”
Aiden considered that. “That’s probably a good idea.” He stood up and began walking, then paused, looking down at the dress shirt and slacks he was wearing. “I’ll go change and meet you at the training area in ten.”
Darren’s stomach squeezed in anticipation. He didn’t actually know how good or bad Aiden was at fighting, but he was definitely excited to find out.