She Went Over The Fence
Vex
I’m going to kill Shock.
Then, when I’m done with him, Payne can kill him. I should read Payne in on the fun that’s about to happen.
Me: Dahlia and I had company this morning.
Payne: Who?
Me: You owe him $20
Payne and Torment have a running joke that the other lost a bet and didn’t pay up.
Payne: Oh?
Me: On my way into the office to deal with it.
Payne: Imogene is sleeping. We can be there in an hour.
Me: Let her sleep.
I’m about to wake up Shock and rearrange his face. This all stems from his nutty idea to protect Barb when she didn’t need protecting…
Be reasonable. It’s better to address this in our own way than to have it surprise us.
Me: I’ll take care of it and update you.
Payne: Thanks.
Shock is just going to have to deal with Barb disappearing with a new face and a new identity.
Then we’re going to have to break the news to Barb.
What has my life come to?
A few minutes later, I let myself into Shock’s apartment.
Something is wrong.
When did the cleaner come by? This place isn’t just clean, it’s spotless.
Is Shock even living here?
If Max moved him out, I’m going to be perturbed.
Not that there’s much I can do about it… yet. “Shock!” My voice echoes through the large open loft. “Shock!”
“What?” He ambles around a corner nook half-dressed with his hair standing on end. “What time is it? Why did you wake me up?”
“What did you do?”
“Max and I were working all night.”
Good to know. “That’s not what I meant. I had a visitor this morning.”
“And?”
“A friend found out about your little project and now Barb is in the crosshairs.” And I’m going to make you pay for that stupidity. After you fix the problem. If that’s possible.
“That’s impossible. I didn’t leave even a spec of a trail. What did this friend say exactly? Because I was careful. Past careful. There wasn’t anything to leave crumbs with.”
“Well, there had to have been. My friend—” I use that term loosely since Torment doesn’t have friends either. “—found Barb’s name on the dark web. Now there’s chatter about people coming for her.”
“It wasn’t from me. It couldn’t have been. I scraped everything off their servers. I didn’t put anything on it. There’s no way they heard about her from me. ”
I believe him. Shock has always been smart and careful. He has a crush on Barb. He wouldn’t risk her life. “Then how did it get there?”
Shock shrugs. “What if it’s not related?”
“Barb’s name just doesn’t show up on the dark web without something happening.”
“That’s true. But we’re leaving one element out of the equation.”
“What?” Because everything under the sun is running through my head right now. Especially a government assassin being sent to hunt her down.
“Barb.”
“Huh?”
“Barb could have done some digging on her own. I put a little worm on her computer to watch for related searches, but she could have searched for something else that bypassed my spyware.”
Could our determination to protect her have backfired? “Can you find out?”
“Sure.” He walks over to a metal door in the middle of the room and opens it.
The lock appears to be even more complex than the one he set up for my library. It reveals even more computers. One is currently running a game.
“Do you play?”
“Huh?”
“The game? I’m farming credits to buy better armor.”
Do I look like a gamer? Payne dabbles occasionally, but I just never got the point of creating fake characters to shoot things when I do that in real life. “No.”
“It’s a good one. You should try it sometime.” He starts tapping on the keyboard, and in a few seconds, the screen fills with the picture of a dissected body.
“What is that?”
“The first cadaver Barb ever worked on. She keeps it as her screensaver to review and remember all she learned.”
Barb is messed up. Then again, what doctor that can cut people up isn’t a little twisted ?
Screens flash by quicker than I can even process. Which is no small feat considering I’m a speed reader.
“There’s nothing here. In the last month, she researched medical papers, read medical journals, played solitaire, and talked to her friends about some weird medical stuff in an obscure medical forum. There’s nothing here, nothing at all.”
The only thing strange about that is that Barb has friends that she chats with. “It’s time to talk to Barb then.”
“Does she have to know about my part in it?”
I raise my eyebrow at him.
“Can you let me explain it?”
Like he won’t muck it up. “We’ll see. I need to call her and get her down here.”
“There’s no need. She’s in her storage room at the club.”
Of course, Shock knows exactly where she is. “Where is it safe to have this conversation with her?” I didn’t even think about repercussions when I came to chew out Shock.
“You can bring her here. I have my entire apartment protected.”
That’s convenient. I turn to walk out the door to get her and stop. “What happened to your apartment?”
“Barb likes things to be neat and tidy.”
“Why don’t you just ask her out already?”
Shock shrugs.
Lovesick fool.
Dahlia and I are going to move to some deserted island and never talk to people again. Seriously, all of them are driving me out of my mind this morning.
I knock on Barb’s storage room.
“Come in.”
She has such trust in my security. “Barb.”
“Hey, Vex.” Her brow wrinkles. “What’s going on?”
“I need to talk to you.” And I really don’t want to .
“Sure.” She jumps up. “We’re well stocked, and my inventory sheet is in order. If this is about going over budget—"
“It’s not.” We can’t have this conversation here. “Follow me.”
Halfway up the staircase to Shock’s loft, Barb asks, “Is everything okay with Shock? Should I have brought my bag?”
“Shock is fine.” Physically at least… for now. Will she fix him up after she beats him up for stalking her?
The idea of Barb hurting someone is preposterous. She calls maintenance if she finds a spider. Though most women hate spiders. Will Dahlia scream and call for me when she finds one? A small smile spreads across my face. I don’t bother knocking as I enter his loft.
He’s waiting for us at the kitchen island, dressed in a new outfit with his hair done.
“What’s going on?” Barb's eyes wander around the loft like she’s never seen it before.
“I had a concerning visit this morning, and I’m wondering if you know anything about it?” There’s no visual response except confusion.
“Huh?”
“People are talking about you on the dark web. Do you have any idea as to why they might be talking about you?”
“Oh.” Barb steps back. “Oh.”
“Is that a yes or a no?” I don’t have patience for these people today.
“It’s a… maybe.”
“What did you do, Barb?” Shock steps forward. “I could have set up a private account for you, something that couldn’t have been traced back to you.”
“But it has to be. Without credentials, they wouldn’t have let me into the group.”
Barb did this on purpose. New employee rule: no doing stupid things without going over it with me first so I can knock some sense into you. “What did you do?”
“Nothing. It’s just a theoretical discussion. ”
That definitely sounds like something. “What did you theoretically discuss?”
“Every month it changes. Someone different gets to pick the topic.”
Stop making this so hard and just answer the question.
“I had read an article that said it would be hard to create a contagious disease that could wipe out ninety-nine percent of the earth’s population.”
WHAT did she just say? I think I’m getting a migraine, or maybe that’s just the uncontrollable desire to throttle someone within an inch of their life. “So you discussed the article?” That shouldn’t raise many flags and certainly not any in the dark web.
“No. We each discussed what diseases we thought would do the job and how they would be created.”
WHAT!?! It’s definitely the desire to whap someone upside the head. “Why would you do that?”
“So that we could discuss ways to cure the diseases and save the world. It was an interesting discussion. Several members of the group work in infectious disease research. They brought some interesting suggestions to the discussion.”
Some nerdy doctors discussed how to destroy the world just as a fun little mental exercise.
“You don’t need to worry, though. All the doctors are vetted, and no one would actually create any of these, even the infectious disease guys.”
That little statement isn’t all that convincing.
“Discussions like this happen all the time between doctors.”
Still not helping.
“We all use pseudonyms, but I know half the people in the group. It’s on an invitation-only basis, so there are no weirdos that can slip in.”
Fake names and private invitations to a forum are all that stand between the world and death for billions of people. I really wish I didn’t know that.
“It really isn’t hard. A master’s student could craft a disease that could wipe out most of the world in their basement with a few simple tools that can be ordered online.”
She’s just making it worse .
“It’s important for doctors to be prepared to identify and deal with whatever might pop up.”
Shock steps forward. “Why hasn’t that happened yet?”
“Because most people aren’t stupid. Especially master’s students. There are a few out there that are suicidal and even a few that are homicidal, but not many people can stomach the idea of genocide. Because that’s what these diseases are capable of. Which makes the discussion theoretical.”
In theory, my friend Barb, an ER doctor, knows how to destroy the world. And so do far too many other people. I’m buying a deserted island. Dahlia and I are going to move there and live away from all this nonsense.
Right after I fix all the messes people keep throwing in my lap. “You need to get out of that group today.”
“But it’s safe. Almost no one knows it’s me.”
“Shock, how long would it take for you to get the names of every person in that group?” He probably already has it, but she doesn’t need to know that.
“Five minutes. Maybe less.” Shock meets Barb’s eyes as he says that.
And we both watch understanding dawn on her.
“And how long to find out every person that has accessed and read these little theoretical conversations?” Because I’m going to need every single name on that list to find out who this new threat is coming from.
“That will probably take a little longer. Like fifteen to twenty minutes.” Shock moves to take a step towards Barb to either comfort her or catch her as the color drains off her face, but stops.
Good thinking. Barb needs to wake up and stop doing stupid things that could have life-altering effects for all of us.
“I’ll leave the group.” Her shoulders sink in defeat.
Barb needed this group. This social outlet.
Now isn’t the time to worry about her having a bad day. Keep her alive. Then worry about the rest .
Or maybe I don’t need to worry about the rest. “Shock, I want you and Barb to work together to get me every scrap of information about this group and the people that have read it.”
“You don’t have to worry about that much information. The forum purges the information once a month.”
Shock shakes his head. “They tell you that, but most forums keep everything backed up.”
“But… but…” Barb shuts her mouth.
I’ve had enough of these two. “Get me the information. I’ll be in my office.”
On the way down the stairs to my office, I message Payne.
Me: It wasn’t what we thought.
Payne: Oh good.
Nothing that just happened remotely resembles good.
Me: Barb did something stupid.
Payne: Our Barb? The brilliant ER doctor who hasn’t made a single mistake in her life? The unflappable woman that can sew a man’s arm on while diagnosing their best friend with some rare tropical disease? Impossible.
Me: She saved it all up to make one epic mistake.
Payne: Oh?
Me: We’ll talk about it later.
Right now, I’m going to take two aspirins and hope Dahlia sent me one of her cute pictures that she’s now started doing at random.
Payne: Want to come over and have lunch and we’ll talk about it.
Thinking about it before eating will only ruin my meal.
Me: I want to enjoy my food.
When I finally get around to eating it.
Payne: I’ll be there soon.
Me: Good, you can help me find someone to punch.
Payne: LOL
Me: Not helping.
Payne: You can try to take a shot at me later if you want .
It’s not as much fun when they offer. But I still might take him up on that.
After I see Dahlia’s smiling face. I check my phone, but there isn’t anything from her. Did I really expect a picture while she’s at work? No, but yes, even though no is the logical answer.
All I need is fifteen minutes without someone getting threatened. I almost sigh as I step into the blissful silence of my office.
My phone rings. It’s tempting to throw it across the room or just silence it and ignore it, but when people you’ve known since childhood call, it’s rude to ignore them.
“What do you want, Maddox?” It’s a good thing I don’t need to be polite.
“She ran. The idiot woman snuck out of the safe house we had her in.”
Safe house woman? “Dyce ran?”
“My cousin is a lot of things, but stupid isn’t one of them. Marlie Wonderosh ran.”
No.
No.
No. “If Plant finds her first, she’s gone forever.” It’s impossible to find a woman once they’ve been sold. I know that all too well to be a fact.
“I know that. I have half a dozen men looking for her now.”
Then why did you call me?
“Dyce is on her way to you.”
“You said Dyce wasn’t stupid.”
“She thinks you might have sent a guy out to make Marlie disappear.”
Not today. “If I had sent someone to do that, does she really think I would tell her?”
“Dyce can be quite persuasive.”
That’s how I ended up in the mess in the first place. “Dyce told me Marlie was taken care of. I didn’t send anyone for her.”
“That’s what I told Dyce, but she’s on her way to your office now.”
Wonderful. Just what I need. “Can you stop her from bothering me? I’m better off helping search for Marlie than I am dealing with an irate woman. ”
“Short of tying her down, there’s no way of stopping Dyce.”
I’d be fine with that. “So if I—”
“Don’t even think about it.”
An angry word from Maddox can’t stop that, but it probably will stop me from tying her up. Just not from yelling at her. “Where was the safe house, and how long ago did she escape?”
“About thirty minutes ago. But we didn’t find it until a few minutes ago. Did I mention Marlie is super smart?”
A smart person doesn’t leave a safe house and risk being trafficked. “Send me the address. I might have a way to find her.” Shock is going to have to switch priorities for a few minutes to find me this woman. Then I’m going to make her disappear until I figure out this human trafficking situation.
Back up the stairs for me.
Maddox’s message with the address comes through as I reach Shock’s space.
It would be polite to knock, but today isn’t a polite kind of day. I slam the door open. “Things have changed.”
Shock and Barb jump up from where they’re huddled together by the computer bank.
Interesting.
“Barb, I need to talk to Shock.”
He steps in front of her. “This is priority. Barb needs to be safe.”
And now you decide to stand up to me. “Barb, don’t leave the building, but I need to talk to Shock right now.”
Even though Shock lost his good sense, Barb didn’t. She scrambles from behind him and out the door.
“Nothing is more important than Barb.”
That idiot. “Barb is safe at the moment. Marlie isn’t.”
Shock shakes his head. “What? Maddox had her in a safe house, I thought.”
“According to Maddox, she’s too smart and slipped away without him knowing.”
“That’s stupid. You need me to find her.”
“Yeah.” Before Plant makes her disappear. “Here’s the safe house address. Find her. Every minute counts.”
Shock nods and turns back to his computers.
Now all I have to do is wait for Dyce.
Tomorrow, Dahlia and I are staying in bed and not answering the phone.
Ten minutes later, my office door swings open.
“Dyce, what a surprise.” I let the sarcasm drip off my tone.
Axe steps in beside her. “Sorry, short of restraining her, we couldn’t stop her. And we didn’t—“
The exasperation on his face mimics what I’m feeling. “You did fine. Miss Locke had an appointment.”
Axe nods and leaves, closing the door behind him.
“Marlie ran.” Dyce sets her bag down on the coffee table and starts to pace. “She snuck out and ran. I thought I got through to her, but she ran.”
“Yes, I know.”
“She’s smart.”
Everyone keeps saying that.
Dyce stops and turns to face me. “Wait, how do you know?”
“Maddox called me.”
“Oh.”
I watch as emotions fly across her face as she processes what I said. Dyce doesn’t get flummoxed often, and this needs to be savored. It’s the second-best part of my day. Waking up with Dahlia in my arms will always be the best part.
“Why are you just standing there? You should be out there finding her.”
Out there? “You expect me to wander the streets looking for her?”
“Not quite wander the streets aimlessly—You have too many skills for that—but hunt her down. If we don’t find her, Plant will. And once he gets her, she’s gone. Why aren’t you doing something?”
This is Maddox’s cousin.
Dyce does good work even if she irritates the life out of you.
“Do something. A woman’s life is at stake. ”
My office door slams open and Shock stalks in.
People today! “You knock.”
Shock freezes. “Sorry, I didn’t think you had company.”
Dyce isn’t exactly here by choice.
“I thought you’d want the results for that project immediately.”
“And?”
“It was a bust.”
“Can’t you do whatever this is later?” Dyce nods towards Shock. “Our business is time-sensitive.”
These people are going to drive me out of my mind. “Shock, tell Dyce what you were researching.”
His eyes widen. “Marlie Wondrosh’s location is currently unknown. She slipped out of camera range. In order to find her again, I’m going to need to hack into the city’s camera system. That will only work if she’s still on the streets. And it’s going to take time. Probably more than we have.”
Dyce’s head swings between Shock and me. “You were already doing something.”
Yeah.
“What now?”
“Shock is going to go do what he needs to do to find her. And you’re going to sit down and make a list of all the places she could possibly go. No matter how unlikely she is to go there.”
Shock nods and rushes out of the room.
This day can’t get any worse.