Chapter 30
Alex stared at Ashlen, panic rising in her chest. What was going on? Why were they in lockdown? Did this have to do with Nathan? Or Sally? She swallowed hard. She hadn’t told anyone about Sally yet. She should, but first she had to figure out what was going on.
Ashlen was wide-eyed when she asked, “Do you know what’s happening?”
Alex shook her head.
“No. I’ll try messaging Miles. Maybe they can give me some information.”
“Has this ever happened before?”
“Not since I’ve been employed at Gray Tower.”
“Can we leave the apartment?”
Alex ran to the door and checked the latch.
“No. The whole system is electronic. You can lock these rooms remotely if there is an issue.”
“That’s nice to know,” Ashlen muttered. “Oh! I need to call Mercer. He should still be at your house. Maybe he can help?”
“Let me check in with Miles,” Alex said.
While Ashlen made the call, Alex furiously typed her message:
Alex: Please tell me what’s going on. Ashlen and I are stuck in my guest suite.
Miles: You are safe there. Stay there in safety.
Alex: Yes. But what is going on? The facility is on lockdown. I can help even from here.
Miles: I don’t need your help.
Alex: Why not?
Miles: I don’t need to tell you. I’m the boss. You must do what I say.
Alex put her phone down and shook her head. What was going on with Miles? His messages were bizarre. She looked up and saw Ashlen still talking on the phone in low whispers.
Alex: What is wrong with you? Are you still mad at me?
Miles: I could never be mad at you. You must be protected at all costs.
Alex looked up from her phone and muttered, “What the hell?”
Ashlen had finished her call and cocked her head, asking, “What’s wrong?”
“I’m messaging Miles, and his texts are…weird. It’s like he’s a different person.”
“Maybe it is a different person?” Ashlen suggested.
“You don’t know what’s going on. Mercer and his group are coming back from your house.
He had no idea that anything was wrong. No one has contacted him.
While I was on the phone with him, his group was trying to contact Miles, Jack, Logan—anyone they could think of who was at Headquarters.
Everything is going to voicemail. Messages are going unanswered.
Perhaps Miles has been compromised and initiated the lockdown as an attempt to keep everyone safe? ”
Alex’s heart sank. Could this be true? She couldn’t bear the thought of something happening to him.
“Give me a moment,” she told Ashlen and began messaging furiously.
Alex: Who are you?
Miles: Your boss, Mr. Bryant, of course.
Alex: Who are you really? Miles never refers to himself as Mr. Bryant with me.
Miles: I’m formal today.
Alex: Tell me who you are, or I’ll be forced to do something drastic.
Miles: Like what?
Alex: Like bust out of the window of this apartment.
She wasn’t sure if she was able to during a lockdown. They were fire-compliant, but she had no idea what happened when the facility was shut down.
Miles: No. Don’t do that.
Alex smiled.
Bingo.
Whoever this was wanted her safe. If that was the case, they might not be an enemy after all.
Alex: I’m about to unless you tell me who you are.
Miles: No.
Alex: I’m walking to the window.
Miles: Stop.
Alex: Going to open it up.
Miles: Stop. I’ll tell you.
Alex: I’m waiting.
Miles: It’s Sally.
Sally? Sally? Why was Nathan’s AI messaging her from Miles’ number? More importantly: How was she messaging from Miles’ number? That would not only mean that she was active, but she would also have to have access to Gray Tower’s systems.
Alex: Why are you pretending to be Miles? How are you even doing this? I need answers.
Sally: If you promise to stay in the apartment, I will tell you.
Alex blew out a breath, frustrated. If Sally was active, then the only logical reason was that Nathan must be using her, and if Nathan was using her, then things must be bad. As weird as it sounded, she should follow the AI’s suggestion.
Alex: Fine. I’ll stay.
Sally: Good. This is what happened:
Alex sat and reviewed the previous events as Ashlen read over her shoulder.
Occasionally, Sally would give them updates on the Gray Tower situation.
Finally, they were told they were “caught up” with Miles and the Gray Tower men.
Unfortunately, knowing what was going on didn’t make Alex feel better.
Ashlen turned to Alex and said, “Well, this is awful.”
“Tell me about it,” Alex replied, rubbing her temples.
Then, she thought about Nathan being freed in order to help, and a wave of sadness overwhelmed her. Despite what he had done, she still wanted him to be okay. It just hurt knowing he was back to kicking ass with Sally again—the same thing she had been helping him with.
“Oh, what’s wrong?” Ashlen asked when Alex’s eyes became glassy.
Alex shook her head and said, “I’m just thinking about Nathan. It’s silly. I should be worried about everything else but that.”
“That’s not silly,” Ashlen told her. “He hurt you.”
Alex’s phone vibrated as another of Sally’s messages came through.
Sally: Nathan would never hurt you.
Alex stiffened and looked around the room. Was Sally listening as well?
Alex: Are you listening to our conversation?
Sally: Through your phone’s speakers.
Alex: That’s disturbing.
Sally: I told you I’m into everything.
Alex: I thought you were organizing a plan with Miles and the guys.
Sally: Yes. I can also talk to you.
Alex: You can do that?
Sally: Can you have two programs running on your computer at the same time? Think of that, only better.
Alex: Oh.
Why did she think Sally behaved like a human when she was obviously AI?
Because she mimics human speech so well, she reminded herself.
Then she remembered what Sally had said about Nathan. Having nothing else to do and knowing Sally wasn’t going to be distracted by her questions, she asked:
Alex: What do you mean, Nathan would never hurt me?
A call from “Miles Bryant Office” came in, and Alex stared at it, wondering if she should answer. Would it be Miles? Or Sally?
“Hello?” she answered.
“Hello, Alex.” It was Sally’s voice.
“You can call me,” Alex noted.
“Yes. Through Gray Tower’s Voice over Internet Protocol. I manipulated your internal messaging system the same way.”
“That’s…interesting,” Alex replied, feeling uneasy.
The fact that Sally could gain access to Gray Tower’s system so easily was scary. Kat was amazing at her job. This was a testament to Sally’s abilities, not the lack of skill on Kat’s part.
“Are you talking to the AI?” Ashlen asked. “Speaker phone!”
Alex shook her head and pressed the button so Ashlen could hear the conversation as well.
“Sally, my friend Ashlen is listening as well.”
“Ashlen Cole? Age twenty-seven. Five foot eight inches and one hundred and twenty-five pounds at last doctor’s appointment—”
“Hey, that’s not—” Ashlen protested, but Sally continued.
“Blonde hair, blue eyes. Former professional blogger and currently employed as an author. Recently engaged to Gray Tower operative Mercer Cade. Friend to Alex. Status: friendly.”
“That’s creepy,” Ashlen said, looking at Alex with wide eyes.
“Yes, Sally,” Alex agreed. “Creepy.”
“I’m just letting you know—”
“Why did you call?” Alex interrupted. “I asked about Nathan, and you called.”
“Your friend said Nathan hurt you,” Sally told her. “Nathan would never hurt you.”
“He did,” Alex said softly. “It was all a lie. He used me to get the super suit information from Gray Tower. He doesn’t love me. I doubt he even likes me.”
“I see the confusion,” Sally replied.
“What confusion?” Alex asked.
“Nathan discussed this with Miles Bryant,” Sally said. “Did I not tell you about that in my briefing?”
“No,” Alex said. “You gave me the gist of it, but you never told me why everyone seemed okay with Nathan. I get that he has the skill and capability of dealing with the Conglomerate intruders, but…” Tears welled in her eyes.
“Nathan took the blame for the mission so you would not get in trouble,” Sally told her. “He was not telling the truth. If it looked like he was manipulating you, then your job would be safe. No one would be angry.”
Alex’s eyes widened. He lied? To save her job? Why? They had been on the mission together. She knew the risks. She would have taken responsibility.
But Nathan is different, she reminded herself. He’s the type who would sacrifice himself to save someone else. He already put himself through a year of hell to keep the Conglomerate off Gray Tower’s back.
“Oh, crap,” Ashlen mumbled.
“He…looked so convincing,” she choked out. “He said horrible things.”
“Nathan is a very good actor,” Sally said. “He uses it to protect himself. I’ve seen it. He is very different when he talks to himself—or to me. He said this when I was still inactive.”
“Am I an idiot for wanting Alex, Sally?” Nathan’s voice came through the phone’s speaker. There was a pause. “Don’t answer. Why am I talking to a helmet?” There was grumbling. “Should have packed this with the rest of the suit in the back. I’m too fucking tired to organize my shit right now.”
There was a longer pause before Nathan continued, “She’s so beautiful, so smart. Every time I see her, I want to kiss her. I wish I were a different person. I’d ask her out. But I’m not. Fuck.”
It sounded like he hit something. Maybe the steering wheel?
The audio stopped as Sally chirped in, “Within the entire log of the X-suit, Nathan has never talked about anyone as he does about you.”
Alex’s tears continued to fall, but this time it was tears of happiness.
Did he truly care for her? Did he say all those things to protect her?
It had broken her heart. Yet, she still had a job.
He had planned on taking the blame and possibly being jailed for everything he had done.
It was the ultimate sacrifice, and she had been too hurt to see it.
“I need to talk to him!” Alex exclaimed. “Is he in the suit? Can you patch him in?”
“He has entered his suit and is about to start his mission,” Sally confirmed.
“I can connect you with him. However, I’m not sure if talking to him is a good idea.
You may distract him from his goal. On the other hand, it could help him focus if he knew you were safe and happy.
” Before Alex could argue with her, Sally said, “I calculate a 72.71 percent chance of Nathan increasing his success if he talks to you. Patching you to him now.”
“Nathan?” Alex asked hesitantly. There was nothing, so she said his name again. “Nathan, can you hear me?”
“Alex?” Nathan’s voice came in. “What are you—”
There was a pause before she asked, “Nathan? Nathan!” She couldn’t hear anything.
Then Sally said, “I’m sorry. I need my full attention. Something has come up.”
The line disconnected, and Alex stared wide-eyed at Ashlen.
“What does she mean she needs her full attention? Didn’t she say she can do many processes at once?”
“I don’t like this,” Ashlen whispered.
“Me neither,” Alex said, her eyes closing as fear rushed through her body.
? ? ?
Nate was worried about the plan. It didn’t help that everyone was giving him dirty looks.
Except for Stratton, no one trusted him with the super suit.
And no one trusted Sally. Nate wanted to, but she was unpredictable.
One could argue that she was logically following her main directives. Yet, Nate wasn’t convinced.
All the rest of the suits went nuts, except for his. Was he really banking everyone’s lives on the possibility that his moral compass was keeping an AI in check?
Even when he got into place with the Gray Tower team, something didn’t feel right.
Sally was giving precise locations where each Conglomerate operative was and where she thought other operatives were.
Nate was in place at the main elevator. Logan would stay at Sublevel Three to ensure no other operatives were there and protect everyone.
John was rallying the groups at Sublevel Two, as there were operatives who could help.
There were no direct threats listed, but it was assumed there were moles.
The most important security people were at the Sublevel One offices. They would do a sweep.
Joel Keller was in one of the facility’s guest suites.
He had been told to stay there and patrol the multiple levels.
Each one was currently isolated in the lockdown, but Sally would allow him through.
Nate wanted to tell him to check on Alex, but Sally had assured him she was okay.
She was with a friend. She was locked in the guest apartment. Things would be fine.
Don’t think about her right now, he reminded himself. Focus on the mission.
The main part of the facility would be harder.
They didn’t have any elite ops there. They had finally got hold of Mercer Cade and Ryan Hale, who were on their way.
For now, it would be Nate and Hunter covering a huge area.
Sally had warned them that the worst of the Conglomerate moles were located on those levels.
They could only trust security so much, and that was where all of Victor’s people were located.
Sally had mapped out the hostages. There was a plan.
It just had to be executed. Victor was a bastard, but he had underestimated Nate time and time again.
“Call for you,” Sally chirped, and Nate grimaced.
He and Hunter were at the elevators, ready to leave. This had to be important because everyone on the team knew the plan had to go perfectly. He had expected Miles Bryant to come on. Instead, the voice at the end of the call made him freeze.
“Nathan?” Alex said cautiously.
Nate thought he was hearing things. Why would she want to call him after what he had done?
“Nathan, can you hear me?” she asked again.
No. He wasn’t imagining it. That was Alex.
“Alex?” he asked in disbelief. He hadn’t realized Sally was in contact with her. “What are you…” He trailed off.
What was he supposed to say? Why are you calling your ex, who used you and made you feel like shit?
“Nathan? Nathan!”
Shit. What was he doing? If he didn’t say something now, he would never be able to tell her how sorry he was.
Suddenly, Sally said, “I’m sorry, Nathan. I need to conserve as much memory as possible. My processors are needed elsewhere.”
He wanted to complain. He also wanted to ask what the hell she was doing that required that much power, but Hunter motioned him to get in one of the elevators.
“We’re going to get you moving now,” Hunter told him. “I’m meeting a team at the top of the stairwell. I will get there when I can.” He grunted. “If you knew how far underground we were, you’d understand.”
Nate nodded as Hunter jogged off to the emergency stairs.
He swore he could hear Hunter grumbling, “Too fucking old for this.”
Nate chuckled as he got in the elevator and prepared to ascend. He was glad Hunter wasn’t being such an asshole anymore, but Nate had to focus. There was so much at stake, and he couldn’t let the hundreds of people at Gray Tower down, especially not Alex.