Chapter 37
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Luna
My phone rings as I’m about to head to my seat.
Jonas.
Crap. This couldn’t be a more inconvenient time for him to update me, but I need to know what’s what. I find a quiet corner near the restrooms to take the call.
“Hey, Jonas. What did you find?”
“You were right. Your security camera feed was hacked. I finally figured out how they did it. It looks they took a—”
“Jonas, I’m sorry, I don’t have time for details,” I interrupt quickly. “The fight’s about to start and I need to get out there. Just tell me the important stuff.”
“All the times you mentioned, where you thought something was off—it was. I haven’t been able to recover the original data, but there’s no doubt someone tampered with it.
That last time you said you heard knocking, there’s missing footage.
Like someone deleted just that time and made it look like there was no activity. ”
My heart squeezes painfully, and I lean against the wall. “Fuck.”
“What can I do to help?”
This is bad.
Really, really bad.
“I’m going to see Daniil in a minute, so I’ll update him but I need one more favor.” The idea occurred to me last night in bed, and I ruminated about it all day, but now I have to know.
“Of course.”
“I need you to access my computer remotely. I can give you the logins.” I tell him all the pertinent information, which says a lot because my computers are locked down tighter than Fort Knox.
But this is important. I can hear him tapping away on his keyboard, and once he’s in, I tell him where I have the file hidden.
“This is some serious encryption,” he says with a chuckle.
“I couldn’t afford for anyone to find it—especially not another hacker.”
“All right, I’m in.”
“Open the file and look for a name.”
“Shoot.”
“Garth Harrison. Gargoyle Garth. Anything like that.”
He’s quiet for a beat. “Yeah, here it is. Looks like he was one of the founders of the…Assault Academy?”
“Motherfucker. I knew it.” I hesitate. “One more—Benjamin Guerin. Or Bronco Guerin.”
More tapping and then, “Nope. Nothing even remotely similar.” He pauses. “Luna, is this what I think it is?”
“Yeah. It is.”
“Holy fuck.”
“I need you to guard a copy with your life. If something happens to me—”
“You need to go find Dan right fucking now!” His voice is more of a growl.
Why are all the men in my life so bossy?
“I will,” I say patiently. “But that is the only copy of the list I have and if someone manages to get through my encryption and delete it, it’ll disappear forever. I need you to download a copy and keep it somewhere safe. It’s important, Jonas.”
“Don’t worry about that, I’ve got it. Now go find Dan and tell him what’s going on.”
“I am. Thank you for doing this.”
“Any time. Good luck—and let me know when you’re with Dan so I know you’re safe.”
“I will. Thanks again.” I disconnect and pull in a shaky breath.
Jesus fucking Christ.
Garth is not only on the fucking Assault Academy client list, he was one of the ringleaders. When he said someone ruined his online business, he was talking about me exposing the Assault Academy.
And he knows who I am.
There’s no doubt in my mind.
But why this game of cat and mouse? I don’t understand that part. If he wanted me dead, why not just kill me? Did he find me through Rage or was that connection sheer coincidence?
I have so many questions and now I’m fired up, feeling a strange combination of vindicated—because I am not just hormonal—and terrified.
Garth wouldn’t try anything here, in the middle of the fight, but what if he tries to hurt Elliott? That scares me even more, and I hurry toward the nearest entrance to the auditorium.
“Luna! There you are!” To my surprise, Neil is coming toward me.
“Hey, Neil. I’m kind of in a hurry.”
“I know but some guy named Metal’s looking for you.”
I frown. “Why?”
“I dunno.” He shrugs. “But I can take you to him real quick so you can get back to watch the fight.”
I hesitate but Neil has nothing to do with any of this. And if Metal is looking for me, I probably need to see what’s up. It’s not like Garth has any way of knowing I’m on to him. Not yet anyway.
“Okay, thanks.” I follow him through the busy hallway and into a doorway that requires key card access. I have no idea where this leads and I feel a moment of discomfiture.
“Right in here,” he says, opening another door.
I hesitate a second before stepping inside. “Metal, what’s—” The words freeze on my lips.
Metal isn’t here.
But Candy is.
Before I can ask what’s going on, I feel a pinch in my neck. “What did you—” I whirl, but I’m already dizzy.
Oh no.
Stupid.
So fucking stupid.
My knees start to buckle, and the last thing I see before the room goes dark is my phone slipping from my hand and shattering on the floor.