Chapter 6
LUKE
Strolling through the cybersecurity department of RHL Solutions, I discreetly scan the screens of over a dozen analysts.
Most of the employees are working on updating our compliance document to give to our clients, informing them of our procedures that keep us in compliance with federal laws. It’s a boring task, but it has to be done.
Some others are performing security audits, and a few are investigating the latest phishing scam. I swear those things are like flies. No matter how much you prepare and do your best to keep them out, one always slips through, and they’re annoying as hell.
I think one guy in the corner is playing Super Mario World. It appears he has just reached the part where Mario meets Yoshi.
I should tell him to get back to work, but I’m not in the mood to deal with that shit first thing in the morning.
Entering the office at the end of the room, I wave even though its occupant’s back is facing me. “Hey, Shawn. Do you have those audit reports yet?”
I know he doesn’t, but I needed to come down here and do a little snooping.
Shawn Winthrop is the Cybersecurity Operations Manager here at RHL. We hired him fresh out of MIT, and he quickly rose to his position. He’s been with us for over two decades now.
His office is crammed, filled to the brim with old computers and computer parts. The blinds are closed, making the space feel even smaller. He has two desks, both containing multiple monitors. Shawn is currently working on the desktop, giving me his back.
If the hack on our deals didn’t come from outside the building, then I’m willing to bet it’s someone in this department. We hire the best and brightest, and sometimes we hire those who are a little on the morally gray side, especially since not all our security practices are legal.
Shawn spins in his chair toward me. His tawny hair looks haggard, and his eyes are bloodshot. His facial hair isn’t groomed, and his tie hangs loose around his neck.
“No,” Shawn answers with a frown. “I will email them to you when they’re ready.” He turns away, dismissing me, more waspish than I’ve ever seen him.
“Do we need to coordinate with legal or HR for any part of the audit or compliance document?” I sit in one of the chairs on the other side of his desk, despite his slight.
I slip my hand into my pocket, searching for the minuscule jump drive. I uploaded a keylogger program on them that will track each keystroke Shawn makes.
Shawn rolls his eyes, turning his chair back around to face me. “No.” He drags out the word, conveying his annoyance.
“What are you working on there?” I nod toward the monitor behind him.
He squints at me, then moves back, diving into an explanation that I don’t care for. I can see what he’s doing.
I “ahh” and “hmm” as Shawn speaks, feigning interest. Standing, I lean over his desk between us, positioning myself closer to the monitor closest to me.
Removing the jump drive from my pocket, I insert it into the USB port on the back of the computer screen.
“And this right here—”
“Thanks for your time, Shawn,” I interrupt him, having completed what I came here to do.
“Wait,” Shawn stops me before I’m out the door. “Have you thought about the proposal I sent over?”
Tilting my head to the side, I recall the email he’s referencing. “The one about merging the head of cybersecurity and the chief security operator positions, creating a head of global security?”
Shawn nods.
Placing my hands in my pockets, I rock on my feet. “Yes, I have. It’s an…” I have to think carefully about my words. “Interesting move, but I don’t think it’ll pan out. Hollis Calder fills his role as Chief Security Operator well, and we’re not interested in dissolving his job.”
What I don’t say is that the idea is absolutely preposterous. Shawn has zero experience in physical security, while Hollis Calder is a former Navy SEAL.
Shawn narrows his eyes. “If that’s what you think is best.”
I don’t respond, turning away and leaving the room.
My phone vibrates in my inside suit coat pocket. Viewing the screen, I find multiple new messages. I read as I make my way to the elevator.
Hunter: Meet me in my office.
Rory: Why?
Hunter: Because
Rory: Because why?
Hunter: You’re acting like a child.
Me: And you’re acting vague.
Hunter: I have a plan.
Placing my phone back in my pocket, I press the button for the top floor in the elevator, type in the PIN, and scan my palm. There’s a ding, indicating I’ve passed the security measures.
Reaching the top, I walk down the hall, heading for the office next to mine. I raise my brows when I find the door locked. Everyone knows a locked door doesn’t keep me out.
Internally, I groan as I lower myself down on one knee and pull out the small tool kit from my back pocket. I swear, I’m too old for this shit.
When the tumblers in the lock click, I stand, my knees and hips popping as I go.
Definitely too old for this.
Swinging the door open, I lean against the door jamb. Rory stands with his hands in the pockets of his gray suit pants, peering out the floor-to-ceiling window of his office.
“Not going to Hunter’s?” I question.
“What?” Rory spins around like he didn’t hear me come in. “Oh, right. Coming.” He strides right by me, not making eye contact as he slips past me in the doorway.
When we get into Hunter’s office, we find him in there staring down at some papers on a small conference table with a glass of scotch in his hand.
“A little early for a drink, don’t you think?” Rory inquires in jest, his demeanor having made a complete one-eighty from a few minutes ago.
Guess he’s just like that with me right now. I shouldn’t be surprised, but it feels like rejection. And rejection sucks.
“Didn’t I see you earlier downing a glass of brandy?” Hunter shoots back.
Disregarding their banter, I take a seat at the table. “What’s up with the bat signal?”
“I’ve been going over some ideas, and I think we should go with a honeypot mixed with a tarpit.” Hunter stays standing, moving around some of the papers.
Rory takes a seat opposite me. “That could work. Honeypot, so we lure the hacker into worming his way back into our system, making them think they’re getting more important information, but it’s actually fake. And then a tarpit so their system slows down long enough that we can trace their IP.”
“Exactly,” Hunter validates. “And I met with our customer service department early this morning. There have been more than just our other clients whose systems have shut down, but only a few were robbed like Gabriel.”
Rory’s hand rubs over his chin. “Could this be a coordinated attack? Or are the robberies the anomaly, and we need to focus our efforts on the hack?”
“Could the alarm system shutdowns be a side effect of the hack, or should we operate under the assumption that the affected clients were targeted?” My fingers steeple in front of my face with my elbows resting on the table.
Hunter rubs his eyes. “I don’t know if we can rule anything out at this point. We need more information.”
“I did some digging,” I add. “It’s not clear where the hack came from, internal or external. So, I secretly installed a keylogger on Shawn Winthrop’s computer. I plan on uploading one in most of the departments.”
“You think it’s a mole?” Rory sits forward in his seat.
“We can’t rule it out,” I declare.
“Good work,” Hunter praises. “Let us know what you find out from those.”
Resting my head on the back of the chair, I inform them of the setback. “Well, it’s going to be tricky. I don’t want to tip them off, so the data won’t transmit. I’ll need to go to their computers regularly and download the data.”
“We can take turns,” Rory elucidates. “If it were just you, it would look suspicious showing up every day.”
“It’s decided then.” Hunter nods.
“I can formulate the fake info for the honeypot,” Rory volunteers.
Rising from my seat, I offer, “I’ll get started on putting together the tarpit.”
“Oh. One more thing.” Hunter stops us before we leave. “I hired a third party to find where and how the hacker got in.”
My head tilts, and Rory rears his head back like he just got slapped in the face.
“I went to The Circuit on Friday and did some scouting,” Hunter says by way of explanation.
“And you didn’t think to run that by us?” Rory’s fists clench.
Hunter narrows his eyes. “We needed something done. I found a way to get it done.”
Rory takes a step away from the door. “We’re supposed to make those kinds of decisions together.”
“What are you—” I start.
Hunter stands taller. “What crawled up your ass and died?”
Blinking, Rory’s posture relaxes as he shakes his head. “Nothing.”
He rushes out, darting past me, and I follow right on his heels.
“You’ve been avoiding me,” I accuse.
Rory doesn’t stop or turn around. “I’ve been busy.”
I raise my voice a notch. “You’re a terrible liar.”
As he reaches his office door, he finally turns around with an offended look on his face. “I’m not lying.”
“Sure.” Stepping up to him, I fold my arms. “And the reason I haven’t seen you since Saturday is because you’ve been, what? Giving your time to the local animal shelter?”
Rory blinks at me. “No. I’m just…busy.”
“Very convincing.” I give him a thumbs up. “We should probably talk—”
“No, we shouldn’t,” he interjects, shaking his head.
“I know what you saw, and I didn’t mean to freak you out. I pushed a little, and you ran. I’m sorry. It won’t happen again,” I assure him, while a small fissure makes its way down the middle of my heart.
I’ve always had a crush on Rory, but I’ve never made it known…until the other day. For a moment, I thought he felt the same.
But he doesn’t. And he won’t.
I need to accept that.
“It’s not that—I didn’t—It’s just—” Rory becomes tongue-tied as his eyes dart around, looking everywhere but at me. “Ugh!”
My head slants at a concerned angle. “Are you okay?”
“I want to try something,” he finally says.
“Okay,” I say the word as if it’s a question.
Scratching his forehead, Rory bites his lip. “Hold still.”
Rory’s hands cup my face as he steps forward, backing me into the wall, and my breath hitches. Then his lips are on mine, making me freeze in place with my hands held out at my sides.
I blink a couple of times before it registers in my brain that this isn’t a dream. This is reality.
Rory is kissing me in real life.
My hands drop to his hip, pulling him in closer, and my mouth moves against his. I bite his lower lip, eliciting a low moan from him. His reaction spurs me on.
Coaxing his mouth open, my tongue slips inside. Each stroke that he returns sends more blood rushing to my cock.
Rory pulls his head away, staring into my eyes. His pupils are blown wide, and his breathing is erratic. “I—I—”
I open my mouth to reassure him, but before I can get a word out, he drops his hands and darts into his office, the door swinging shut behind him.
Well…
That didn’t feel like rejection.