Chapter 36 #2
Had he heard her? She couldn’t be sure, but it didn’t matter.
She was going to tell him when he returned.
For now, she had work to do. Eden took a deep breath and straightened.
Then she turned and walked to the table to retrieve the phone.
She dialed the number and put the phone on speaker as she grabbed her pack and began to unpack everything that was in it.
“Maks?” asked a female voice when the line connected.
“Um…it’s Eden.”
“About time I got to talk to you. I’m Callie.”
Eden smiled at the phone. “I’ve heard a lot about you, Callie.”
“We’re going to need to get a drink when all this is over.”
“More than one,” Callie said with a laugh.
“Is everything all right with y’all?”
Eden heard the Texas twang and grinned. “So far. We’re in an old Nazi bunker Maks found. Unfortunately, the Saints are in part of it, as well.”
“It’ll be a great defense though,” came a deep voice. “I’m Wyatt Loughman, Eden.”
Callie chimed in and said, “I’m his better half.”
The two shared a laugh before Wyatt said, “Where’s Maks?”
“He went to retrieve some guns that he’d stored nearby. At least that’s what he told me. I’m not happy he left.”
“It’s never easy being left behind,” Callie said.
Wyatt asked, “Did Maks say he was coming back?”
“Yep. Just as soon as he got the guns.”
“Then he’ll be back,” Wyatt told her. “We got the files you uploaded. That’s quite a lot of information.”
Eden opened the laptop as she pulled out an old chair and wiped the dust from it.
“It certainly is. What neither of you knows yet is that Maks identified the Elders. You’ll find five names in the documents.
I took a photo of my wall, and they’re there, as well.
Maks knows all five of the people. They’ve been a part of his life in one way or another. ”
“Shit,” Wyatt mumbled.
“I can’t imagine he took that well,” Callie said.
Eden swallowed, thinking about how devastated—and angry—Maks had been. “No. He didn’t take it well at all.”
“What’s the plan now?” Wyatt asked.
Eden glanced at the closed door, hoping that Maks would return any second. “We decided to come here so I could do a last bit of research. Then we want to send out everything, well…everywhere.”
“I can help with that,” Callie chimed in.
“I was hoping you’d say that. Now, we know the Saints are going to shut us down as soon as it goes out. However, if we can get it to all the news stations around the world, it’ll at least be seen.”
Wyatt asked, “If they’re going to take it down, what’s the point? There has to be a better way.”
“Not really,” Callie said. “If we’re lucky, people will start asking questions.”
Eden smiled. “And that’s the next part. We know the Saints will pull the information down and say that some hackers got in and wanted to cause a stir. Which we are. But the real thing is getting this intel out to the right people. And the right people now are the conspiracy theorists.”
“Oh, that’s brilliant,” Callie said with a laugh.
Wyatt chuckled. “Damn. That’s smart. If the conspiracy theorists get a hold of this, they won’t let it go.”
“That’s what we’re hoping for. Now, it probably won’t end the Saints immediately, but if enough people start to question and dig, they can’t kill thousands at once.
” The minute the words were out of Eden’s mouth, she thought of the virus.
“Except that’s what they’re doing. I didn’t think about that.
I just feel like everyone else should know what we do. ”
“You can’t make people believe what they don’t want to believe,” Wyatt told her.
Callie snorted. “Maybe not, but if the information keeps getting out there, then people will start taking notice.”
Eden frowned at the words. “What do you mean?”
“Well,” Callie said, drawing out the word. “You and Maks came up with a great plan. I’d like to add to it.”
“I’m all ears,” Eden said.
“We keep hacking into the news outlets. We go big first, all over the world. When that gets pulled, we then target major cities on different continents, rotating but continuing to toss out the information.”
“All the while, we’ll also give it to the conspiracy theorists, who will also run with it,” Eden said with a smile. “I like the way you think.”
Wyatt made a sound. “Two peas in a pod. God help us when you two get together.”
“Oh, it’s happening, hot stuff. Prepare yourself,” Callie warned him.
Eden smiled, liking the two of them immensely. “Thank you for your help.”
“Anytime,” Callie replied.
“Eden, has Maks said how the two of you are going to get out of Romania?” Wyatt asked.
She knew he wasn’t asking because of the virus, but in regard to the Saints. “I’ve not asked him.”
“Maks always has a plan,” Callie said.
Wyatt was silent for a beat. “He always does. Listen, Eden, we’re going to do whatever we can to help the two of you.
It’s not going to be easy since we have an ocean between us.
All I ask is that you keep us informed. Send texts when you can to update us.
This won’t be our first time getting friends out of Europe and back home. If we did it once, we can do it again.”
“I’m grateful. Truly. Have there been any updates on the virus? Any vaccine news?”
“None,” Callie said angrily. “I know the Saints have it.”
Eden perked up at that news, thinking of the Saints in the bunker. “Do you think they all do?”