Chapter 742 Chapter 742
Zain opened the door and looked inside. It was wall-to-wall tech junky. Illias had to feel like he was in heaven in here.
“Zain. How are you?”
He turned to see Fallan slide her chair out from behind a wall of monitors. “Fallan. Hi.” He hadn’t seen her at the headquarters for months. Although with everything going on, he rarely had time to leave his office most days.
She stood up and ran her fingers through her dark hair. Some day, he’d be brave enough to ask her if the orange tips were because of her clan or if she did them herself. He knew her clan was caracal because he’d looked it up. He’d google what the wild version looked like too, and honestly, wanted to see her in her animal form.
“You had Illias climbing the walls with your unannounced trip.”
He sighed. “I know. I had good reasons.”
She smiled. “Well, next time, fill him in.” She looked around. “I feared for my baby’s safety with him in that mood.” She ran her hand over the edge of a monitor.
He chuckled. “Yeah. I will. So, are you going home for a few weeks?”
She shook her head. “This is home now. I’m staying. It’s not like I have a clan waiting on me.”
“Oh.” He knew she didn’t have a lot of clan in North America, but he thought they at least were together.
“Besides, I have the girls now, so we stay where it’s the safest.”
“Girls?”
She picked up a folder. “Jo and Julia. They were found on the island.” She hugged the folder. “We can’t contact anyone from their clan because I know it’s not safe doing that.” She shrugged. “So, I’ll look after them until we can.”
He hadn’t gotten a lot of the details for the survivors they rescued. Other than Calum’s mother. “That’s great.” He huffed out a breath. “I still can’t believe the island was found and shut down.”
She nodded. “Right. Thanks to you going to Chicago, we’re going to waltz into Aiden Tomas’ building and shut him down too.” She smiled. “I have to get this to Devin.” She held up the folder. “Illias will be back in a minute. He just went to stock up on sustenance.”
He watched her leave and then looked around the room. All the monitors had things happening on them. How did they ever process this much at once was beyond him.
The door opened, and Illias came in. He had several cans cradled against his chest with bags of chips piled on top.
“Oh. Hi.” He went over to the table and unloaded his ‘sustenance.’ “I was going to come find you later.” He glanced at him. “You’re heading out tomorrow.”
Zain nodded. “Yeah. I still don’t know what I’m supposed to do when we get there.”
Illias grabbed the chair Fallan had gotten up from and shoved it toward him.
Zain caught it before it wheeled right by him. He walked over to the table and sat down.
Illias perched on the edge of it and opened a bag of chips. “I guess just be seen throwing money around.” He grinned. “I just came up with the back story. You have to do the acting.”
“Jeggins? Really? Where did you get that from?”
Illias grinned despite the mouth full of chips. “Fallan did the names.”
“Aren’t jeggings those jean legging things?”
Illias paused with a chip in front of his mouth. “I have no idea. How do you know that?” His mouth twitched. “Is there something about you I don’t know?”
It took a second for Zain to realize he was joking with him. “I know because I order clothes for the safe houses and Arcadia.”
“Oh.” Illias frowned. “Right.” Something beeped and he got up and went over and looked at a monitor. He wiped his hand on his jeans and then his a few buttons and looked at the screen again. “Shit.” He glanced over his shoulder at him. “Dane found four more units with that spyware on them at headquarters.” He turned back and typed fast.
Zain hadn’t realized how tense his neck and shoulders were until that moment when he felt some of it ease.
Illias went back over and picked up the chip bag. “You’ve been blaming yourself, haven’t you?”
Zain gave him a bored look.
“It’s not your fault some dirtbag is a traitor to his own kind, Zain.”
He nodded. “I know, but a lot of shit happened because of things in my emails.”
“Well, it won’t happen again. All systems from now on will have a safety built in.”
“A safety?”
Illias nodded, picked up a can, and opened it. “Yeah. Andi and Torin came up with this program that will lock up and shut down if anything unauthorized is installed, whether it's by Bluetooth, USB, or downloaded.” He grinned. “It’s brilliant.” He took a long drink.
“That’s great. I don’t understand how it would work, but—” He lifted his hand and then let them slap against his legs. “I don’t need to.”
Illias set the can down and went over to a desk in the corner. “I don’t have these finished, but I will.” He held up a phone. “For when you’re in Chicago, so everyone is just a button push away.”
“We leave in the morning.” Zain wanted that in his hand when they left.
Illias set it back down. “I know. I’ll courier them to you if I have to. Don’t worry. You’ll have them before you need them.”
“Okay.” Knowing Illias had his back made him feel better. Not about pretending to be a rich oil tycoon but knowing they wouldn’t be alone there.
Illias dropped down into the chair and pulled himself closer. “So, what’s up with that Oaklyn woman?”
Zain’s wolf stirred. He scowled. “What do you mean?”
Illias’ grin was big. “Holding hands constantly, watching each other…”
Zain rubbed his hand over his face. He should have known Illias wouldn’t be shy about asking. “We’re mates.” He looked over at him.
Illias’ brows rose in unison for a few seconds, and then he blinked. “I didn’t see that coming.” His smile was slow but genuine. “Wow. That’s great.” He cocked his head to the side. “Isn’t it?”
Zain dropped his head forward and then raised it and shrugged. “Not really. I have a target on my back. She’s hiding from a clan with archaic tendencies…”
“So, you’re not planning to be mated?” Illias said it so slowly that it made Zain think it was a stupid plan.
“It’s not in our plans.”
“Yours or hers?”
Zain opened his mouth and then shut it so hard his teeth clacked together.
Illias gave him a lop-sided grin. “You’re thinking about it.”
Zain shook his head. “No.”
Illias laughed. “Zain, you still have the same facial expressions you did when we were kids. Trust me, you’re thinking about it.” He got up and went over to another screen and looked at it. “I’d offer words of wisdom to convince her, but what the hell do I know about it?” He turned around and smiled at him. “You know, ever since you told Devin and them what happened to us, I feel alive in a way I don’t think I ever have.”
Zain sighed. “I think I’m too scared about Chicago and this party for it to sink in.”
“They’ll get Shepard back, and then we’ll have those answers, bud. You’ll see. You’re not putting anyone in danger by being close to them.”
One of the machines started beeping.
“Oh.” Illias hurried over to it. “Here we go.” He tapped a few keys. “They’re accessing your laptop.” He glanced at him. “Don’t worry, it says you’re in Quebec right now.”
Zain stood up. “Can you trace where they are?”
Illias snorted. “Of course.” He pulled his phone out of his pocket and typed on it with fast thumbs. “Fallan and I will be all over them thirty seconds after she walks through that door.” He grabbed the chair and sat in front of it.
Zani watched him get absorbed in what he was doing. “I’ll leave you to it then.” He went over to the door.
“Hey.” Illias paused and looked at him. “Charlie Huffman is no more, man. Let Zain have a life.”
Zain gave him a half-hearted smile. “I’m trying.”
“I got your back, bud. Always.” He turned and started typing.
Zain nodded. “I know.” He opened the door, and Fallan came running in.
“They’re on. Grab their tail.”
“Working on it.” Illias leaned closer to the screen.
Fallan rushed over to another keyboard and started typing with fast fingers. “Come to momma, you dirty dogs.” She whispered.
Zain smiled and closed the door.