Page 30 of Beyond the Rules
“You’re good, we get it, but we need to playitsafe.”
“But I want to help take down those creeps. We can go fasterifI—”
“Negative,” he said. “Too dangerous. And remember. You don’t have security clearance to workthecase.”
I tried to pick up my stomach from the polished concrete floor, but it was smashed at my feet. I stared at my toes. I’d set my hopes on taking down Dimayev and Calamity. This hunt? It was my one way ticket toredemption.
“I don’t think you guys understand.” My eyes shifted between the men as I struggled to control the emotions constricting my throat. “I worked really hard at this. I thought maybe…if I caught Calamity…theauthoritiesmay…”
I stopped midsentence. The authorities were never going to reconsider my conviction or reduce my restitution. My attorney had tried.Pipe dream, Nina. I was screwedforlife.
“You’re asking me to give up my world,” I said, not to mention my last,secrethope.
Tanner put his arms around my shoulders and gave me a sympathetic hug. “We know it’s a lottoask.”
Aiden’s gaze widened withsorrow.
But Zar banged the last nail in my coffin. “It’s theonlyway.”
I fought for breath. “Without a link to the cyber world,it’slike…”
“Like what?”Tannersaid.
“It’s like going back toprison.”
Prison. The mere word pushed me to the edge ofhyperventilation.
“It’s not the same,”Tannersaid.
Oh, yes it was. They hadn’t spent their time trapped in a tiny cell, pacing seven feet for endless days and sleepless nights, cut off from everything and everybody, isolated from the world by walls and bars and no Internetaccess.
“Breathe, Nina.” Tanner rubbed my back. “Areyouokay?”
“No, I’mnotokay.” I shrugged off his touch and drew up to my full height. “My laptop? My devices? They’re my freedom. I’ve got nothing if you takethemaway.”
“There’s no way around it,” Zar said. “Rightnow…”
“Right now I’m only good for fucking,” I snapped. “Is that what you’resaying?”
I turned my back and limped to the elevator. I punched the button with the heel of my hand. Damn the thing was slow. The three men trickled out of the bunker, faces etched withconcern.
“I started this.” Tears burned in my eyes. “I should be able to see it to itsconclusion.”
“And you will,” Zar said. “Ipromise.”
“How can I trust any of you?” I whirled on them. “You, Tanner, you were profiling me the entire time. And you Aiden, you cracked my codes, violated my privacy. As to you, Zar…” I shook with fury. “You set me up. You fed me that crap about being part of the team when you knew you were going to sideline merightaway.”
“I was straight with you.” Zar clenched and unclenched his hands at his side, a motion that flexed his powerful forearms. “I told you security camefirst.”
“You blindsided me,” I spat. “You manhandled me into doing exactly what you wanted. It’s called entrapment. You’ve thrown me back into prison all overagain.”
I glared at Zar with all I had. But he’d won and I’d lost. Because he was right. I had no other choice. What was left of my life was a mess. And I couldn’t—wouldn’t—let Dimayev and Calamity wreak havoc with theworld.
I growled at him. “I hate you. Youknowthat?”
“It’s pretty obvious.” And then, as an afterthought, “Sorry?”
“Like hell you’resorry!”