Page 46 of Dark Seduction
I watch her work, impressed as always by her technical prowess. She turns to me, a slight smile playing at her lips as she simplifies, "I found out who owns those bikes using the evidence you tracked down using some less-than-legal means but I got the names we need. Let’s just say those bikes weren’t exactly bought from a dealership."
She clicks a few times and a photo of a chubby, middle-aged man sporting a big, dopey smile pops up on the screen. "Meet John Willard," Elena announces, "an 'accountant' from Omaha."
I chuckle, piecing it together instantly. "Stolen motorcycles, then?" I confirm, leaning in for a closer look.
"Not exactly," she corrects with a slight shake of her head. "John Willard doesn't actually exist. He's an AI-generated identity, inserted into the DMV database to cover tracks. The owner ofthis bike is a ghost."
I raise my eyebrows. "An AI façade? That's clever."
She nods, her eyes flickering back to the screen as she continues to dig through data. "Whoever's behind this has more tricks up their sleeve than your average street thug. This isn’t just savvy; it's sophisticated, organized."
"Impressive," I admit, "and troubling. We’re obviously not dealing with amateurs here.”
She nods firmly, her gaze returning to her monitors. "I'll keep digging, see what more I can unearth," she promises, her fingers poised above her keyboard, ready to dive back into the digital trenches.
"Thanks, Elena. I appreciate it.”
She pauses, then points a stern finger at me. "But remember—next time you decide to expand the family, if I'm not the first to know, it'll be more than a punch, brother.”
"Duly noted.”
Changing gears, she asks, "Mind if I take Dalia out for a meal to celebrate?"
"That sounds like a great idea," I agree, pulling out my phone to give her Dalia's number. "I’m sure she'll appreciate that."
We exchange a final nod and I leave her office, the weight of the situation settling back on my shoulders as I make my way through the dimly lit corridors back to my office. The details about the bikes, the artificial identities… everything points to a cunning and formidable adversary.
Chapter 20
Dalia
Istep out of my apartment, suitcase in hand, and pause for one last look around.
This place hasn't been mine for long, but it wasmine. Now, I'm about to move in with Lev, a man who's as enigmatic as he is intense.
With a deep, settling sigh, I flick off the lights, the final click echoing slightly, marking the end of an era, however brief it might’ve been.
Downstairs, the lobby is unusually quiet—eerily so. Normally, the friendly doorman would give me a wave, but today, there's no one there. My footsteps echo off the polished marble as I approach the exit, but before I can reach the door, a man emerges from a side hallway. His presence startles me, and his next words stop me cold.
"We need to talk.”
He stands there stoically, a striking figure with long blonde hair and sharp, Slavic features that could have walked straight out of a Cold War spy novel. His blue eyes burn with an intensity thatpins me in place, unsettling yet magnetic.
Tall and undeniably commanding, he carries himself with a calm assurance.
"I'm Alexei Plushenko," he declares, making the silence of the lobby even more profound. "We need to talk—it's a matter of life and death."
His melodramatic flair makes me arch an eyebrow. "Life and death? That's quite the entrance line. Planning on auditioning for a spy thriller anytime soon?"
He cracks a smirk but remains earnest. "Believe me, I'd prefer a less cliché circumstance myself, but here we are." Alexei opens his hands, palms out. "I come in peace."
Stepping back, I cross my arms, not ready to drop my guard or buy into his apparent truce. "Alright, peace emissary, let's hear it then. What brings you to my soon-to-be-former doorstep?"
His eyes flicker with a hint of admiration—or is it amusement?—at my standoffishness. "It’s about Lev Ivanov," he begins.
With those four words, all traces of my mocking tone fades, and I’m instantly on edge.
"I'm here alone, Dalia, and there are security cameras all around. You're in no danger from me."