Breaching His Defenses - Allyson Lindt (best short novels .TXT) š
- Author: Allyson Lindt
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He didnāt have to be downstairs for a couple more hours; he should get some more sleep. As seven a.m. rolled around, he hadnāt done anything but stare at the clock.
He was due to meet with a potential client soon. He rubbed his face. Time to put the night behind him, except maybe the memories, and hope he could down enough coffee between now and then to make it through things without yawning.
He got ready for the morning and made his way to the lobby. For as little sleep as heād gotten the night before, his eyelids should have been drooping. So why do I feel like I couldnāt sit still if I needed to? He hadnāt even touched the coffee yet. He stepped off the elevator and out of the flow of traffic. This tension needed to be under control, whatever the source. He closed his eyes and took a few calming breaths.
Nervous energy still coursed through him, itching under his skin. This meeting isnāt going to go well. The thought came out of nowhere. That was ridiculous. He was just jaded because of the string of bad luck theyād been having with new clients. Theyād still signed people. It hadnāt been a complete dry spell. Worrying about where the next contract came from was Tateās department. The sleep deprivation was attacking him from a different angle than he was used to.
Still, despite the lack of restāremembering Mikkiās gasps when she was turned on, the scent of citrus on her skin, her bare body under his, actually having someone who was interesting to talk to and didnāt make him filter his thoughtsāheād do last night again in a heartbeat.
Half an hour later, he made his way to the back of the exhibitorsā hall, near the row of rooms set up for private conferences. Tate was already waiting with an older gentleman, who glanced at his watch the moment Jared made eye contact.
And Iām five minutes early. Time to wrangle this in before it spirals out of control. He extended his hand as he drew closer. āMr. Rosen. Iām sorry to keep you waiting.ā
Rosen glanced at his watch again before returning the handshake. āNo worries at all. Some of us arenāt as busy as others. Call me Adam.ā
Jaredās pleasant expression never cracked. If there was ever a time to not be blunt, it was now. He nodded at Tate. āSpeaking of, I know Tate has other things to take care of.ā
Tateās attention stayed on the client the whole time. āAnd Iām off to it. Adamās in good hands.ā
A snort of laughter barked from Rosenās throat.
Jared held the door open, ignoring the implication he wasnāt capable of handling this conversation, and gestured for the older man to join him in a more private setting. Adam Rosen worked for Lenorontoāone of the largest umbrellas corporations for retail websites in the country. Tate had been negotiating with him for months, pitted against NSS and whatever secrets they were hiding. The reminder of Mikki almost knocked Jaredās thoughts offline, but this wasnāt the time or place. Contracts and promotions were on the line.
He took his seat across from Adam, leaned forward in the leather plush, and rested his elbows on his knees, hands clasped. āAre you enjoying the trip?ā
Adam checked his phone and then pocketed it again. āI wish theyād stop holding these things in places like this. An excuse for drunken foolishness. Iām petitioning the board to move it to Miami next year. Weāll keep the warmth and lose the distractions.ā
Right, because Miami was such a dull place. Jared never flinched. āI look forward to the outcome.ā
Adam let out a long exhale. āLook, Iāll be honest. When Tate told me he could hook me up with someone technical, I thought Iād be talking to one of your people whoās actually close to the action. No offense, but how long has it been since you did any actual security work?ā
The first few times someone had asked that question, Jared had gotten defensive. Heād learned since, the best way to prove he still knew his shit was to prove it rather than argue. āItās true; Iām not as involved in the day-to-day tech as I used to be. But we like to let the real talent do their jobs, and any questions you have I canāt answer, Iāll take back to them and get you an in-depth response within a few hours.ā
That had never happened. He didnāt take questions back to his people, but it made the conversation flow more smoothly. As Adam launched into a series of concerns, Jared responded to each without hesitation. Heād heard them all beforeāit was a fairly standard list.
āSo tell me about these holes in your own security,ā Adam said. āWhat are you doing to address them?ā
For the first time since sitting down, a sick pit settled in Jaredās gut. He nudged it aside. He had this as well as he had anything, and the answer was right there. Especially after the extra hours heād put in yesterday making sure his network was still tight.
It didnāt matter that he hadnāt been able to do more work last night; heād still covered all his bases. He just hadnāt expected to use the reassurance again so soon. āWe donāt have any internal holes. We undergo both internal and independent audits on a regular basis, and those results are available to anyone whoād like to see them. As a company who places so much importance on security, weāre always aware of the riskāthe badge of honor, if you willāfor a hacker to poke holes in our walls. If a situation like that were to arise, and it hasnāt in years, weād have the weaknesses patched within hours.ā
Adamās lips drew into a thin line and he stared back, green eyes unblinking. A heavy silence hung between them before he finally spoke. āI guess what I heard canāt be true then.ā
An alarm clanged in the back of Jaredās head. This was the same conversation heād already heard three times in the last six months. So why was it tugging up new memories he couldnāt quite grasp? āYouāre in contract negotiations. Iām sure a lot of things were implied that arenāt necessarily true.ā
Rosen laughed. āFair enough. Then I guess thereās nothing to the rumors some of your outlying departments have made your entire network vulnerable.ā
The simple phrasing kicked the right pebble in Jaredās head, and the conversation from the night before avalanched back. The words were almost identical to what Mikki had told him. It was a coincidence, right? āAbsolutely no truth to those at all.ā He kept his uncertainty from his voice.
Was this the basis of the rumors theyād been hearing in every missed sales opportunity for the past six months? Ever sinceā¦ No, there was no way. āOur networks are secure; you have my word.ā
Adam stood, his expression flat. āOf course. I know your certifications support that, to the point I know something like a Trojan would be spotted in an instant. You understand, of course, this is just due diligence.ā
Fuck. Thatās new. āOf course. And I can assure you thereās nothing to worry about when it comes to Skriddie and the standards we hold ourselves to.ā A Trojan virus was the digital equivalent of its namesake. Once it was on the network, it provided someone outside access to the inside. That was so many steps beyondāand a much larger threatāthan just a couple whispers they might have security holes.
Call the office. Isolate every server. Go into full lockdown until we know this is just a malicious rumor. Jaredās thoughts raced with next steps, but he forced himself to stay in the conversation. āCan I answer any other questions for you?ā
āNo.ā Adam stepped away, ignoring the offer of Jaredās extended hand. āI think Iāve got the information I need. Thank you for your time.ā
Jared sank back into his seat the moment Adam was gone and dropped his face into his hands. Shit. How would a Trojan even make it onto their systems? The server should have caught it. The virus software would have stopped it. There were so many check points along the way where it should have been obliterated. He was dialing the office before his thoughts finished forming. Dewson can hole up in the data center. Tate needs to know Iām skipping the courtesy suites. To-do items continued to stack on the list in his head while the phone rang.
At least he knew one thingāthe rumors had begun six months ago, while Mikki was still interviewing with both companies. So even if there was anything to what Rosen had said, she couldnāt have done it. Her odd questions and statements about why sheād signed with NSS instead, those werenāt related at all. Were they? A new nagging doubt joined his mounting concern.
Not that it mattered if she was involvedāit wasnāt like he was attached. Fuck, who was he kidding? He was so hooked on her it ached to think about parting ways. How had she done that to him in just a few short days?
If she meant so much to him, why didnāt everything he felt for her and knew about her reassure him? He was just being paranoid. Businesses went through slumps. Still, he couldnāt take a chance on this. He snarled at the receiver when he went to voice mail after several rings. āDewson. I donāt care what youāre working on. You have a new critical priority. Cancel your plans for the night. I promise Iāll make it up to you. We need a deeper scan than youāve ever done, yesterday. From the top down, servers, every department, any device thatās ever even touched our network. Call me for details.ā
He dropped his phone into the coffee table in front of him. It would be okay. Heād work with his staff, theyād secure an all clear, and he could set everyoneās minds at ease. His network wasnāt flawed. There was no way something so severe had made it in. And once he proved it, all would be right with the world again.
Jared rolled his neck to try and loosen the tight cords running from his shoulder blades to the base of his skull. His eyes never left his laptop screen. The hotel desk wasnāt an ideal workspace, but his room was private. At least he didnāt have to rely on the free, unsecured Wi-Fi. A hotspot heād rigged himself sat next to his computer, signal lights flickering and blinking as he worked.
āPeachtree servers next,ā he directed the comment at his phone, which sat next to the entire setup, with the speaker on.
A knock echoed through the room, and Jaredās train of thought snapped.
He growled at the empty air. āDo not disturb means do not disturb. Hang on, Dewson.ā He crossed the few short steps to the door, shoved down some of his irritation when he saw Viv through the peephole, and let her in. He gave her a brief nod and gave his attention to the phone. āDewson, rinse and repeat on that entire stack. Iāll call you back in ten.ā
āGot it.ā The disembodied voice sounded tinny and distant coming from his phone. Jared glanced at the device long enough to see the call had been disconnected and turned back to Vivian. Her gown hugged every curve enough to show it off, without ever looking anything but professional, and the emerald made her eyes flash.
He offered her a weak smile. āYou look great. Are you turning heads on purpose, or is that something you dug out of the back of your closet?ā
The dress was new. He didnāt have to hear her response to confirm it. She wouldnāt do things any other way.
She tugged on the sleeve of his T-shirt. āItās not nearly high fashion as what youāre wearing. I drew the short straw, so I get to come nag you to join us in the courtesy suites.ā
āNot happening.ā His fingers twitched toward his phone. āWeāre not done.ā
She pursed her lips and trailed a fingernail down his arm. Once upon a time, the gesture would have been
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