The Omega Team: Cyber Tracked: The Cobra Project (Kindle Worlds Novella) (IATO Series Book 4) (2 page)

Tampa, Florida

Tampa was unusually hot and humid for that time of year, and the air-conditioned building was a welcome relief from the stuffy taxi Cade took from the airport. He stepped out of the elevator at the floor marked -2 and frowned.

Hell, this city was barely at sea level. The old Spanish architecture of the building’s facade was somehow deceptive. The water table didn’t allow for underground development, so how had the Omega Team managed two floors below ground level zero?

When he stepped out and saw the underwater aquarium walls, it began to make sense. But how far were they from the bay? Seemed a long way inland.

The Cuban American beauty waiting in the hallway for him smiled and introduced herself as Athena Madero. According to his contact at IATO, she was married to former Delta Force team leader, Grey Holden. The woman had been with the LAPD until she and Holden developed the Omega Force, a high-octane covert security agency that handled everything from hostage negotiation and rescue to industrial espionage, fighting drug cartels and threats to national security. Omega kept a low profile, but it wasn’t invisible like IATO, the international group Cade worked for. Even under the circumstances, this contact with Holden had been on an as need to know basis.

“Impressive.” Cade tilted his head at the special pressure constructed acrylic walls. “New technology?”

“Yes.” But the woman left it at that. “This floor is the electronics center, sonar, and security scrambling section. Grey and I have offices upstairs, but the training and workout areas are above. Jacqui sometimes runs the computer operations from here while the rest of the Omega team members are spread out all over for…well, security reasons. I can’t go into much more detail. You understand.”

“I do. We appreciate you and Grey putting me in contact with the subject, and vouching for me with Jacqui. I understand she and this Rowan O’Malley are hard core about trust issues.”

“That may be an understatement when it comes to Rowan. But under the circumstances, working together to keep her and her project safe will be crucial to both our organizations.” Athena gestured for him to follow as she turned down the right hand hallway, then another.

“Jacqui encountered her in the dark net during a case we were working on. We needed someone who had street cred within the system, and she came with the highest recommendation. Rowan was a former hacker, and I believe it was an IATO contact who originally put us in touch with her. She and Jacqui reached an understanding through mutual respect. They’re both the best at what they do.”

The woman stopped in front of an electronic door. Before she keyed in the code and used her thumbprint to enter, she blocked Cade’s view. “I’m warning you, Jacqui can talk to Rowan on your behalf, but O’Malley has a mind of her own. Trust won’t come easily.”

Cade nodded. “Maybe trust isn’t the answer this time. Her project may be in jeopardy.”

“That won’t mean as much to Jacqui as long as Rowan’s life isn’t at stake. Based on what I know about the Irish woman, she’s been working on the Cobra project since she was a teen, hacking into every computer system she could crack…and there weren’t many she couldn’t handle back then, from what I understand, so I have to assume she’s even more adept now. Jacqui can give you more details.”

Rowan O’Malley, the granddaughter of an IRA terrorist, had an interesting background. Genius with computer systems or you name it. According to everyone so far, she could handle anything. Athena practically confirmed the rumor she barely escaped jail as a teen when she was discovered hacking into British government records for fun. Cade liked her already. Some high up mucky muck in intelligence scarfed her up and recruited her under pressure, then put her to work with GC Headquarters/Donut Intelligence and Security, the British equivalent of Homeland Security, the CIA, and the FBI.

Athena stepped back as the door opened. There was only one person in the room full of monitors, electronics, and cameras, and she stood and turned to face him.

Cade reminded himself of Jason’s warning. Both of these beautiful women were off limits. Jacqui Lyles looked like a model with the high cheekbones that belied her Native American heritage even though she had shoulder-length blonde hair. Not hard to believe either of these women had been in law enforcement—not if they were members of Omega.

“Jacqui, Cade James, the friend of Grey’s I told you about. He’s here about Rowan O’Malley.” Athena made the quick introductions. “I’ll leave the two of you to it, then.” Then she held her hand out to Cade. “Good luck with your mission. I’d hate to see anything happen to Rowan, and we need all the intel on Snake you can get. Stopping the arms dealer is our top priority.”

“I’ll do my best, ma’am.”

Jacqui grinned at Athena when she winced at the term of respect. Cade didn’t get it.

“She doesn’t like to be called
ma’am
.”

“Sorry, no disrespect meant.”

Athena waved him off and laughed as she excused herself. “No problem. After all, I’m beginning to get used to it from you Southern gentlemen.”

“So, Mr. James, Athena and Grey filled me in on your mission. What can I help you with?” Jacqui’s lips curled as soon as she spoke his last name. A real skeptic. No one believed the name was real, not in his line of work, but it didn’t matter, it was his real name and he needed her help.

Jason originally set up the deal with Omega’s leader, Grey Holden, and Cade also agreed to share anything he found on Snake in exchange for a reference who could convince Rowan that IATO was on the right side. He wasn’t sure it would work.

The group at Omega would be his best reference with Rowan O’Malley, if they could find her.

“Jacqui, what I need is a reference and direct contact with her. I have to meet her again and convince her IATO is the only organization that can prevent her program’s misuse. She’ll ask too many questions I can’t answer—will want too much background information about IATO and probably about me, too. You know I’m not authorized to release that information. So I’m depending on you and the Omega team to convince her”

“She’ll do her homework, you know?”

He chuckled. “Oh, I don’t doubt it. But she won’t find anything, and there will be questions, demands, problems.”

“I can vouch for you and IATO, let her know Grey and Athena sanction this, but she’ll get suspicious once she discovers the connection between you guys and Snake…and she will discover he’s tied into this. Rowan knows how much Grey wants at him.”

“You think she’d believe you’d betray her for a shot at Snake?”

“No.” Jacqui shook her head. “She’s careful, not an ounce of trust or stupid in that woman, so hell yes, she’ll question it some.”

“I can give you something about us to make you feel better but you have to keep it from her. It should convince you our intentions are honorable.”

“Something like that might convince me to push her to trust you.”

Cade took a deep breath then said, “Instead of preventing the COBRA project from being developed, we intend to help her advance the software and protect it…and her from the cartels who are ready to grab her and force her to do their dirty work.”

As soon as Jacqui agreed, Cade felt a load of worry drop off his shoulders. Besides her current project, the savvy young businesswoman still had contacts in the cyber underworld that IATO would definitely find useful. And being a reputable businesswoman who sponsored young upstarts and interns with her company was also a plus.

Jacqui confirmed the information Emily discovered that tied Senator Adam Kincaid to Snake, an arms dealer the Omega Team had been hunting for a while, and he knew there had to be other connections to their past.

“I need a reference for a meeting with Rowan O’Malley, and a lead on where she’d most likely go if she were hiding out.”

Her eyebrows raised. Surprise or thought. She tapped the desk with one short nail. “Rowan managed to come and go at will within the Donut before security finally caught on. If she doesn’t want to be found, finding her won’t be easy.”

“I didn’t expect easy.” Cade frowned,
Donut
was where the UK’s central intelligence division headquartered. “Her bio proves she’s tough and capable. That’s why I came to you for help. What if her life’s at stake?”

“Well, it wouldn’t be the first time,” Jacqui casually spit out then sat at her computer and keyed in a few words. “I can give you a list of possibilities, but there’s no guarantee you’ll find her at any of those places. Let me try leaving her a message.”

She sent off a message in code that he couldn’t read. It didn’t matter, not at this point.

“While we’re waiting, I’ll give you some background on her. Queen’s Island, you know, Northern Ireland’s Science Park? Rowan took part in reclaiming and developing the island several years ago. It opened in 2013-14. Her main office is there, but it’s not where she does her personal research. I think she does that in Eindhoven, Netherland…modern hi-tech buildings in the city with hi-tech campus and plenty of manpower. The Technical University of Eindhoven focuses on high tech startups. She has a number of fans there.”

Cade relaxed and took notes, mostly mental ones. “The information I have says she runs her business out of London’s East Silicon Roundabout, but I’m told she only shows up there to sign deals.” Cade believed it was a front for her high profile businesses, but knew he probably wouldn’t find her there.

“You’re right. She’s pretty reclusive when she works. She has a huge staff who run the day to day operations, but inside I think she’s still the teen hacker trying to bring down the bad guys with her research.”

“Who are the bad guys?” Cade asked, trying to get a better feel for his quarry.

“Whoever or whatever she determines will stand in the way of her projects or do-gooder missions. She’s a philanthropist at heart. Though, she doesn’t see herself that way.”

He was beginning to get a better picture of Ms. O’Malley, and found himself not only liking her but admiring her. Once that happened, he experienced a pull of fear. Not only could her project be in desperate danger that could put world security at stake, so was she. He suspected if that information became public, a billion dollar price on her head would look like a nice package. Anyone could sell her out.

The ping from Jacqui’s phone suggested a message, and Cade paced waiting for her to answer. He was impatient for the response.

* * * * *

“Rowan, you should at least meet with him,” Jacqui said, “Athena liked him, and Grey let him in here.”

“Oh well, then he’s been thoroughly vetted.” The sarcasm was deliberate. “I’ll meet with him, but that doesn’t mean I’ll do business with him. Tell that to Grey. Understand?”

Jacqui laughed, then lowered her voice to a whisper that Rowan could barely hear over the phone. “Sure, but he’s H-O-T so maybe you can think of something else to do with him if you don’t like the deal.”

“Jacqui? Is he there in the room with you?”

“Uh, yes.”

“Does he speak English?”

“Uh, yeah of course.”

“Oh, my God! I bet he knows how to spell
hot
too—”

“He couldn’t hear me. Relax. I’m across the room from him. The computers are running. Chill.”

“Fine. It’s a business dinner. Make sure he knows that. Business. And no guarantee I’ll be interested in his deal or him. Got that?”

“Got it.”

“What else?” Rowan asked but when Jacqui didn’t answer immediately she said, “Okay, I’ll ask? How H-O-T?”

“Don’t mess this up. If I weren’t a crazy-in-love married woman, well…” Her voice dropped to the low whisper again. “Do not wear granny panties to dinner.”

“If this is a set-up, just tell me now. I’m okay with one date—”

“No, it’s not a
set-up
…though I wish it were. You need it. No, it’s just a good opportunity so don’t say no on principle.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean? I’m open-minded—”

“You are not. You are stubborn and cagey and unwilling to trust without doing a damned background check on everyone you meet. We’re exactly alike. But I want you to be happy…like I am. One day you’ll let someone in and not regret it for one minute. Take a chance.” Jacqui added in that secret voice, “Ditch the bra, too.”

“Whatever. Give him my private number. We’ll make arrangements. No Promises! On anything.” Rowan hung up before her friend offered any more personal advice, then she grinned. What angle was Jacqui Lyles playing? Meet with a guy named Cade James who was interested in a business deal, but who had other potential? Then what?

She and the Omega operative had a past, but if James wasn’t what Jacqui claimed and he was looking for the old teen hacker to run a few system hacks, he was in for a big surprise. The stakes were higher than they used to be. It wasn’t only her life she risked. Suddenly, everyone mattered more. If she was outed for developing the COBRA project, everything and everyone she worked for would be lost. The large tech company she owned in Ireland ran independently, but there were others in her system who also worked on sensitive material. Although she developed all the divisions, Rowan ran another private division from the Netherlands.