Page 40 of Reckless Consequences

“Correct. Problematic contradiction.” She frowns around lollipop. “Solution requires precise timing. Blocker effectiveness approximately five days from initial dose. Genetic markers begin resurfacing after hour one-hundred-fourteen.”

Finn leans forward, eyes sharpening with interest. The movement triggers another round of subtle pack adjustments—Theo’s hand steadying his elbow, Jinx moving closer, Ryker shifting to support Finn’s weight if needed. When Finn shivers, I find myself pulling off my sweater and wrapping it around his shoulders without even thinking about it.

“So we’d have a window of approximately six hours,” he says, voice steadier than his scent. “The blockers would be weak enough to allow biometric recognition but not strong enough for Sterling’s tracking system to detect.”

“Precisely!” Mona beams.

Ryker’s hand settles on my shoulder, his fingers digging in slightly. “That’s cutting it dangerously close.”

“All operations have risk,” Mona shrugs. “This approach provides 76.3% success probability. Alternative approaches all below 42.8%.”

“I don’t like those odds,” Jinx growls.

The temperature around him seems to drop as his scent sharpens with aggression. Theo moves closer to him, touching his arm lightly. The contact makes Jinx’s jaw unclench, though the dangerous light in his eyes doesn’t dim.

A laugh bubbles out of me, unexpected and slightly manic. “Since when have any of us played it safe?”

Ryker gives me a look that’s equal parts exasperation and grudging agreement. His thumb brushes against my claiming bite, the touch sending warmth cascading down my spine. My racing pulse slows, matching his steadier rhythm without conscious effort.

“Let’s hear the full plan,” he concedes.

For the next hour, we dissect the Aurora Facility through Mona’s intel—security rotations, blind spots, emergency protocols. The picture emerges of a fortress designed by someone with unlimited resources and profound paranoia, but with just enough flaws to make infiltration possible.

Finn’s contributions remain razor-sharp despite the strain. When he coughs again, Theo brings him tea that smells of mint. The scent cuts through the medicine smell clinging to his rain-washed stone.

Jinx drapes a blanket around his shoulders without pausing his explanation of explosives. Ryker turns up the thermostat. I scoot my chair closer, feeling like a human space heater.

As planning intensifies, everyone settles into roles. Ryker and Jinx circle the room’s edges. Theo quietly supplies water and snacks. Finn sorts information, fingers never still.

I bounce between screens, half-tracking exits, half-analyzing data.

“Primary production facility on sublevel three,” Mona continues, rotating a 3D rendering. “Containment protocols for viral agents exceed normal standards.”

“We don’t need to breach containment,” Finn points out, studying the schematic. His hands tremble slightly as he traces potential entry routes, and Jinx steadies his wrist without comment. “Just destroy the production equipment and research data.”

“Specific charges for maximum cascading failure,” Mona agrees.

Jinx’s eyes light up with unholy glee. “Now we’re talking my language.”

“Secondary objective: central database,” Mona continues. “Located sublevel five. Physical access required for complete data extraction.”

“That’s where I come in,” I say, already mentally mapping the hack. “Download everything, then corrupt beyond recovery.”

Ryker hesitates, glancing at Finn. “Given your condition, maybe you should coordinate from Omega Guardians with Mona. Remote guidance?—”

“No.” Finn’s voice is quiet but firm, his rain-washed stone scent sharpening with determination. “I need to be on-site. Sterling’s database architecture is adaptive—it shifts configurations to prevent external breaches.”

“The risk—” Ryker begins.

“Is calculated. I’ve assessed it.” Finn straightens in his chair, strength returning to his posture despite the slight tremor in his hands. “Cayenne will need me there. The database architecture will likely have pattern-recognition security that responds to hacking attempts. I can identify the underlying algorithms while she works.”

Theo’s protective instincts flare, vanilla scent intensifying. “Finn, you’re still recovering?—”

“I’m well enough for this,” he insists. “My mind is clear, even if my body isn’t at full strength yet. And nowhere is completely safe anyway. If Sterling finds the cabin or Omega Guardians...”

The logic is unassailable. Ryker’s jaw tightens, but after a moment, he nods reluctantly.

“We’ll need your analytical skills there, Finn,” he concedes. “The database architecture will require your pattern recognition alongside Cayenne’s hacking abilities.”

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