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Marissa turned her attention back to her screens and waited impatiently for Lance to call.

She didn't hear from him for almost five hours.

"Sorry, love. Things were crazy as soon as I got here. Have you figured anything out?"

She blew out a breath. "It looks like some membership files were destroyed. Mine, Jodie's, Holly's, a few others. The malware seemed to hunt those specific files and delete them and then it was programmed to kick the CPU into high gear and overheat the server. Was there something specific to the attack on your building? I tried to get in using the credentials you gave me, but I've been locked out."

Lance was quiet as she spilled everything she'd discovered over the last few hours.

When she finished, he chuckled. "Sounds like you've been chugging the coffee, love. We're still digging through data ourselves, but it looks like most of my research into quantum data storage with diamonds was targeted. Kimberly put everything into total lockdown and that auto rescinded your credentials. I'll get it fixed and give you fresh ones. Until then just keep doing what you're doing. Something doesn't feel right about this."

"You mean there would be a scenario where malicious attacks on your servers would feel right?"

He chuckled. "Enough with the sass out of you, little one. I've gotta get back. I love you."

The call ended and Marissa stared at the phone. Had… Did he just? Her heart felt like it skipped several beats as she replayed the last five seconds of their phone call. "I love you?" Was she ready for that kind of admission again?

She shuddered and went back to her data, but it was hard to concentrate when all she could hear in her mind were those three little words.

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