Page 9 of Fourth Point Of Contact

She turned back to me and said, “Sorry. There’s still no new information on Vira’s case. I checked.”

“There has to be something. How the hell does a guy like this just fall off the radar?”

“It’s simple. He hides his tracks really, really well.” She turned to Lock. “Is there anything else?”

Lock rolled his eyes and waved her off.

“She’s our best tech and she can’t find anything? How is that possible?”

“I’m guessing he has someone with really good connections.”

“So, that’s it?”

Lock shrugged. “Look, I know it sucks, but she’s safe here. For now, that has to be enough.”

I didn’t like it, but he was right. If there was no new information, there was nothing else we could do.

Spendingtime with Vira was great, but it wasn’t enough. I needed something more, and I wasn’t sure what that was. I didn’t really want a relationship, but I needed more than what Vira was offering. What was wrong with sex and good company without the commitment?

I headed into my house and tossed the keys on the kitchen counter as I made my way to the fridge. Taking out a beer, I looked around my house with the basic interior design and wondered if I needed to add a little something to the space. I’d been in here a year and hadn’t really figured out what was missing.

With a TV and two chairs in the living room, I wasn’t sure what more I could add. I didn’t need a kitchen table since it was just me. And my bedroom furniture was pretty minimal, but that was just my style. Still, the empty white walls needed something to bring the house together.

Grabbing my computer, I searched all over for something to fill the walls. But what did a guy hang up? I didn’t have a woman to impress, nor did I want giant flowers on the walls that would remind me of the allergy commercials. The last thing I needed was to dream about being beaten to death by nature.

“Yo!” FNG shouted as he strode through my front door. “Hey, do you have any spare canes?”

I slowly looked up from my computer, cocking my head at him in confusion. “Canes?”

“Yeah, you know, for walking. I have this new idea for a weapon,” he grinned. “It’s sort of a spinoff of the umbrella. It’s gonna be killer.”

“And you came to me for canes. Because I look like an old man to you?”

“Well…no, but…you never know who has them.”

I had nothing to say to that. “Nope. I’m afraid I’m all out.”

The dejected look on his face was hilarious. “Yeah, that’s what everyone is saying. I guess I can go to Goodwill.”

“Right. Stealing canes from the elderly and the needy. That’s always the way to go.”

“Hey, it’s not stealing. And who says their need is greater than mine?”

“I would guess the doctors who tell them they need extra balance when walking. Then again, your invention of a knife-wielding cane might change the course of history.”

“See? That’s all I’m saying.”

Rolling my eyes, I started scrolling again for something to hang. “Hey, if you lived here, what would you add to it?”

“Like…beer?”

“Decorations.”

He frowned at me. “I’m not following. You want beer decorations?”

“No, maybe a picture.”

“Yeah, I guess that would work. What wall are you thinking of putting it on?”

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