Page 52 of Cyn
Behind her, Nora sighed. “I have to do something. I can’t just sit here. I’m going to start looking at some popular public spaces in Boston to see if I can at least weed some out. I know it’s grunt work and probably not likely to yield anything, but like I said, at least it will keep my mind from wandering down all the dark and twisted places it will go when I think about the amount and types of ammo those young men have.”
“And the list of chemicals,” Devil added.
“Yes, let’s not forget the list of chemicals. In the hands of those three children, god knows what kind of damage they might do,” Six chimed in, her tone wry. “You should have brought the puppies over.”
The comment made Cyn smile. Nora’s menagerie had helped keep them sane on more than one occasion. And Six was right, puppies were the best at the job, although kittens came in a close second.
“Two weeks,” Nora said. “Then they’ll be ready to be around more company. Which doesn’t help us now, but feel free to run home and get Tulah.”
Six sighed as Nora booted up her computer. “She’s home mothering the puppies, isn’t she?” Tulah was not that much different from Nora and she liked to watch over and care for those she deemed in her protection. Over the years, she’d fostered many a litter of puppies. And kittens. And chickens, come to think of it.
“She is. But she did get a break last night when she came over here with me,” Nora answered.
“You mean when you came to bandage Cyn’s stab wound that she got after leaping across rooftops in the dead of winter?” Devil asked, though no one needed the clarification.
“Oh, look, the email from Lucy came in,” Cyn said, interrupting any jaunts down “Tease Cyn Lane.” Lucy’s timing couldn’t have been better if they planned it. Cyn clicked on the message but didn’t read it as Joe also picked that moment to rejoin the group.
All four women looked at him when he stepped into the office. His gaze swept over each of them, but this time, instead of being a little nonplussed at their scrutiny, he seemed to look at each as if to check in on them. Then once he assured himself that they were all in the room and all safe, he spoke. “Beni called, and they’re hearing chatter about something on Martin Luther King Jr. day. But it’s in New York, not Boston.” He came to stand beside her as he spoke, and his attention lingered on the email she’d left open before coming to rest on her. His eyes reflected the same concern she now felt. If something was going to happen on MLK day, they had less than two days to figure it out. And not only that, but they’d more or less be doing it on their own because the intelligence the FBI was relying on pointed them somewhere else.
“Did she share what the chatter was?” Cyn asked.
“The target is, possibly, a public gathering of some sort,” Joe answered.
Devil snorted. Well, not really snorted, since Devil wouldn’t deign to such a reaction, but she did scoff. “I’m shocked that a terrorist group would pick a public gathering to target.”
Everyone looked at her. Her sarcasm wasn’t helpful, but she didn’t back down. “You know I’m right. The information they shared with Joe is about as meaningful as a serial killer profile that identifies the killer as a white male between the ages of twenty-five and forty with mommy issues. Why even bother?” She shrugged when she finished speaking.
“At least they confirmed some chatter,” Nora said.
“About New York,” Six pointed out. “We have a potential date, sure, but we have nothing that can actually help us stop whatever Waters, Harrow, and Persons are planning.”
Devil shot them all a that’s-what-I’m-saying look.
“Beni said the date was cropping up more often than the location,” Joe said. “Her team is, of course, continuing to look into all threats, but she isn’t convinced the intel is legit.”
“Perhaps they aren’t looking in the right places,” Nora said, nodding to Cyn’s computer. “I know how good Beni is, but I also know she’s stifled by the structure of the FBI. We’re not. Assuming Lucy signed off on your security, why don’t you start digging into what she sent. Maybe we can find out what Waters, Persons, and Harrow are planning, but also if there’s truth to the New York chatter. I don’t think we can or should rule out a coordinated attack.”
Well, fuck, that was a whole new way to look at things. Nora was right to point out that they might not be working alone. And a coordinated attack would make a powerful statement.
“Right,” Cyn said, turning back to her computer. Scanning the email from Lucy, who provided details on a few upgrades she’d made, Cyn confirmed that she had the green light to go ahead and start poking around in some of the ugliest chat rooms and message boards she knew of. “Lucy’s given me the all clear. Are you ready?” she asked Joe.
He nodded and took a seat beside her as she handed him the fictional dossier. They’d both gone over the file a few times, but having it in front of him would ensure they didn’t miss any details.
“I think I’ll take my research into possible targets back to my house,” Nora said, picking up her laptop.
“I’ll come with you,” Six said. “I don’t want to sit around my house on my own.”
Nora nodded, then looked to Devil, who shook her head. “I have a few things I want to look into at home. We can all touch base later?”
Everyone agreed, then minutes later, she and Joe were alone in the quiet of her office. She looked at the link for the first site Lucy had sent, then glanced at Joe. “Ready?”
He gave a sharp nod. “Let’s find out what these assholes are really up to.”
* * *
“Another bust,” Joe said as Cyn minimized yet another window. They’d been trolling around that particular site for the past thirty minutes, but like the other three they’d visited, no one seemed to recognize her handle,JimKracker. None of the other participants had welcomed “Jim” back or asked about his absence. Nor had they run across the names of any ofJimKracker’s“friends”—names Lucy had provided in the file.
“One more before we break for dinner?” he asked.
