Page 58 of Hack
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Archer watched Carter work, amazed at how much information he was able to get. He shouldn't have been too shocked since he'd worked with the FBI and knew what tech there was out there to assist the government in finding information, but he was stunned that Carter had access to it all and knew exactly how to use it.
No wonder his team was able to do what they did.
Thinking about the team, Archer glanced over, still uncomfortable being in the house, but glad he'd come along to see everything Carter found.
"He'll be like that for hours. Nothing will get through to him." Trenton smiled at Archer. "You might as well plan on being here for a while."
Archer nodded, taking in the way Carter didn't even seem to realize they were talking about him. He had tunnel vision as he worked through the cameras and the images he was printing.
Matt stood. "It's a good chance for you to come out and get to know everyone here. There isn't anything you can do to help him, and by making peace with the team now, it might save Carter an ass kicking from my husband later." Matt held up his phone. "He's still bitching about the rules."
Archer sighed. "I didn't mean to cause any problems."
"You didn't. He did." Matt pointed to Carter. "He knew better, but in his defense, he's not the first to do this. The circumstances were different, and he's still going to have to deal with some shit for bringing you here, but it will work out. Come on out and get something to drink. He's going to forget we all exist for the next few hours. Once he starts this, he doesn't stop until he's done."
Trenton nodded. "I'll order pizza or something since I get the feeling we're all going to be here late."
"Oh, get it from that place you did last time. The stuffed spinach crust," Matt said as he started for the door.
Unsure what to do, Archer stood and followed them. A glance at Carter told them what they said was true. Carter had no clue where he was, who was in the room with him, or what day it was. His entire focus was on that site, and he had no doubt it would be until he had gathered every bit of information he could. "Shouldn't I help him somehow?" Archer asked as they walked down the hallway.
"There's nothing he'll let you do. This is when he is lost in himself and his control issues show up. He doesn't trust anyone else. In time, he'll pass some of the information to us to handle, but not until he's done the initial work. This case is personal, so I'm guessing that he's going to be even less likely to ask for help," Trenton told him as they walked into the living room.
Archer paused, looking around the room at the people there. He remembered Faith's name, and her father, Xander, Bryon, but he couldn't recall any of the others, even the two he'd just met in the computer room. "Is it better if I leave? I can come back and pick him up when he's done." He looked at the group, feeling as if they were trying to decide how to kill him.
"No, you can stay. You're already here, and Carter said you know everything, so you might as well get comfortable while we get to know you and find out exactly why Carter felt he could trust you with something that he isn't supposed to tell anyone." Bryon was in a large recliner. "Have a seat." He gestured to a free chair beside the long couch where Faith, Xander, and another woman sat.
"I'm ordering pizza. Any special requests?" Trenton asked.
Archer sat down while they discussed pizza. He didn't care what they got. He was more worried about getting out of this alive. It scared him that the only one of the group that didn't look as if they wanted him dead was the girl who looked to be about sixteen years old. Then again, the way she'd handled Xander, telling him to back off, maybe she was the only one he needed on his side.
"So, what's he up to? All we knew was he was working on something personal. Now you suddenly show up with him and he claims he's found Angel's killer. There's something he hasn't told us." Xander leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees as he stared at him.
Archer hated being in this position, but as uncomfortable as he was, he wasn't going to let anyone push him around. "It's not my story to tell. You'll need to talk to him about everything. I don't know what he wants people to know and what he doesn't."
"Bullshit. He brings you in here and puts us all in danger, he owes us something." Xander glared.
"Maybe, but as you said, he owes you something. Not me. He's the one who broke your rules. All I did was come with him at his request." He met Xander's stare with his own hard look. "You have a problem with me here, I'll leave, but I won't get in the middle of whatever is going on with him and this group. He made his choices for his own reasons, and you'll have to ask him what those reasons are."
Matt shrugged. "Got to admire his loyalty."
"They're fucking," the other girl on the couch said.
Archer raised a brow at her.
She shrugged. "You were holding hands before. Carter doesn't do that with anyone, not even us. Something is going on between you two. Besides, Carter isn't going to risk the team for just anyone. Either you've earned his trust or the situation is desperate. I say it's trust, because no matter how desperate things got, Carter wouldn't endanger us or what we do."
"Becca's right. This isn't how Carter acts, even if he's dealing with his daughter's case. So, did he tell you everything about the team? About what we do and how?" Bryon asked him.
Archer sat back, trying to figure out what to say and how much to tell them. "I know what you do. As for the hows, I know the basics, but I'm not going to begin to try and figure it all out. I know what you do when you go into a place, I know you save kids and you stop the abusers. That's all I want to know. The rest isn't important. For some reason, Carter felt the need to tell me, and honestly, the way it happened, I wasn't about to be upset he was opening up about things. I'm not going to invade his privacy by telling all of you what's going on with him, but I will say that everything he told me will be kept in confidence. He planned to talk to you all about me, let you know he'd told me, but when things happened and we needed information, I'm guessing he felt it was worth the risk of bringing me here with him. I respect that. I've put in a lot of time working on this case, and even though I would have stayed away if he asked, I would have been hurt. I want this asshole almost as much as he does."
"Did you lose someone?" Faith asked softly.
Archer shook his head. "I worked the case when I was with the FBI many years ago. I've never been able to let it go. There was something about it that just changed me."
Faith nodded.
