Page 47 of Hard Wired

Sylvie tapped a few keys on her laptop, cycling through windows to check for updates from her hactivist friends. “We don’t know if Dominic is working with his uncle or against him. But the Russian hackers—whoever’s really in control of them—still have that back door into Dominic’s network.”

Which could give Bennett Security a potential way in.

“Do you think our other clients are vulnerable, too?” Max asked. “If these Syndicate hackers have broken into Crane’s system?”

“It doesn’t work like that. They may be able to control the security system at Crane’s house to some extent, but they can’t access my encrypted code and use it against our other clients. But if they truly want to come after us, they’re not going to stop. There will be more attempts. Ones I might not see coming.”

No matter what was happening with Dominic and his uncle, Bennett Security could still be at risk.

“Then what do we do?”

“I’m trying to get to that, boss. If you’ll let me?”

Max held up his hands. Lana smirked.

“Here’s my point. Their back door into Crane’s network could also give me a way to get to them. A door swings both ways if you can forgive the clunky metaphor. I could send my own malware to them. A rootkit will get me access to their system, which I’ll bundle with a payload to get whatever we want. Their keystrokes, screenshots, their communications with the Syndicate. The list is pretty endless.”

Max stood up, stress ball still creaking in his grip. “You’re saying you could go on the offensive. I like it.”

Lana was grimacing. “Here’s where I should probably tell you to contact the federal government. They’ll want to be involved. The DA will also want to know why he wasn’t informed.”

Sylvie understood exactly what Lana wasn’t saying. “So, we might want to stop discussing this in front of you?”

Because there was no way she’d invite the Feds to their party. They wouldn’t give a shit about Bennett Security’s interests. Sylvie wanted to protect her employer on her terms, using all the tools at her disposal. Legal and not so legal.

Lana got up. “I have another appointment anyway.” She kissed Max on the cheek. “See you at home?”

Max waited until his girlfriend was gone. Then he leaned his hands against the table, a calculating expression on his face.

“How do we get this malware of yours to the Syndicate’s hackers?”

“I have to write it first.” But that would be the easy part. “Then I’ll have to upload it onto Dominic Crane’s computer.”

“Can you do that remotely?”

“Maybe, but I’ll have way more options if I do it in person.”

Max sighed, closing his eyes. “I knew this plan sounded a little too easy.”

“Don’t pull the ‘overprotective Max Bennett’ routine on me. It’s so tired.”

“But the last time you went to Crane’s house, gunmen showed up and the SWAT team got called in. You could’ve been hurt or killed. What about one of our bodyguards? If all they have to do is plug something into a computer, even a knucklehead like Tanner could handle it. Right?”

“It’s nowhere near that simple. And Crane… It won’t seem that strange to him if I go back there.”

Max fixed her with a scrutinizing glare. “Why is that?”

“He thought he could manipulate me. I can manipulate him right back.” She wasn’t going to confess any more than that.

“All right. If you truly want to do this and there’s no other way, then we’ll use your plan. But I’m going to send a bodyguard with you. That is nonnegotiable.”

“I agree. That’s a good idea.” She’d bring Tanner with her. After what happened during her last visit, Crane wouldn’t think too much of it. And she knew Tanner would agree to keep a respectful distance and not get too nosy.

“And I’m going to assign a detail to keep Crane’s residence under surveillance. If anybody starts rolling on that house while you’re anywhere near, I want our people there protecting you. But I’ll tell them to keep a wide perimeter, so they don’t trip any alarms—either with Crane or the Syndicate.”

“No arguments here. I can’t let Crane suspect what I’m really doing.”

“Then what are you going to tell him? Checking up on his security system isn’t going to get you very far. Don’t you think?”

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