Page 181 of Soul So Dark

“That’s different,” he snaps.

“Because people who actually care about the earth and living things can’t be corrupted that easily, right?” He forgets that it doesn’t matter how long we’ve been apart, I can still read him better than his own family can. “Security and law enforcement aren’t the same, just like the military and law enforcement aren’t the same.

“Potato, po-tah-to,” he drawls with disdain. “Just a pig by a different name.”

Now, he’s just being a dick. But I’m in no mood to listen to him wallow in his asinine self-pity.

“Look, I don’t know what happened to you, and one day you might tell me, but in the meantime, I know you won’t be satisfied sitting in solitude on some mountaintop while life goes on for everyone else back here. And I do mean, foreveryone else,” I lower my voice, “like nothing ever fucking happened.”

That one lights a fire under his ass.

“Don’t youfuckingtell me what everyone else is doing while I’m here!Where wereyoutwo years ago?Not fucking here!I thought you were coming back, but you didn’t, and then you go anddie!I couldn’t handle it if you—” He cuts himself off, the rage taking hold again. “You don’t know what I went through, Alex—what I still go through!”

“No, I don’t,” I rasp into the speaker. “But I knowyou,Col, and you’re not escaping anything. Forget the titles and your preconceived notions. Everyone has an agenda and alliances can change by the day, and that’s true here just as much as it is in a war zone. It all depends on the end goal, and you need to figure out yours and get your head in the game—” split-second decision, “before your other sister walks into the woods and never comes out.”

I end the call before Colson can respond and storm back down the hallway. Maybe it was low, but so was him acting like spending four years as property of the United States government and another two as property of the highest bidder was some kind of slight against him. But if he wants to try and beat my ass again, he can drag himself down here from Alaska…Canada…wherever, and try.

I figure that, in the meantime, while Colson contemplates the seed I’ve planted, I can get back to my supervisory duties. The long walk to the other end of the building allows enough time for my heartrate to level out to a point where I’m not about to put my fist through a wall.

April’s busy squinting at her monitor when my dark figure eclipses her doorway.

As soon as she senses my presence, she flinches and her eyes round in surprise. “Alex!”

“April, you’re killing me.” I take a seat in the chair next to her desk. “Have you even been screening these people for qualifications?”

“Of course, I have! Well—” she cuts herself off, “the application I sent you this morning was more of afavor,if you know what I mean. Have they been that bad, though? If it’s the firearms training, we can schedule that ASAP. Otherwise, the access training’s not so bad, right? I mean, Dave had to add an insider threat module because—” she bows her head and lowers her voice, “because of whathappened…”

“April,” I smirk, “youarethe insider threat if you keep sending me all these losers.”

“Alex Barrera!” she gasps, pursing her crimson lips. “Does this mean that Brad Harrison’s son won’t work out?”

“Forget about him, we’re moving on,” I say with a wave of my hand. “I have the perfect man for the job. The only thing is, he’s in Canada right now. I need some time to get him down here and we can lay all this to rest.”

“Youhave another one for me? What are you trying to do, put me out of a job?”

“Never,” I grin. “I just know where to find the good ones.”

“We'll see,” she looks me up and down, “I just sent the offer to the candidate for the internship. If that pans out, then Imightbelieve you.”

“How long can you give me?”

“The post closes next week, but I anticipate having to post it again, especially if you’re being particularly selective.” She shoots me a knowing look. “And Eric said he needs more manpower anyway. A skeleton crew's not going to cut it.”

Perfect. After thanking April and making her promise not to send any more candidates whose only credential is their high score inGrand Theft Auto, I head back to the command center to resume my day. I’ll convince Colson to come back, eventually, but I’ll let him sit with my offer for now. I have time, and that’s all that matters. I still have more important tasks to complete on a deadline, one of which is fast approaching.

I run through my mental checklist as I cross the front lobby, with its sleek stone façade and wall of windows reflecting the morning sun.Less than a month from now,I think to myself. In less than a month, Dallas Lutz will be undermyroof and walkingmyhalls where I can watch her much more closely.

Less than a month from now,I think to myself as I glance at the wall above the front desk, at the thick, angular black lettering beneath the Wolfsson logo.

???

I’m still not a stalker, I swear.

I just need to make sure Dallas is safe, and the only way to do that is to check on her physical whereabouts at strategic times throughout the day. Even with the GPS on Bowen’s truck, I’m not going a whole day without putting my eyes on her. Besides, I’ve been gone for six fucking years, she’d better be alright with me staring at her in rapture for the next 90 of them.

She should be leaving work soon, which is fortunate because I’m starving. I’m considering walking inside and ordering something. I’m sure they serve food here just like that other place where she downed 22 chicken wings in five minutes and became their wing queen. But I’m sure if I did, she’d recognize me immediately. So, in the meantime, I open my mail.

A few envelopes, mostly garbage, sit underneath a white bubble mailer folded tightly and securely taped shut. I flip open my knife and slit the tape before tearing open the flap. After slicing open another ball of bubble wrap, I find the tiny object I’m looking for. Encased in plastic and mounted in the middle of a square, unmarked piece of cardboard, it looks like a tiny button cell battery, but it’s so much more than that.