Reach For the Spy Read Online Free PDF Page B

time. She needs to work up
here.”
    “I repeat, absolutely
not,” Stemp snapped. “The risk is too great. If anything happens to
that network key, we lose everything.”
    He turned to me, and I
caught the almost-imperceptible glint of triumph in his snake-like
eyes. “You will have to learn to tolerate working in the secured
facility.”

Chapter 6
    I forced my rigid body
to turn and walk out of Stemp’s office. Fury suffused me, but I
kept my hands loose and relaxed my shoulders while I walked down
the hall and into the pleasant office that had been mine for a few
short minutes. I lowered myself onto the sofa and stared into
middle distance.
    “Aydan?” Spider tapped
timidly on the door frame.
    I focused on his face
and he ducked his head as if expecting me to yell at him. I
concentrated for a moment on my facial expression, but I was pretty
sure I wasn’t glaring at him.
    “What?” I was proud
that my voice was even.
    “Are you okay?”
    “Yeah. Come on in.”
    He sidled through the
door and lowered himself into a chair. A few seconds later, Kane
stuck his head in the doorway. He scanned the pair of us before
entering the room, closing the door behind him. He strode to the
other chair and sat.
    If I hadn’t known him,
I might have thought he hadn’t a care in the world. His body
language was open and relaxed, his face composed, but I could read
anger in the flinty grey of his eyes.
    “I’m sorry,” he said
evenly. “It seems there’s to be no negotiation on this.”
    “Can’t you talk to
Briggs?” Spider exploded. “Couldn’t we...”
    “Don’t worry about it,”
I told him. “I’ll deal with it.”
    “But...”
    I sighed and rolled my
tense shoulders. “I hate to admit it, but I have to agree with
Stemp. If I was him, I wouldn’t let that network key aboveground,
either.”
    “But... it’s not fair.
How can he expect you to do that? You can’t even stand to be down
there for a few minutes!” Spider’s eyes were dark with
distress.
    I stood up. “I’ll
manage. When I’m in the network, it won’t matter anyway. I was tied
up hand and foot last week, and I managed to get through it. I can
get through a few minutes in an underground bunker until my
consciousness goes into the network. Once I’m in the network, I can
make all the open space I need.”
    I squeezed his
shoulder. “Come on. Let’s go down and get to work.” I headed for
the door before I could change my mind.
    Back in Spider’s
underground lab, I controlled my breathing with an effort. “Do you
have the signalling device?” I asked Kane.
    He nodded reassurance.
“Right here.”
    “Good. I’d hate to be
hanging around in the network not knowing there’s a fire alarm
blaring in real life.” I tried to make a joke of it, but it didn’t
come out sounding funny at all.
    Kane reached for my
hand and squeezed it gently. “Don’t worry. I have the signalling
device, and Webb’s going to be in the network with you anyway.
Between the two of us, we’ll make sure you get out if you have
to.”
    “Thanks,” I said
awkwardly. “I’m sorry I’m being such a chickenshit about this.”
    “You’re not.”
    I stepped quickly into
the virtual void of the network and immediately created a
simulation. By the time Spider’s avatar popped into existence
beside me, we were standing on a mountain peak. Far below us, a
glittering lake reflected the vividly blue sky. Across the deep
valley, a range of mountains marched into the misty distance.
Echoing silence surrounded us, underscored by the constant whisper
of the breeze sifting through the stunted spruce trees.
    “Wow!” He turned in a
circle, gaping. “This is amazing! I’ve never seen a sim with so
much detail. And it’s so realistic! I can even smell the pine
trees.”
    “They’re spruce,” I
ribbed him.
    “Picky, picky. Is this
a real place?”
    “Yeah. Mount
Indefatigable, in Kananaskis Country. This trail is closed now. Too
many grizzly bears. Which I’ve