way.
So Jason scrubbed at his face, trying to figure out how to keep his friends from imploding the way he wanted to. "We've been at this for a week. Longer, in truth, but almost a whole week of nothing but this. We've caught a few guys. We've tagged a lot of the higher ups. No matter how this goes, this is a win, and all of you helped, so do not push yourself so hard that you make a mistake, leave a trail, or give them a fucking back door into this network."
"We're good there," Dez promised. "I'm crawling the network on my laptop."
Never mind her desktop, the tablet, or the phone. The woman should've been a cyborg, but she actually looked happier than he'd ever seen her before. Then again, while everyone in the room was tired, they all had a determination he had to respect. Not a damned one of them would quit. It was what made them the top developers and gamers in the country.
"Ok," he said. "But we're tired. No one can deny that. Adam? We need food. Riley? Drinks. Someone get us some music going, and I want it on good speakers, not headsets or laptops. Time to change this up. This convention starts in a few hours and - "
He paused as someone walked up the hall, following Amy. At first, he didn't recognize the woman, but Amy looked a little too serious. This lady was wearing an Everquest shirt, a pair of baggy and ripped jeans, and she looked like she fit into the room perfectly. Her hair was pulled back into a low ponytail, and her dark skin was accented with rather dramatic eyeliner. Yet the moment she was all the way into the War Room, Jason recognized her.
At the front of the room, Bradley cursed softly under his breath, but it was Crysis who knew how to diffuse the situation best. He hurried up to her, wagging his tail, and then sat, waiting to be acknowledged.
"So," Amy said, "one of the hotel employees was happy to escort this woman to us."
"Fucking idiots," Adam grumbled under his breath.
But Jason ignored all of it. "Deputy Assistant Director," he greeted her. "I didn't expect you to come to Vegas."
"Shit," Knock breathed, quickly setting his beer down as he realized who this woman was. "Cade..."
"Just getting this for Murder," Cade mumbled as he passed over a glass filled with an amber liquid.
"Yeah, to go with my other," Murder said, waving him off. "Bro, you seriously need to learn how to break rules better."
And Alex Watt laughed. "I like him. Samir, right?"
"Murder," He corrected. "Never was a fan of my real name. You? Because I get the impression you're about to make this little party really tense."
"Alex," she told the room.
Riley looked at Jason. "This your boss?"
"My boss's boss," Jason clarified. "Let's just say that she's important."
Dez looked her over, making it clear she was judging Alex. "Black woman in power. Nice. You got a stick up your ass? Even know what any of us are talking about in this room?"
Alex just lifted a hand. "Let me start off by giving my good news. Arturo Ganza has admitted to being the person behind the username Ch40Sacid. He was the Kings of Gaming's second in command, but I'm sure you all already knew that. We also have the rest of what our analysts call the leadership, except for Soul Reaper. Currently, one hundred and ninety-two people have been detained and questioned. We have seventy-eight who are facing charges at this moment, and more are coming. This is big, people, and it's all thanks to you."
But no one smiled. None of them cheered. They all just looked at Jason. "That's good news," he said. "Means we're bleeding them dry. The more that get arrested, the greater the chances that someone will flip and give us the piece we need to find Soul Reaper."
"How long?" Psyc asked.
Alex started to answer, but Jason beat her. "Depends on how long they hold out. We can't count on it. So, like I said, we need food, music, and a break. Ms. Watt is fine, and she could be an asset for us. Cutting the red tape, if nothing else."
"I'll have food sent up," Adam said.
"Tequila!" Riley called out.
And the rest of the room went right back to what they'd been doing as if this woman's presence didn't bother them at all. Jason just gestured back to the living room, encouraging Alex to