Rising (Anderson Special Ops #2) - Melody Anne Page 0,92

into all of Damien’s electronics. While it’s not like a normal malware that destroys pieces of its host, or other hosts that connect to the first host, it does go out there and collects very specific types of information.”

“I’m going to pretend to know what you’re talking about,” Chad said with a smile. Of all the men there he knew the least about electronics. He’d always been the brute force man in the military, and while he could assemble and disassemble any gun set before him in a quarter of the time of most men, when a computer was put before him, his mind went into panic mode. He had zero desire to learn how to operate in the back programs. “How’s it working, and what information have you gathered?” Chad finished.

“It gave us a lot of data I’m working through now. Extrapolating it will take a good portion of the day but, let me tell you, from the little points I’ve been able to review, it makes me want to dig even deeper. There might be more to this with Damien than we expected,” Brackish said as he looked at each man.

“Shit,” Chad involuntarily let out. He’d been hoping the initial findings on Damien had been a fluke, and nothing would be found on one of the Anderson family members. Hearing Brackish say there was more to look into was a punch in the gut. His mind went to his conversation with Joseph, and he wasn’t at all excited about telling Joseph there was a good chance his nephew had turned crooked.

Of course, Damien hadn’t been raised with the Andersons, and he’d had a rough life. It wasn’t beyond the scope he’d do something like this. Even though he’d grown up in a horrific environment, Damien had still managed to make a lot of money and rise to the top of the pyramid in a relatively short time. Had he been crooked all along? It wasn’t something Chad wanted to face. Joseph wouldn’t take it well, none of the family would.

“I’m going to be hitting this hard today,” Brackish said to no one in particular, his focus returning to the monitor in front of him.

“That’s not the only thing you’ve been hitting hard,” Smoke said, a silkie-smooth smile following the last word.

Brackish laughed. “You guys need to get a life if you’re so bored you have to focus on mine. I feel sorry for you.” It felt good to be as happy as he was. He wasn’t embarrassed about his relationship — to the contrary, he was ecstatic. If he’d known a relationship could give him so much, he might’ve tried one long ago. He was glad he hadn’t because then he never would’ve met Erin.

Chad laughed hard, making all of the men turn his way.

“What is it?” Eyes asked.

“Joseph should be proud of himself; it looks like he did it again.”

“Did what again?” Green asked.

“He loves to be a matchmaker. My wife and I were total victims of his interference in getting together. I couldn’t even be mad at Joseph, though, because Bree’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me.

“He’s not going to try to match all of us, is he?” Smoke asked in horror, his grin fading as quickly as it had come.

Chad laughed again, so hard it hurt his stomach. “Smoke, if you could see your face right now, you’d be laughing too,” Chad said. “You look as if someone has just run over your dog, cat, and hamster, and then burned down your house.” He stopped for a second, then looked Smoke dead in the eyes. “I guarantee Joseph will find something up his sleeve for each and every one of you. Your on his team now, and anyone in his circle is subject to his matchmaking ways.”

It took a few seconds for the sick feeling to fade from Smoke’s face. But then he squared his shoulders and held Chad’s gaze. “He can try but I’m named Smoke for a reason. I’m crafty, fast, and uncatchable — and an old man won’t corner me.”

The whole table laughed again.

“Okay, this has been fun, but we still have work to do,” Chad told them. “The sooner we get the information portion of this meeting over, the sooner we get to the action part.” Chad then went around the table asking for updates.

Chad was amused with Green’s musings of his boss at the docks. Green was set up as a junior manager of the dock warehouse. It