Secret Obsession (Carder Texas Connections #6)(24)

And here she was, in his arms, but he couldn’t let himself care now, either.

Noah stepped away from her, but not before he caught the sad look in her eyes. Almost without thinking, he cupped her cheek. Neither of them moved. His heart thudded against his chest and he could barely breathe. Her emerald eyes held him captive, as did her tear-laced lashes. She leaned into his touch for just a moment. Awareness flickered between them. She blinked and cleared her throat. For a moment he wasn’t sure if he’d imagined the spark.

She backed away, then fiddled with that duffel, and her gun. Her hands shook a bit.

“Lyssa?”

“Please go,” she said, her voice husky, her body’s posture screaming at him to leave.

She was right. Getting involved would lead to nothing but distractions and disaster.

He backed away. “Guess I’ll get back to the search. If you need anything—”

“You have until tomorrow,” Lyssa interrupted softly. “I need something concrete from your team in twenty-four hours or we do things my way.” She cut him a quick glance over her shoulder before setting her shotgun on the bed. “I have no choice.”

In other words, back to Chicago, back to placing a giant target on her back. She’d told him more than he wanted to know. She had no faith in him, and she was willing to die to catch Archimedes.

Well, he wouldn’t let her.

Noah shut the door on her and stalked into the living room. Zane looked up, speculation on his face.

“She’s given us one day. Then she’s going back to Chicago to wait him out.”

“Damn,” Rafe muttered.

“I like her,” Zane said.

Noah rounded on Zane then caught the gleam in the man’s eye.

“I thought so,” Zane said. “You gonna be able to stay focused, Noah?”

He let a curse fly at them and riffled through the files. There had to be something he was missing. Some clue to this guy’s identity.

Beethoven’s Fifth sounded from Noah’s phone. He grabbed the cell. “What’s wrong, Dad?”

He ignored his friends’ shocked expressions.

“Noah,” Paul Bradford’s voice came through the receiver. “Are you safe?”

“I’m fine.”

His father let out a relieved sigh. “Thank God.”

“What are you talking about?” Noah asked, perplexed.

His phone beeped again.

His chief operating officer’s number popped onto the screen, along with a 911 code. What the hell was going on?

“Hold on, Dad.” He put his father on hold. “Bradford.”

A fit of coughing sounded through the phone. “We got problems, Noah. Maybe terrorism. Someone tried to gas everyone in the building. Something went through the ventilation system. Dozens of people heading to the hospital. A few are in critical condition. Reporters are everywhere.”

Noah raced over to the television and flipped it to a national news channel. He stared at the screen. A helicopter flew over an all-too-familiar building.

“Are you okay, Crystal?”

“I’ll survive.” His old math teacher’s hacking through the phone told Noah otherwise.

“Get to the hospital. I’m sending some security personnel to help you.” Noah nodded at Rafe, who picked up the phone. Within minutes, Ransom would send a couple of CTC operatives to get things under control.

“We need you here, Noah,” Crystal said, her voice fading. “Where are you?”

“I’m getting someone out there, Crystal. I...” His voice trailed off. Damn it. They needed him. He stared at the closed bedroom door. So did Lyssa.

He shoved his hand through his hair. “Get to the doctor, Crystal. Help is on its way. I’ll call you back.”

Noah’s arm fell to his side. Chaotic images flashed on the screen. A flood of people fled the manufacturing plant in Silicon Valley like a stampede. His people.

Police, fire engines, paramedics, ambulances, hazmat trucks and a bevy of flashing lights filled the parking lots surrounding Dreamcatcher Technologies, Inc.

The corporation had become synonymous with innovative and affordable surveillance and encryption hardware and software. His company. His dream. His friends and colleagues.

“Noah? Noah!”

His father’s voice shouted through the phone’s receiver. Noah lifted the device to his ear. “I’m here, Dad. I’m watching the news. I’m okay.”

“Thank God. Where are you?”

“Not where I should be,” Noah said quietly.

“Noah Bradford, president and CEO, could not be reached for comment,” a faceless newscaster droned. “Hospitals have been overrun with patients. No word on the cause of the explosion.”

“Yeah, like you even tried.” Noah scowled at the television screen.

“Crystal Lawson, COO, indicated that Homeland Security and the FBI had been contacted. In the meantime, federal, state and local authorities have been notified. Areas surrounding the Dreamcatcher plant have been evacuated. Terrorism has not been ruled out.”

The camera panned the sky.

Noah stilled.

A huge black symbol had been painted on the roof of the building.

Infinity.

“Archimedes,” he said gnashing his teeth together. He met Rafe’s and Zane’s gazes. “Dad, I want you to listen carefully to me. Get out of your house. Contact everyone. The whole family needs to disappear for a while.”