Page 59 of Digital Desire

Leaning into the retinal scanner, he waited for the machine to beep and grant him access before moving through the automatic door. He’d spent the hour since leaving Aubrey after their fantastic breakfast fixing the bugs that Flowers had left in his systems. He walked past the armoury and the shooting range, carrying down the corridor to Jack’s office at the far end of the building next to the bunk rooms and planning room, helpfully nicknamed Mission Control.

Will tapped on the door and waited for Jack to call come in before opening the solid metal door and entering. The entire building had been designed with security and safety in mind. Concrete walls, steel doors, bulletproof glass as well as a few of Will’s special security tweaks.

His brother looked up from the paperwork that was in piles on his desk and smiled in greeting. “Hey, is it that time already?” he asked looking at the enormous divers watch on his wrist. It was the same one Will had bought him five years ago, which now he came to think about it, he rarely saw Jack without. Will had updated it with his new software, so it now functioned in much the same way as the ones Fortis wore.

“It’s fine. I can wait while you finish up,” Will said taking a seat in the chair opposite and waving his hand at the paperwork.

He hated paperwork, in this day and age, he had no idea why people needed to print anything, but some institutions just did not cope well with change. As Will glanced down at the papers on his brother’s desk, he saw that a few had the royal coat of arms at the top and knew they were contracts from the Palace.

“No, I’m done. Shall we grab something to eat or do you want to head straight over to Fortis for the joint de-brief?”

“I’ve not long eaten,” he said with a grin as he thought again of Aubrey.

“Hmm, judging by that look, I don’t want to know,” Jack replied with a raised eyebrow.

Jack stood, and Will followed suit as they headed out. Jack locked his office, and Will knew nobody else could get in there—not even any of his team. It was part of the contract they had with HRH that Jack was the only one to have eyes on some documents. Walking beside his brother back towards the exit, he heard sounds from the firing range. He looked at his brother in question.

“Alex. He’s been acting weird since he saw Siren. Whoever the hell she is to him, I have no idea.”

“Is he coming to the party tonight?” Will asked.

The idea of a party that included Fortis, Eidolon, and Zenobi was crazy. So many operatives in one room should spell disaster, but it also spelt interesting.

“Yeah, I think so,” Jack answered as they exited the building and walked towards Jack’s black Ford Explorer. He would leave his car here and pick it up tomorrow or maybe the next day depending on his hangover.

“Well, I guess we’ll find out then,” he said as he swung his leg up into the truck.

Jack rolled his eyes. “Great. Just what I need, a team of lovesick puppies like Fortis have.”

Will laughed at his brother. “One day, bro, some woman is gonna take you down so hard you won’t ever see it coming.”

“Not me, I have no use for romantic entanglements. All they do is cloud your judgement and impose restrictions on you,” Jack said with finality.

Will turned in his seat and looked at him. “Wow, some chick did a number on you.”

“Not at all, I’m focused on Eidolon and have no room for anything else. Talking of which, how do you want to play this?”

Will let the change of topic slide, his brother had always been private about things like that, so he would go with the flow. “As far as I’m concerned, nothing changes, except you have to run less past me for financial decisions. I’ve already had papers drawn up making you fifty per cent owner in Eidolon. I guess I can delete the voice changer app on my phone now though,” he said, looking at his phone as a text from Aubrey came through.

Going shopping with Madison. See you later. xx

Can’t wait to see what you buy. Love you. xx

Love you too. xx

Will smiled wide and pocketed his phone as they arrived at Fortis and pulled in beside Zin’s bike.

“So just like that, you’re signing half your business over to me?” Jack asked as he turned off the ignition.

“Yes, there would be no Eidolon without all the contracts you’ve built up. This way you get to run it without answering to me or anyone else. We aren’t boss-employee, we’re partners—brothers.”

“Thank you, Will,” Jack said seriously, his face pensive.

“What?” Will asked knowing his brother was stewing on something.

“I got a call from Mum, she wants us to go over for dinner next week. Dad is home, and she thought it would be nice.”

“I see. Well, we should go for Mum’s sake,” Will finished knowing his brother wouldn’t like it.