Ivy disconnected the call, then instructed Seven and Aria to get what they needed for the rescue.
“We don’t know what we’re going to find. I want enough arsenal to get Byte home and end her threat permanently.”
The three gathered the hardware they’d need, jumped into the car, and drove south to San Antonio. They were an hour away from getting their girl back.
CHAPTEREIGHTEEN
Hunter and Kyle sat in the back seat of an SUV. Was Skylar going to shoot them and dump their bodies? How would their parents know what truly happened?
Kyle, too, was thinking of his parents. Knowing that they’d return from a wonderful vacation to find their sons murdered. He knew he was the reason why all of this was happening. Even though he loved meeting Byte, it had come at a price. He vowed if they did survive this, he’d never hack again.
“I’m not going to kill you, so just relax. I’m a federal agent working undercover. Byte already knows this. I’m going to drop you off at the bus station. Get tickets back home and lay low. Never speak of this again.”
“Won’t Roberto come and look for us when he finds out we’re still alive?” Hunter asked.
“He’ll never find out. Just stay out of trouble, especially stay off chat rooms. No one should ever know about what happened today, not even your parents. It’s imperative that you forget you ever met me, Oscar, or Byte.”
“Okay,” Kyle said begrudgingly. He knew he couldn’t brag to anyone about Byte, but to forget he’d ever met her was like asking a super-fan to forget they met their idol. He wasn’t sure it was even possible, not that he was going to admit that out loud.
“Were you told to kill us?” Hunter asked.
“I was told to take care of you. I’m sure Roberto understood that to mean you were to be killed. However, I’m taking care of you my own way. Roberto will have no reason to doubt or worry about you if you don’t give him one.”
“We won’t,” Hunter stated. “Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me. Byte played a huge role in this too. She knows me by reputation, that immediately put a do not touch warning on you. I don’t need ALIAS on my bad side.”
No way was Hunter going to thank Byte. Her very existence was why they were there. If Kyle hadn’t taken on the challenge of finding her, they wouldn’t have spent the day with a murderer. No, all of this was because of Byte, and if she did make it out alive, he had a few choice words to say to her.
Forty minutes later, Hunter and Kyle stepped out of the car and watched as Skylar drove away. Everyone was acting as if this was an every day occurrence for them. As if it was every day that Byte was hunted. That it was every day that she was kidnapped and forced to transfer illegal dollars to a criminal organization. Or that it was every day that a federal agent drove the getaway car. No way was this an everyday for him, and he prayed to God that they would never see another day like the one they’d just had.
Once they boarded the bus, Kyle filled Hunter in on what Byte had actually done with the money.
“So she had me write a code where the money enters Roberto’s banking account but ten minutes later it reverses itself out. She then had the money, along with his entire banking account, sent to an offshore account that I created for her. I mean, seriously, Hunter, this was some serious hacking. She really is the best out there.”
“Stop idolizing her. She stole his money twice. What’s he going to do when he finds out?”
“He’s not going to kill her. He needs her.”
“But he won’t trust her.”
“Really? He never should’ve trusted her. She’s way smarter than him.”
“And he’s deadlier than she is.”
“Hunter, didn’t you listen to anything she said? Her people are going to come and get her. They are assassins. Oh my God, I can’t believe we won’t meet them.”
“I don’t know who you are anymore. Besides, we did meet them, only their faces were covered.”
“Nah, they didn’t want to hurt us. I don’t think Byte would let them. She’s way too cool. Do you think she’d ever date me… you know in a few years. She’s only eight years older than me. When I’m eighteen, she’ll be like twenty-five.”
“Twenty-six. I think you need to spend more time on your math homework and less time on the computer.”
“Whatever. I’m just saying, it could happen.”
“You think you’d like older women?”
“Shut up.” Kyle laughed and punched his brother’s arm. “I like Byte, not all older women.”