Zack (In the Company of Snipers Book 3) by Irish Winters Page B

Corps Scout Sniper
     
    Symbols of every branch of the military lined the banner at the bottom of the screen. There was no ‘about me’ page, no links for further information, no tabs for FAQs, and no Facebook, Twitter, or other social network icons. Only two phone numbers, one east coast, the other on the west coast, graced the site. She groaned at what the lack of information undoubtedly meant. Alexander B. Stewart didn’t need to advertise. His clients knew him. And he wasn’t hiring.
    Try as she might, she could not get past The TEAM’s firewall either. Her hacking skills were weak at best, but one failed attempt after another made two things crystal clear. The business could afford an excellent computer programmer, and maybe it wasn’t such a fly-by-night outfit after all. It had to be involved with counter-intelligence somehow. The design of their home page said as much. They were too good. Too secure.
    “What am I going to do?” She pushed away from her kitchen table, angry at that Zack Lennox guy all over again. What did he have to worry about anyway, with his leather bomber jacket and Ray-Bans perched on top of his shaved head like some preppie college boy? He was another privileged kid whose parents probably paid his way; a guy who didn’t have a clue when it came to what really mattered in life. The jerk.
    But...he had rescued the third little girl. He’d risked his life to steal her away from those gangsters. As much as she wanted to dislike Agent Lennox, she couldn’t. Not completely. Her feelings confused her. Why do I hate him? I was so rude. Why couldn’t I at least have been polite?
    The succinct information on the website tantalized. “You guys know something,” Mei muttered to herself. “I know you do. You can get into the ME’s office. You’re rich. You’re–men.”
    Hopelessness dragged its long black fingernails across her weary shoulder blades. Time was running out. She had to get into their office. It was just a matter of how.

    Coffee brewing already? The familiar aroma energized as much as it concerned Zack. If Mr. Coffee was already on and brewing, that meant—
    “You got anything yet?”
    That meant Alex had worked all night after a long cross-country flight. Barely at his desk, Zack turned to face his over-the-top, flaming type-A, and very hyper boss. Not a good way to start what already promised to be a busy day.
    “Morning. Went back to the hospital yesterday to see how she’s doing, and—”
    “How is she?”
    “She might be released today if—”
    “You found her parents yet?”
    Zack shook his head. “Not yet, but—”
    “Where’s David?”
    Zack sighed. There was no sense talking. Alex had too much caffeine in his system to shut up long enough to listen.
    “Here, Boss.” Thank goodness David had come in early. “Mind if we meet in the Sit Room?”
    Alex didn’t answer, just turned on his heel and marched straight to the Situation Room.
    “Watch out,” Zack muttered out the side of his mouth. “He’s already wired.”
    David nodded in agreement. “I called his house. Kelsey said he hasn’t been home yet.”
    “Figures.”
    His hard-charging boss could be a pain in the ass. How did his sweet wife put up with him? As quick as the conference door shut, Alex hit the floor running. As usual, he positioned himself across from them.
    “Let’s get something straight. My first concern is our little girl. She’s our primary mission here. How is she?”
    David took the lead, so Zack let him. Alex and he were the concept of yin and yang personified; one’s calm balancing the other’s lack of it. “Physically, she’s okay. Her name is Chai Yenn. She’s eating, and she’s safe. The hospital released her late yesterday. She’s at Child Services until they can place her with a foster family, which could be as early as today.”
    “But?” Alex leaned forward, his fingers drumming the tabletop.
    “I know it’s out of our control, Alex, it’s just