Page 133 of Now Until Forever
Her mom’s expression shuttered. “I’m thinking about it.”
Her dad cast a knowing look Eliana’s way. Whatever the answer would be, her father would be where he always was. By her mother’s side.
Eliana said, “I know I’m repeating myself. But thanks for coming here.”
They’d worked a case of their own in the past few months, nearly faced the worst moment of their lives, and pulled through. The killer was behind bars now. Justice had been served.
A different kind of justice had ended Lydia Rosenberg. Patience, the Mother of the Reverence Sisters, would be on trialsoon enough, and facing conviction—life in prison—for what she’d done.
Days later, the protesters would be back in front of the Shrine.
Life would continue.
But they weren’t the same. Recent experiences had changed all of them. Eliana could never have anticipated the ways she’d grown. And if she’d been told that she would feel more like the child of Kenna Banbury and Oliver Jaxton now than she had even just a few weeks ago, she probably wouldn’t have believed it.
But she knew better now who she was.
She’d faced her destiny and made a choice.
“No need to thank us,” Mom said. “As long as it’s all over and things can go back to normal. Then I won’t be lying awake at night wondering what’s happening to you.”
“Until you get a case,” Eliana pointed out. “Then you’ll be busy working.”
“If I need help solving it, I’ll give you a call.”
Eliana grinned. “I’d like that.”
Her parents pulled her close for another hug, and Eliana watched them until they left through the front entrance.
Sylvia came over, a guarded look on her face. “Everything all right?”
Eliana nodded.
“Good. We’re due downstairs.”
They walked together to the elevator. Down two levels. The doors opened, and Eliana stepped out.
Sylvia stayed in the elevator car. “I’ll be in my office.”
“Okay.” Eliana headed for the vault, bending for the eye scanner.
“Insert for stage two.”
She put her finger in the slot, then sucked the bead of blood from the end. She entered the passcode and opened the heavy door, pulling it back so she could step inside.
The vault door closed behind her.
Lights flickered and hummed, the yellow glow illuminating the space as the walls opened like doors, the panels retracting between server racks.
The system said,“State your name.”
“Eliana Hope Banbury Jaxton.”
Instead of three heads, the system flashed news reports on the screens that made up the back wall. Images of a bombing outside Tripoli, followed by devastation in Caracas. Financial reports scrolled on one side, and then a man’s photo.
“Nicoli Fullerton, currently the CEO of Advanced Cyber Holdings, is in back-alley talks with the UK Ambassador to the US, and our intel suggests the two plan to destabilize disparate areas of the world in order to secure investments in copper. Our sources have uncovered directives indicating they intend to assassinate the president of the United Arab Nations. For the full report, tap the screen to begin download.”
Eliana tapped the screen.
“Please advise action.”
Eliana’s phone buzzed as soon as the download finished. She skimmed enough to add to what she already knew. These people needed to be stopped.
She said, “Deploy assets.”
“Directive received.”
The wall panels slid back out, covering the servers. She had just enough time to get more coffee before she gave the Westbury Elementary group their tour.
“System shutdown.”
