Page 18 of Daddy Erik
Back at the Halvorsen building, I’m reviewing contracts when Claire’s system pings twice into my inbox with no subject line and one corrupted attachment. I open the first alert, and that is when I watch the video feed from her camera: Static, a flicker, then… a figure can be seen in her alleyway feed. Tall, still,and watching. The second alert is letting me know what Claire had texted me about: that ‘Administrator X’ had made changes.
My blood boils as I try to wrap my head around what the fuck is happening. Axel was diligently collaborating with Stellan to establish robust firewalls for her entire computer system. Still… things felt close, too close, and this prompted me to want to reach out to Bjorn. As if he read my mind, my phone vibrates from a text message.
Bjorn: I’ve just seen the feed to Claire’s alley near her shop. You seeing this too?
Me: Yes. Run the trace.
Bjorn: Already on it. Perhaps there's nothing to report, but it's important to remain vigilant.
Probably nothing. We have heard that before, right before Grace was kidnapped.
This isn’t anything. I grab my laptop and keys and head for the elevator.
Me → Bjorn: Send Soren to monitor the feed. I’m heading to her.
Bjorn: Copy. Backup on standby.
I activate the windshield fluid to remove the building pollen, which is abundant during this season. With Claire in mind, I gun the engine.
“You picked the wrong woman to watch,” I mutter. And I mean every word.
BJORN
From my office, the encrypted feed reroutes through our servers, jittering like a heart monitor out of rhythm.
It feels like the interference is deliberate, almost measured.
My intuition suggests that SableCorp is closely monitoring us and applying pressure. It shouldn't be surprising to me or any of my brothers. We’ve been anticipating the strong possibility of retaliation after we rescued Grace from her kidnappers and involved both federal and local law enforcement.
I’mglad we’ve become friends with a few of the law enforcers that helped us during Grace’s rescue. I'm glued to the screen, trying to record every detail I know Soren and Ivar will require as they use their technological prowess to solve the mystery. I force an override, and the frame clears.
The alley behind Claire’s shop is empty. But the timestamp lags six minutes behind real time.
That’s someone recording over live footage.
I text Erik instantly:
She’s fine for now. But eyes open, brother.
His reply arrives instantly:
Always.
I stare at the ultrasound photo on my desk. Twelve weeks have passed, and I find myself loving the slight swell of her lower tummy. The future is pounding beneath Grace’s tummy.
Every generation, a Halvorsen fights for the women who carry the next shield. Some with weapons. Some with willpower. Some with both. Erik’s turn has begun, and I hope that whatever SableCorp is up to, we can handle it with enough fire to burn them alive!
CHAPTER FOUR
Claire
On certain days, the bookstore feels like a living thing, breathing with every page turned, sighing when customers linger too long in the aisles. Today it feels heavier. Not unhappy. Just aware. It appears as though it understands that I'm responsible for more than just inventory, invoices, and delayed shipments.
Three weeks into the schedule Dr. Madsen outlined, my body has its rhythm now, one that hums beneath everything I do.
Every three hours.
Pump. Hydrate. Vitamins. Herbs. Repeat.
