again. When Haytham is out of the picture, I would hope you'd comfort your family who thinks you're dead. I don't know how long you'll be up here, but I can't keep you to myself. As much as I have enjoyed our time together, fact is your family has dibs on you."
"My family would want me happy."
"At their expense?"
"Damn it, Tyb. It's not black and white. Family and you. That's a nice combination."
His tone and eyes implored me to be reasonable. "Don't love me, Izzy."
I gave him a wistful smile. "Too late, Tyb."
Chapter Fifteen
"First off, follow the protocol I laid out in that first package I sent you, Tyb. That'll give you access to a series of proxy servers. Those will block any attempt to root out your IP address and get a lock on your location. Best part, those proxies are run by either the CIA or FBI. They have a vested interest in keeping tabs on Haytham, more so now with that damned explosion. They have your back. It's up to you guys to find the sites to play on. After you make your, uh, message, upload to a site and then text Haytham the URL. He'll watch, get pissed, then order his cronies to hack. Then you'll post the next message at a different site, so on and so forth. Spread them out every other day. It'll be often enough to get his attention in a big way." Mara was on speakerphone, while Tyb and I sat at the kitchen table, making notes of her orders. "Uh, Izzy?"
" Here."
"You need to create an online persona."
"Okay. Can do." I already put thought into what my "stage name" would be. One of the things I appreciated most about Tyb was that no matter what I suggested, he'd be game. I suspected he'd get a kick out of my suggestion. "Anything else?"
"Just get cracking. I've got inside help to take down Haytham, but we have a very limited window before the East Siberian Sea will be impossible to traverse."
I gasped. "Siberia?"
"Yeah. Tiny island. Back in the day, the Soviets established a polar base there. A big portion of the island is a glacier. Ice packs are gnarly. "
"That'd be the Isle of Twilight?" I asked, already knowing the answer.
"Yep. That's what Haytham named it when he brokered a deal with the Russians for its exclusive use. Was called Henrietta Island before. So, you guys work on the distraction, I'll be working on the taking his ass down part. Instructions are in the box, Tyb. Just set it up as detailed and everything will be cool. Don't mess up the proxy information. Izzy, use the phone I gave you to send the messages. Haytham can't track it. Spy phones don't release GPS data, so that'll piss him off. Three weeks, tops. We need to be in there before the middle of October. Gotta go." Click.
I turned to Tyb. "I need to order a wig. Needs to look like my old haircut. Lingerie, too. You… you'll need a mask or something to hide your face."
"Halloween themed?"
"No. I just don't want Christos to know it's you. I…I… I don't want him coming after you."
"You're to be bait, Izzy, not a martyr. He'll come after both of us. He'll kill me first, then take his time with you if he manages to get a hold of us. I think that's unlikely, but, still. If that's what it gets down to, that's how it'll play out."
"Are you positive about that?" I sure as hell don't want Tyb dying for me. My pussy can't be that magical.
"Think about it. Take out the biggest threat first, that way you don't have to worry about being interrupted."
"Don't die for me. Promise me you won't."
Tyb 's voice lowered into a very somber tone. "I will make no such promise."
I needed to know if his prophetic visions played any part in this new adventure. "Did you have any dreams about this?"
Tyb shook his head in the negative, while those warm amber eyes regarded me warily. "No."
"Just no dying. Your goats would miss you." I tried eking out a smile, but couldn't quite get it.
Tyb shrugged his broad shoulders. "At least I'd be remembered fondly."
"True." I sat up straight and smiled super-wide as I switched
"My family would want me happy."
"At their expense?"
"Damn it, Tyb. It's not black and white. Family and you. That's a nice combination."
His tone and eyes implored me to be reasonable. "Don't love me, Izzy."
I gave him a wistful smile. "Too late, Tyb."
Chapter Fifteen
"First off, follow the protocol I laid out in that first package I sent you, Tyb. That'll give you access to a series of proxy servers. Those will block any attempt to root out your IP address and get a lock on your location. Best part, those proxies are run by either the CIA or FBI. They have a vested interest in keeping tabs on Haytham, more so now with that damned explosion. They have your back. It's up to you guys to find the sites to play on. After you make your, uh, message, upload to a site and then text Haytham the URL. He'll watch, get pissed, then order his cronies to hack. Then you'll post the next message at a different site, so on and so forth. Spread them out every other day. It'll be often enough to get his attention in a big way." Mara was on speakerphone, while Tyb and I sat at the kitchen table, making notes of her orders. "Uh, Izzy?"
" Here."
"You need to create an online persona."
"Okay. Can do." I already put thought into what my "stage name" would be. One of the things I appreciated most about Tyb was that no matter what I suggested, he'd be game. I suspected he'd get a kick out of my suggestion. "Anything else?"
"Just get cracking. I've got inside help to take down Haytham, but we have a very limited window before the East Siberian Sea will be impossible to traverse."
I gasped. "Siberia?"
"Yeah. Tiny island. Back in the day, the Soviets established a polar base there. A big portion of the island is a glacier. Ice packs are gnarly. "
"That'd be the Isle of Twilight?" I asked, already knowing the answer.
"Yep. That's what Haytham named it when he brokered a deal with the Russians for its exclusive use. Was called Henrietta Island before. So, you guys work on the distraction, I'll be working on the taking his ass down part. Instructions are in the box, Tyb. Just set it up as detailed and everything will be cool. Don't mess up the proxy information. Izzy, use the phone I gave you to send the messages. Haytham can't track it. Spy phones don't release GPS data, so that'll piss him off. Three weeks, tops. We need to be in there before the middle of October. Gotta go." Click.
I turned to Tyb. "I need to order a wig. Needs to look like my old haircut. Lingerie, too. You… you'll need a mask or something to hide your face."
"Halloween themed?"
"No. I just don't want Christos to know it's you. I…I… I don't want him coming after you."
"You're to be bait, Izzy, not a martyr. He'll come after both of us. He'll kill me first, then take his time with you if he manages to get a hold of us. I think that's unlikely, but, still. If that's what it gets down to, that's how it'll play out."
"Are you positive about that?" I sure as hell don't want Tyb dying for me. My pussy can't be that magical.
"Think about it. Take out the biggest threat first, that way you don't have to worry about being interrupted."
"Don't die for me. Promise me you won't."
Tyb 's voice lowered into a very somber tone. "I will make no such promise."
I needed to know if his prophetic visions played any part in this new adventure. "Did you have any dreams about this?"
Tyb shook his head in the negative, while those warm amber eyes regarded me warily. "No."
"Just no dying. Your goats would miss you." I tried eking out a smile, but couldn't quite get it.
Tyb shrugged his broad shoulders. "At least I'd be remembered fondly."
"True." I sat up straight and smiled super-wide as I switched
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