"Dude! Why not ask for the keys to Fort Knox." The man paced in front of them as he rambled out loud. "That's a tough one, but we can do it. We'll have to use the multihomed unit with the spoofed addresses. Relay through a bunch of different other PCs that I've cracked, also spoofed. Can't stay on too long."

"Understood."

Melissa was glad he understood because she was totally lost in the techn.o.babble. Not to mention immensely grateful that Sebastian had graduated from the school of personal hygiene, unlike his little friend.

"Let's have at it, then." Lenny motioned for Sebastian to follow him.

Melissa trailed behind the two men, pa.s.sing shelves filled with what looked like cast-off computer equipment and miles of a.s.sorted cables and wires. It was dark, forcing her to stay close to Sebastian to avoid getting lost in what she could only describe as a warren.

Toward the back of the maze of shelves and equipment, there was finally an opening and some light. Four tables sat in the midst of the clearing, each bearing at least two or three monitors and a few printers.

Multicolored cables trailed from the equipment down to the ground where a number of computers rested. Little green and yellow- orange lights blinked on each of the machines, and at every monitor there was a different kind of activity going on.

The two men went to one table and Sebastian motioned for her to take a seat. She found what was left of a disreputable-looking black leather executive chair. It was a little lopsided and dull yellow foam rubber peeked out of holes in the leather. She wheeled the chair over and sat on it daintily, not trusting it to remain upright. She leaned forward and watched what the two men were doing.

Seeing that Melissa was settled comfortably, Sebastian twined his fingers together, then flexed them. To make sure he was in sync with his friend, he asked, "We get to their site. Do a port scan followed by-"

"That might not be necessary." Lenny peered around the dark room, as if to make sure no one could see him. He then pulled a small black binder from amongst a slew of computer manuals and papers located between the two computers. He opened the binder, flipped about halfway through and motioned to the printed results on the paper. "Here's the server address, open ports and some user names." With a shrug, he continued, "Got bored one night."

Clapping him on the back, Sebastian said, "Len, you should get a life, but then again, you just made mine a h.e.l.l of a lot easier."

Sebastian wondered if Melissa should remain. He was sure that would make her a conspirator somehow, but as his gaze met hers, he detected the determined glint of steel there and knew better than to ask her to leave.

Typing in the address, he made his way through one of the open ports to a log-in screen. He picked one of the names on the list that didn't have a check next to it, a.s.suming the others had already been used by Len. "Do you prefer CAIN or Cracker Jack?"

"Neither, man. Got my own little pa.s.sword cracker." Len motioned to the one icon t.i.tled Cheese on the PC Sebastian was using.

"Get it? Crackers and cheese," Len said with a little snort and a phlegmy laugh.

"Lame, Len. You definitely need to get out more." Sebastian executed the program, which quickly began running through the millions of possible pa.s.sword permutations. Len kept time on his watch while also monitoring the relays he had set up. Still waiting for the program, Sebastian shot a glance at Melissa, who now sat anxiously on the edge of her chair.

"Remember, the clock is ticking. If we're not getting a result in the next minute or so-"

"We'll abort and try with the next user." Sebastian kept a close eye on his own watch as seconds turned to minutes. He was about to abort the program when the dialogue box on the screen indicated he was being logged on.

"Don't waste time. In and out fast," Len reminded him. Sebastian double-clicked the icon for what appeared to be a database.

The opening window confirmed that it was, but the program was pa.s.sword protected again. First he tried the one for the network log-in. When that failed, he once again executed Len's Cheese program. He kept an eye on his watch, knowing time was growing short.

When Len motioned for him to disconnect, he aborted the session. "No," he muttered under his breath, but before moving on to the next user name, he and Len changed the IP addresses on his computer and Sebastian studied the network pa.s.swords.

At first, it seemed like a random pattern of numbers and characters, but soon he thought he detected some kind of order in the first few characters. He narrowed down what he needed to know to the last four characters.

He accessed the remote computer again and plugged the first characters into the pa.s.sword cracker program. It took a fraction of the time to log on to the network. Once he was there, he searched out some files on the local drive and hit pay dirt in a file for one of the mail programs. Despite warnings, users often used the same pa.s.sword for various programs. Hopefully, this user had done just that and kept the same pa.s.sword across all his connections.

Entry into the database was almost instantaneous, confirming Sebastian's suspicions about the pa.s.sword, but that didn't stop Len from warning him again. "Find whatever it is that you need and find it fast."

Sebastian worked the keys like a concert pianist, locating the database table that held information on NSA operatives. Again there was another pa.s.sword and he cursed beneath his breath.

"Problem?" Melissa asked, but he ignored her, wishing that the user of this pa.s.sword had high enough security clearance, but he didn't.

Again he logged off, frustrated with his failure.

"Maybe we should just wait-" "Third time's the charm." He examined the list of user names and properties that Len had obtained. There were a few administrators, typical of an organization of this size. And there were a couple of users with higher network security than others.

One of those higher security users might also have sufficient clearance for the database.

The third time was a charm as he logged in and accessed the operatives database. He entered the pa.s.sword and held his breath.

A second later, a search screen came up.

After typing in Sloan's name, he executed the search and got to the first entry in the file. Rather than waste time, or risk that a download would be detected, he copied the text from each screen and pasted it into a file saved on Len's PC. He was near the end of the history screen when Len said, "Time to end it."

The links on the database form indicated there were still a number of other screens, but Sloan's status and history were primary and he already had most of that. Another thirty seconds and he'd finished with the screens he wanted and terminated his session.

Leaning back in his chair, he breathed a sigh of relief and tried to control the shaking of his hands.

"You okay? You look a little flushed." Melissa inched closer and laid a hand on his cheek. Her hand felt cool and dry. He finally realized he was damp with sweat.

"Just an adrenaline rush." Glancing expectantly at Len, he asked, "Any problems?"

Len examined his monitor and typed in a few commands. When he turned to look at them, he had a broad but gap-toothed smile on his face. "Clean. Didn't detect anyone trying to trace the address back."

"Cool." Sebastian printed the information he had saved. For good measure, he copied the file on to a thumb disk he'd brought along and deleted the file from both the hard drive and the recycle bin. Motioning to the PC, he said, "You'll do a better cleaning later, right?"

Len nodded his head emphatically. "You bet. Can't risk anyone finding it."

"Thank you, Len," Melissa said and gave the man an impromptu hug. Sebastian chuckled when Len blushed a rather blotchy shade of red.

"Maybe you'll visit again?" Lenny asked, almost hopefully.

Sebastian clapped his friend on the back and said, "Why don't we take you to dinner once this is all done. In a few weeks?"

Len nodded eagerly and led them to the door where he undid the numerous locks. Glancing out the peephole, seemingly to satisfy himself that there was no one there, he eased the door open a crack. Melissa and Sebastian slipped out and onto the street.

Once the door slammed closed behind them and the multiple locks clicked into place, Melissa turned to him. There was sorrow on her face. "I feel bad for him."

Sebastian cupped her cheek. "Not everyone is lucky enough to find someone to share their lives with."

The dismay in her eyes instantly vanished, replaced by contentment. "No, they're not." She gave his hand a rea.s.suring squeeze.

"Maybe when this is all over, we should invite him over."

Something swelled in his chest. It might have been his heart expanding like the Grinch's. She was thinking there was a them beyond whatever was happening. A them that could be normal.

"That would be great."

Chapter 20 The initial results were promising until the hemorrhaging began. Something essential is missing, and yet the red blood cells from the rats are identical to those from the frozen samples of the patient's blood. I need a fresh sample, but fear risking it again. If the patient discovers my interest I don't know how he would react. But my Elizabeth is fading quickly. I don't know if she has a few months or only weeks, so I have no choice.

M elissa read on, aware that she was almost at the end of the journal. If she could finish in the next hour or so, she could fill the others in on what she had learned once she was back at the apartment.

She was shocked as her father described not only drugging Ryder once more, but deciding that the missing element might be in Ryder's bite. With Ryder still in vamp mode after sucking down the tainted blood, her father had milked his fangs like a snake keeper might his pet cobra. Armed now with samples of both Ryder's blood and the excretion from his fangs, her father had continued his experiments.

Experiments that had, within a few short weeks, yielded results. Normal rats inoculated with a combination of Ryder's blood and the fang serum exhibited increased strength and healing. Rats riddled with cancer underwent almost instantaneous remissions.

More importantly, none of the treated rats exhibited any signs of other vampiric tendencies.

That seemed to puzzle her father.

The results are more than I could have hoped for in so short a time. The scientist in me says to be patient and do more tests. But this is no longer about science. It's personal and with Elizabeth so weak, I cannot wait any longer.

Fascinated, Melissa read on. Although it wasn't stated outright in the journal that her father had infected her mother with Ryder's cells, she had no doubt that was what her father had done.

But there was something else. Something that didn't make sense. Beyond a short mention of her mother's improvement at the end of the journal, there was nothing else about the experiment.

Not like her very precise father, who, in the papers she had already perused, meticulously detailed everything that went on with both Ryder and her mother, and occasionally even Melissa.

Those few entries about her had been jarring. They had revealed a side of her father she hadn't known existed. He'd clearly been proud of her. Respected all that she had accomplished and, dare she say it, some of the entries were even affectionate.

She went back to the beginning of the journal and the first entry. It was undated like all the others, and if not for Melissa's knowledge of the situation, cryptic when it referred to Ryder. She flipped through a few more pages and ran across an entry making reference to a short trip her father had taken to a conference.

She recalled that trip, about five months before his death.

Continuing onward, Melissa kept looking for clues that would date the entries. Occasionally she pinpointed an event or other occasion. Finally, toward the last few pages of the journal, something jarred her memory.

Melissa has been offered a permanent position at the hospital. Elizabeth and I are so proud of her and all that she has accomplished, but we are worried, as well. She is so alone. I know we are to blame. We have never been able to treat her like a regular child with so much else in the way. Maybe this upcoming appointment to the staff will make her reflect on her life. Make her consider starting a family of her own. With Elizabeth getting better, we can even think of being grandparents, something we could not think about before. Maybe we can show Melissa's children the love we couldn't show her. Maybe...

As she had the first time, she battled back tears. So many maybes that would never come to fruition. And a family? With her life the way it was now? Impossible.

She drove that negative thought away. With Sebastian in her life, she'd actually started to believe that normal could happen. Maybe it could. Maybe her parents' wish for her-for a family and love-could come to pa.s.s.

Keeping that close to her heart, she flipped to the final pages and finally realized this couldn't be her father's last journal.

She'd been offered the position at the hospital nearly three months before the hospital gala. The gala had been a month before her parents' deaths.

Four missing months. Four months during which her mother had seemingly been cured of the illness that had stolen so much of her life. Four months that had hopefully given her mother the same joy and optimism apparent in her father's last entry.

His last entry. Her father would not have gone four long months without writing in the journal. Especially not when he thought he'd discovered something that had cured her mother. Something that might possibly be used to heal others.

Her father's last journal must be missing, and after reading the information that Sebastian had downloaded from the NSA, Melissa had no doubt that it was Edward Sloan who had it and Edward Sloan who had probably killed her parents.

Now it was time to decide what to do about it.

After one last round to check on all her patients, Melissa returned to her office to pack up her things. She was just taking the journal from her lab jacket pocket and stuffing it into her knapsack when there was a knock on the door.

Quickly zipping the bag, she called out, "Come in."

She was pleasantly surprised to see Sebastian. He was in his customary uniform: jeans and T-shirt, a Simpsons one this time.

Over his clothes, he wore the long black leather duster he had worn that morning in deference to the winter chill.

"What are you doing here?" She slipped one strap of the knapsack over her shoulder and dropped a kiss on his cheek where the cold still lingered.

He grinned at her and took hold of her hand. "Came to walk my girl home." Apparently unsatisfied with her quick peck, he eased his arm around her waist, drew her close and gave her a slow lingering kiss.

Wrapping her arms around him, she answered the pull of his kiss, opening her mouth to his, meeting his tongue with hers. It went on and on until she wanted more and told him, b.u.t.ting her hips against his, moaning at the hardness of his erection. She broke away from him, slightly breathless. She leaned her forehead against his chest and asked, "It's six in the morning. What are you doing up?"

In answer, he shifted his hips against hers, but said, "Figured I'd get all the scanning finished last night so that when you came home, we could get some sleep." He shifted his head down, found the sensitive spot between her neck and shoulder and bit gently before he kissed it better.

"Seems to me sleep is not what you had in mind." Despite her teasing words, she shifted her hips back and forth against his. She was definitely in a similar frame of mind.

He pulled away from her, his dark eyes glittering with humor and a s.e.xy glint. "Not to start with, but after. The deep exhausted sleep of the immensely satisfied. Are you game?"

"Definitely."

They walked out of her office with their arms wrapped around each other. They strolled past the nurses' station where Sara was just finishing up. As she saw them, she smiled and called out, "Have a good day."

Smiling, Melissa said, "I think we will." Sara chuckled, clearly aware of what was up with her friend. Surprisingly Melissa felt no shame. Or doubt. Something new. With her parents, doubt about their feelings for her had been the buzzword. With Sebastian...

She glanced at him occasionally as they walked to her apartment. He cared for her, but with that thought came the realization that she couldn't be sure if those emotions would last. If they got through the current problem, there'd be another. Melissa was certain of that. Everyday life with Ryder demanded certain things and his involvement with Diana had seemed to make those things even more complicated.

Even if Ryder wasn't in the picture, there was her life as a doctor. Especially at a hospital like hers. Edward had been right when he said that in addition to the clinical work she was doing, they'd eventually require more research from her. In and of itself, being a doctor at this particular hospital was a difficult life, sometimes with long and erratic hours.

She wondered if Sebastian could handle it. Granted, his nontraditional life gave him a lot of freedom. Freedom to do what he wanted when he wanted, which was the total ant.i.thesis of her strictly disciplined life.

Would he grow tired of the restraints on his freedom? Was his free spirit unsuited to any long-term relationship? She hated that doubt had suddenly arisen.

Sebastian sensed a change in her from the stiffening of her body. "You okay?"

She shrugged. "Sure. Why?"

Sebastian stopped and turned to look at her more closely. "You just seem distant all of a sudden."

"I'm fine." She gave another shrug and started walking again, almost as if running from him.

Sebastian was tempted to walk away. He suspected that was what she wanted him to do and he could guess at the reasons for it.

Primary reason number one-she was suddenly unsure of him. Still uncertain he was capable of the long haul. But he wasn't about to give her ammunition to bolster that doubt. So he fell into step beside her, but said nothing, sensing she needed the s.p.a.ce.

Silence reigned as they reached her building. When they entered her apartment, they both stopped short. Diana was sitting in the living room. It shouldn't have surprised him. She'd dropped by Ryder's the night before when she'd come in after her meeting with Daly. They'd spoken briefly. Too briefly. He'd gotten the sense that Diana suspected something was up with him. She hadn't pressed, however, wrongly believing that it was something personal rather than criminal.

He should have realized she'd spend the night with Ryder. That's what two people who were involved with one another did, wasn't it? It was what he'd wanted to do with Melissa until she'd suddenly gone all Ice Queen on him.

"Buenos dias, hermanita." He gave her a hug.

"Hermanito. You're up early, or should I say, up late?" As she looked from him to Melissa, she arched an eyebrow in question, something tipping her off to a possible problem.