But this was while she was her normal self. Those experiencing the mind altering effects of her treatment wielded too much power, and had too little conscience, to be allowed even the smallest step onto this slippery slope. The team would need to make sure that in the future those they enhanced had no ability to directly affect the outside world while still in the thrall of the transformation.
“I’m in,” announced Griffin. “Quickly, describe Sam.”
“Well,” began Desh, “His height is about—”
“Too slow,” barked Griffin. “I’ll find him without you.” There was the briefest of pauses and then, “This is him, correct?”
A headshot security photo of a man filled an entire screen. For the first time since Griffin had become transformed he left something on a monitor for more than a few seconds.
Desh’s eyes widened. “But—”
“How?” Griffin interrupted, anticipating Desh’s question once again. “Without hearing your description?” As he spoke, his fingers once again sped over the keyboard and Sam’s picture disappeared to be replaced by a screen of what looked like computer code. Once Griffin had learned from Desh’s reaction he had found the right person he continued to pursue other projects he had been working on in parallel. “I can access the log-in patterns of any employee. I know Sam’s locations over the past few days and the timing of some of his activities. From your story I know his approximate age and I can guess the precise level and position in the organization that would allow him to achieve all that he has. I narrowed it to five men. His name is S. Frank Putnam. The S stands for Samuel. He’s among the top twenty people in the NSA.”
Kira was speechless. He had done it. At long last, she knew the identity of the man who had killed her brother and turned her life into a nightmare. “Do you have—”
“Yes, of course,” snapped Griffin. “His address and more.”
“What are you doing now?” asked Desh, his weapon still trained on the hacker. Finally, Griffin’s slower-witted avatar had allowed someone to get out an entire question without being interrupted.
“Clearing Kira’s and the colonel’s good names,” he replied.
Given that Griffin appeared to have almost free rein of the cyber domain, Kira was encouraged that he continued to work toward helping the team. “But won’t—”
“That be a tip-off to S. Frank Putnam,” finished Griffin. “No. The records will remain as they are for twenty-four hours. Kira and Connelly will continue to be wanted fugitives.”
“And in twenty-four hours?” called out Kira from her post in the bedroom with extreme interest.
“The record will show that the accusations and evidence against Kira Miller were false, but that she was shot and killed before this was discovered. You’ll be off the grid for good, Kira. I’ll set up a new identity for you later. When I’m finished, you’ll be able to ride naked on a horse through Fort Bragg without attracting military attention.”
“I’d take money on that bet,” mused Desh, who then quickly winced as if he couldn’t believe he had said this out loud.
A smile came to Kira’s face, knowing this was meant as a compliment, but she didn’t respond. “And the colonel?” she asked Griffin.
“New evidence will emerge that he is completely innocent, with prior information to the contrary an attempt by an unnamed NSA employee with a personal vendetta to frame him.”
“And what will—”
“Enough!” thundered Griffin. “I’ve been more than patient.”
He continued his work with the computer unabated; as if unaware he had just made an outburst. Eight minutes later he gasped and looked as if his best friend had just died.
Desh caught Kira’s eye and nodded knowingly. “Welcome back, Matt,” he said.
“This well and truly sucks
,” complained the giant.
“Give yourself a few minutes,” said Desh. “It won’t annoy you so much.”
“Do you think you could untie me?” asked Griffin.
Desh shook his head. “I’m afraid not. Not for ten minutes. I need to be sure this isn’t a ruse.”
Griffin didn’t look happy about this but didn’t argue. Having been transformed, he now was one of the few people who would know firsthand why Desh had been so cautious.
“Do you remember what happened?” asked Connelly.
“Good question,” said Griffin, tilting his head for several long seconds. “I remember what I accomplished,” he said finally. “I only have the vaguest idea how.” He held out his hands in wonder. “I was like a hotrodding God,” he said in awe. “What I was able to do in an hour, I couldn’t do normally if I was given a thousand years.”
Griffin continued to take inventory of the past hour and a guilty expression came over his face. “I was a bit of an asshole, wasn’t I?”
“I wouldn’t say that at all,” said Desh. “You were a total asshole.” He grinned. “But don’t worry about it. Your work was phenomenal.”
Griffin turned to Kira and shook his head in wonder. “That’s quite a treatment you’ve got there,” he said admiringly. Still facing her, he let out a heavy sigh and the smile retreated from his face. “Got anything to eat?” he asked eagerly.
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