Several hours later, Cruncher announced, “Boss, I think I’ve got it!”

Carl’s head jerked up. “What? How?”

“I’m not sure, but I used one of the tricks Kayla showed me with the security layers. There were some holes, and I managed to slip inside.”

Carl moved over to look at Cruncher’s screen. “You sure about this?”

“I can’t say for certain,” Cruncher admitted. “Kayla told me the security systems were similar in design.”

Xantham leaned over to view the screen. He ran his fingers over the tablet and entered some commands. He shook his head and clucked his tongue. “I’m not sure, Boss. It looks like he’s in clean, but I don’t have a good feeling about it. It’s a risk.”

Carl swore. “The longer we wait, the riskier this becomes. We have to be out of the towers in two days, but I need to get Kayla out sooner. She might have figured out how to remove the bracelets, but I won’t know until I speak with her. It’s too risky trying to contact her through comms.”

“Why not use me as a decoy?” Veridian suggested.

“What do you mean?”

“If it’s a setup and they’re monitoring, I can be the one who will go and lead them around for a while. You can sneak out and go check on Kayla.”

It had a high potential for failure, but it was their best option. Veridian’s ties to Kayla were well known. “Let’s do it,” Carl agreed. “How long do you need until you can deactivate the cameras in this area?”

“Five minutes,” Cruncher replied.

“Okay,” Carl said. “Veridian will head out one minute before you deactivate them. I need about thirty seconds to make it to a service elevator.”

“That shouldn’t be a problem.”

When Cruncher gave the signal, Veridian headed outside. Carl waited until Xantham gave him the next signal before slipping out of the room and walking in the opposite direction. The hallway was empty at this time of night, and he moved quickly around the corner toward a service elevator.

Carl punched in a code and the elevator shot downward toward a busy shopping and entertainment level. He moved through the crowds and slipped down a hallway toward another service elevator. Taking this elevator to another level, he continued to work his way through the towers.

When he was confident he wasn’t being followed, Carl took another service elevator to Rand’s floor. He walked quickly to Rand’s door and pressed the button. The door slid open, and Rand waved him inside.

“Sorry it took so long,” Carl greeted his friend. “I got tied up.”

“I heard. Kayla said you’d been arrested.”

He shouldn’t have been surprised she knew about the arrest. Leaving her alone with access to a computer in Rand’s suite probably meant she had her fingers in all sorts of OmniLab pies.

Rand chuckled. “You didn’t tell me she was a first-class tech. She’s the one who sent the notification to her mother telling her you’d been arrested.”

“Where is she?”

Rand pointed to his office. “She fell asleep a couple of hours ago. Poor thing was exhausted. I don’t think she slept all night. But even so, she made me promise to tell you to wake her when you got here.”

Carl walked into the darkened office where Kayla was curled up on a couch with a blanket thrown over her. He sat on the edge of the couch next to her and smiled as he studied her sleeping form. It was a mystery how such a troublesome creature could appear so innocent. He brushed her hair back from her face and kissed her temple.

“Kayla?”

Opening her eyes, she smiled as she recognized him. “Hey.” She yawned sleepily and wrapped her arms around him. “You made it.”

He kissed her lightly and pulled her into his lap, where she cuddled up against him. “I heard I have you to thank for that.”

“Mmm,” she murmured, nuzzling his chest. “You wouldn’t have even been there if it weren’t for me. I’m glad you’re okay.”

“Rand says you’ve been asleep for a couple of hours. I would have let you sleep longer, but I’m not sure how long I can stay.”

“Crap, I didn’t mean to sleep so long.” She sighed and pushed the blanket aside.

Carl’s eyes lingered over her figure, and he lightly ran his fingers up her bare leg. “I can’t tell you how much I want to take you back to bed.”

She laughed as he tickled her. “And you call me distracting?”

“You’re very distracting. Especially when you’re wearing nothing but a T-shirt.”

She gave him a seductive smile. “I could always take it off.”

Carl raised an eyebrow. She shifted so she was straddling his lap. Carl ran his hands up her thighs until they found their way under her shirt and rested on the gentle curve of her waist. “Yeah, you could do that, but I’m not sure we’ll have time for what’ll happen if you do.”

A loud chime echoed throughout the entire quarters, and Kayla looked around in confusion.

“What’s that?”

“Shit!” Carl moved her back onto the couch. “Kayla, stay here. Whatever you do, don’t come out.”

She frowned as he left the room and closed the office door behind him. Rand met him at the door. “This isn’t good.”

“I’ll take responsibility for this, Rand,” Carl promised.

A moment later, the front door opened. Alec stepped inside, along with Director Borshin and half a dozen security officers.

“Master Tal’Vayr,” Rand greeted him. “It’s an honor to see you again.”

Alec looked amused. “Is it?”

Carl held out his hands. “I’m not sure what this is about, Master Tal’Vayr. Rand and I go way back. When I heard he was a trader applicant, I stopped by to catch up with him.”

“I see. Then I’m sure you won’t have a problem with us conducting a search of the premises. Director, go ahead. She’s here.”

Director Borshin directed the security officers to begin searching the quarters. Alec turned toward Rand. “I’m surprised you agreed to this. You realize your decision has jeopardized any chance you had of becoming a trader. As for you, Carl, I’ll see your title stripped by morning. I warned you not to play games with me.”

“Alec, stop it,” Kayla’s voice interrupted him.

Carl turned and nearly groaned when she stepped through the doorway. Her hair was slightly disheveled, and it was obvious she had just stumbled out of bed. Rand’s shirt had slipped off her shoulder, its length barely falling mid-thigh. Oblivious to the stares, her eyes glittered with angry determination.

“Kayla,” Alec greeted her in a low voice.

She looked around the room at the security officers and then turned to Alec. “I want to speak with you privately. Get them out of here.”

Carl expected Alec to object, but he simply motioned for the Director and security personnel to wait outside.