Gangs Aren't My Style (A Black Death Novel)

Chapter 41 - One, Two, Three, I'm Coming for You

Gangs Aren't My Style

Book I of the Black Death Trilogy

PART THREE :: Cast Your Armor Down

Chapter 41 - One, Two, Three, I'm Coming For You

James ran his fingers through his hair, a nervous habit of his, and sighed. "How much longer is this going to take?"

"Just a minute, I've almost got it," Aiden replied, his fingers flying over the keys as he stared intently at the computer screen. Numbers, letters, and symbols flew across the screen as he hacked the security camera footage of the surrounding area and pried open the firewalls of the more secure footage. One by one, images flashed up on the screen, people moving across them at random. Time stamps were visible at the bottom right hand corner of each video.

James bit his lip as the monitors on the wall that usually displayed the security footage of the base were slowly routed to the security camera feed coming from inside town. Before he knew it, the entire wall of monitors was covered in footage of the town from every angle imaginable. Aiden sat back in his chair, crossing his arms in front of his chest as he turned back to his leader, a smug smile set on his lips.

James stood from his chair, moving so that he was standing directly in front of the monitors. Video surveillance spread out through his entire range of vision, extending past him in all directions. James chewed his bottom lip in anticipation of finding her as he scanned through the video feed for any sign of her. "Can you get the video feed from the period she's been gone as well?"

One of Aiden's eyebrows rose and he stared at James with amusement. "I can do much better than that." He flexed his arms, cracking his knuckles before he moved back to the laptop he had connected to the control system. "I can put all of the footage, including what's being shown on the monitors now, into a face recognition program. If she's shown her face at all, this baby will find her."

Aiden maneuvered some video files into an icon of a hazard sign enclosed in a red circle. The program then opened up, filling the entire screen as a list of video footage sources appeared inside of it. The name of the program was visible at the top corner of the screen, written in fancy red lettering. Phoenix Rising. Beside the name were eight drop down menus stretching across the top of the screen. The number of options in the menus were evidence enough to prove that the software he was using was nowhere near cheap.

"Do you have a picture of her?" Aiden asked, pausing in his work. "The more recent, the better."

"Umm... She used to be crazy about that one social website thing before she left so there's probably a picture of her on there. That's about as recent as you're gonna get."

Aiden gave him that look, the one an exasperated mother would her child. "Dude, seriously? Do you mean Facebook?"

"Yeah, that," James replied smoothly. When Aiden sent him a look of disbelief and amusement, he glared right back. "It's not my fault! While running a gang I don't exactly have time for social networking." He grumbled under his breath in frustration. "Or what ever people call it nowadays."

James scowled at the younger member, dragging a chair to his previous spot beside Aiden and falling down into it as he let out a sigh. He lent his head back against the chair, his eyes wearily scanning over the monitors.

"We will find her, James. That's a promise," Aiden reassured, all hints of teasing gone.

James turned his head into the other man's direction only slightly and offered him a small smile. "Thanks."

Aiden, in an attempt to cheer up his superior, fake gasped. He then placed his hand in front of his mouth in a classic oh-no-you-didn't move. "Did I just hear James Carter, the most feared gang leader in the country, say thank you?"