“There,” Sofia pointed to a recurring anomaly in the data stream. “Every forty-seven minutes, like clockwork. That’s our signature.”

Jax leaned closer, his fingers dancing through the holographic interface to isolate the pattern. “It’s elegant, I’ll give him that. Most people would miss it completely—looks like routine system maintenance traffic.”

“But it’s not.” Sofia pulled up another screen showing the decrypted metadata. “It’s how Artemis embeds his extraction protocols. The secret’s in his encryption algorithm—he’s using a modified Fibonacci sequence to mask data exfiltration as legitimate network optimization.”

“Son of a bitch.” Jax’s eyes lit up with the thrill of the hunt. “If we can map his encryption pattern, we can trace every compromised node in the network. Sofia, we could take down his entire operation tonight.”

Sofia held up a hand, her analytical mind already three steps ahead. “Slow down, cowboy. Detection first, then defense. We need to understand the full scope before we start swinging hammers.”

“But if we move fast enough—” Jax was already pulling up network architecture diagrams, his fingers flying over the interface. “Look, I can trace his infiltration vectors, map his command and control servers, maybe even identify his physical location. We hit him hard and fast before he knows what’s happening.”

“Jax.” Sofia’s voice carried the patient tone of someone who’d had this conversation before. “We can’t just go in guns blazing. What if he’s got dead man’s switches? What if taking down his network triggers data dumps to hostile nations? We need defensive measures in place first.”

Jax paused, his hands hovering over the holographic controls. For a moment, Sofia thought she’d gotten through to him. Then he grinned and dove back into the network diagrams.

“But just think about it—if we can isolate his encryption algorithm, we can probably reverse-engineer his entire operation. Track every piece of stolen data, identify every compromised communication, maybe even feed him false information to throw off his buyers.”

Sofia watched him work, noting the familiar gleam in his eye that meant he was already planning the offensive operation. She’d seen this pattern countless times over the years. Give Jax a target, and his first instinct was always to hunt it down and destroy it.

“Jax,” she said again, more firmly this time. “Defense protocols. We need to secure our own networks before we go after his.”

“Right, right, defense first.” He nodded absently, still manipulating the network display. “But you know what would be even better? If we could plant a logic bomb in his system, something that would activate when he tries to exfiltrate data. Turn his own encryption against him.”

Sofia leaned back in her chair and shook her head, unable to suppress a smile. “You know what, Jax? For someone with your intelligence scores, you sure do have a remarkably one-track mind.”

“Hey, it’s not one-track, it’s just… focused.” He finally looked up from the display, catching her amused expression. “What?”

“Nothing. Just… defense first, remember? We need to plug the holes in our own ship before we start shooting at his.”

Jax sighed dramatically. “Fine, fine. But after we get our defenses up, we’re going after this guy, right? Because I’ve got some ideas about how to turn his own algorithms against him.”

“I’m sure you do.” Sofia turned back to her own screens, already pulling up the defensive protocols they’d need to implement. “But first, let’s make sure he can’t steal any more of our secrets while we’re busy planning his downfall.”

For the next hour, they worked in companionable silence, Sofia building detection algorithms while Jax reluctantly focused on defensive measures. But she could see him stealing glances at the offensive network diagrams, his fingers occasionally twitching toward the controls.

“You know,” he said suddenly, “if we approached this from a different angle—”

“Jax.”

“—we could probably identify his recruitment patterns, figure out who he’s targeting next—”

“I think you’re just trolling me now.”

“—and maybe set up a sting operation to catch him in the act.”

Sofia didn’t look up from her work. “You know what your problem is? You’re like a dog with a bone. Someone waves a shiny target in front of you, and suddenly all that tactical training goes right out the window.”

“I prefer to think of it as being goal-oriented,” Jax replied with mock dignity. “Besides, you love my single-minded focus. It’s what makes us such a good team.”

“Uh-huh.” Sofia finally looked up, one eyebrow raised. “Is that what we’re calling it now? Because I was thinking it was more like having a very intelligent, very stubborn attack dog who needs constant reminding not to chase every car that drives by.”

Jax grinned. “Woof.”

Despite herself, Sofia laughed. “Just… try to remember that sometimes the best way to catch a hunter is to make sure your own defenses are solid first. Then we can discuss your inevitable plan to turn Artemis’s network into his personal digital prison.”

“Now you’re talking my language.” Jax’s grin widened. “I knew there was a reason I liked working with you.”

Sofia shook her head and returned to her defensive algorithms, but she was smiling. After ten years of friendship and teamwork, she’d learned to appreciate Jax’s aggressive instincts, even if they did require constant management. In the world of cyber warfare, sometimes you needed someone who thought like a predator.

She just had to make sure he remembered to armor up before he went hunting.

The Artemis signature continued its steady pulse through the compromised networks, forty-seven minutes between each data extraction. But now they knew what to look for. And once their defenses were in place, well…

Then they could discuss Jax’s increasingly elaborate plans for turning the hunter into the hunted.