Coded

by Kayla Bainbridge

  “I’m glad you guys decided to have that second car follow us. They got to Kennedy before I could.”

  “Good, that’s what we want to hear,” Brett said. “Do we know who the attack was from?”

  Taylor nodded, “I didn’t see Jordan, but that doesn’t mean we rule him out.”

  “We’ll start looking into it. What are we going to do with Kennedy? We can’t just keep her locked up here,” Jennifer asked.

  “I don’t know,” Taylor admitted.

  “We can figure that out later,” Brett said, pushing the issue off.

  “We’re going to check in with Penny and Dustin.”

  “Thanks guys,” Taylor said as he opened the door to go back inside with Kennedy.

  When the door was fully opened Kennedy was missing.

  “Kennedy?” Taylor asked frantically.

  “Taylor, I’m just in the bathroom,” Kennedy yelled.

  “Oh, right,” Taylor said sitting down. Of course, where else could she have gone? Today was making him paranoid.

  The rest of the day Kennedy read or watched TV. Dustin and Penny came to visit for a while. Wendy also came back and said with assistance, she could go back to her apartment.

  Taylor determined that assistance meant to carry Kennedy there. Luckily, Kennedy didn’t refuse. He easily carried her upstairs and back to her room.

  “Can you get me a new laptop?” she asked.

  “Seriously Kennedy?”

  “I’m just sitting here, I might as well be deciphering.”

  Taylor couldn’t think of any disputes to her claim. Maybe she would pass out and finally let her body really rest

  “Sure,” he said as he rolled his eyes.

  “Thanks Taylor,” Kennedy said smiling.

  Pulling out his phone, he sent his request to Dustin. Within the hour, she was deciphering messages again. Taylor didn’t bother her with questions about the code. At least Brett and Jennifer had taken the double ciphered messages out. She was whizzing through.

  “Maybe you should eat?” Taylor offered.

  “I’m on a roll, after I’m done,” she claimed.

  “Uh huh,” Taylor said knowingly.

  Sure, enough half an hour later, Kennedy was passed out on her bed. The laptop was still open, so Taylor closed it and set it on her nightstand. He put a blanket over her and left the room.

  Taylor then proceeded to grab himself something to eat, he was starving.

  Jennifer was in the cafeteria, “Did you see what Kennedy sent us?”

  “No, I haven’t looked,” Taylor said uninterested.

  “It is the description of the bomb,” Jennifer said in hushed tones.

  “These codes weren’t double ciphered, why would Jordan let that slip?”

  “They weren’t?”

  “No, I watched her decode them, she flew through them.”

  “Do you think he is trying to throw us off?”

  Taylor nodded, “Yes, he would keep his most confidential information double coded.”

  “What if he thought we would think that and sent his information in a normal cipher?”

  “Yes, that is possible,” Taylor considered. “Pretty risky though.”

  “The bomb doesn’t sound more complicated than a homemade bomb someone made in their basement. So maybe it wasn’t that important?”

  “Why send it out then?”

  “Maybe to test the waters? See what reaction we have?”

  Taylor took a moment to respond, “Maybe that is stepping into paranoia?”

  “We are in the paranoia business.”

  “I’ll think about it more. See what she deciphers tomorrow. Maybe it is linked together?”

  “Sounds good, how is Kennedy tonight?”

  Taylor smiled, “Passed out from deciphering. I think she wanted that to happen.”

  “She pushed through a lot of code.”

  “A good night’s rest will be good for her.”

  ∆∆∆

  Chapter 15

  O 01111

  Kennedy woke up screaming. It had been a nightmare. Her breathing was heavy. Quickly she looked around and realized she was in her NSA apartment. Everything was ok, she was safe. Closing her eyes, she started to take some deep breaths to calm herself.

  Taylor busted into her room. Kennedy caught her breath at his entrance.

  “Kennedy?” he asked worriedly.

  Taylor was wearing basketball shorts and a t-shirt. Kennedy had never seen him dressed so casually; it was cute.

  “Sorry Taylor, it was a nightmare.”

  He came and sat on her bed and grabbed her hand.

  “How is the pain?”

  “I can feel it, but mostly just achy.”

  Taylor nodded, “You are doing ok?”

  “I think so. Just give me half an hour and I’ll get back to sleep.”

  “Okay, I’ll sleep on your couch the rest of the night.”

  “Thanks Taylor,” Kennedy said as she tried to settle back into her bed.

  Taylor sneaked a quick kiss before he found himself a blanket and went to the couch.

  The next day, Brett and Jennifer had approved her going back to the university. Kennedy thought it was a little suspicious but didn’t question their approval. Maybe it had just been bad luck? Despite Taylor’s pleading, Kennedy went back to school. Her body ached, but her head wasn’t throbbing, and she could use the distraction. Luckily, she was able to cover up most of her injuries, so she didn’t get a lot of attention.

  “Let’s go back,” Taylor said after her second class.

  “Calm down, we are fine,” Kennedy said, hobbling towards the library.

  “Relax Taylor,” Dustin said, walking past them and opening the door.

  “Fine,” Taylor said, relenting.

  “I’ll even start with some codes if that helps,” Kennedy said, taking their usual spot.

  She pulled out her computer and saw the first code. It was back to double decoding. Jordan was working hard to keep his plans secret. This time it took Kennedy ten minutes to decipher the one message.

  “Inside man initiated. We will be moving towards target C on Tuesday and target B's surveillance has ended.”

  “That doesn't sound good,” Dustin said sitting next to them.

  “While you talk about the implications of the new information, I’m going to work on my report.”

  “Right,” Taylor said, lowering his voice to Dustin.

  Kennedy pulled up her email to check the requirements for her report when she saw a new message. A guest speaker was coming next week. The lecture also counted as extra credit for one of his classes. It looked interesting too.

  “Taylor,” Kennedy said, gaining his attention. “I want to go to this lecture next week.”

  “Ok,” Taylor said, focusing back on Dustin.

  Kennedy knew that Taylor didn’t really hear her. She would have to remind him of his agreement the following week. She got back to work while the men conversed about the code.

  “Ready to do some more?” Taylor asked after a few hours.

  “Sure, I can do one more before we head back. She pulled up the coding program. ‘The truck will be waiting in the terminal.’ Is that good?”

  “Was that a single or double decipher?”

  “Single, why?”

  “I was talking to Jennifer about theories on what is single ciphered and double ciphered.”

  “I don’t want to hear,” Kennedy said, closing the laptop. “Let’s go home now.”

  Kennedy didn’t like getting into all these theories and logistics. Her job was to decode the messages and to attend school. She didn’t need anything else to worry about. Teams of people were assigned to go over the deciphered codes, they didn’t need her help.

  “Ok,” Taylor said standing up.

  The ride home was silent as Kennedy snuck in another code. “The peacock will arrive Tuesday.”

  “That does not sound as helpful,” Dustin commented.


  “It isn’t all from Jordan,” Kennedy.

  “Are you just making things up?” Penny asked.

  It was annoying to hide these things from Penny, Kennedy wished they would just tell her.

  “We get what we get from Jennifer and Brett,” Taylor covered.

  “Right,” Dustin agreed.

  Penny didn’t talk about it again.

  Kennedy spent the evening working on a report and a few more codes before going to bed.

  ∆∆∆

  The next morning Taylor got up to do a morning run. He had lots to think about before the day started.

  Despite the attack, Jennifer and Brett had decided to keep Kennedy enrolled at the university. They had arrested all the people involved. None of the suspects had been connected to Jordan, which made Taylor more nervous. He was working on theories of his own but kept his focus on Kennedy.

  With that thought, he checked his watch. First, he saw that her heart rate was still steady. Second, he checked her room security. Everything looked the same. She was still asleep.

  He pushed himself the last mile. Finishing near the edge of the forest, he looked at his watch, she was awake. Perfect, just enough time to shower.

  School wasn’t eventful. Kennedy went to her classes, to the library to study, and then went back to headquarters.

  Then she went to her apartment to decipher.

  She had been deciphering for fifteen minutes, and Taylor looked up from his phone to check on her.

  “Are you doing ok?” Taylor asked.

  Kennedy was on her bed staring at the laptop. Kennedy looked faint.

  “What is it?” Taylor asked.

  “It’s the newly decoded message. ‘Asset trial complete, sent in second run, we will secure assets on the day of. We can't afford any loose strings.’ Do you think they are talking about me?”

  “Possibly,” Taylor said. “But it could also mean lots of other things.”

  “That was just a trial!” Kennedy said angrily.

  “It could be talking about something in Africa for all we know,” Taylor said, trying to calm Kennedy down.

  “Asset, lose strings?” Kennedy said standing up and pacing the room.

  “You are taking it out of context,” Taylor insisted as he tried to get close to her.

  “Are they going to just keep coming?” Kennedy asked, stepping backwards.

  Taylor noticed her step was sluggish. “Stay calm.”

  Kennedy leaned against the wall for support, “I can't, I'm scared.”

  “Taylor?” Dustin called from the door.

  “Not now Dustin,” Taylor yelled, walking over to meet Kennedy.

  “That is why we are here,” Taylor said, directing his attention back to Kennedy. “Let me do the worrying, you do the deciphering.”

  “I can’t,” Kennedy said, walking over to her bed. She started on the next code.

  “Kennedy,” Taylor said, sitting next to her on the bed. She was emotional. He needed her to take a break.

  “Look, at this one, ‘The house is ready on Anderson.’”

  “There is probably an Anderson street in every city,” Taylor replied. “Ok, Kennedy why don’t you call it a night.”

  “I can do some more,” she pushed.

  “Kennedy, you have gone through a lot of codes today.”

  Taylor tried to reason with her, but she ignored him. Her eyes were glued to the screen. She was shutting him out. At this point, Taylor knew Kennedy well enough. She wanted to be left alone, and he needed to respect that. He was concerned, but there was nothing he could do. He leaned his head back against the headboard and watched Kennedy.

  This time, Kennedy didn’t look up for several minutes. Taylor tried to look at the code. All he saw were shapes. The more he looked, the more his head ached. Kennedy on the other hand, stared at the code intently, clearly seeing more.

  After five minutes, she didn’t look up, “‘Meet in Irvine’, I sent it over to Jennifer already.”

  “I saw,” Taylor said calmly.

  Kennedy took a deep breath and moved a few inches closer to Taylor. He gently put his arm across her shoulders, and she snuggled in closer. Slowly he leaned his head down and kissed the top of her head. She inhaled sharply, and Taylor smiled. He liked having that effect on her. A few seconds later she put the laptop down, laid her head on his shoulder, and her hand onto his chest. No words passed between them. Taylor was relieved, she finally stopped working for the night.

  It didn’t take long for Kennedy to fall asleep. Taylor stayed another ten minutes before he gently repositioned her and left her room.

  He then walked into his apartment. Dustin and Penny were meeting together there, waiting for him.

  “What was that about?” Dustin asked.

  “Kennedy was having a moment.”

  Dustin nodded, “We’ve been going over what we just received.”

  “Any progress?” Taylor asked,

  “No,” Penny admitted.

  “It isn’t enough information to go on. How is Kennedy now?”

  “Out for the night,” Taylor replied.

  Dustin nodded, “Hopefully we can figure something out over the weekend?”

  “I’ll get up early to have a fresh look, I’m tired,” Penny said, closing her laptop and heading off to bed.

  Taylor and Dustin both said their goodnights to her before turning to each other.

  “Jennifer is going to push for a double session after this,” Dustin warned. “They are getting desperate. I’m not sure if Kennedy…”

  “I know. I hate seeing her frantic like this.”

  Dustin nodded, “It has been pretty bleak. Why don’t you get some rest? I have a few more things I’d like to look up.”

  “Alright, see you tomorrow,” Taylor said getting up. A good night’s sleep will do everyone well.

  ∆∆∆

  The next morning, Kennedy woke up before 5 a.m.. At that moment she felt so confined, restricted, and so suffocated that she couldn’t sit there. She needed to get out, and she needed to be alone. She walked out her door, down the elevator and headed to the lobby.

  “Good morning Kennedy,” James, the security said, greeted her.

  “Good morning,” Kennedy said, scanning her badge before exiting the building. She ran around to the back, where the forest met the field.

  Outside, she felt like she was escaping her prison cell. The cold air filled her lungs. Silence surrounded her. She was alone. Closing her eyes, she stood there, taking in everything. Outside was peaceful and calm, it enveloped her. The turmoil in her head faded away as she focused on the outside.

  Opening her eyes, Kennedy decided to wander around. She walked through grassy fields away from the forest, towards the farmland. The longer she was outside, the more relaxed she became. She took some deep breaths. Everything out there was so perfect. Like at her janitorial job, Kennedy took this time now to go through her day. She decided on her time allowances for each job and prioritized her homework. Continuing across the field she walked and walked, having no care of how far she went or in what direction. The distraction was comforting to her.

  She thought about her duty to the NSA, but she also thought about Taylor, Dustin, Penny, and what life would be like without Jordan. There was so much she could look forward to. In those moments of stress, she could reflect on these thoughts. They could help her stay focused.

  After half an hour, Kennedy was starting to freeze. In her haste she hadn’t grabbed a jacket. It was time to go back. Turning around, she jumped when she saw Taylor standing about thirty feet away.

  “Taylor, you scared me. I thought I was alone.”

  She walked up to him.

  “You were for a moment. What were you thinking? That is so dangerous,” Taylor said as he pulled his jacket off and wrapped it around her.

  “Thank you. I had to get out. The apartment, the NSA, you, it was all too much. Being out here, alone, it felt nice. I was able to clear my head some, relax a
little. I didn’t even hear you behind me.”

  “Sometimes the secret service training comes in handy. Can I help you relax?” Taylor asked, grabbing her hand and kissing her palm.

  The intimacy of being alone outside exhilarated her. “I...um…”

  Taylor raised his eyebrows.

  “I’ve forgotten all my words,” she admitted staring in his eyes.

  Kennedy then closed the distance between them. She lifted her head up to his. Slowly he closed the gap and kissed her softly on the lips. Kennedy’s heart raced as she felt heat pour through her. He was a gentleman and pulled away after a few seconds. She put her head beneath his chin and buried herself into Taylor. He wrapped his arms around her and held her close.

  At that moment, Kennedy didn’t want anything to change. She wanted to remember everything, their surroundings, his smell, the light coming up over the mountains, the clothes she wore.

  “Let’s just stay here today,” Kennedy suggested.

  Taylor pulled back so he could look at her, “You would miss class?”

  “For this? I would miss anything.”

  “Let’s create more time like this.”

  Kennedy nodded. Half an hour passed.

  “Are you ready to go back?”

  “I guess,” Kennedy relented. She pulled them apart and grabbed his hand while they walked back.

  Kennedy went to her classes and then went straight to her apartment. It was Friday night, and she knew that the NSA needed her to decipher more. She was going to have to work a long weekend.

  “‘More people in midafternoon, better strike time.’,” Kennedy said after the third code.

  “Jennifer wants more than she can have,” Taylor warned.

  “I understand, send me a few more. Will you grab dinner for us?” Kennedy asked.

  “Will you be awake when I get back?”

  “Maybe,” Kennedy smiled.

  While Taylor was gone, she decoded some more.

  “Inside route has been detailed. Second assault scheduled; bomb is in route.”

  Kennedy was intrigued so she continued, “The house will be ready in time. B will be in place at designated time.”

  Her head was getting heavy now, she pushed the laptop away. Rubbing her eyes, she willed herself to stay awake until Taylor returned.

  A minute later Taylor walked in.