by Robin Caroll
Anything to write an article that would take the heat off her friends.
CHAPTER SIX
Dad, can’t you at least offer something? Anything besides your standard no comment?” Sam had waited until they’d finished dinner to broach the subject of a comment for her article. “I mean, even the IT guy gave me something.”
“That’s his choice, not mine.” Dad leaned back in his recliner and reached for the newspaper. “I would prefer no one give any comments to any press, but obviously I can’t control that.”
“Come on, Dad. Give me something.”
Dad’s face was set in stone as he lifted the paper, opening it with a loud pop. Sam looked at her mother for help.
Mom shot her a pointed look. “Maybe you’re asking the wrong questions, my girl.”
Sam tapped the edge of her iPhone case and looked down at the open ISaidWhat?! app. What did Mom mean, asking the wrong questions? She needed something for the article from the police. Dad was close-mouthed about the case. She wanted to show how serious this was. How —
She touched the screen to start recording. “Dad, what are some of the legal consequences for whoever is responsible for this?”
Mom smiled and nodded.
Dad lowered the newspaper to his lap, shooting Mom his bulldog look. “Well, it can vary. Charges can include conspiracy to commit theft, conspiracy to commit computer tampering, conspiracy to commit computer trespass, burglary, forgery, computer tampering, theft, and receiving stolen property. A lot of consideration goes into the actual charges, based on the actual crime and intent of the person or persons responsible.”
“In this case, what would you expect the charges to be?” Sam began absentmindedly braiding her hair over her left shoulder.
“It’s too early to say for sure, but at the moment we’re looking at violations of computer tampering, computer trespass, and likely forgery.” Dad gave her a smile. “And that’s all I can tell you.” He lifted the paper, again blocking her view of him.
Well, it was better than nothing. She cut off the recording, grabbed her cell, and stood. “Thanks, Dad and Mom.” She headed to her bedroom.
“Let Chewy back in. It’s in the twenties out there,” Mom called.
Sam detoured to the kitchen and opened the back door. Chewy darted inside and danced around Sam’s legs as she made her way to the bedroom.
She opened a blank blog post document and began typing.
Getting our report cards straightened out might take longer than we’d hoped. That’s the news from the district’s Information Technology team. Mr. Alexander, one of the Pulaski County Special School District’s IT team members, was at our school, investigating the issue with our grades.
“We have looked into the issue and at this time, have determined that a grade tampering virus is to blame. This virus is contained entirely at Joe T. Robinson Middle School. No other schools in the district have been affected,” Mr. Alexander told us.
Our principal, Mrs. Trees, had no comment regarding the investigation into who might be responsible for this virus. Detective Sanderson, who is overseeing the investigation on behalf of the Little Rock Police Department, says the culprit could be charged with violations of computer tampering, computer trespass, and likely forgery in this case, but that additional charges such as conspiracy to commit theft, conspiracy to commit computer tampering, conspiracy to commit computer trespass, burglary, theft, and receiving stolen property could be included.
Many of us think of those who create viruses to be computer hackers, but research shows that isn’t so. Statistics prove hackers are usually far more sophisticated in their methods than virus creators. Many of us think virus creators have to be exceptionally smart. That, too, isn’t true, as reports show anyone with a basic understanding of programming could be capable of creating a virus.
Even more astounding is the statistical age of many virus creators. It’s a fact that grade-school kids and teens can write viruses and often do to experiment with their growing computer skills. As one online security company reports, most virus creators are men and boys under 30.
What do you think, Senators? Should whoever is responsible for this be charged with an actual crime? Sound off, Senators, and leave a comment as to what YOU think should happen to the person or persons responsible. ~ Sam Sanderson reporting.
Sam popped her knuckles and re-read her article. She did a little tweaking, then sent it to post, and copied both Mrs. Pape and Aubrey on the email. The article showed off more of her reporting rather than using her dad as a source. It still hurt her feelings that Mrs. Pape didn’t stand up for her reporting ability to Aubrey, instead allowing Aubrey to say she got the story only because of her dad’s connection to the case. Sam had been doing everything she could think of to prove her worth as a reporter, but it seemed like she wasn’t gaining any ground. How was she supposed to earn the chair of editor next year if everyone believed she only got story assignments because of her father?
Makayla’s special ringtone sounded on Sam’s cell. Sam punched the speaker feature on. “Hey, how was karate?”
“Brutal. I think sensei is trying to do me in.” Weariness mixed with excitement in her voice. “But I should be able to go for the black belt this spring.”
“That’s awesome, Mac. Then you’ll really be a ninja.”
Makayla laughed. “There is that. So tell me what’s going on.”
Sam brought Mac up to speed with everything that happened after school in the office, ending with reading her article to her. “What do you think?”
“Your article is good. It makes me think of all the people who could have done this.”
“Like?” Mac was on the computer nerd scene, but not because she was a nerd, though she was a computer ninja for sure. If Mac thought someone capable of being able to create a virus, then they were a suspect in Sam’s mind.
“I’m not going to go around accusing anyone, Sam.”
“I didn’t want you to.” But if she just gave some names as possibilities . . .
“A lot of people we know could create a virus. Some kids in my computer science class definitely could.”
Who was in that class with Mac? “I don’t know of anyone who could really do that, aside from you of course.”
“Hey, what are you saying?”
Sam laughed. “Nothing. I’m just saying you’re the best at computers in our whole school.”
“Close,” Mac giggled, “but not the best.”
“Who’s better than you, huh?”
“Doug York, for one. He’s the best in my computer science class, hands down.”
Doug York. Sam knew who he was all too well. A seventh grader and a horrible whiner. His dad just happened to be a captain with the Little Rock Police, and Sam’s dad’s boss. Sam didn’t hold much respect for Doug because of the way he acted toward her. “You’ve got to be kidding me. Doug York? He’s such a worm.”
“I’m serious, Sam, he’s scary good.”
“He told a bunch of his friends that I’m a brat because I use my dad to get information on my stories, which so isn’t true.”
“He may be a jerk, but he’s brilliant in computer science.” Makayla’s voice sounded like she was a bit in awe of him, which said a lot.
“Hmm.”
“Sam . . . what are you thinking?”
“Well, Doug’s always been so whiny and acting like he’s so much better than everybody else. If he’s capable of creating such a virus, he’s exactly the type of person who would create it and use it, just because he could.”
“That’s not fair.”
“It is. He’d do it for the attention, just like he does everything else. Talk about a brat.”
“Saaaaammmmm.”
She wasn’t being a very loving neighbor. Sam sighed. “I’m sorry. That was mean.” But he did whine a lot and wanted everyone to think he was something special. That wasn’t being mean, it was just stating the obvious.
“Better.” Makayla
chuckled. “Have you heard from Felicia?”
“No, and that worries me. Her mom . . . Mac, her mom looked really, really mad. I know she’d been crying.”
“Did you ask your dad?”
“I did. He clammed up on me and told me he couldn’t tell me anything. Just another way of saying no comment.”
“Did you try calling her?”
“I tried a few times before dinner, but it went straight to her voice mail. I left messages. Since she hasn’t called back, I’m guessing she’s in trouble.”
“I feel sorry for her, even though I don’t know her that well. Her reputation really made teachers guarded around her. Her attitude when she got here didn’t help any, either.”
“She was just acting out, Mac.”
“I know, I know. You don’t have to explain it all to me again. I understand. I’m just saying that’s probably how her mom reacts too — assuming the worst because of her past behavior.”
“It’s unfair. She didn’t do this.”
“Are you sure, Sam? I’m not saying she’s involved, but I’m just asking.”
Sam considered Felicia. She came across as tough, but she really had a heart of gold. She was also loyal. She wasn’t afraid to bend a rule to the point of breaking. Felicia was nice to Sam, even while trying to act mean and rough. And the girl had a photographic memory, which is why she was able to bring her grades up to a four point in nine weeks’ time. Her grades had only dropped at her other school because of the crowd she’d been running with. At least that’s what Sam had heard.
“Sam?”
“I’m positive she isn’t involved.”
“Okay. Then that’s good enough for me. Do you have any other suspects?”
“I’m certain Luke Jensen isn’t involved, either. Man, have you seen his dad? He’s huge. Like a big ole stone wall. Scary.”
“You’re marking off suspects and not adding any, Sam.”
“Well, we can add Doug York.”
“Come on. He wouldn’t do anything like that.”
“Are you sure, Mac? He really despises me. I heard that he wanted to be on the newspaper staff but his dad wouldn’t let him. I think he’s jealous that I’m on the paper and he isn’t.”
“Still, to do something like this?” Makayla shook her head. “He’s the son of a cop.”
Sam shrugged. “So? You know what they say about kids of LEOs, right?”
“LEO?”
“Law Enforcement Officer.”
Makayla laughed. “Cute. No, what do they say about LEO’s kids?”
“That we’re most likely to cross the legal line, or at least go right up to it.”
“You fit that description to a T.”
“Hey now.”
“Girl, you’ve got to admit you push the limits. A lot.” Though Sam knew she was kidding, she could sense a hint of seriousness in Makayla’s tone.
“Only to get a story.” Heat spread across her face.
“That doesn’t make it right. Remember, the ends do not justify the means if the means are wrong.” More seriousness.
Sam coughed. “Yeah, yeah, yeah. You sound like Dad again. I’m starting to think you might be cut out to be a LEO yourself, Mac.”
“Um, no. The thought of handling a gun terrifies me.”
Sam burst out laughing.
“What’s so funny?”
“You.”
“What?”
Sam snorted. “You’re scared of a gun, but you love karate, even when it wipes you out. You’re a walking contradiction, girl.”
“Guns kill people, Sam.”
“No, people kill people. Guns are just a vehicle for those types. So are knives. And ropes. And even plastic bags. And yep, even martial arts.”
“I’m not going to kill anybody. Stop being morbid.”
Sam snorted again. “I didn’t say you were. I was just pointing out that people associate guns with violence but not martial arts. Both can be just as deadly.”
“True. Guess I never thought about it that way.”
“Not to change the subject, but I have a computer question for you.”
“Shoot. Pun intended.”
Sam grinned. “Goof. Could you go into the school’s computer system and see where this virus originated?”
“I can’t do that.”
“Can’t because it’s not doable or can’t because you won’t?”
“Can’t because I’m sure the IT team has already tried that.”
“You think? Really?”
“Come on, Sam. That’s their job.”
“But you’re brilliant.”
Mac laughed. “Of course I am. I’m a computer ninja, but the IT team would have done that already if they could trace it.”
“But could you try?”
“Sam!”
The call-waiting sound rang. Sam glanced at the iPhone. “That’s Felicia calling. I’ll call you back.”
“Can’t. I have a bunch of homework. Text me.”
“Okay.” Sam pressed the button to answer Felicia’s call and pressed the phone to her ear. “Felicia?”
“Hey.”
“Are you okay? I’ve been worried about you.”
“I’ll be fine.”
“What happened?”
“Mrs. Trees told my mom that they couldn’t ignore the connection between the expulsion from my previous school and the incident with the report cards.”
“Oh no.”
“Yeah, good ole Mrs. Trees really tried to pin it on me. Asked me the same question about forty different ways, trying to trip me up. But it didn’t work because I didn’t do it.”
“What did your mom say?”
“As you can imagine, she was furious. The IT guy, he helped me out. Asked about our computer at the house, what kind it was and all that. He told Mrs. Trees that he didn’t think I could have done it.”
“Why?”
“Because our computer here is a PC. He says the virus had to be created on a Mac so that it wouldn’t infect the builder’s computer in testing, whatever that means.”
That was something she hadn’t thought about, but it made sense. “Mac computers don’t get viruses that I know of, so it wouldn’t be affected by the virus being built on it like a regular PC would.” This little fact would sure be in her next article.
“Your dad asked if I had access to any Mac systems. Luckily, I’m not in EAST, so I don’t have access.”
EAST was a class that focused on student-driven service projects by using teamwork and cutting-edge technology. The EAST classroom had the coolest computers, laptops, software, and accessories, including GPS/GIS mapping tools, architectural and CAD design software, 3D animation suites, virtual reality development, and more. The kids in EAST could identify problems in the community and then use these tools to develop solutions, usually working with other groups. The classroom also had several Mac computers.
“So you aren’t in trouble with your mom?”
“She’s not happy, but she finally believes I’m not involved. She had to give me the lecture called ‘this is a prime example of why I need to be careful of what I do because what we do in the past comes back to haunt us.’ In that tone too. You know, all that parent stuff.”
Sam nodded, smiling at Felicia’s high-pitched and dramatic impression of her mom. “Yeah, I know, but I’m glad she’s not mad at you.”
“At first, she wanted to pull me from everything again, but I argued that it would be punishing me for something I didn’t do. It was the first time in a long time that we’ve been able to disagree and come to a compromise without yelling and slamming doors.”
Sam cringed. She got mad at her parents all right, what kid doesn’t, but they didn’t yell. “What’s your compromise?”
“Along with keeping my grades up and staying out of trouble, I agreed to join the tutoring team.”
“That’s actually fun. My best friend did that the last nine weeks and liked it. I bet you’ll have fun with it.”
“Yeah. I hope so. Anyway, I’ve got to go. I told Mom I’d only be a few minutes, but I wanted to call you back.”
“Okay. I’ll see you tomorrow at school.”
“Yeah. Oh, and do-gooder?”
“Yeah?”
“Thanks for calling to check up on me.” The call disconnected before Sam could say anything in reply.
Sam set down the phone, smiling. She was determined to find out who was responsible for the virus so Felicia wouldn’t be under Mrs. Trees’ cloud of suspicion for a moment longer.
But where to start? Makayla was right, she had run out of suspects.
Sam leaned back in her chair, rubbed her feet against Chewy’s warm belly, and closed her eyes. She let Chewy’s fur soothe her.
But she didn’t relax for long. A thought occurred to her and she sat upright and opened her eyes in one sudden movement. Makayla had said she was sure the IT team tried to trace the virus. But they obviously hadn’t traced it since they didn’t seem to have an idea where the virus began. Maybe they weren’t as good as Mac thought.
Sam opened the search window on her iMac and typed in: Alexander AND PCSSD IT.
Maybe the IT guy wasn’t so great. If she could just find something that would question his abilities, maybe she could talk Makayla into running the trace herself.
CHAPTER SEVEN
I can’t tell you, Sam.” She knew that bulldog look — eyebrows drawn down, lips puckered tight — Dad wasn’t going to tell her a thing.
She’d try anyway. “Come on, Dad. I know you check out everybody involved in a case. Tell me about Mr. Alexander.”
“Why would you think I check out everybody?” He glanced at her for a moment, then went right back to focusing on the road as he drove her to school.
“Because that’s just how you are.”
“I don’t always do that.”
“Daaaaad, come on. Tell me about Mr. Alexander.”
“He heads up the computer team for your school district.”
“Seriously, Dad?” She popped her head back on the seat of the truck and stared out the window. Why was Dad such a hardnose about the investigation? Mrs. Pape and Aubrey were so wrong in assigning her the case because they assumed she could use her dad as a source — he would probably open up more to someone else. “Can you at least confirm his qualifications?”