White Knights

by Julie Moffett

  “Because American soldiers killed his brother, Adir.”

  Frankie and I both gasped.

  “What?” Frankie clapped her hand over her mouth and peered over Wally’s shoulder at the screen. “What happened?”

  “Friendly fire. It was an accident.”

  I blew out a breath. “That’s terrible. Look, I’m contacting Lexi again. Regardless of Mr. Haider’s motive, if it’s him doing the hacking, we can’t let anyone else to get hurt or killed. It stops right now…with us.”

  I grabbed my phone and started texting Lexi, briefly outlining our suspicions and letting her know we were with Haider at the Smithsonian. I pushed Send and set my phone down.

  “Do you know anything else about Mr. Haider?” I asked Wally.

  “I’ve only scanned open sources so far, but get this. His father’s job at the Ministry of Health…he’s not just an engineer. He’s a bioengineer.”

  “That’s bad,” I murmured. “If Haider is inside BioLimbs’ system, he has access to proprietary information. He could steal it and pass it to his father.”

  “That’s a real possibility,” Wally said seriously. “It’s called industrial spying. That would be an ideal setup for him. He could steal technical information and exact revenge on his brother’s killers.”

  “Was Mr. Matthews involved in the friendly fire incident where Adir Haider was killed?” Frankie asked.

  “I don’t know.” Wally lifted his hands. “Those specific details are not for public consumption. It would require a much deeper hack into the Department of Defense. Sorry, but I’m not going there from here. But I’m betting he was.”

  My phone dinged, indicating I had a text message. I snatched it off the table. “It’s from Lexi.”

  Sorry. I’ve been out of the country. We know about Mr. Haider. Will explain later. We are coming to the museum. Please do everything you can to stall him until we get there. However, do NOT put yourselves in danger. If he leaves, do NOT follow him. Understood?

  I handed my phone to Wally and Frankie so they could read it. “Time for the Scooby gang to get real,” Frankie whispered.

  I glanced at my screen, and my heart skipped a beat. “Guys, he’s finishing up with the hack.”

  “What?” Panic flashed in Wally’s eyes as he handed me back my phone. “What are we going to do? How are we supposed to stall him?”

  I stuck my phone in my pocket. My mind raced. I had absolutely no clue.

  “We could spill something on him,” Frankie suggested. “Make him clean up. That takes time.”

  “That won’t get him to stick around,” Wally protested. “That will only make him leave sooner.”

  “I have an idea,” I said. “You stay here, Wally. Frankie and I are going to go fangirl over him.”

  “Say again.” Frankie crinkled her brow. “I’m going to do what?”

  “Fangirl. Follow my lead.”

  “Are you crazy?” Wally hissed. “This guy is trying to murder people. Don’t go near him.”

  I looked over at him. Haider had already closed his laptop. I shoved my own computer into the bag. “No time to argue. Just do what I say. Pack up, everyone.” I slung my laptop strap over my shoulder and looked at Frankie. “Act normal, okay?”

  “I always act normal except when I’m nervous, which I am right now. You, however, are the tightest-wound fangirl I’ve ever seen.”

  She was right, but I didn’t answer since we were almost to Omar Haider’s table. My heart hammered so hard in my chest, I was afraid I might pass out. He glanced up at us. Surprise and then wariness flashed in his eyes. “Can I help you young ladies with something?”

  “Excuse me, but are you Omar Haider?” I said, hoping I sounded like an awestruck fan. “I saw your picture in the Washington Post. We’re studying your research at my high school. I go to a school for kids who are gifted in science and technology.” My words came out in a horrid squeak because a.) I was freaking terrified, b.) I hated talking to strangers—well, people in general, and c.) I was facing a murderer.

  Maybe because I was genuinely nervous, he seemed to relax. He leaned back in his chair, crossing his legs. “Yes, I am Omar Haider. You are high school students?”

  “Yes. Your work on artificial intelligence and bioengineering is amazing. Seriously cool.”

  “It’s pretty advanced material.”

  “We’re discussing the overall implications of your research on cybersecurity.”

  “Interesting that American schools are examining my research.” He looked at us thoughtfully.

  “Yeah,” Frankie added with enthusiasm. “Your work is fascinating. That thingy you did with the…um…computer was amazing.”

  It took everything I had not to smack Frankie on the back of the head. Thingy? He’d never believe we were gifted students.

  “Anyway, Mr. Haider, we wondered if you had time to give us your latest thoughts on AI and cybersecurity,” I said. “I could share it with the class.”

  He sipped his coffee, studied us. “Actually, I’m sorry. I have an appointment. I must go now.”

  “Oh, no! That’s too bad. Way too bad.” My blood pressure jumped. “Maybe you could give us a brief summary.”

  “I’m afraid not. It was nice to meet you, girls.” He slid his laptop into his bag.

  “Wait. Would you mind if we got our picture with you first?” I asked. Before he could answer in the negative, I whipped out my phone and ran behind him. “We’ll take a couple of selfies. Right, Frankie? Won’t that be cool to show everybody at school?”

  “Totally cool.” She rushed over beside me, and we bent down with Omar’s head between us. I pretended to fuss with the angle and light until I sensed his impatience. I snapped a couple and then looked at Frankie behind his back with panic in my expression. We couldn’t let him leave yet.

  She read my desperation and moved around to the front of him. “Well, it’s been great to meet you, Mr. Laider.”

  “Haider,” I coughed.

  “Right.” She stuck her hand out and, in the process, knocked his coffee cup into his lap. Omar jumped up with a yelp while Frankie gasped in shock.

  “Oh, I am so sorry.” She grabbed a couple of napkins and started to dab him. “I’m such a klutz.”

  He stepped back, shaking the coffee off his hands. “It’s okay. I’ll go clean it off.”

  “We’ll wait here with your stuff,” I volunteered.

  He wiped his hands on a dry spot on his pants. He started to leave and then, after a moment’s thought, he grabbed his laptop bag. “I’ll be right back for my jacket.”

  He headed to the bathroom. As soon as he was out of sight, I motioned to Wally to follow him. Wally vigorously shook his head no, looking scared. I glared at him until he got up and headed reluctantly to the bathroom.

  I turned to Frankie. “Way to stall.”

  She was still mopping up the coffee from the table. “Well, he was already leaving. We didn’t have anything to lose. Sorry. I had to think on my feet.”

  I rubbed my temples. “It was better than what I could come up with, which was zip.”

  Two minutes later, my phone dinged. It was a frantic message from Wally.

  He’s on to us! He went to bathroom, but not coming back for jacket. He’s pushing the Down button for elevator.

  I quickly texted back.

  Stay with him, Wally. Do NOT let him out of your sight.

  I shoved the phone in my pocket and jumped up. “Haider is at the elevator. Hurry.” I snatched his jacket as we raced to the elevator, our laptop bags banging against our thighs.

  Unfortunately, the elevator had already arrived, and Omar was on it.

  “Wait!” I shouted. “Mr. Haider. You forgot your jacket.”

  It was too late. We screeched to a halt as the elevator doors closed. The last thing I saw was Wally’s face, as white as a sheet, standing alone in the elevator with a killer.

  Chapter Forty-Nine

  ANGEL SINCLAIR

&nb
sp; “Come on!” I shouted at Frankie, whirling around and racing down the corridor toward the escalator. I grabbed the handrail and swung onto the moving steps, taking two at a time and startling a couple of tourists as I pushed past.

  I could see the elevator moving. I wasn’t going to make it in time to intercept Omar, not to mention, I had no plan in mind how to keep him in the museum, especially if he suspected we were up to something. I also had no illusions that Wally could stop him after seeing the deathly pallor of his face when the elevator closed.

  I could barely breathe as I flew down the steps. I was halfway down the escalator when the elevator door opened. Omar stepped out. Thank all the stars above, Wally also walked out behind him, alive and apparently unharmed.

  Omar took a few steps, and Wally dutifully followed. At that moment, disaster struck. Omar whirled around to face Wally, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt and saying something to him.

  Wally was so startled he almost collapsed. My heart leaped to my throat as I jumped down the last three steps on the escalator and raced toward them without a clear idea of what was next. I was about fifty feet from them when suddenly Wally saved the day.

  He hurled. When I say hurl, I’m being literal. He sprayed Omar right in the chest as if he were holding a hose.

  Omar cursed and released Wally, taking a step back. I skidded to a halt about fifteen feet away, torn between saving Wally and being grossed out by the barf fest. Frankie came up behind me. She put a hand on my shoulder, breathing hard. “Thanks for waiting for me.”

  “Angel!”

  I spun around. That voice was familiar. “Lexi!”

  Lexi ran toward me, waving a hand. Right beside her were Slash, two guys in dark suits, and a Smithsonian security guard. Omar didn’t even try to run. He stood there in disbelief, dripping in Wally’s puke.

  Wally dropped to his knees, still shaking, but at least he wasn’t throwing up anymore. Lexi stopped next to me as Slash and the two guys in suits surrounded Omar and started to speak to him quietly. The security guard helped Wally to his feet, and a couple of other security guards started a protective perimeter around us, keeping curious tourists away.

  “What the heck were you doing?” Lexi asked me with a frown. “What part of do not follow him didn’t you understand?”

  “We weren’t going to follow him, but then he bolted. Didn’t even come back for his jacket.” I was still holding it. “I think he knew something wasn’t right. He tried to slip out. I told Wally to get in the elevator with him. I don’t know what I was thinking. I didn’t want him to get away.”

  “I’m glad you’re okay. Just so you know, Gwen would have had my head on a platter if anything had happened to you. Between you and me, your sister kind scares me when she gets all fired up.”

  “Join the club.” We shared a smile, imagining Gwen, all five foot three of her, scolding us. “What took you guys so long?”

  “What do you think? Traffic. Even on a Sunday, it took us longer than expected to reach the head of security at the museum and explain our suspicions. They’d just gone on alert at the exits. I spotted you right away, racing across the room with a look of sheer panic on your face.”

  “He had Wally by the collar.” My heart jumped again, remembering it. I calmed myself by looking at Wally and realizing that, while shaken, he was alive.

  “Yeah, I saw that, too,” Lexi said. “He looks okay now. Who’s your friend here?”

  Frankie was staring at Slash from across the room with her mouth open. I rudely elbowed her in the stomach, and she grunted in response.

  “Lexi, meet Frankie. Frankie is my…friend and one-third of the White Knights.”

  Lexi raised an eyebrow. “White Knights?”

  “Yeah, we formed a group, well, a cybersecurity posse. Using white-hat hacking methods, we save the day with our brains and”—I spread my hand out toward Wally—“vomit, as required.”

  Lexi lifted an eyebrow, then shook Frankie’s hand. “Nice to meet you, Frankie. Someone once told me an agent uses whatever tools are at hand. You kids did a good job. We’ve got a lot to talk about. Let’s get Wally cleaned up and go somewhere we can debrief in private.”

  “Did she say agent and debrief in the same sentence?” Frankie whispered to me. “That’s so James Bond-like.”

  I patted her on the shoulder. “It could mean the White Knights are moving up from the Scooby game.”

  “Well, there’s only one thing to say to that,” Frankie said, grinning. “Jinkies.”

  Chapter Fifty

  ANGEL SINCLAIR

  Slash and the two guys in suits escorted Omar and his laptop out of the museum. Omar loudly insisted on seeing representatives from the Iraqi Embassy. Wally cleaned up in the bathroom while Lexi spoke with the director of security at the museum. He confirmed he had spoken to both the DC police chief and the deputy director of the NSA and we were good to go. He seemed anxious to get us out of the museum, as if the cloak-and-dagger stuff had somehow tainted his establishment.

  Not that any of it was our fault—at least, not exactly.

  All three of us called our parents, and they spoke briefly with Lexi. She promised she would get us home safely and provide the details of our evening. For now, we’d been witnesses in a federal investigation, so we needed to be interviewed before we could go home. I thought my mom would completely freak out, but she didn’t. Wally’s and Frankie’s parents, while surprised, were both mostly calm, although naturally concerned, while Lexi updated them on events. Before we could leave, however, Wally had to turn over his car keys to another agent, who promised to get the car home in one piece.

  We piled into a black sedan with one of the agents driving and Lexi in the front seat. The three of us sat in the back.

  “Where are going?” Frankie looked out the window as we stopped in front of a guarded underground parking garage.

  “The NSA,” Lexi answered. “One of their satellite offices, at least.”

  “Are we in trouble?” I asked.

  “No.” But the fact that she didn’t offer more information worried me.

  “Just so we’re all clear—I don’t think I can withstand waterboarding,” Wally said. “I have a low threshold for pain.”

  “Waterboarding is CIA territory.” Lexi sounded amused. “But no worries. I’ll make sure there’s no torture involved. Just answer their questions honestly, okay? You’ll be fine.”

  “I’m going to tell them that you said that. Your word carries weight, right?”

  “Right.”

  We pulled into the garage and parked. The driver opened our door so we could climb out. We went up two floors to what I assumed was the lobby. A man dressed in a suit and tie sat behind a desk and asked us to sign in by pressing our palms on a pad, then signing our names into an electronic book. After we did that, we walked through a magnetometer to make sure we weren’t carrying weapons and through a door with frosted glass that buzzed to allow us entry. The agent who’d driven us didn’t go in with us, but sat down in a waiting area. Lexi guided us to an elevator and pushed a button for the third floor.

  When we got off the elevator, two female agents were waiting. One took Frankie to the left and the other led Wally down a long hallway to the right.

  I looked at Lexi. “What about me?”

  “There’s someone special who wants to talk to you.”

  I followed her down the hallway in the opposite direction of where Wally and Frankie had gone. She stopped at the second door on the left and knocked. After a moment, she looked up at a camera mounted on the wall and waved. The door buzzed open, and we walked in.

  Sitting at a long wooden conference table was Slash.

  I took two steps forward. “What’s going to happen to Omar Haider?”

  Slash leaned back in his chair and smiled. Wow, his smile made him look so friendly and approachable. “That remains to be seen. He’s being questioned as I speak.”

  “Then why am I here?”

  �
��There are a lot of people who want to know how you found him.”

  “I…I don’t want to go to jail. I just wanted to help Mr. Matthews.”

  Slash’s expression softened. “I know. It’s okay, Angel. I’m not going to let anything happen to you. You’re not going to jail. You have my word on that.”

  “No offense, but can I get that in writing?”

  “Of course.” He pulled a notebook toward him and wrote something on a piece of paper, signing his name with a flourish. He pulled it out of the notebook and slid it over to Lexi. She read it, initialed it, and then passed it to me.

  “There, you have both of our promises,” Lexi said.

  I studied the note in silence. “So, I’m safe? Really? No jail, no matter what I say?”

  “No jail. No record. No nothing. Just honesty.” Slash motioned to the chair next to him, so I sat after I folded up the note and stuck it in my jeans. Lexi came around the table and took the chair on the other side of him.

  “His word is good, Angel,” she said. “Mine is, too. You trust me, right?”

  “Seeing as how I am the president and founder of the Lexi Carmichael fan club, I think you already know the answer.”

  She winced when I mentioned the fan club, but managed a smile. “Remember how you helped Slash and me with that important mission in Egypt? We trusted you to do good work, so now I’m asking you to trust us, okay? We need you to walk us through the entire thing. How did you connect this to Omar Haider? Start at the beginning and don’t leave anything out, including the hacking.”

  I told them, starting with the first day of my senior year at Excalibur and the bleacher that rolled onto Mr. Matthews’s foot. I only stopped twice—once to go to the bathroom and once to drink half of the bottle of water that Lexi brought me. On several occasions, Slash opened the laptop on the table and had me walk him though my hacks on BioLimbs and the app and how I’d found the malware.