by Jeff Adams
“We’ve got, well, Winger’s got the problem isolated.”
“At least I think so,” I added.
I went over everything again.
“I’ve just added code to lock down the access logs so we cut them off from there,” I said once I’d finished the overview. “We need people testing that. I’m finishing up another patch that should force the tracker system to disallow any automatic access tokens. Once that’s done, it’ll need testing too.”
“Doc and I can take the first pass on testing, and if it passes us, we’ll get some others on it to make sure it’s secure,” Joanna said. “Great catch, Winger, especially catching the logs disappearing.”
“I could only develop the fix because of the local backup copies I made. I recommend, again, that the agency put backup procedures in place across the board. That process was the only reason I was able to have the patches in place already.”
“Noted,” Joanna said.
It was the second time in a year I’d mentioned that. Initially it was just a good process. Due to this hack, perhaps the project would get some traction in the agency and get prioritized accordingly.
“We should also look for trojans in the system,” Lorenzo said. “Sweep through everything and make sure there’s nothing planted to help someone get back in. They’d have to assume we’d find the breach and fix it.”
“Agreed,” I said.
“We can get the other agents added back in the system too,” Joanna said.
“I recommend against that for now,” I said. “It might tip our hand that we’ve fixed the problem. I want to analyze the log data further and see if I can get a backtrace going. My chip may also point the way, since I know it’s still transmitting.”
“Okay,” Joanna said. “I’ll let Raptor know the latest.”
“I’ve got the second patch in. The tracker interface should no longer allow anything other than a true log-in for access. I also added a ten-minute timeout to log out users so connections aren’t staying open.”
“Got it,” Lorenzo said. “I see the new code. We’ll get to testing. If we see any issues, we’ll be in touch.”
“Cool. I’ll be online for at least another couple of hours, and then I’ll be doing homework.”
“Winger,” Joanna said. “It’s good to see you. I’m very sorry about what happened yesterday.”
“Thank you,” I said with a slight smile. “Signing off.”
I cut the chat and sat back in my chair. Analyzing and creating the patch was the kind of work I loved doing. There was more to do, but at least there was progress.
Chapter Eight
“HEY,” EDDIE said as he walked up to my locker after school. “Wasn’t sure you’d still be here.”
“Where else would I be?” I stuffed books into my backpack.
He shrugged.
It was hard to look at Eddie. It’d been four days since “the accident,” as I was calling it, and while there were signs he was healing, Eddie still had new bruises popping up. I knew he was in pain too. It was obvious in the careful way he walked. His easygoing strides were gone, replaced by smaller steps.
Hurt was written all over his face. I couldn’t decide if it was physical or mental, caused by the accident or by me.
I wasn’t doing much better. Someone had accidentally dropped a textbook during American Lit and I jumped up from my desk, ready to take cover.
People laughed.
I’d tried to laugh it off too, but my heart pounded loudly in my ears for the rest of class. Afterward the teacher asked me if I was okay. I’d been getting that a lot because the news of what happened had spread among my classmates over the weekend. I kept my social media network small for a lot of reasons, but it was still obvious from my news feed that I’d become a hot topic.
“Come on,” I said. “Let’s go to Zinneken’s and get some waffles. That’ll help.”
“Don’t you have practice?”
I didn’t like the edge in Eddie’s voice. It’d never been directed at me before. I’d heard it when he was annoyed with people or upset with his performance in swimming. Maybe it wasn’t at me but was because he was recovering. Maybe it was left over from yesterday when I couldn’t come over after my afternoon class because I needed to get onto a TOS call. As usual I blamed it on client work, but I should’ve done something more to be with him.
He was in this condition because of me after all.
I shook my head. “I’m still a scratch. Coach wants my stitches out, so there’s no chance of them getting ripped or infected.”
“Then let’s get some waffles.” His voice became softer. He leaned in and kissed my cheek.
Once I shouldered my pack, I took his hand. “Come on. I’ve still got Dad’s car, so I’m good to go.”
“He didn’t come back when he heard what happened?”
“Nah. I was fine. He still has work to do. We’ve talked a couple of times, though.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw his confused look. Most dads would’ve come right home. I knew mine couldn’t. I didn’t have details on what Dad was working on, but it would take a lot more than what happened to pull him out. However, based on the talks we’d had over the weekend, I suspected if I told him I needed him, he’d make it happen.
I didn’t pull that card, though.
Dad had calmed my rough edges. I didn’t have any bad dreams last night. He’d told me about some of his bad dreams from when he first started out. On his very first mission, he’d been held at gunpoint and it tormented him for weeks. He told me about some calming meditation he always did before bed that helped him. It helped me too—or at least it did last night.
“My parents can’t decide if they’re pissed I did something as crazy as stopping the bad guys,” Eddie said, “or proud because I was some kind of a hero.”
“You were a hero. I’m certain I owe you my life.”
“Then you can buy the waffles.”
I faced him just in time to see a wink. “I’ll buy you waffles forever if that’s what you want. It’s the least I can do.”
“Theo!” I recognized that voice as Cullen Watson. “Wait up.”
I’m sure Eddie saw my look of frustration as I stopped us so I could turn. I did my best to wipe the irritation before Cullen saw it.
“Hey. What’s up?”
“Wanted to see if you had a chance to look over the envelope I left you.”
Wow. He jumped right in. No regard for the injuries Eddie and I both sported.
“No,” I said. “I already told you I can’t look into that.”
I might as well have kicked him in the stomach by the way his face fell.
“Fine!” he said loud enough his voice echoed against the lockers. “You were the only one I knew who would maybe help. Give it back, and I’ll try to find someone else.” He suddenly dropped his voice. “I have to go to his house today.”
He was not only angry but crying too. Dammit.
“I told you I couldn’t, but you gave me the envelope anyway.”
“I was hoping if you had the stuff, you’d fix it.”
This was not what I needed. At least Eddie had the sense not to say anything. He squeezed my hand, a great show of silent support.
“The only way I could do anything is if the agency who manages the computer officially asked me to take a look. Otherwise, it’s all illegal and might even make things worse for you.”
“Whatever. Gimme the stuff.”
“It’s at home. I’ll—”
“Whatever!” Cullen stormed down the hall and turned a corner before I could say anything else.
I rubbed my hand across my forehead trying to diminish the headache that had formed.
“Do I want to ask?”
“Probably not.” I gave him the details anyway. At least this was something I could share.
“Damn. That’s intense.”
“Yeah.” I got us moving again.
“You really know how to drive, righ
t?” Eddie asked as we got to my car. He was driving his mom’s car, and it was parked a few spaces over.
“Jerk.” I shoved him in the shoulder, and laughed a little. “You can buy your own waffles if you’re gonna be like that.”
He made an ooph sound, and I regretted the shove. It was playful, but it was also against his left side—the impact side.
“Shit. Sorry.”
“It’s okay. I’m glad we can goof around with each other.”
“What do you mean?”
He sighed. “Nothing.” Before I could ask again, he continued. “I don’t know. It could just be me. Since the accident, I feel like there’s a wall between us. Something’s awkward, out of place. Maybe just because we’re both dealing with the injuries and everything.”
We shouldn’t have to have this conversation. What would he say if he knew the truth? His boyfriend worked in IT for a secret organization and that was why someone rammed his Jeep. Whether or not the bad guys were coming specifically for me didn’t matter, the fact was that it related to work he knew nothing about. Even though Iris had put that human trafficking story out there, it was a stretch to make it work in this narrative since that kind of thing wasn’t known to happen. I knew the police were eventually going to abandon the case due to lack of motive and suspects. TOS was behind that of course. While I had some closure since I knew what was really going on with the trackers, Eddie was never going to have a resolution.
I needed to talk to Dad about this. There was a time he worked for TOS and Mom didn’t. How did he deal with keeping stuff from her?
“I guess I haven’t helped much, because I just went right back into things,” I said. “We only had the weekend, and even then I was busy. I was freaked out, and I kept myself busy with client- and schoolwork so I wouldn’t think as much. I’m sorry I wasn’t paying more attention to you.”
“No. No. I’ve actually tried to use you as inspiration to get back to normal. I’m sure I’m making something out of nothing. You’ve got no reason to put up a wall. And I’m sure you’re dealing with more than I am since you were the one snatched.”
“It’s not a contest.” Unwanted frustration crept into my voice. “We both got worked over, just in different ways. And you’re right. I’m trying my best to forget it, especially the gun. Maybe that’s what you sense. I’m trying to put a wall in front of that so I don’t think about it.”
He nodded and leaned in for a kiss, which quickly got a little heated. His kisses were comforting. A safe place to lose myself. I hoped he felt the same.
“I hope it’s that. I don’t like feeling that you’re hiding something.”
“Why would I hide from you?” I did my best to sound surprised.
“Like I said, it’s probably nothing. I know you’ve always got work stuff you can’t talk about and I’m probably hypersensitive right now. Let’s get some food, and then maybe we can hang out at the park for a while.”
The afternoon sun danced in his brown eyes as he talked, making me want to skip the food altogether.
I nodded. Homework and TOS could wait awhile. Time with Eddie was exactly what I, and maybe we, needed.
Chapter Nine
EVERYTHING WENT to hell fast.
After we got stuffed on waffles, Eddie and I parked out at Danehy Park to make out. Because it was chilly, not many people were around. This empty parking lot was a preferred spot for us if we couldn’t be alone at Eddie’s. It wasn’t like we were getting naked, so even if someone saw us, the worst they’d do was ask us to move along.
It was easier to fool around in Dad’s car rather than the closer confines of Eddie’s Jeep. Regardless of the bigger back seat, each of us occasionally grunted when we moved, and it wasn’t a grunt of pleasure. It seemed being comfortable wasn’t a primary concern right now.
We were in the middle of a deep, long kiss when my phone made the worst screeching noise I’d ever heard. I didn’t know it was capable of making that sound. We tried to ignore it, but on its third wail, I grabbed it from the console between the front seats.
LOOKOUT
That single word terrified me. It was the highest TOS alert possible, and it had been blasted out to agents across the world.
“What is it?” Eddie angled himself to try to see the phone.
“Amber alert,” I said. “I guess I never turned on the blocker for those.”
“Oh man.” Eddie leaned back in the seat. “That’s the first thing I do when I get a new phone. All it took was that tone scaring the crap out of me once.”
I needed to get home, but I didn’t have a way to leave Eddie without it being weird or pissing him off.
I swiped the phone clear and didn’t know what else to do. It rang in my hand—Mom’s ringtone. This might be the cover story I needed.
“Hi, Mom. What’s up?” I tried to keep my voice even so Eddie wouldn’t get suspicious.
“I figured you might be with Eddie because you didn’t have practice.”
“Yeah, we’re getting something to eat.”
Apparently I can lie to Mom pretty easily too. At least we’d been eating earlier.
“Tell him I’m asking you to pick up some stuff for dinner. Then get home. I want you here, and I’d imagine there’s some work waiting for you as well.”
“Sure. I can do that.” I made my side of the conversation seem normal. “I’ll be home soon.”
“Okay. Be safe.”
I disconnected. What was happening? Mom sounded nervous and that never happened. Was I in danger? Was she in danger? I tried to shake it off.
I sighed. “I need to go. Mom forgot stuff at the store and she’s trying to make dinner—a perk of being hurt is Mom’s been cooking.”
Eddie smiled, apparently buying the lie. He knew I usually made my own dinner because everyone at my house was so busy.
“I should probably get home anyway. The ’rents are overprotective these days.”
We kissed again, probably longer than we should’ve, before hopping out of the car so I could get in the front seat and Eddie could go to his.
“Wanna come over later?” Eddie asked. “We could do homework?”
“Homework or homework?”
“I need to do the first one, but I’d love some of the second. This wasn’t quite enough.”
“I’ve got a lot to do too, plus I know I need to check in with my crazed client. Let me call you in a couple of hours and let you know how it’s going.”
“I’ll take that.” He gave me a sexy smile.
At least he seemed less suspicious now. We kissed some more before I let him go. We both needed each other today, and it made the kisses insanely good. Once he drove away, I jammed my headphones into the phone and called Lorenzo.
“Winger, all hell’s breaking loose,” Lorenzo said after I identified. He sounded harried, far more than he had when all of this started. “The patch to make sure people are authenticated has either failed or they’ve found another way in. In the past ninety minutes, we’ve had four agents go off the grid. We’ve also….”
Lorenzo trailed off, which was unlike him. Reciting facts was one of the things he excelled at.
“Doc?”
“Sorry. I’m not sure you should hear this part. It’s not really relevant to….”
“Tell me.” I was coarser than I meant to be.
“An agent was found in London in her apartment with her neck cut open and the tracker gone.”
I pulled into the grocery store. I decided to make this look good in case someone was following me.
“I see,” I squeaked out as the shock from that sank in. “I’m headed into a public place. I’m putting you on mute and I’m gonna play some music. Stand by.”
“Understood.”
I did my best to walk normally around the store. I wanted to be home now. Because my chip was still transmitting and being tracked by someone else’s system, I felt very exposed. My heart sped up so fast it felt like I was going to have some kind of attack
. I slowed my breathing and my stride to try to calm down.
I got milk and some ground beef, which I knew we didn’t need. I said hi to Roy, a guy from my history class, who rung it up, and then I was on my way again.
As soon as I was in the car, I continued with Lorenzo.
“Your code is still in place, and we’re making instant log copies and we don’t see signs that lines have been removed,” he continued without missing a beat. “Oh, and one other weird thing. An agent was arrested in Montreal for robbing a drugstore using a TOS issued sidearm. He has no memory of doing it. As far as he knows, he had lunch at a café and then he was in the back of a police car.”
That made no sense at all.
“Do you think these are related?” I managed a calm voice even though my heart pounded hard in my chest.
“Maybe. There was a project that used the trackers to make agents susceptible to suggestion. It sounds crazy, but it’s apparently possible if the trackers were attached to a part of the brain. A few people here remember that project. It was scrapped ages ago.”
“Wait. What? Did you really just say something about mind control?”
“Yeah.” Lorenzo sounded like he couldn’t believe it himself.
“And it worked?”
“That’s what I’m told.”
“Incredible,” I said with no shortage of wonder in my voice. “We need to get a handle on that. If someone’s controlling agents, we could all be screwed.”
“Yeah” was all Lorenzo had.
“I’m a couple minutes from home. I’ll call you when I’m online.”
“Thanks, Winger. Talk to you soon.”
If my patches were still in place and solid, the person must be accessing under legit credentials. I called Lorenzo back.
“That was fast,” he said.
“I had an idea. Do the authentication logs show any unusual activity? Who’s logging in and from where?”
“We’re going through those now. Red Hat’s also talking to Raptor about suspending all access until we can secure the system.”
“Good idea. Can the chips be remotely deactivated?”