There was a pause, defiance turning into unhappiness. She added soberly, "Or unlucky, I guess… Why did you have to send that email, Garrett Wiggins?"
Garrett looked across the desk at her, sudden sadness in his eyes. He was filled with deep regret, unable to ignore the fact that he had unwittingly and irreconcilably ruined someone else's life in order to fix his own.
I sent it because...because I was desperate. Because I thought I had no other choice. Because it's easy to type some words on a screen and hit send, not remotely considering that real people could be affected on the other side.
It was never supposed to end up like this...you're just a girl.
He took a deep breath, then replied slowly, "Alice... I'm sorry. If I had known, if I had just taken the time to think about it..."
She shook her head, stopping him. "Garrett, it doesn't matter why you did it. What matters now is that you are my only hope to get out of this mess. We need to get to work."
Garrett sat back, humbled.
Nothing like getting put in your place by a teenager. She's right, though. We have to figure this out.
But, this isn't the place to do that. People will be coming into the office soon and they will certainly ask questions. If what she said is true, she doesn’t need that kind of attention. It's better to go somewhere beyond the reach of prying eyes.
"Alice, we need to get you somewhere safe. I trust my employees, but the more people that see you, the more likely it is that someone will talk. If we head back to my house, you can tell me the rest there."
She looks so sad. When was the last time she smiled, I wonder?
Garrett looked her over. "And you can take a shower if you want. I can't imagine that was anywhere in your schedule for the past few days…"
She caught the edge of sarcasm in his last comment and frowned. "Well, we better get moving. I don't want to stink up your office."
Garrett could not help but laugh, even in the midst of the circumstances. He wrote a quick note for his secretary, letting her know he would not be in the office, gathered his things, and turned the light off as he left.
Chapter 9
Alice already knew where Garrett lived, so she paid little attention to her surroundings as they drove the six miles to his house. Instead, she took the opportunity to figure out what she thought of Garrett.
He didn't seem interested in making small talk, instead choosing to look ahead at the road. He was concentrating intently, not paying much attention to her.
Garrett obviously had a sense of humor, and enjoyed interlacing it with a heavy dose of sarcasm. The way he chose to joke with her, in spite of the dire circumstances, was a relief in a way, distracting her from the severity of her situation. However, she knew she could not let her guard down.
Garrett was a charming enough person otherwise, calm and confident. He was one of those people that seemed genuinely comfortable in his own skin, something she had never been able to master. Alice felt awkward around him, exacerbated by the fact that she had been ruthlessly thrust so far outside her comfort zone.
As they arrived at the red brick house, Alice noticed it was just like every other house in these neighborhoods, with its neatly manicured lawn and almost identical facade to the houses around it. There was no indication of any individuality or personality. It was as if Garrett made the decision to live here, but this was not his home.
Inside the house, what she saw confirmed her theories. With the exception of his office, the rooms could have been taken off the pages of a department store catalog.
It's pleasant enough, but it feels so impersonal.
He guided her into his office, which was the one exception. It reminded Alice of her own, with one addition. It appeared that Garrett had an affinity for classic cars. Interspersed within the piles of electronics and shelves was a small "shrine" with a plethora of tiny, exquisite models. It was one of the only neat things in the room. It was obvious that he thought highly of the collection.
He dropped his things on a side table and then left the room, yelling back as he went, "Want any coffee? I'm going to make a pot."
"Um…a cup would be nice. Thank you," she replied sheepishly.
"Huh? Speak up!" Garrett sounded as if he were halfway across the house.
Seriously?
"YES, A CUP OF COFFEE WOULD BE NICE," Alice yelled after him.
"Coming right up!"
What am I even doing here? This guy is nice, but can he really do anything to help me? Can anyone?
Alice rubbed her forehead, shutting her eyes.
I can't think like that. I'll get through this, one way or another! I have to.
She used the time while Garrett was away to check out his office. A painting on the far wall caught her attention, so she approached it to get a closer look. It depicted a sturdy wooden ship with many canvassed sails, floating on a vast, choppy sea. The artist made elegant use of shading, casting the vessel in a dark and mysterious light. Her mind interrupted her observations, informing her that it was formally named Segelschiff and painted by a Romantic German painter named Caspar David Friedrich in 1815. She could tell that this one was obviously a reproduction, and a poor one at that.
She noticed that the painting hung slightly askew, so she reached to straighten it. As she was adjusting it, Alice heard a slight scraping noise, and then a small piece of paper fluttered onto the ground. She bent forward to pick it up, assuming it must have been stuck to the back of the frame.
It was an aged and wrinkled photograph. It was a family portrait of parents with two twin boys. Upon closer inspection, she noticed that she was looking at two younger, juvenile versions of Garrett. He had an identical twin?
Why didn't I know about this? I should have seen this data somewhere in EngineerCorp's database. He took such great pains to hide the picture.
Her mind rechecked all of the information she had at her disposal, but there was no trace or mention of any siblings for Garrett, identical or otherwise.
Alice had no further time to ponder the mystery. She heard footsteps in the hall and quickly stuffed the picture underneath a pile of papers before hurriedly collapsing onto the sofa.
That was close.
Garrett returned with two steaming cups of coffee, handing her one before settling into the impressive desk chair that was adjacent to the sofa.
They stared at each other awkwardly for a full minute, drinking the coffee, before Garrett spoke.
"So…let's start at the beginning, shall we? How did all of this happen?"
Alice took a second to collect her thoughts, and then told Garrett most of the story. She started at the point she received his email, then explained how she had been successful in what she thought was testing the robustness of EngineerCorp's software. From there, Alice detailed how she discovered the truth and did her best to hide her tracks.
Alice was careful to leave out any mention of the "incident" concerning the burns on her hand or the aftermath that followed. She described how she tried to leave town for safety, but was caught by Eric and subsequently held and questioned. She finished by recalling her escape and how she sought Garrett to ask for his help.
Garrett's face had shown mild curiosity at the beginning of her tale, but grew in intensity as she spoke. He was now sitting on the edge of his seat, staring at her in wonderment.
He clapped his hand on his leg and sat back in his chair. "Wow. I never thought…it was really just a wild guess…I cannot believe Eric himself was there… If he… Wait, does he know you can access his server at any time? Or did he think it was just a fluke?"
Alice had almost gotten lost in his chain of half-finished thoughts. Then, she realized he was directly addressing her again.
"I'm not really sure what he thinks at this point. Only that I'm an extreme danger to everything he has worked for, and he's most likely doing everything in his power to find me and bring me back."
"Hmm."
I hope that means he has a plan.
Alice smiled uncomfortably. "Wouldn't that be nice?"
If he only knew I was already there. Too bad, I am not invincible.
He ignored her, continuing, "So, our only option is to act fast and do something so rash and permanent that you cannot be touched…by him or anyone he controls. I think that can be done, at least in part, by exposing their treachery during the Cyberconn scandal. So, it's a win-win!" Garrett smiled mischievously.
"It sounds good. But, how? Were you able to contact any of your sources?"
"It's going to be trickier than I thought, finding people that are not mindless drones for EngineerCorp… people that will publish our information without selling us out first. EngineerCorp has its hands in almost every industry in the world. I only know of two people that are both somewhat neutral and have the means to assist us. There is Ana Filahn of the associated press. She lives in New York City and is always willing to publish a good story. Also there is Jeremy Sanders with the FBI in Washington, D.C."
Alice neatly created a personnel file on each person, pulling information from her vast collection of databases.
Ana Filahn is a successful journalist with the Associated Press. She often handles scandalous material and is known for her preference for publishing truths that most people would rather not share.
There appeared to be nothing out of the ordinary about her and Alice could find no clear connections with EngineerCorp amidst the data.
Jeremy Sanders has been with the FBI for over twenty years. He is a seasoned agent and his record is impressive. Throughout his career, he accepted quite a few remote posts accomplishing difficult tasks, in spite of the odds. Within the past five years, he has been permanently reassigned to D.C., where he holds a position with the ambiguous title of "Director of Special Research."
She noted that he and Garrett had both been in Harvard at the same time, although Jeremy was about ten years older than Garrett, pursuing his second degree at that point.
"I've known Jeremy since college. He stood by me, even helped me in the midst of my disgrace with EngineerCorp. There was just no proof... Even Jeremy couldn't do anything in the end. His hands were tied, but that didn't stop him from trying. I haven't talked to him in a few years, but when I spoke with him a few days ago, he said he would be more than willing to help."
Sounds promising.
"I met Ana five years ago through some mutual acquaintances. I cannot speak for her personal beliefs, but she gives no allegiances to any one person, company, or group. She would equally exploit everyone if it meant she would have a good story."
Hmm. She seems volatile.
"Personally, I think Jeremy's our best bet. He's been in many sensitive situations and he can give the right kind of advice for how to proceed. He could probably offer some tips on how to stay under the radar for a while…What do you think?"
Silently drinking her coffee, Alice considered the options.
Garrett's telling the truth, as far as I can tell. He has known Jeremy for a long time and he does seem like the best option. At least he's a little less likely to betray us, should the "story" seem more interesting from a different perspective.
"Well, Garrett… I suppose you're right. If you can trust Jeremy, he sounds like a better option than Ana. But getting into D.C. unseen will be nearly impossible. Is there any way he can meet us somewhere outside the city?"
"I'm sure he'd be willing to compromise, given the situation we're in. He's a good guy and he wouldn't want to put us in any more danger than necessary."
"What does he know about the situation?"
"He only knows that a friend of mine has come into some rather delicate information that would be of great interest to some very powerful people. And that we need some help to expose this truth without being compromised ourselves."
"Good. Let's not tell him any more than he needs to know. There are enough risks involved as it is."
Well, this is a start. It feels good to finally be taking a step in the right direction, even if it is a small step.
Alice sighed, and her mind shifted from the future to her more immediate needs. She promptly asked, "I don't suppose I can take you up on that offer of a shower?"
He grinned at her. "Well, I certainly won't begrudge you that! Let me show you my extensive amenities."
Garrett led her down a short hall and around a corner to what must have been the master bath. It had a decently sized bathtub and separate shower, tiled in a pale beige color, giving the room a very neutral appearance. The style would have been consistent throughout the room, had it not been for the very unique and out-of-place opaque shower curtain featuring countless bright yellow rubber ducks.
Alice stopped in the doorway and burst out laughing.
Garrett stood looking at her, quizzically, and then turned to see what she found so amusing. Then, recognition dawned on his face, and he groaned.
"Oh, come on! They were out of the plain ones. I had to have something since I ripped my other one in half after slipping and nearly breaking my leg!"
When she still had not stopped laughing, Garrett gave up and started retrieving supplies from a nearby cabinet. He hastily made a neat pile including a towel, new bar of soap and a razor.
On his way out, he looked at her, smirking through his indignation. "Who knows? Maybe you'll be able to find some manners under all that dirt."
Garrett abruptly shut the door and left her before she had a chance to respond.
It was her turn to glower again as she locked the door behind him. However, as she faced the shower again, she found herself unable to keep from smiling at the sight of the shower curtain. Snickering to herself, she undressed and slipped into the shower.
Alice took her time and felt a great deal better washing away the filth from the past few days. She reached for the towel and dried off before wrapping it around herself.
When she stepped out of the shower, she panicked.
Where are my clothes? I know I set them right there!
She looked wildly about and, for the first time, noticed an unlocked door leading from the bathroom in the opposite direction. On the bathroom counter, she noticed a matching pair of pajamas covered in superheroes, with a short note:
Alice,
I took the liberty of washing your clothes. Hope you don't mind. These pajamas were a present from my Grandma when I was in junior high. It took a while to find them, but they seemed so appropriate for someone of your age. Enjoy!
Garrett
Alice held up the pajamas, surveying the brightly colored characters with disdain.
Ughh, seriously? I don't know whether to hate him, or admire his resourcefulness right now.
Having no other alternative but to put on the outrageous clothes, she surveyed herself in the mirror. She, of course, looked absurd, but she decided not to gratify Garrett with her indignation. Instead, she finished making herself presentable, brushing through her waves with a small comb. After digging through his cabinets, she found some gel to make her hair more manageable. Opening the door, she straightened her shoulders before walking out into the hall.
Here we go. Keep a straight face.
Alice found Garrett sitting at his computer, typing away. He looked up as he heard her enter.
At the sight of her outfit, he began to laugh compulsively. She held her annoyance at bay, responding, "It was so nice of you to think about me. Do you know when my clothes will be ready?"
"Just put them in the dryer… Although, I don't know what your hurry is. Those are so flattering on you!" Garrett gave her a mockingly innocent expression.
Alice flushed. "Are you quite done? You are completely ridiculous! We have work to do! Real work."
Garrett was still smiling, but he had gotten co
ntrol of himself at last.
"Oh, Alice. You must forgive me. It's so hard to resist sometimes. It's how I cope with things, to a fault. I find it is the best way to get through unpleasant circumstances, and there've been plenty to choose from.
"I digress. You'll be happy to know that I've already spoken with Jeremy and he agreed to a meeting tomorrow in upstate New York. Business brings him to Albany, but I told him if we could meet somewhere outside of town that would be preferable. So, he agreed to a rest stop some distance outside of Albany on Interstate 87."
He paused before adding, "I had to give him your name, but it was only to make sure you weren't some kind of fugitive wanted for manslaughter. I guess you can never be too careful." He grinned at her. "He's one of our only options and I trust him to be discrete."
Too late for discretion now... I hope this guy can help us.
She relaxed a little. "Well, I guess that settles it then. What do we do now?"
"Well, I have some work to finish up, since I wasn't really expecting you to surprise me in the parking lot this morning. I'm sure there are…arrangements you need to make to obtain our bargaining chip? I will get you set up on a computer. We can make some room somewhere in here."
Garrett disappeared for several minutes and returned with a laptop.
"Do you mind working here?" He gestured to the sofa she was sitting on. "It's probably the most comfortable place in the room."
Alice accepted the laptop, replying, "This is fine, really."
She gave another quick glance about the cluttered room before adding, "You forgot to mention it's the only place to work in the room."
Garrett, not missing a beat, swiftly replied, "Don't be silly, Alice. There's room in the closet."
Alice returned his comment with a glare. She was torn between finding him completely annoying and irresistibly charming. He seemed to get under her skin in a way in which she was unaccustomed. Of course, there was nothing about the situation that she was accustomed to.
She sighed and turned on the laptop. It was an high-end piece of hardware, but Garrett seemed like the type to only have first-rate equipment. Anyone in his line of work required as much.
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