Stolen Secrets

by Sherri Shackelford

  She turned to Jordan. “Do you trust me?”

  Without hesitation he replied, “Yes.”

  “Good. Because I know what to do.”

  She typed: Yes. But this time, you follow my instructions.

  * * *

  This was a side of Lucy that Jordan hadn’t seen before now.

  She stood at the head of the conference room, poised and passionate. While the rest of the team wasn’t convinced of her solution, they were coming around.

  Brushing the platinum hair from her forehead, she pointed at the screen. “We already know this guy is smart enough to recognize implanted malware and corrupted code. That means we have to give him the pure code.”

  Westover coughed and fidgeted in his chair. “And then just let him take over control of our drones? Doesn’t that defeat the purpose?”

  “No.” She flipped to the next screen. “We reprogram the drones.”

  After hearing her plan, Jordan had convinced the commander of the drone program to fly in for the meeting. His gray hair was cropped short and his weathered face indicated a long and eventful career. He’d worn his dress blues and the rows of medals on his chest were impressive. His buy-in was the most important part of the plan.

  Too bad he didn’t look convinced. “Reprogramming the drones would take months,” he scoffed.

  “Not if we rely on the code that’s already embedded.” Lucy advanced the screen. “I worked it out last night. The drones are already programmed to record the ID of their controllers. We simply add a line to relay that information back to the mainframe. Then we program the mainframe to alert headquarters if one of the drones is being operated from an unrecognized location.”

  “Okay, okay.” The commander ducked his head and scribbled on a pad of paper. Everyone remained silent while he worked out the problem. “I see where you’re going with this, but it still won’t work. Even if we have a pinpoint location for the source, it could take us an hour or more to reach that location. Which means by the time we figure out where this guy is, he’s liable to drop a missile on our embassy. I can’t take the risk.”

  “I’ve taken that into account, as well.” Lucy’s eyes glittered with excitement. “The delay is actually beneficial. All drones are equipped with safety protocols prior to rollout. That way, if anything goes wrong during the testing phase, we can remotely kill the sequence. Here’s the thing. We don’t remove that code when the drone goes live, because that’s inefficient. Instead, we simply build in a switch. We shut off the feature. I’m recommending that we reinstate the safety feature. It’s a little more complicated than, say, flipping a switch. But it’s a shockingly simple line of code.”

  Karp leaned forward. “This could work. We give him the pure code, and then we wait for him to activate the drone. We’ll have his location and a fail-safe on the drone.”

  The commander clasped his hands. “I’m still worried about the timing. We have a really small window between when he activates the drone and when we scramble a team to locate him.”

  “That’s true, but we have an advantage. We believe he’s local. The one IP address we were able to identify was pinpointed to a library not three miles from where we’re standing.”

  “Okay, but this guy will know something’s up when he goes to deploy a missile and nothing happens. Even if he’s next door, if he rabbits too quickly, we could lose him.”

  “That’s where we rely on human nature,” Lucy declared triumphantly, as though she’d been building to this crescendo the whole time. “This guy doesn’t trust us. We’ve already tried to double-cross him by giving him code infected with malware. So what do you do when you’re not sure if what you have is trustworthy?”

  Dawning understanding washed over Jordan. “You test it.”

  “Yes.” Lucy pointed at him. “You test it. We’re only dealing with the buyer. He isn’t going to start out by dropping a bomb. He won’t risk it. He’s going to do something innocuous, like maybe go for a joyride or take a few pictures. That’s when we pinpoint his location. Because, chances are, he’s going to make certain nothing goes wrong before he puts this code up for a bidding war. That’s when we get him. If he tries to fire up the drone a second time for the highest bidder, we’ll already have a team in place to capture him and a fail-safe on the drone.”

  For a moment, everyone in the room sat in stunned silence.

  Then Karp let out a whoop.

  Shocked by the uncharacteristic display of emotion, they all turned.

  Karp pumped his fists. “This could work. It’s simple. It’s elegant. It’s as foolproof as we’re ever going to get.”

  “It’s genius.” Westover shook his head with a dazed grin. “It’s absolute genius.”

  Lucy glowed beneath their praise. “Thank you. It’s really quite logical. I can’t believe we didn’t think of it sooner.”

  Jordan’s heart thudded in his chest. She was stunning. There was no way to unravel even a tenth of the emotion she stirred inside him. He was attracted to her looks, but he was absolutely staggered by her intelligence. There was nothing more seductive than confidence, and Lucy was glowing.

  “Okay, okay.” Karp held up his arms. “Let’s settle down. How do we transfer the code? I’m not risking another dead drop. He doesn’t trust us, and I don’t trust him.”

  “That’s even easier,” Lucy said. “We set up an email account and give him the password. I attach the code to an email and save it in the drafts folder. That way, he can access the drafts folder without giving away his location. As long as the email is never actually sent, there’s no tracking information. Hackers use the same method to exchange illegal code all the time. It’s practically foolproof.”

  Westover pressed the heel of his hand against his eyes. “Then why didn’t we do that before?”

  “Because we were playing by his rules. I think he suspected that something was off, and that’s why he wanted to meet in person. You were right—the meeting in the park was a test. Judging by the diamonds, we passed the test. He didn’t blame us for the lost flash drive—he blamed his own couriers. This time we’re in charge, and we set the rules.”

  Westover elbowed Jordan in the side. “Looks like you’ll be going home soon. Back to Maryland.”

  A flash of panic temporarily blinded Jordan. “I’m finishing up the communications project. I’ve got a few more months on base.”

  “Didn’t you watch the news this morning? A British tanker was seized on its way through the Strait of Hormuz. You mark my words—we’ll all be scrambled by next week.”

  Jordan glanced at Lucy. She was speaking to the commander of drone operations, a wide grin on her face. She returned to her seat, and the commander stood and moved to her place to address the room.

  “I’m giving this plan the green light,” he declared with enough pomp to make it appear that he’d solved the problem single-handedly. “I’ll have the code changed and alert my crews to the plan. We have until next Wednesday according to the timeline from the buyer, and that won’t be a problem. After that, it’s a waiting game.”

  “We won’t have to wait long,” Karp said. “I’ve been tracking this guy for two years. When he moves, he moves quickly.”

  “What about Lucy?” Westover asked. “Where does she fit into all this?”

  “Well.” Karp raised his bushy eyebrows. “She should act like a woman who’s just been given a couple of diamonds that are worth about ten thousand dollars apiece. As far as our buyer knows, Jordan is her boyfriend. They need to look like they’re celebrating a windfall. Maybe a fancy dinner out on the town. A shopping spree. Talk of a European vacation over dinner. Consider a trip to a car lot. Let’s make it appear as though she’s considering some big-ticket items.”

  Everyone looked at the two of them, and Jordan nodded his approval. “Sounds good. I’ll set something up.”

  Lucy s
miled at him, and in that moment he understood why they called it “falling” in love. When she looked at him like that, his heart tumbled head over heels. Westover congratulated her, and she turned the same radiant smile on him.

  Jordan’s mood came crashing down. She’d given him every opportunity to pursue a relationship, and he’d rebuffed her at every turn. With quiet dignity, she’d accepted his refusal.

  If everything went according to plan, he could be back in the field by the end of the month. He wouldn’t be seeing Lucy on a day-to-day basis anymore. They wouldn’t be carpooling to work or having dinner in the evenings. He wouldn’t have to fight his feelings any longer. She’d be safe, and he’d be on the other side of the world.

  She wouldn’t turn to him with a smile meant just for him or lean in close for a comment only for his ears. She was young and vibrant, and she had her whole future ahead of her. Her life had been on hold while she’d mourned, and he was watching her awaken.

  To all things a season. It was time for him to move on. She deserved someone who wouldn’t be a perpetual reminder of the sorrow that had been her constant companion this past year.

  He’d done the right thing.

  Why, then, did he feel as though he’d just lost everything?

  SIXTEEN

  For her “date” with Jordan, Lucy wore a dress she’d bought for a friend’s wedding the previous year. The floral pastel pattern was soft and feminine, and the belted waist showed off her figure to its best advantage. She’d paired the outfit with a pair of strappy pink sandals that made her feel tall. She’d received loads of compliments the last time she’d worn the outfit.

  Not that this was a real date.

  The team was feeling secure because the code had been delivered to the draft box of the dummy email account. Everything was going according to plan, and now it was time to act as though she was doing a victory lap.

  In an abundance of caution, they’d been careful not to speak about where they were going ahead of time, and Jordan had arranged for a second team to follow them as extra backup.

  He greeted her at the door wearing jeans, a button-up shirt and a tweed jacket. He must have splashed some cologne on his cheeks. As the scent drifted over her, her heart did that unwelcome rat-a-tat-tat.

  She took a firm grip on her emotions. He was a friend. Nothing more. And this time she wasn’t going to ruin things. She sensed his reluctance had something to do with loyalty to his friend, and though she didn’t agree, she respected his decision.

  In case the restaurant was cold, Lucy grabbed a sweater she’d draped over the chair.

  Ever the gentleman, Jordan opened her car door. She’d miss these small displays of gallantry, but she was resigned to the parameters of their relationship.

  As they drove downtown, he said, “One of the guys at work suggested a place in the Old Market—the Silver Feather. Have you been there?”

  Lucy gaped. “No. It’s far too fancy for my budget. I knew we were celebrating, but I didn’t know we were celebrating.”

  “Don’t worry.” Jordan grinned. “We’ll expense it. This is all a part of the charade, after all.”

  His declaration did nothing to diminish her determination to enjoy the evening. For her own sanity, she’d made the decision to end their friendship after this was all over. She didn’t trust herself around him, and she’d decided that going cold turkey was the best option. Staying in touch meant opening herself to more heartache.

  She was treating this as something of a farewell supper. She didn’t regret their time together, and she wanted a few more good memories to carry with her.

  The Old Market area was located by the river. The sturdy turn-of-the-century warehouses along the waterfront had been converted into apartments, shops and restaurants. The city maintained the brick streets from the Depression-era work projects of the thirties, giving the area a timeless romantic appeal. Horse-drawn carriages made lazy circles in front of the shops, their hooves clip-clopping over the cobblestone-like streets.

  The evening was beautiful, and the weather was temperate as they took a seat on the patio that abutted the sidewalk. Jordan couldn’t have chosen a more romantic setting. A string of miniature Edison bulbs crisscrossed above them. They chatted about everything and nothing and watched as people strolled past them. There were couples holding hands and families pushing strollers. There were rowdy teenagers and solitary people with their heads bent over their phones as they walked.

  The dinner was superb. The head chef even came to their table and chatted for a few minutes. Dessert was a decadent concoction featuring a chocolate globe that melted away when warm berry syrup was poured over the top to reveal a sumptuous opera cake inside.

  After they’d eaten, Lucy leaned back in her chair. “I could get used to this.”

  She was stuffed and drowsy and wonderfully content.

  “Me, too,” Jordan declared, his tone capturing a hint of the melancholy she was feeling.

  The sun dipped low on the horizon, and a stunning sunset streaked across the sky.

  At times like this, everything seemed possible again, and her hope returned like a potent and heady drug. She’d been marking time for the past year, afraid to move forward, afraid to plan for the future. She’d been on a path with someone and that path had ended abruptly.

  When Brandt died, her hopes and dreams for their future together had died with him. Now it was time for new hopes and new dreams. For too long fear had driven her actions. She’d feared putting her faith in something new because she feared losing everything. No more. She’d rather have joy in her life than live as a coward, afraid of loving because she was afraid of losing. She was ready to feel the happiness as well as the pain in her life.

  Lost in their thoughts, they lingered over their coffee, reluctant to break the contented bubble that had formed around them.

  After several minutes, Jordan stood and reached for her hand. “Would you like to take a walk?”

  She nodded and slipped her fingers into his. His hand was so large, yet hers seemed to fit perfectly.

  The sun lingered on the horizon, bathing them in a twilight glow. The spring weather had brought crowds of people to the area, and they jostled for position on the wide sidewalks.

  “I used to come down here all the time as a kid,” Lucy said, then pointed. “There was an arcade right there.”

  “You’re too young for arcades.”

  “It was retro.”

  She took him to an elaborate candy shop featuring row upon row of nostalgic candy. She picked out a sleeve of candy buttons and some Dubble Bubble gum.

  “What are you getting?” she asked.

  “Circus peanuts.” He held up a bag of orange-colored candy. “I didn’t know they still made these.”

  “They shouldn’t!” She made a face. “They’re gross.”

  “And your candy buttons aren’t any less weird?”

  “Touché.” She unwrapped her gum. “Here’s something you don’t know about me. I once won a bubble-blowing contest.”

  Though a little rusty, she managed to produce an enormous bubble. Using her index finger, she popped it before it splattered against her face.

  “Ta-da.”

  “Very impressive. Your mother must have been proud.”

  “Bubble blowing was not considered a source of pride in our household,” Lucy mused, tangled in a memory. “I always had gum in my hair. Drove my mom absolutely crazy. I had this long blond hair, and she’d have to cut out chunks.”

  “No one should exit childhood without having at least one wad of gum stuck in their hair. It’s a rite of passage.”

  They crossed the street and she caught sight of her favorite ice-cream shop. Snatching Jordan’s hand, she dragged him down the sidewalk. There was nothing wrong with leaving him a few memories. This city had been her home for her whole life, but s
he was ready to make a change.

  Her experiences over the past few weeks had been terrifying, but they’d also revealed a source of inner strength. She was ready to face bigger challenges and take bigger risks.

  “You’re going to love this place,” she said, tugging Jordan along. “They make bubble gum ice cream.”

  His expression was skeptical. “I’m not really hungry, and I don’t know how I feel about bubble gum ice cream.”

  “It’s the best, but don’t worry. They have other flavors.”

  The place was packed, but the line moved quickly. A baby in the stroller ahead of them made faces, entertaining them while they waited. On the advice of the server, Jordan chose a honey-cake-flavored ice cream while Lucy continued her bubble gum–themed evening.

  They perched on a low stone wall and Lucy sighed. “This is like eating a memory.”

  Jordan laughed. “That’s very descriptive. Did you come here with your family?”

  “My mom. My dad left when I was little.”

  “I’m sorry. That must have been hard.”

  “It’s all right. I don’t really remember his time with us much. My mom isn’t easy to get along with. He lives in California. I see him every couple of years. We send Christmas cards. I have a half brother. You know how it is.”

  “Blended families have their challenges.”

  “We’re not blended so much as an extension of each other. I wasn’t the only kid at school being raised by a single parent. It just seemed normal.” She stared at her melting ice cream. “Even so, I wanted something different for my kids. I want something different for my kids,” she corrected.

  It was time to start dreaming of a future again.

  “Brandt would have made a good father.”

  “Yes.” She stood and tossed her unfinished ice cream into the trash. “He would have.”

  For some reason, his words left her angry. Brandt would have made a good father. He’d have made a good husband. She’d been living the past year on all the things that might have been, and she was ready to let go of the pain.