No Strings Attached

by Julie Moffett

  The three high school students had helped Slash track me with them when I had recently crash-landed in Papua, New Guinea.

  He sighed. “If you were an eighteen-year-old kid and officials from the NSA and FBI show up on your doorstep asking how to find us and claiming how important it is, wouldn’t you help?”

  “Of course. I’d give it up instantly.” I sat back on my haunches. “They’re just kids. They know you work for the NSA and I used to work there, too. They probably thought they were helping us.”

  “Si.” Slash had already removed the diamond studs from my ears. He tucked them beneath the front tire of the Toyota and grabbed my hand. “Time to go.”

  “But those were a Christmas present from you,” I said, looking at them over my shoulder.

  “I’ll buy you a new pair. I wasn’t satisfied with the prototype anyway.”

  We ducked out from the cars and headed for a stairwell. We took the stairs up two flights and then walked into a side alley. It was empty.

  Slash took my hand and I looked at him. “Now what?”

  “Now we find a safe place where we can work. I need to finish that code.”

  Chapter Thirty-One

  “Stop looking for us, Shawn.” Slash held the phone to his ear. “If you continue to try to track us down, you’ll be leading them right to us.”

  Slash listened and then shook his head. “You know why I’m doing this.” He clicked the phone off and tossed it in the trash can.

  He leaned back in the creaky desk chair and closed his eyes. We’d hopped around to a couple of all-night diners until a decent hour of the morning before checking into a new hotel. It was nothing special and nothing bad. Just a middle-of-the-road hotel. Perfect for blending in. The important criteria had been that it had good Wi-Fi, which we desperately needed.

  I sat down on the double bed with an ugly bedspread. The mattress was way too soft for my taste. “Well, that didn’t go well. Shawn sounded really mad.”

  “Actually it went better than I expected. He has to save face, make an effort as part of his job. But he’s smart enough to understand why we’re not coming in.”

  “Does everyone else?”

  “We can’t worry about that now.” Slash stood, stretched and flexed his arms and back. “It’s out of our hands.”

  He was right. I went into the bathroom and splashed cold water on my face. I wasn’t sure how long I’d slept, but it hadn’t been more than a few hours. I had no idea how long, if at all, Slash had slept. We were running on fumes.

  I came out of the bathroom, patting my wet face with a towel. “What did he say about the agents at the safe house?”

  “The three who were outside are dead. Agents Clark and Mott are going to make it. Agent Knott is in surgery now. No one knows if he will make it.”

  I felt a horrible surge of anger at Jiang Shi and the Red Guest. How many more lives would he destroy if we didn’t stop him?

  “What about the guy in the house that you cuffed? You said he was still alive. Is he talking?”

  “Unfortunately, no. He’s still unconscious and has a neck fracture. The doctors don’t know when he’ll come around and what kind of shape he’ll be in when he does. But when he does, hopefully he’ll be willing to exchange information for leniency.”

  It was hard to feel sorry for him when he had hurt, and possibly killed, FBI agents and had been trying to do the same to Slash and me.

  I looked around the hotel room. I was already feeling claustrophobic. I’d stayed out of sight when Slash checked in as Mr. Crowley. The authorities would be looking for a man and a woman checking in together, so at least we’d taken that out of the equation, although we both knew that wouldn’t deter the authorities for long.

  Since Slash paid in cash for the room, it would be a red flag the authorities would check out, regardless of how many guests were assigned to the room. But that was a heck of a lot of hotel rooms to cover in the Washington, DC metropolitan area, so Slash felt confident we had a bit of breathing room.

  Slash had his duffel bag, but I really needed some clean clothes and underwear, so he went out and purchased a fresh pair of jeans, a couple of shirts, socks and underwear and basic toiletries for us. I wanted to go myself, but he didn’t want me out there alone and together we’d be easier to spot. As he had experience with evasion and blending in he won.

  He returned in just over an hour, bringing not only clothes for me, but also some food so we wouldn’t have to leave the room. We needed to dig in and get to work.

  After a shower, I changed into my new clothes. When I came out, he was already sitting at the desk at work on his laptop, sipping a cup of coffee. He glanced up at me and smiled.

  “Everything fit?”

  I slipped my hands into the black running jacket. He had bought me a black T-shirt and black socks and underwear, too. Guess color was not in his fashion palate for people on the lam.

  “Yes, thanks. So, let me guess. You wear black because it helps you blend in.”

  He nodded. “Exactly.”

  “And all this time I thought it was because it made you look cool.”

  “That, too.”

  I sat down on the bed, combing out my hair with the brush he’d bought me. “So, I’ve been thinking. Why didn’t the earrings pinpoint our room exactly?”

  “It would have provided a general vicinity only. My guess is they took the location and matched it with the room paid for in cash and a general description of us, which I’m sure they solicited from the desk clerk. When I hacked in and booked the new room, I left the old one as a decoy.”

  “That was smart.”

  “No, that was standard evasion. They were sloppy, which happens when you are in a hurry.”

  I fought with a tangle, wincing as I pulled it apart. “So what’s the plan now?”

  “The plan is you keep working on finding me something about Feng Mei.”

  I paused in mid detangle. “I’m at a dead end with her, Slash. Plus, there are already NSA agents working around the clock on her.”

  “And getting nowhere.” He typed some commands and jotted something on a piece of paper. “You’re better than all of them put together.”

  “Okay, I see. So, while I’m joining them in trying to track down information on her that doesn’t exist, you’ll be writing the black code.”

  There must have been something in my voice that made him look up from the monitor. He studied me. “You know, actually, scratch that. You’re exhausted. Why don’t you take a break and get some sleep?”

  “Be careful, Slash.” My eyes narrowed. “You’re walking on pretty thin ice right now.”

  “Cara—”

  “Don’t cara me. In what universe do you think it’s okay to give me a soft assignment or suggest sending me to bed like a kid so you can code alone?”

  His eyes narrowed. “You’re not working on this code.”

  I put my fists on my hips. “You have no idea how mad that statement just made me.”

  “I’m trying to protect you. I don’t want you to be a part of this.”

  “I’m already a part of this. I thought we were a team.”

  “We are a team, but sometimes there are places I have to go alone.”

  Oh, heck, no. He did not just say that.

  “Bull,” I said between gritted teeth.

  My emphatic statement startled him, which made me angrier because he’d really thought I’d fall for that crap. He had underestimated me and I didn’t like it one bit.

  “When Elvis was kidnapped and I was faced with impossible and ugly choices, you stood by me,” I said.

  “That’s different. Your choice was noble—to save a life. Mine is to cause death and destruction.”

  “Of something that’s inherentl
y evil. The Red Guest has gone beyond standard cracking. They are murdering people. People we care about. They are trying to kill us. That’s a big difference.”

  He stood, turning away from me and running a hand through his hair. “I know. But dark coding...it’s different. The best way to support me is to stay out of this.”

  “It’s way too late for that and you know it. Let’s be perfectly clear, Slash. I’m not a novice. I’ve published four articles in the past year on this. I fully understand the dangers of black hatting. God knows I’ve skirted the edge enough times in my life. But Xavier is right. There isn’t anyone else with our level of skill and knowledge of these particular circumstances to fight back. Sometimes, the dark choice is going to be the right one. If you choose this course, I’m coming along. You need me and you know it. Time is critical. Someone else is going to die if we don’t stop the Red Guest right now. It’s likely to be someone else on your team. It could be you and I couldn’t bear that. Please, it has to stop now.”

  I strode over to him and tugged on his arm, waiting until he looked at me. “Slash, look at me. I’m going to code with you. End of discussion.”

  He yanked me to him, putting his hands in my hair, his face in my neck. This hurt him, having to share this part of himself with me—a part he considered unclean. He held me tight without saying a word. I could feel his heartbeat against my chest. Finally, he pulled away, cupping my cheeks with his hands and studying my eyes.

  “Cara, if this goes wrong...”

  “It won’t.” I met his gaze evenly. “So, let’s stop talking and get to work.”

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  We set up our respective laptops—Slash at the desk and me on one of the two double beds. Slash had obtained the required software we needed to get started using secret online channels. Using the software, we’d begun. Slash brought me up to speed with what he’d done so far and where he was headed. We had to borrow two additional pads of paper from the hotel concierge as we worked our way through a number of complex calculations. Soon papers were scattered across the desk and over the bed, spilling onto the floor. I had a pencil tucked behind my ear, one on the bed next to me and one on the bedside table to make sure I could find one the instant inspiration struck.

  Malicious code was new ground for me. Even though the basics were the same, I’d never done it before. My emotions were running the gamut from disgust to a secret thrill. As much as I wanted to deny it, I was utterly pumped.

  The attraction of the forbidden.

  The power of the dark side.

  I had to focus to keep it all in check before I started liking it too much. Slash hadn’t been kidding when he said this kind of coding could change you.

  Slash and I spent significant time discussing calculations and approaches before we’d actually started coding. We got so lost in our scripts before I knew it several hours had passed.

  At one point, he stood and started pacing.

  “What’s wrong?” I said looking up at him from my laptop.

  “I’ve hit a complication. I can’t gain access to a critical military network. I haven’t been able to compile enough information to detect or construct a pattern I can exploit. Without access, I can still inflict a serious blow, but they could recover. I’ve got to figure how to crack it before I can move forward.”

  “Need help?”

  “Not at this point. I need to think it through. I want you to stay on your assignment. That’s just as critical.”

  “Okay. But I need a break, too.”

  I set my laptop aside and stood to stretch. My fingers ached, my back hurt and my butt had fallen asleep.

  I stretched my hands over my head and tried to touch my toes. “Ouch.”

  “You okay?”

  “Just stiff.”

  I wasn’t sure exactly how long we’d been working, but I think we were closing in on seven hours with just a few bathroom breaks and a couple of stops to brew more coffee. The last time I’d gone to the bathroom, I’d taken a quick peek behind the drawn curtains. It was a pretty day outside. Yet here we sat in the dark with our hearts and minds working on something even darker.

  I rolled my neck, working out the tension. “Before you get thinking too heavily, you got a minute to look at something?”

  “Certainly.” Pushing aside some papers, he sat on the bed and picked up my computer, setting it on his lap. I sat next to him, resting my chin on his shoulder.

  “Start here.” I tapped the monitor at the spot I wanted him to review. “I embedded this section into the official code. I need to know whether I should continue it within this node to increase security or if would that be too noticeable.”

  He studied it. “Can I see the full string?”

  I pulled up another window and showed it to him. His brown eyes studied the code. Then without a word, he set my laptop aside and stood.

  “What?” I looked at him in alarm. “Is it that bad? Does it totally suck?”

  He ran his fingers through his hair. “No. It’s good. Really good.” He went over to the window and pushed aside the drapes. “Brilliant, even.”

  Thank God my coding didn’t belong in the vacuous pit of suckitude. But I was puzzled by his reaction.

  “If it’s good, what’s the problem?”

  “It was...easy for you.”

  “Hey, that was not easy. I’m half-brain-dead right now.”

  He sighed. “I know. That’s not what I meant. It just means you’re a natural. I see where you’re going and not only is it solid, it’s clever.” He returned to the bed and sat down. “But I’d end the string here.” He tapped on the screen. “Begin a new node at this point.”

  “Here? Why?” I frowned. “How am I supposed to do that? Not all these nodes are online. Do you want me to improvise?”

  He thought for a moment. “No. I know where to find more. Give me thirty minutes. In the meantime, can you run a scan and probe capability for me?”

  “Sure. On what?”

  “PLA Unit 61398.”

  “The Chinese military?” I stared at him. “Seriously?”

  “Seriously. To be specific, it’s the Chinese army. The Red Guest had a part in constructing their defenses. I want to get a feel for that defense. Probe the organization’s firewall and find me a weakness or a uniqueness we can exploit while I pull up those nodes for you.”

  “No problem. But can I ask you something first?”

  He lifted his gaze to me. “Of course.”

  “What if we don’t use the code, Slash? Or don’t have to use it. What happens to it? Do you turn it over to the NSA?”

  He leaned back on the bed and blew out a breath. “No.”

  I lifted an eyebrow in surprise. “No? Doesn’t the code technically belong to them?”

  “Yes...and no. At this point, it’s ours, cara. I’m not turning it over. They don’t understand it. They can’t. So either I release it or I hide it. I’ve built a fail-safe. I’ll show you where, but you’ll be the only one other than me who knows where it is. When we are done the code will reside there—hidden and protected—until the time is right to release it—if ever.”

  “Who exactly decides when the time is right?”

  “I don’t know. But I’ll be the one who releases it. That’s on me.”

  I wasn’t sure what to think about that. But having a fail-safe backup and knowing where it was would make me feel a whole lot better.

  He kissed me on the cheek and returned to his chair.

  I poured myself some coffee and got the probe underway. While the computer started working, I sipped the coffee watching the data stream. “So, what exactly are Elvis and Xavier doing?”

  “They’re building the safety mechanisms.”

  “They can’t plan for every contingency.”
/>
  “I know. Let’s just hope they are able to plan for the ones we need.”

  As promised, Slash delivered the nodes to me about thirty minutes later and we continued to work. Soon my eyes became blurry.

  Slash shook my shoulder. “Cara? Wake up.”

  I blinked, looked down at the keyboard. “Huh? I was just thinking.”

  “For forty minutes with your eyes closed? Go to sleep. You did good work on the probe of PLA’s firewall. I’m joining you shortly.”

  I glanced at the clock. It was already eight o’clock in the evening. Where had the day gone? Where had my mind gone?

  He nudged my shoulder. “Go. We’re no good if we’re exhausted. We can’t afford to make a mistake. I’m right behind you, I promise.”

  I considered arguing and then snapped my laptop shut. He was right. I was completely spent. It would be dangerous to code without my full faculties. I took a quick shower and brushed my teeth, drying my hair with the hotel dryer. Remembering what Slash said about staying dressed, I put my clothes back on except for my shoes. He saw me carrying them to the bed and shook his head.

  “Leave your shoes off. I think we’re safe for tonight.”

  “Thank goodness.” It was the small things that made me happy these days. I crawled onto the double bed without papers and put my head on the pillow. I figured I’d wait for him to join me before I fell asleep but as soon as I closed my eyes, I was out.

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  I had no idea how long I slept, but when I opened my eyes and saw the orange-and-brown bedspread, it took me a few seconds to become oriented. I was lying on my side and there was something heavy on my waist. I turned carefully, realizing Slash had thrown a blanket over me. Now he lay next to me, completely unconscious, his arm draped around my waist, and his nose tucked into the back of my neck. I wiggled out of his embrace, careful not to disturb him. I had no idea how long he’d been asleep and he needed a good rest.

  For a moment I sat on the corner of the bed and stared at him. When he slept he was his most vulnerable. Now, he looked peaceful—a far cry from the man who could turn so cold and kill in an instant. Asleep he seemed defenseless and serene. He wasn’t often like this. So far, whenever I woke him from his nightmares, he didn’t want to talk about them.