Chapter 37
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Asher
I opened my fourth Red Bull, took a bite of the cold pizza, then hoisted my feet up on the edge of the table and leaned back in my chair.
After the meeting with John, Ben, Tim, Will, and I reconvened in the Batcave conference room.
I found Emma’s note, and Tim told me about the thumb drive he’d given to her.
Code samples and more tracking information, which explained why Emma had gone back to the office rather than remaining downstairs.
It turned out Will and Tim had worked through the night and finally got to the hotel just before five in the morning, grabbed a couple hours sleep and headed back to work just after seven.
They’d suggested they babysit the department so Ben and I could do whatever we needed to do.
When the night shift logged in, we called a rideshare and sent them home.
This time, they didn’t bargain or argue.
Ben and I interviewed everyone on the day and mid shifts and turned up nothing new.
No surprise. I didn’t expect to turn up anything.
My gut was telling me the malware had come in via a phishing scheme or links in a website.
Ben was sure the upload was deliberate and had been accomplished with a personal device.
Once we finished the interviews with the night shift, we agreed we’d head home. John texted us before he left to tell us he’d scheduled a meeting with the feds at three the next afternoon, now today. That would give Ben, Emma and me time to sleep and organize whatever we’d found.
After checking my cell phone multiple times for some word from Emma, Ben cornered me in the break room just before the eleven p.m. shift change.
“It’s not like she’s booby trapped the entire floor. Go up and check on her. You’re not going to settle down until you do, and we’ve got to get the last interviews done.”
“I went up at four and again at seven. At four, there was just a Do Not Disturb sign. At seven, there was a sign below it, a skull and crossbones. I’m not sure what would’ve happened if I’d knocked.”
Ben leaned against the sink and folded his arms across his chest. “The way I see it, you can keep checking your phone and be frustrated when there’s no text, or you can take your life in your hands, go upstairs and just look through the glass, or be really brave and actually knock on the door.
” He finished off his coffee and set the empty mug in the sink. “Your choice.”
I decided the risk was worth the reward and went upstairs.
Peering around the signs, I couldn’t read the screen she was looking at, but she was working from both boxes and all six screens were active, her back to the door, headset in place, at least three power bar wrappers and three empty cans of Red Bull on the desk.
When Emma was free of corporate chains, she really did look like the Hollywood version of a technogenius—headset in place, probably blasting the playlist she called her coding muse, the music from artists ranging from Swift to NIN, coffee or Red Bull and power bars her fuel.
After her clapback to me in the restaurant, I’d backed off.
I’d also learned a lesson. To some people, their work really was their life.
Interfering with that resulted in more harm than good.
I also recognized Emma worked best when not limited by others’ structure.
She created her own, and the results validated her style.
So, when I found her note, I understood she was pursuing something worthwhile, and it was best to leave her alone.
I opened my hand and flattened it against the glass. I hoped she’d notice the handprint the next time she took a break.
***
I glanced at the clock. One thirty in the morning. Night shift was settled in; I’d finished the pizza and tossed the box, then texted Ben.
Me: Ready to get started again?
His response was almost instant.
Ben: Meet me in my office.
Riley’s next, then Craig.
We’ll catch Doug after the update.
I took a couple of minutes to collect the empty drink cans, paper plates, and another pizza box. The trash was overflowing, so I pulled the bag, tied it off and put a fresh one in the can. The cleaners wouldn’t be in before four. Better not to risk overflow.
Do the mundane to organize the important.
By the time I’d made a pit stop, splashed cold water on my face, and cleaned up, it was close to ten minutes after I’d received Ben’s text. Just as I opened the door to his office, I caught a last, “What the hell is she doing?”
“Hey, Ben, sorry I took so long. Who’s doing what now?”
He didn’t look up from the screens on his desk. “Yo, chief. Come take a look at this. You’re the only one with a direct line to the way Em the ninja’s mind works. Maybe you can tell me what she’s up to. I have an idea, but I want to see if you’re seeing what I’m seeing.”
I moved around the desk so I could stand next to Ben’s chair and watch the screen. It didn’t take long to figure it out.
I zeroed in on another rolling chair and pulled it over beside Ben’s chair.
“Don’t you look smug.”
“Got any beer and popcorn? Looks like the show’s just starting.”
Ben leaned back, folded his arms across his chest, and answered in his best spoiled kid voice, “I won’t share unless you share your secret.”
“If you’re gonna be that way…Benny. Look here. I think Emma’s hacked the hacker.”