Total pages in book: 148
Estimated words: 142939 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 715(@200wpm)___ 572(@250wpm)___ 476(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 142939 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 715(@200wpm)___ 572(@250wpm)___ 476(@300wpm)
My world is on lock, except for the part where I have to work for the government to stay out of maximum security prison. At least, everything *was* on lock until I’m tasked with getting to the bottom of Owen Caddel. He’s just part of my job. That’s all. Except … the moment I focus on him, I realize I want to know everything. Every last detail. He’s maddeningly fascinating, a puzzle I must solve.
I need to figure him out, and I’m just psycho enough to stalk him until I do. But here’s the thing … What happens when I begin to suspect he’s been stalking me all along?
1
MAGGIE
They really make this way too easy. I smile when I see the $5 million deposited into the account I set up. It no sooner hits the account before I move the money, bouncing it around, covering my tracks as I go. In a few quick keystrokes, I distribute the money out to smaller organizations I know are in need and will put it to good use. Many of them just happen to be cat shelters.
The pharmaceutical company will never miss the small ransom I made them pay. True to my word, I release back the company's private servers that I wiped clean. I might let some of the files leak out in the process. No sense hoarding information that could help others.
I reward myself with eight M&Ms. All brown. It’s the only color I can eat. The others are all unnatural.
“Magic.” I jump when Ocean’s voice comes through my computer. She’s the only person in the world I’ve given a small wormhole to me, only so she can slip through if need be. It still makes me jump every time her voice randomly fills the room.
I pretty much block out all sounds around me when I’m working. Even the loud shots from the video games my father is playing down the hallway.
“We have a problem.” Those are four words a girl like me never wants to hear. Especially coming from Ocean.
I might be good with hacking my way in and out of anything, but Ocean is better with hands-on tech. Not that her hacking skills are something anyone should ever turn their nose up at.
“How long do I have?” I ask, hoping to get a head start.
“None.” How the hell? “Sorry, I don’t know.” Ocean is as surprised as I am.
“Dad!” I call out to my father. “Going dark.” I give him a second heads up as I clear out my system, pushing it over to bounce until I go back to find it.
“Fuck, I didn’t save,” he mutters as I hit our own home with an EMP.
“I’ll get it back.” This is going to be a mess to clean up. My father steps into my room to wait with me. I fold my arms over my chest, getting more irritated by the second. Patience has never been my strong suit.
I’m pleasantly surprised when our front door isn’t annihilated. Two people dressed in all black flood into my room first before I hear the click of heels. That’s all it takes for me to know who’s here.
“The hell!” I jump out of my chair, unbothered by the men in full tactical gear that now surround me. Duffy and I are supposed to have an understanding, and this isn’t it.
Agent Duffy appears, her blond hair pulled back into a tight bun. Her suit—I think she has a million of the same one—doesn't have a wrinkle in it. I’m always impressed with her sharpness and presence.
“When I let you go to those fancy schools, I thought we’d be millionaires one day.” My dad sighs. This isn't the first or even second time the government has shown up at our doorstep. I don’t hide from them. In this digital age, no one can really hide. Even people like me who are good at covering their tracks.
“Who said we aren’t millionaires?”
My dad chuckles at my response.
From the outside, we appear to live an average life in suburbia on the cusp of the city. In reality, both my father and I are anything but average. He knows nothing of technology beyond a video game or some wiring, but he is well prepared for the end of the world if need be. Last summer, we built a killer bomb shelter underground. The zombies will never get to us.
“You haven’t returned my call, Ms. Fox.”
“That might be a hint.”
Her lips purse.
“We had a deal. I stay out of your way, and you stay out of mine. If I happen across something terrible, I’ll toss it over to you.” I’ve tried to not come across terrible things. Ones that would haunt your dreams.
“Something has come up.”
“I’m guessing not a dead witness.” Two years ago, the FBI had a ransom of their own. The whole WITSEC system was compromised. To date, that’s still the hardest job I’ve ever done. I secured their system with the help of Parks. He’s only a few years older than I am and works full-time with Duffy.