The door to the lab swung open, making Willow jump. Damn it, she'd started dozing off again. As the Director stepped in, she blinked exhaustion from her eyes and scanned the last few lines of code she'd been working on.
"I'm almost done for the night," Willow told the Director as he walked toward her, his phone in hand. "I just have to finish this—"
"Sorry to interrupt, I need your help with something real quick." To her surprise, the Director sounded shaken, though he was clearly trying to hide it. "You're more familiar with the SCI data than I am. I need a password to one of their servers. And I need lab supervisor access."
"Oh. Sure." Willow switched programs. While she waited for the SCI data to load up, she glanced at the Director's phone screen. He was in the middle of a call. Was this something Claudia needed?
"Okay, I need to know the server name," Willow said. "If you're on a password screen, it should be listed in the bottom right corner."
The Director repeated that information to whoever was on the other end of the phone. Willow wasn't sure what the response was, but it definitely wasn't Claudia speaking.
"Kappa-seven," the Director said.
Willow quickly scrolled through the files. "You're in luck," she said as she opened up the server information. "I already have those passwords unencrypted. This one should give you direct supervisor access."
She read the password off to the Director and he echoed it into the phone.
In the pause that followed, Willow closed the file directory. "I'm curious what's on those servers," she said after a moment. "I have their stored passwords, but the files can't be accessed if you're not at the building the server operates at." She hesitated, wondering if the Director planned on divulging any more information.
He was too distracted to even process what she'd said. "Thank you, Willow. I'll be back in a minute to grab those new armor designs." Still on his phone call, he hurried back to the door and stepped out of the lab.
Willow's eyes narrowed. Once the door clicked shut, she saved the code she'd been working on and reopened the directory with SCI's files.
The kappa-seven server was associated with a SCI branch near L.A. Willow found a copy of the building's schematics among the unencrypted documents. It didn't detail all of their security measures, but that was something she could assess from outside the building.
A trip to a SCI branch could very well end up being a bust. But she could use the break from the isolation of Scorpion's headquarters, as much as she insisted to herself that she didn't mind it. And whoever was after intel on this server had shaken the Director.
Willow wanted to know what kind of person could do that. And what kind of information they were after.
The Director returned about ten minutes after he'd left. If he was still unnerved by the phone call, he'd managed to hide it this time.
"I left the designs on the table behind me," Willow told him. She spun her chair to face him as he crossed the room. "Also, I need to head into Irvine for a couple of days." It was close enough to the SCI branch that she'd be able to get there on her own with a couple hours of public transportation, but far enough that the Director wouldn't make the connection. Hopefully. "I'm a finalist for a full ride scholarship, but I have to interview for it."
"Sure. Scorpion can get you a hotel room and ride in," the Director said. "Just send me an email with the dates you need, and I'll get it sorted out." He picked up the armor schematics and straightened up. "Are you going to be working in here much longer?"
"Nope. I'm headed back to my room." Willow rose to her feet, closed her laptop, and tucked it under her arm. "I'll send you an email in the morning."
Worst case scenario, she thought as she walked to her room, sneaking off the visit SCI would be a break from work. But she was determined to get something out of it. Hopefully, just being in the vicinity of the SCI building would be enough to let her scratch the surface of their servers.
Willow ran through the routine of getting ready for bed as fast as possible, barely paying attention to anything outside of the numbers running her head. Protocols that might get her into the files without notice. Methods of hacking the cameras from outside the building. Tools she might need.
When she finally drifted back to the present, she found herself standing in front of her bathroom mirror. She pulled her long hair from its ponytail and ran a hand through it, letting out a sigh of frustration at the realization she'd need to wash it in the morning. What a hassle.
Willow pulled her phone from her pocket and set it on the counter. No messages. That offered some relief. After the admittedly cryptic text she'd sent Mom after leaving Tyche Point with Scorpion, she got texts every other day pleading for an update. Anything at all. Willow hadn't expected to feel as guilty as she did, but she couldn't just explain what had happened to Mom. The best Willow could do was let her know she was safe.
And pray that her father didn't get involved.
YOU ARE READING
The Pyramid Chronicles: Fortuna Guard (#2)
Science FictionA month ago, all Eric wanted was to pass his high school classes. Now, he and the other superpowered altered from Tyche Point are desperately searching for a way to bring down Scorpion before its army catches them. Or kills them. And they have to do...
