listened.
To my surprise, it wasn’t my mom who had left the message. It was Shawna Morgan, my mom’s coworker.
Hi, Angel, I’m sorry to bother you, but your mom didn’t show up for work this morning. I tried calling her several times on her cell, but she’s not answering or returning my messages or texts. I tried your sister Gwen’s phone, but she isn’t picking up, either. Do you know what’s going on? Is she okay?
I punched in the number for my mom’s cell, but it went straight to voice mail. Another oddity. My mom was obsessed with keeping her cell charged and with her at all times, mostly so she could be available to Gwen and me at any moment. A mom thing, I guess.
My concern rose. I called the pharmacy, and Shawna picked up after a few rings.
“Hey, Shawna. This is Angel. I got your message. How are you?”
“I’m fine. I’m just worried about your mom. Were you able to reach her?”
“Not yet, but I’ll keep trying. Maybe she dropped her phone in the sink or something.” It was a stretch, and I knew that wouldn’t have kept her from work, but that was all I had at the moment.
“I tried to call Gwen, but it went to voice mail and she hasn’t called me back, either.”
“Well, Gwen’s in Brazil, so she probably can’t get calls or has trouble getting them. But I don’t know why Mom wouldn’t be answering.” I thought back to the last time I’d talked to her. We’d texted on Tuesday, three days ago.
“Well, I’m covering for her today, so it’s okay, but this isn’t like your mom at all,” Shawna continued. “I thought maybe you knew something I didn’t.”
“I don’t. But give me more time to reach her, and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.” I hung up and start to pace the room.
“Who was that?” Frankie asked.
“My mom’s coworker.” I tapped the phone to call my mom again. “My mom missed work and isn’t answering her phone. I’m worried.”
“Maybe she overslept,” Frankie offered.
“For four hours?” The phone went straight to voice mail again, but this time I left a message. “Mom, it’s me, Angel. Can you call me as soon as possible? It’s really important.”
I hung up and looked at Frankie. “I have to go home.”
“Right now?” Frankie said, looking at me in alarm. “What about class?”
“I’m skipping. But I have to go now. It’s an emergency.”
“But how are you going to get there? Wally?”
“I need to get there faster than Wally can drive. Besides, I hate to ask him to skip school. He gets really nervous when we do that.”
“Then what are you going to do?”
I slid the phone in my back jeans pocket. “I’m going to ask Jax to take me.”
Chapter Eleven
CANDACE KIM
Director, National Security Operations Center (NSOC)
Candace never conducted business from her personal cell phone, and certainly never from her home, but current circumstances required drastic measures, and she had a feeling she was being monitored. Not by the NSA, but by exactly the person she wanted to reach.
If she was right, there was no better time than the present to confirm it.
After a moment’s hesitation, she punched in the numbers of the cell phone of the NSA’s current director of information assurance.
After several rings, her call was answered. “Yes.”
“Hello, Slash. It’s Candace Kim.”
There was a long silence. “Candace? What’s wrong?”
“I heard you’re on an impromptu vacation.”
“Well, that’s one way of putting it. I happen to be in Brazil. It’s lucky you called when you did, because I’m in the only town nearby with reception. What’s up? This isn’t a secure line.”
“I know. It’s not on my end, either.” She took a deep breath—this would either work or it wouldn’t. “I just wanted to let you know that we haven’t had any communication from our friend since the attempted kidnapping of his daughter. He’s gone dark. I’m worried.”
There was another pause, and she knew Slash was evaluating the purpose of her unsecure call. Hopefully, he’d come to the conclusion she’d intended for him. “That’s not a surprise,” he finally said. “He suspects someone in the agency is working against him.”
Candace let out a quiet breath. Yes, she and Slash were on the same page. “I agree. I think we can only conclude it means the attempt on his daughter was an effort to silence him.”
“Are you keeping an eye on his wife?”
“We were, but our budget ran out. We’re remotely watching her communications, but other than