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“Why wouldn’t they be?” He shrugged. “They’re rightfully seduced by the possibility of a free, four-year university education. In fact, I think they stopped listening after I said the wordfree. Plus, if I wanted to try it, I don’t think they could think of a good reason I shouldn’t.”

“I think my dad suspects it’s something other than a training academy,” Frankie said. “He knows it’s connected to us bringing down that Iraqi hacker. But he’s been quiet about it. What about you, Angel? Is your mom cool with it?”

“I wouldn’t exactly say she’s cool, but I think she’s going to agree. Personally, I’m intrigued by the challenge. But more importantly, I’m glad you guys want to give it a go. I don’t want to break up the White Knights.” Embarrassed by my unexpected and emotional declaration, I looked at the floor, my cheeks heating.

“Awww, that is so sweet, Angel,” Frankie said. “All for one, and one for all?”

She held out her hand, palm down. After a moment, Wally put his on top of hers. They both looked at me. Feeling kind of stupid, I put my hand on top of Wally’s.

“Let’s do it,” Frankie said with a grin. “White Knights forever.”

Chapter Six

ANGEL SINCLAIR

When I returned home from Wally’s, I got ready for bed. After my mom kissed me good-night, waited until the sound of her footsteps faded down the hall, then climbed out of bed, pushed all thoughts of UTOP and spy school aside, and sat down in front of my laptop. It was time to continue the search for my father.

The disappearance of my dad is perhaps the greatest mystery of my life. One day he woke up, went to work, and never arrived. His car was parked out in front of the building where he worked, and his wallet, filled with cash and credit cards, was placed atop his neatly folded jacket in the passenger seat. The car was locked from the outside, the key thoughtfully tucked under the front tire. No evidence of violence or robbery. He hadn’t cleaned out his bank account or taken his passport.

He just vanished without a trace.

A brilliant cryptologist, mathematician, and computer programmer, my father had worked as a security engineering analyst at King’s Security. According to the police report—which I read after hacking into the department when I was thirteen—he had a happy home life with a wife and children he supposedly adored, no debt, and a bright future. He was well liked by his colleagues and had no enemies. After searching for him for several months, the police gave up. They weren’t able to confirm there’d been foul play, which eventually led them to believe it had been a willful disappearance. As the years passed, it was almost as if his existence was wiped from the face of the earth.

Except for us—the family he’d left behind.

Even though I’d hadn’t known my father, I’d never forgotten about him. Neither had Mom or Gwen. Mom still wore her wedding ring, which I used to think was crazy, but not so much anymore. Because now I believed my father was still alive.

For years, I’d compiled tons of information on him, creating a trail that just a few weeks ago led me right to the doorstep of the NSA. That’s when I received an anonymous email warning me away from trying to find him and suggesting “criminal elements inside the NSA” were monitoring me.

It was a shocking and exhilarating development, because it seemed to confirm my father was still alive. It also made me wonder if my search for him was on target. Had my father worked for the NSA? If so, was he a spy? Was that why he’d abandoned us?

Whatever the reason for his disappearance, I was determined to find him and get to the truth, regardless of whether I was being watched or not. I’d just be more careful. It was risky, but it was important. Perhaps the most important thing in my life.

I flexed my fingers and rested the tips on the keyboard. I didn’t care what anyone said. This was my life, and I wasnevergoing to stop until I uncovered the truth about my dad.

Chapter Seven

ISAAC REMINGTON

Executive Director, Research Directorate ED/RD, NSA

Crypto-Secure Phone

From: Executive Director, Research Directorate ED/RD

To: DIR NSOC

Classification: Top Secret, No Foreign

0206 GMT

Message Follows:

Any updates regarding the status of the negotiations with the HA? Do we know what he wants yet?

End of Message

Crypto-Secure Phone