Page 119 of Counter Attack

“Sounds good. Buzz me when lunch recess is called.”

With a lighter heart, Alex went back to work on the stack of papers on her desk. An hour later, she looked up when someone knocked on her door. “Come in.”

Dylan stuck his head in the door. “You busy?”

“I’m always ready to stop looking at this paperwork. What’s up?”

“Phame’s video game is up again.”

Her breath hitched, and she swung around to her computer. “I want to see it.”

Within minutes they were on the dark web and in the video game. It looked a little different. Same flames, but in the center of the flames a chess game was set up. The same one on the photo they’d found in the cave.

Phame had known Alex would be searching for the game. “How hard was it to find?”

“Very easy—it’s like this Phame wanted to be found.”

Not surprising. As she studied the site, a banner appeared.“Coming Attraction.”

A photo flashed into place and Dylan grunted. “You see that? It’s ... you, right?”

The shock of seeing her photo on the website chilled Alex’s insides. She rubbed her arms. “Take me to the site where I can buy cryptocurrency.”

A few clicks later, Alex had another two hundred dollars in Bitcoin. Immediately a sign popped up.“Welcome, Chief.”

She turned to Dylan. “Can Phame tell I’m in the game?”

“I don’t see how ... unless he hacked into your computer.”

“Pull the drive!”

Once Dylan removed the USB drive, the screen blinked then returned to her normal desktop. She pushed away from the desk. “Can you check my computer to see if it’s been hacked? Or do I need to get someone else?”

“I can do it.”

“Then get to work on it. I want to access that site again later today.” Alex wasn’t going to let Phame beat her.

Dylan hadn’t been gone five minutes when her phone chimed with a text, and she glanced at it. Kayla.

Help! Don’t call—can’t talk. He might hear.

For a few seconds Alex couldn’t breathe. Kayla was in trouble. She quickly opened her phone and responded.

Who might hear? What’s going on?

Kidnapped. Escaped but he’s after me.

Where are you?

IDK

Do you see landmarks?

Kayla wasn’t from around Russell County.

I c waterfall

Alex’s stomach churned. There was a waterfall on Eagle Ridge near the cave. He must be planning to take her there, but she needed more of the location before she went tearing up to Eagle Ridge.

---