Chapter Eighteen

Zella Mills – Naguela, Solaria Del Sur

Zella and Khloe walked through the sun-beaten parking lot, looking ahead at the library door hidden by tropical foliage. As their steps tapped against the mosaic tiles, Zella thought about how tense the energy between her and Khloe had felt in the car. She was accustomed to Khloe throwing shade over her decision to kill Zip, but today, Khloe’s animosity felt rooted in something different.

Zella wondered if her bond with Joe might be the cause. She was growing fond of Joe after surviving several life-threatening situations. Truthfully, she didn’t know if her fondness for Joe was the kind you’d have for a family member or a lover. Dr. Calloway had been the only person she’d felt something for that she could make a comparison with, and she certainly didn’t see Joe as a fatherly figure. Zella felt like she had permission to be herself in Joe’s company. His silly jokes and sarcasm were comforting. It allowed her to ignore him, hiding the fact that she wasn’t as quick with her responses. There was no pressure to dig deep for a response with him, whereas she felt judged by everyone else for her awkwardness. Joe understood her shortcomings in a way that other people weren’t able to. He made her feel comfortable in her own skin.

Love and romance were things she couldn’t fathom having in her life, so she trained herself to not think about it. Stealing Joe away from Khloe was not on her agenda. And so, if Khloe’s iciness was jealousy, Zella needed to clarify that she didn’t want to impede her happiness. The question was, how to bring it up while they had an objective?

The double wooden doors creaked open, leading them into a world suspended in time. Vaulted ceilings were above them, lined with dark wooden beams. Ornate chandeliers cast a warm glow. Shelves and shelves of weathered books reached the very heights of the room.

“How about we split up?” Khloe suggested. “I’ll have a chat with the receptionist over there, and you look around. See if you find anyone sketchy with a computer or personal device.”

Zella couldn’t help thinking that Khloe wanted to split up to get away from her. And if she was honest, she didn’t mind it. “Sure,” she said. “But I have a feeling whoever hacked us from here is long gone.”

“We can at least find clues,” Khloe replied.

Zella nodded. “I’ll meet you back here.”

Each section of the library’s interior was thoughtfully divided and adorned with subtle touches reflecting their theme. To the right was the historical section with a large bust of Naguela’s most famous president, Felipe Cordero. Shelves surrounded the bust, curated with books about Naguelean heroes. It prominently featured President Secada after his untimely death.

A book cart sat in the middle of the section with many books stacked on its shelves. With all of this brewing tension between Naguela and Estrea, I bet this section gets updated frequently, Zella thought. 

She continued to explore the library, paying close attention to people and their faces. She often found people hunched over some book, magazine, or eReader. A few people wore AR and VR headsets.

In the secluded room full of scholarly texts, she found a couple making out on a reclined ergonomic chair. Zella rolled her eyes and continued on, sparing them further embarrassment.

The computer room was on the second floor. A haven for the digitally inclined. Unlike some of the other sections, this room was moderately populated. Many of the computer users looked like students. Although they seemed young, that wasn’t enough to exonerate them from any wrongdoing. Zella thought about what she was capable of at fourteen, fifteen, and sixteen. One of these teens could very well be their hacker. And even if they weren’t hackers themselves, groups of teens often knew all the juiciest gossip in their community. They could have seen or heard something about a hacker.

I need to figure out how to ask them; she thought. Their faces were glued to their screens. Some of them had over-ear headphones, completely immersing themselves in their digital lives. Who knew trying to talk to a bunch of teenagers was so intimidating?

Someone tugged on Zella’s t-shirt. She turned to see a girl with frilly hair and braces. “Excuse me, your drip is on fleek.” Surprisingly, the girl had spoken in English, but still kept a thick Naguelean accent. She had likely identified Zella as a tourist and decided that speaking English would be a good idea.

Zella looked down at her own attire. She had on three-quarter-length dark brown cargo shorts and a t-shirt with a design from some video game she didn’t know. She’d picked the shirt up at some department store after spilling iced coffee on whatever she’d been wearing that day. Her kicks were too trendy for her. They were red and white high tops. She had bought them for their comfort, not for their style. Perhaps it was also Zella’s darker skin and South East Asian features that made her stand out.

“Thank you,” Zella replied. “And I like your hair.”

The girl ran her hand through her hair. “No way, it’s a mess.”

The randomness of these compliments was awkward, but it created just the opening that Zella was looking for. “You know any hackers around here?”

For a moment, she stared back at Zella with her mouth hung open. “Nope,” she said finally, shaking her head.

“Someone else was looking for a hacker earlier this morning,” said a teenage boy sitting at a computer. “An older dude came in here asking if anyone knows about the Phantoms.”

Zella’s eyes widened. So, someone else is looking for the hacker. She pressed for more details. “Did they say when they thought the hacker was here? Or what the hacker may look like?”

The boy nudged the bridge of his glasses over his nose as he eyed Zella. “He said they have been around in the past week,” said the boy. “He didn’t know what they look like.”

Zella nodded. She looked back at the girl and the boy in turn. “Thank you both. I need to go now.”

*

Zella made her way back downstairs and headed for the ladies’ room.

“You too, huh?” Khloe said, catching Zella from behind. The two of them entered the restroom.

The room was silent, making it the perfect place for them to talk. Zella wanted to make absolutely sure they were alone. She dipped low, checking under each cubicle. Khloe checked the corner at the end of the row of cubicles. Lastly, Zella looked up at the ceiling, checking for any open vents or ceiling tiles. There was nothing suspicious or out of the ordinary.

“Did you learn anything?” Zella asked.

Khloe nodded. “We aren’t the first to search this place for hackers,” she said.

“Yeah, I found that out, too,” said Zella. She walked into a cubicle and pulled a few sheets of tissue from the roll. Then she placed them down on the toilet seat before planting her butt on them. She heard Khloe enter a cubicle and make similar movements. “The kids in the computer room said that an older guy came looking for a hacker this morning.”

“An older guy,” Khloe repeated. “I wonder if it’s another victim of the Phantoms?”

“That wouldn’t surprise me,” Zella said. “I’ve spoken with other hacker victims lately.”

Khloe finished her business in her cubicle and flushed the toilet. “I haven’t been this mixed up in cybersecurity since the EIA.”

“You know,” Zella said, “you never told me why you left the EIA.” She heard Khloe exit her cubicle and wash her hands at the sink. Zella finished up and joined her.

Khloe watched her silently, her eyes falling on Zella’s soapy hands. “I suppose I owe you that story,” she said. Khloe's eyelids fluttered, diving deep into the reservoir of yesterdays, seeking the ripples of her past decisions.

To Be Continued!