The Scarlet Stinger (LRDA Book 1)

Chapter 19

Talia eased the door open and listened. When there was no sound, she opened it a little further and stuck her head out. The door opened into a sitting room. It was dark. She looked around. Security cameras. She cursed.

"Jigsaw. I need a little help. He has cameras everywhere," Talia whispered.

"I can't do anything about that remotely."

"You need to work on your skills."

"It's not my fault most people don't connect their security system to the internet. That would make things so much easier for me."

Talia closed the door. "What do I do then?"

"I don't know."

"I wasn't asking you. I was thinking out loud." Talia opened the drawers of the dresser and bedside tables to find anything useful. The room definitely hadn't been used in years. The Bible in the drawer was covered in dust.

"Who are we looking for?" Jigsaw asked.

"You know him by the name Cypher."

"Cypher! We're helping Cypher?"

"Keep it down. I need to think." Talia opened the closet. There were new bedsheets in there. "Perfect," she said. She pulled one down.

"What are you planning?" Jigsaw asked.

"Anyone looking at the security feed will be able to see me. I'm going to make them wonder what it is they're seeing." She wrapped the sheet around her.

"What about when you were outside?"

"My clothes are dark and I stayed in the shadows they wouldn't have been able to see me clearly. It doesn't matter if they see me or not, once they don't notice until after I have Nicolai and we're gone. With the sheet, they won't be able to identify me or my school. With any luck, they'd think I'm a ghost and leave me alone."

"I just hope you know what you're doing," Jigsaw said.

"You and me both. Have 911 ready in case something goes wrong."

Talia darted out of the room and ducked behind a couch. She peeked out at the camera, making sure that the sheet obscured her face.

"Do you have a usb cable with you?" Jigsaw asked.

"Why would I be carrying that around in my pockets?"

"Who doesn't?" Jigsaw asked.

"Normal people."

"Anyway, try to find one and see if you can pull it into one of the cameras."

Talia crept around the couch until she was next to the entertainment system. She opened the cabinet.
"Got the cable," she said.

"Plug it into one of the cameras."

"What about the entertainment system? These new TVs have web cams."

"Well, you can do that too. Those should already be connected to the internet."

Talia plugged the cable into her phone and then into the server connected to the TV. She pressed the on button. It barely made any sound when it came on.

"How's that?" she asked.

"Give me a second... Got it."

"Can you see where Nicolai is?" Talia asked.

"No. But I can see where he isn't. None of the TVs in the bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens, dens or any of those show anyone at the moment."

"So he might be in an office or supply closet," Talia said. She unplugged her phone.