Page 57 of Girl, Unmasked
‘That’s not good.’
Ryland took a deep breath.‘Okay, so a direct IP trace is out.Time for Plan B.’
‘Plan B?’
Ryland pulled up a different program.‘I designed this.It’s less of a battering ram and more of a lockpick.I made it to analyze posting patterns, linguistic quirks, and temporal data.It’s supposed to build a digital fingerprint of the user.I might not be able to crack LaChance’s setup but I can maybe still track his activity.’
‘Do it.’
Ryland launched his program, then waited.He reached for his coffee.
Then his program pinged.Analysis complete.
‘That was fast,’ Ripley said.
Ryland moved closer to his screen.‘Uh… wait a minute.Did I do that right?’
‘I’m seeing results.What?Did something go wrong.’
‘No, it’s just…’ Ryland’s breath hitched, and if Ripley didn’t know any better she’d think he was shaking.‘Idefinitelydidn’t expect anything like this.’
***
The fire alarm wailed as Ella burst out into the schoolyard.She'd grown up on drills like this -– crouched under desks, hands over her head, waiting for the all-clear that meant the world hadn't ended quite yet.But she'd never had to put the training into practice, not until now.
Drop everything and run like hell-– that was the gist of it.Only trouble was, Ella wasn't keen on runningawayfrom the danger.
Ahead, Blackwood's tweed jacket flapped as he careened around a corner.He was surprisingly nimble for a man of his stature.
‘FBI, freeze!’Ella yelled, but she knew it was futile.Nobody ever froze.Not when they had guilt riding their coattails.
A tsunami of plaid uniforms emerged out into the yard.Their faces were a mix of confusion, fear, and the unmistakable glee of unexpected entertainment.A few even had their phones out, because God forbid a potential tragedy go undocumented.
Ella's hand twitched towards her holster.One clean shot to the leg would end this chase real quick.But the rational part of her brain, the part not currently drowning in adrenaline, knew better.Firing a gun in a school, even at a fleeing suspect, was a fool’s move.
So she ran.Pumping her legs like pistons, dodging around clumps of gawking teenagers, she gave chase.The years melted away, and suddenly she was back in the academy, running laps until her lungs burned and her legs felt like jelly.Only this time, the stakes were a hell of a lot higher than passing some fitness test.
Blackwood veered left, heading towards a field.Smart move.Open ground, fewer obstacles.But Ella had run down perps in worse conditions than this – or so she thought.It seemed that fear was a hell of a motivator, because Blackwood tore through the school grounds like his ass was on fire.He vaulted over a low fence with surprising agility.
‘Goddamn,’ Ella panted, hauling herself over the same fence, reeling from the impact on her ankles as she hit the ground.Ella's lungs burned like she'd swallowed a lit match.Her knees protested with every step, reminding her that chasing suspects was a young cop's game.But damned if she was going to let this tweed-wrapped jackrabbit outrun her.
Blackwood zigzagged across the field, making a beeline for the outdoor sports equipment shed.Ella's cop instincts flared.Confined spaces meant weapons, and weapons meant trouble.
‘Don't even think about it, Blackwood!’she bellowed, putting on a burst of speed that made her calves scream in protest.
But Blackwood was beyond reason.He reached the shed, yanked the door open, and disappeared inside.Ella skidded to a halt, every nerve on high alert.For a split second, silence reigned.
Then a clatter from her left had her head spinning.
Blackwood emerged wielding a baseball bat.He sliced through the air in a frenzy, but Ella ducked, feeling the whoosh of air as the bat passed inches from her skull.
This scumbag wasn’t just trying to escape.He was trying to kill her.
Her hand shot to her holster on instinct, but she stopped herself.No bullets.Not with kids within a hundred feet.
‘Drop it,’ Ella said.‘You’re not getting out of here.’
Blackwood swung again, blind with panic.This time, Ella wasn't quite fast enough.The bat glanced off her shoulder, sending a bolt of pain down her arm.
