Sanders and Elsie both stared at the computer screen, watching events as they unfolded. Sanders had hacked the surveillance cameras. Glued to the monitor, they observed as Dana and the others were led away by the officers.
“What is going on?” asked Elsie.
“Nothing good,” said Sanders.
His fingers zipped over the keyboard, bringing up screen after screen with all sorts of nonsensical writing. After several minutes, he closed them and clicked open another window with live feed coming from the cameras in the building containing the First Councilman’s office.
“What are you doing?” asked Elsie.
Sanders smiled as he readjusted his glasses. “I have a little surprise planned for our friends.”
“What surprise?”
“You’ll see.”
Sanders hunched over the screen, watching every move that the officers and Dana made. He turned up the audio so he could listen.
“Revenge of the geek,” Sanders muttered to himself.
Elsie gave him an odd look.
Scuffling sounds echoed from beyond the door. Frightened, Elsie gripped Sanders’ shoulder while he clasped the armrests of the chair. Slowly, the door opened as the hinges creaked in tune with their pounding hearts.
Mad Dog poked his head in.
Both Elsie and Sanders sighed with relief.
“What are you doing here?” asked Elsie, unsure of whether he would turn them in or not.
“Sneaking around like you,” replied Mad Dog. “You know, you two really need to learn how to post a lookout. The lady officer almost walked right in here.”
Elsie peeked around Mad Dog and noticed the still form of the officer.
“Don’t worry. She’s only unconscious.”
“Where’s Officer Burroughs?” asked Elsie.
“Still in the kitchen freezer,” replied Mad Dog. “Locked in.”
“Not for long, once they find the key,” muttered Sanders.
“You mean this key?” Mad dog held up a ring of keys and jiggled them before tossing them aside. “Besides, I melted the lock.”
“How?” asked both Elsie and Sanders.
“A little bit of gunpowder and heat.”
Elsie laughed. “I knew one day your pyrotechnic ways would prove useful. So, you’re not turning us in?”
“Depends on what you’re doing.”
“Hacking into the government’s media network and surveillance cameras,” said Sanders. He spouted off a few technical terms, but no one understood them.
“Causing trouble,” said Elsie, “and trying to help Dana.”
“Then I’m in.” Mad Dog shut the door and moved closer.
Elsie studied him. “You don’t even like Dana.”
Mad Dog fingered the scar on his neck that Officer Burroughs had given him. “I like them even less.”
Together, Elsie and Mad Dog leaned over Sanders as he whizzed through the computer system, muttering technical jargon to himself.
“Just ignore it,” said Elsie when she noticed Mad Dog’s confused look. “Half the time, I never know what he’s saying.”
“It’s done,” said Sanders. “Let’s get out of here.”
“What’s done?” asked Mad Dog.
“In about 20 minutes, all of Dystopia will be watching the series of videos I just put together,” replied Sanders. “We do not want to be here when it happens.”
“Uh, Sanders,” said Elsie, “won’t they trace the uplink to this computer?”
“Precisely.”
“This is Officer Burroughs’ computer,” said Elsie.
“And he will have a lot of explaining to do later,” replied Sanders.
Mad Dog chuckled. “Yo, dawg, I wish I knew you while I was in school.”
“Let’s go.”
They hurried out of the office, closing the door behind them and allowing the lock to latch. Carefully, they crept out of the office area and back to the main part of the plant.