Massive A/N: So. Ahem. I'm just going to list off a few excuses as to why I haven't uploaded since September. A) I got extremely busy. Junior year is filled with homework and testing. B) I kind of lost my touch with Private. Bad excuse, but I sort of had a writers block even though all the dialouge is written out. C) My computer crashed. Twice. I just got a new one this past week, which is why you have a new update!
I am incredibly sorry, I really am. I never thought I would be one of those annoying authors who don't update, but alas, I guess I am one of those annoying authors. I would like to thank all the people who are still digging this story (trust me, I'm surprised you're still with me!) Also, I would like to thank Glyndewar for the speedy update. I can't promise you the next update will come any faster because finals are coming up, and I need to make my folks happy!
Stealth
"Getting ready to beat the crap out of someone? Or are you trying out for the next Batman wannabe?"
I jumped a little at Gage's voice. I certainly didn't expect to see him leaning against my doorway, talking to me. He had been rather busy with the Hathaway boys, always talking or hanging out with them. "How did you guess?"
"It's the tight ass leather leggings you got on. Real hot, bro. It'll get the ladies in a tizzy." I snorted as he came inside my room and sat down. "No really, where are you going?"
Facing Gage, I said, "Outside."
"Ah, the vague answer. I see how it is." He looked at me for a second and said, "You know, I'm not mad at you or anything."
Taken aback, I immediately answered, "What are you talking about? I mean, if you think I'm mad at you, I'm really not. The Hathaways are your . . . friends, I get that, so really–"
"Dude, I know you don't like them, and they don't like you. But life's too short to have all this pettiness. We're seniors this year, make the most out of it, you know?" Gage gave a shy smile and a small laugh. "Like sneaking off into the night," he added. Patting my back and giving me a wink, he left the room, softly shutting the door.
I wasn't aware Gage was able to give anyone advice, let alone a simple but true one as this.
"Wow. So you've done this before," I remarked. I stuck my head inside Hell Hall and looked around for a safe spot to land. Reed was right in front of me, waiting for me to get in. I must admit, I was slightly scared. Perhaps it was a good thing I wasn't auditioning for the next Batman wannabe.
We had decided to break into Hathaway's office to find some information as to where Noelle might actually be, and to fulfill the ridiculous task the anonymous stalker gave Reed.
"Kind of," Reed lamely replied back. I couldn't decide which way I wanted to jump down. Once I concluded facing the window would help ease my queasiness, I finally landed on the floor, but my knees gave out underneath and I clumsily landed on Reed. She awkwardly caught me. This was embarrassing.
"Well. That was emasculating." Despite my humiliating situation, this was the first time I had ever broken into Hell Hall, and the fact that I was going inside Spencer's office was making me feel giddy.
Reed smiled and whispered, "No worries. I still love you." We slightly blushed due to the fact we were still getting used to being back together and not having to hide it. "Come on. Let's get this over with."
We silently walked down the hallway, both of us careful with our steps. Hathaway's office appeared right in front of us, and praying to God the door didn't creak, I opened it. Little sucker creaked regardless. There was a set of stairs in front of us, and it was way too chilly for a room. Swiftly, we raced up the stairs until we reached the headmaster's door.
Resting my ear on the door, I checked for any noises. "Hang on," I whispered.
"No one's in there. It's after midnight," Reed pointed out.
"I don't know about you, but Double H has always struck me as a workaholic." When Jen and I were dating, I caught him a couple of times working well into the night, and a lot of mornings he would be in a terrible mood.
Once I figured no one was inside, I silently opened the door. "All clear."
"You've seen too many cop movies," Reed remarked as she elbowed me. She sat down on the secretary's chair and turned on the computer.
"How are you going to get in?"
"I still have Lance Reagan's secret code," she told me.
"Lance Reagan's what now?" I knew he was a massive computer nerd, and all the upper class Easton boys referred to him if they needed any help, legal or illegal. How did Reed know him?
Glancing over her shoulder, she said "I thought all the Ketlar boys had it."
Obviously not. "I've never heard of it."
"Oh, sorry," said Reed, turning crimson.
"Can it get you into any computer on campus?" I pressed.
Reed nodded. "Yep."
Jesus. This was the ultimate hacking code and Reed, out of all people, knew it? "How did you get it?" I egged her on. I couldn't recall how many times I wanted an all-powerful code to check up on some things. Not that I wanted to stalk someone.
Reed avoided my question and answered with an "I'm just that connected." Noelle or the other Billings girls probably told her. They were such control freaks. She typed in the password, but to our dismay, it didn't go through. "Crap. They must have figured it out and blocked it."
"Let's try Hathaway's computer," I recommended. I walked into Hathaway's pristine office and sat behind his desk, my fingers hovering over the keyboard.
"Why? What makes you think you can get into his?"
"He's a dad," I replied. "Dad's always use their kids' birthdays as passwords." Parents always went for something sentimental, even if it was just for a password.
Reed stood by the doorway, unsure of what to do."And what? You know Sawyer and Graham's birthdays?"
"No, but I know Jen's." My chest thumped a little as I typed in her birthday. A tiny beep indicated it was wrong once again. "Damn. Didn't work."
Reed came inside and said, "Maybe he's got the boys' birthdays on his paper calendar." She came over and searched his calendar, but with no avail. "Nothing personal here." She sighed.
An echo was heard of a door slamming shut. Both of us flinched, scared. We were screwed. If we didn't get this now, we would never be able to get it. "What else could it be?" I racked my brain for some answers.
"What about the day Jen died?" Reed I tensed. It was the one question I was hoping to avoid, but it was going to come up no matter what. "Do you know when it was? Sometime last summer . . . ."
"I know," I bit out. Of course I knew it. It was the one thing I wouldn't forget.
"Just try it," she hissed. Reluctantly, I typed it in.
"It worked. I can't believe it worked. Hathaway's even more twisted than you are." Good God, why would he want to remind himself every day of his daughter's death?
Another slam was heard and a jovial whistle was followed with it. We froze, scared senseless. There was an abrupt silence before the office door opened. "Shit!" Immediately, I dropped to the ground and hid under the desk. Reed, however, stood still, unable to move. "Reed!" I yanked her down, and she quickly crammed in next to me.
The sound of a garbage can being emptied indicated it was one person only. Janitor, I mouthed. Unconsciously, I wrapped my hand around Reed's, holding on impossibly tight. More whistling was heard, and he came dangerously close to Hathaway's office. I prayed, once again, not to get caught.
Eventually, the janitor's footsteps died away and we were finally able to breathe. "Oh. My. God," Reed whispered. My blood was pounding in my ears.
"Let's get this info already and get the hell out of here." Reed nodded vehemently and proceeded to pull out Noelle's information. Reed clicked on Lenora Lange, Noelle's grandmother, and scrolled down to find out where she lived.
"Sonofa–"
Lenora Lange lived a long way across the pond, in Paris, France. How the hell were we going to contact her?
