Chapter 26
"I'm done!" Charlie cried out triumphantly after working nonstop at an inhuman pace for an hour. Don looked up slightly startled. I thought he said that he was going to take LONGER without Amita and Eric but I guess he had some incentive
"That's great. Now we just have to see if we can get Terry to convince them this is what they really want"
"Shouldn't be too hard. Who easier to convince to use a algorithm to break into bank accounts then people guilty of bank fraud?" Charlie said sitting down. His mind which had only been filled with numbers a moment before, was now only filled with Amita
"Right. Ok, come on, I'm going to brief everyone who's helping on the case on what's going to happen next"
"Alright" Charlie answered standing up praying that he finished the equation in time. He followed Don and discovered that there was a very large number of people that were apparently waiting for them
"Ok people. Charlie finished the equation, does anyone know if the lab techs finished setting up the fake accounts?" Don called out into the group
"We're done" Drew answered. He was the one put in charge of arranging that aspect of the operation
"I have a question" A woman said raising her voice
"Yes" Don called out and everyone quieted down
"Well, I was curious on how the computer aspect is going to work. Charlie's algorithm has a tag on it so when its used we'll know. I want to know how setting up fake bank accounts is going to work. We don't where they're going to strike so how do we know what bank to model the page after?" Don nodded at Drew to answer
"You see they can enter into any bank they want but they don't know that page will look like. The code they're going to use from Charlie's algorithm will automatically open one of the pages, we have five, where there will be a large amount of money that isn't really there. They think that they're drawing out money. It'll say that it transferred the money and when they check it will say received but as soon as they close that window the money will be withdrawn and it'll be back where it started" Drew smiled at the mummers that he knew meant that the office was clearly impressed.
"Ok, now the plan is I'm going to text message Terry, telling her the plan and that if an alarm goes off and they ask say it was an alarm to remind her that she had a doctor's appointment. Charlie will do the same only he'll be texting Amita" Charlie raised his eyebrows. He didn't know that this was going to happen but better to get clearer instructions later "Everyone, talk to David about your assignments. I'll let you all know when something new happens" The group dispersed and the brothers walked back into the conference room. Don sat down and Charlie next to him. Both took out their phones. Both just stared at them as if to will the message to send itself.
"Don" Charlie called out softly. He was worried. He couldn't help but to replay the gunshot and scream he heard the last time the suspects had called
"Ok, so type this message: Amita, say this was an alarm reminding you that you had arranged to meet Larry and this was your reminder. Terry got a message saying to try to convince them that they want me to come up with an algorithm to make it easier to break into bank accounts. After you get this Terry will start a conversation go along with it the best you can" Don went silent trying to think if there was anything else "That's all I can think of. Feel free to add anything, but don't send it till I tell you to" Charlie nodded then silently added: be safe…I love you. It was hard typing those words but Amita needed them. Charlie wanted to look over at what Don had typed but he knew that there might be something on the message was to private for him to see
"I'm done" Charlie announced to the deafening silence. Don looked up at his brother and was saddened at the fear he saw in Charlie's eyes. He had heard the gunshot too but as much as he liked Amita it wasn't her he was overly worried about. He glanced down at his cell phone and back up at Charlie
"Ok. I'm going to send it and then fifteen minutes later you'll send yours" Don hit send and then looked up at the clock; four thirty an easy time to mark off another fifteen. They sat there in silence. Charlie turned his chair to face the board and checked and rechecked the equation. Although both he and Don knew that he wouldn't make any mistakes especially with what was on the line. The fifteen minutes seemed like forever but the time came and Charlie sent the message.
"Sent" Charlie said needlessly. The only thing left to do was wait.
Terry was watching Amita closely know. Amita's wound was not a minor one and the amount of blood was startling to her (Terry) and she was honestly surprised that Amita was still awake. Terry leaned over to check Amita's pulse on her wrist (to assure herself that the bullet hadn't made any damage to a major vein or artery, when her phone beeped. Terry looked down and saw it was a text message
"What was that?" Joe called out not even trying to hide the suspicion in his voice
"An alarm on my phone reminding me that I have, sorry HAD an appointment at the doctor's" Joe took a long look at her and then turned back to talking with Doug. Terry looked at the phone and smiled a little forgetting how much her and Don could be alike sometimes. Terry, say that you had a doctor's appointment and this was your reminder. Terry, try to convince them that they want Charlie to come up with an algorithm to make it easier to break into bank accounts. Fifteen minutes after you get this Amita will get one too. Start a conversation; we've told her to go along with it the best she can. Terry we're going to have a team outside. Stay safe and, well, and I love you. Terry almost dropped the phone at the end. Had Don really just said that he loved her? She had been waiting so long for those words and it seemed odd to be reading them. She looked up and saw the flashing lights. The team was arriving. She waited until a faint beep sounded from Amita's pocket. Joe and Doug stopped talking and looked down but Amita had her eyes closed and Terry was just watching her. When they looked away Amita opened her eyes and took the phone out of her pocket. She read the message and almost started to cry. Charlie said that he loved her. She held up a finger to Terry and typed a message back: Charlie, I've been shot in the shoulder. A through and through. I've lost a lot of blood. I'll help Terry but Charlie I'm scared. It's getting cold and I know that means shock is setting in. Charlie, I don't mean to be morbid but if I loose too much blood and I don't get to tell you myself: I LOVE YOU. I've loved you for a long time…guess we just have bad timing. Amita pressed send and then nodded at Terry.
"Oh you're awake" Terry said loud enough to catch the guys' attention
"Yeah but my shoulder still hurts" Amita replied. She had to resist the urge to yell at the men but tried to stay focused
"That's to be expected. You're lucky to be with Charlie" Terry stated. Amita looked a little confused for a moment but then understanding dawned on her face and she answered
"I know. He's funny, cute and brilliant beyond words" Amita said speaking the truth
"Is it true that Charlie taught his first class when he was only sixteen?" Terry asked. She was trying to lay the foundation that Charlie was brilliant to the point of being able to do anything with math
"Yeah I was speechless. I mean if he can graduate high school with Don at twelve and go to Princeton at thirteen, teach a class at sixteen then one can only imagine what else he can do" Terry smiled they were getting close. The guys were listening to them now
"I wish you could see all the work he's done for us. The equation to find the rapist, the one to find the sniper, and the algorithm to find the kidnapped girl. All of them he finished in a one or two days at the office, shorter when we needed" That statement did it. Joe called out to them
"Hey Ter" Joe called out. In doing so, it was then that she realized who he was. Only a handful of people have ever called her Ter and she could count them on one hand "Call back Don and tell him I want to talk him"
"Anything you say Joe" Terry practically spit out. It was Joe Rybak, a childhood friend. She was amazed that he would have done something like this. He was always on the quiet side, so seeing him end up the way he is now disappointed her
As the phone rang Don put her on speaker "Terry?" Don called into the phone bringing her back to reality.
"Yes Don. Joe wants to talk to you" She said as she stood up and fought not to hit him
"Agent Eppes. I have a change in my request"
"And that is?" Don asked as calmly. He was crossing his fingers
"Your brother is a genius mathematician right?"
"None smarter" Don answered proudly
"Right, right. If he's so smart I want him to come up with an equation or algorithm or something for me"
"What do you want it to do?" Don asked with an edge of fake anger in his voice. He wanted to make this real and if he sounded too calm…
"I want an algorithm that will give me access to bank accounts. It takes my mathematician a relatively long time to hack into the accounts. I want an equation that will get me in there faster. You have two hours, oh and agent hurry, Amita's looking a little pale" Joe hung up the phone with a smug satisfaction.