CHAPTER 7 WAKE UP CALL
4:00 AM Ironside's Office
The phone was persistent. Mark Sanger threw the pillow over his head. Why wasn't the Chief answering it? The ringing stopped. Then almost instantaneously, his phone pinged a text. Groaning, Mark opened it.
"Badge 7942
or should I call you Probationary Officer Mark Sanger,
Either one, it doesn't matter. I need your help and your boss's. If you don't, I'm going to unleash a malware attack so big that the one you got this morning was nothing. This time all your cases will disappear forever. Plus, your personal information and your co-workers will go on the dark web for sale. Your life will be a living hell when I finish with you.
Meet me at the place you busted the kid with the Beemer two weeks ago at 5:30 am today.
Come alone, no tricks. A man's life is at stake.
Max"
Mark checked his watch. It was 4 am already. The kid with the Beemer. Where'd he bust him? He couldn't remember, then it hit him. The Safeway parking lot in Sea Cliff. The Beemer spinning donuts. That kid had been a real jerk. A rich spoiled brat. He didn't give a damn about the fact he could have hurt or even killed someone. He could have busted him for his attitude just as easily as his driving. "A man's life is at stake." Mark pulled on his clothes. He didn't have a lot of time.
How did this kid know that he worked for the Chief? How did he get his private cell number? He looked at the text again. What did the Chief call him last night? A script kiddie? Someone who was real angry about something. Could he be that angry because of a ticket? "Max", as he called himself, was the one who'd caused all the problems yesterday. He'd gotten access to everything in their office and more. It made it all the more important to put the reins on him as quickly as possible. He said a man's life was at stake. Whose life? Damn. It smelled hinky. Mark picked up his cell phone and dialed a number. "Max," said to come alone, but he'd been in traps before, and this time, he wanted some backup.