Randall shook his head. “No, he’s new here. But I will urge him to be compassionate given the circumstances.”

He hated that his father’s freedom was at the whim of another man, who had no idea of what his father had gone through, had no conception of the rage and pain his father carried. I’m sorry, Dad.

“What did I do to bring this down on my family’s head?”

Randall put a hand on Harry’s back. “I’m sorry, Harry.”

That was all anyone could say.

Chapter 53

Chapter 53

3:21 a.m.

As soon as Kate left his hotel room with the laptop, Matt logged into the Forum and set up his trap: Tr0lz—got some info about AggroBoy. PM me.

Tr0lz took the bait. Within seconds, he received this message: Whazzup?

AggroBoy’s playing u.

Pause. How?

He tried to steal Leah’s laptop from me. Something’s up.

You in Halifax?

Yep. Came to fix the mess. And discovered it was a sinkhole.

Is AggroBoy still with you?

Matt frowned. No. Isn’t he with you?

No.

Another pause. He’s a coward.

Then: Want to do an exploit? Will pay $$$.

Matt exhaled. He had guessed correctly: Tr0lz needed help with the exploit. He knew that Aiden did not possess the hacking skills for the kind of cyber exploit that would create a terrorist attack. And he didn’t think Tr0lz did, either.

Don’t want $$$. I want Aiden’s real name.

Why? The response was quick, the three letters glaring with suspicion from his phone.

It’s personal. He screwed with my girl. He thought that Tr0lz would likely be satisfied with that.

You do the code, I’ll give you his name.

He smiled as he typed: Deal. Where u at?

Tr0lz sent an address that was only a five-minute cab drive from his hotel.

The taxi dropped off Matt in front of a new, bland apartment building in the south end of Halifax. He waited in the foyer, beanie low on his forehead, hoping he was out of range of any security cameras. Here. Let me in, he texted.

The buzz of the security lock echoed in the quiet night. He almost jumped out of his skin.

He typed a text to Kate Lange as he walked into the elevator. I’m at Tr0lz’s. He needs me to do code for exploit. He’s going to give me AB’s real name. Will keep you posted.

Then he hit ‘send’. Just a little protection from the hacktivist who had outsmarted them all.

So far, Matt. So far.