In theory, it was a fun hack. Let’s take over a ship! Let’s prove to everyone how pathetic the security measures are. That’s what some of the hacktivists on the Forum might do. But Matt sensed Tr0lz had an entirely different reason. “Why?”

“Because it’s carrying a special cargo.”

Just the way Tr0lz said that made Matt’s hands go clammy. “What is it?”

“Do you know what UF6 is?”

It sounded dangerous enough that his stomach tightened even more. “Put me out of my suspense.”

“It’s an ingredient for a nuclear reactor.”

Matt almost jumped out of the chair. “Jesus, you can’t cause a nuclear explosion, Tr0lz!” Was this girl completely out of her mind?

“It isn’t strong enough to cause an explosion. But it’s toxic when exposed to water. It’s corrosive.” She flipped her hair. “My original plan was to take control of the ship and scare the crap out of everyone. Think of what it would do to the global shipping business!” She grinned. “We could halt shipping in Los Angeles, Shanghai, Rotterdam, anywhere in the world. We would own the sea. We would be pirates. Literally and figuratively.”

So, he and Leah’s lawyers had guessed right about a hack into a transportation system. But he had guessed wrong about which one. He assumed it would be the airport—because terrorists loved the soft targets of civilians grouped together under one roof.

The fact that Tr0lz had a strategy and the cyber code was another story. From what he could see on the computer screen, it was the real deal. And it looked like Tr0lz had fooled him once again: the code looked near completion.

“But then AggroBoy—” she threw a mocking glance at Matt, taunting him with Aiden’s chat name because she knew that Matt was desperate to learn Aiden’s real name “—gave me Harry Owen’s files. And guess what I found?” She shook her head. “Halifax is getting a very special visitor.”

“Who?”

Tr0lz grinned, revealing very large, white teeth. “A nuclear class submarine.”

“So…?” Matt fought to keep his tone cool.

“And it’s going to get a warm welcome from a certain container ship carrying UF6.”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“Have you heard of the Halifax Explosion?”

“No.”

I should have called the police before I came.