Puppet Master

Previously: The team starts the week with a group hike and gets organized.

Need to catch up on The Spring? Visit the chapter index here:

11:20 AM - Monday, November 10, 2014

US Park Police, Ft Winfield Scott, The Presidio, San Francisco

To: zYX321123fuckyou

ImtheAdmin would like to open a direct message with you? Click “yes” to accept.

ImtheAdmin would like to open a direct message with you? Click “yes” to accept.

ImtheAdmin would like to open a direct message with you? Click “yes” to accept.

ImtheAdmin would like to open a direct message with you? Click “yes” to accept.

The beeping was incessant. Mark knew it was some kind of alert Raj had on his computer for one of his trackers or some kind of flag.

“You gonna get that?” Mark snarled quietly. More beeping. Glancing up, he sighed to find Raj’s seat empty. “RAJ!” Silence. “Does anyone know where Raj is?” He yelled down the hallway.

Meg popped out from the main office. “He and Owen are on the lunch run. They should be back soon.” Mark huffed in irritation.

“Okay, thank you.” Pulling out his phone he dialed Raj who picked up on the second ring. “Are you on your way back? There’s an alarm going off on your computer.”

“Um…okay, what kind of alarm is it?” Mark made his way back to the beeping laptop on the conference room table.

“I don’t know — can you hear it?”

“Yeah, that’s not an alarm, that’s an alert. We’re on the way back — just check the alert.” Mark tapped at the laptop waking it up.

ImtheAdmin would like to open a direct message with you? Click “yes” to accept.

ImtheAdmin would like to open a direct message with you? Click “yes” to accept.

ImtheAdmin would like to open a direct message with you? Click “yes” to accept.

ImtheAdmin would like to open a direct message with you? Click “yes” to accept.

ImtheAdmin would like to open a direct message with you? Click “yes” to accept.

ImtheAdmin would like to open a direct message with you? Click “yes” to accept.

ImtheAdmin would like to open a direct message with you? Click “yes” to accept.

ImtheAdmin would like to open a direct message with you? Click “yes” to accept.

“Holy shit it’s Pr3pSF — the Admin is trying to message Alexa’s account.” Mark switched his phone to speaker so he could type.

“Well, they know it’s not Alexa on the account any more, so they probably want something.”

“What do I do? What do I say?”

“Accept the chat and see what they say first, then play along. I’m sure you were on a dating site a time or two, so just chat.”

“Ha ha. It’s been a very long time and I was never very good at it.” Mark inhaled sharply, clicking on the message request. “Okay, I’m now in the chat.”

ImtheAdmin - What are you still doing here? I thought you were dead.

“Raj — you need to get here, you’re much better at this than me. They want to know what I’m still doing here, that I’m supposed to be dead. What do I even say?”

“Just wait. They’ll say more if you don’t say anything. And when you respond be a little snarky like a teenager.”

ImtheAdmin - You’re always on here. What took you so long to respond.

Mark’s brain began to spin as he tried to imagine himself as a teenager.

zYX321123fuckyou - Sorry to disappoint. I have a life, you know.

ImtheAdmin - But you’re dead.

zYX321123fuckyou - Am I?

“Remember the last chat?” Raj quipped over the phone. “They think we know who they are. Keep that going and see what they say. We’re five minutes out.”

ImtheAdmin - You’re dead, so whoever’s using this account should be careful. It won’t take a lot for me to trace your IP.

zYX321123fuckyou - Same same. Everyone who’s taken CompSci can trace an IP. You’re not special. You think you’re special which is why you made this whole website.

Mark knew that was risky, but went with it.

zYX321123fuckyou - You think you’re smarter than everyone. Pr3pSF makes you feel important.

Mark looked at what he’d written and realized it was true.

zYX321123fuckyou - What do you want anyway? I only have a minute.

ImtheAdmin - I want to know who you are. I want to know why you’re here.

zYX321123fuckyou - I’m no one…there’s more than one, actually.

ImtheAdmin - You said that before. There’s only one of me though and if I decide to take down this site everyone’s fun will end.

zYX321123fuckyou - You’re the puppet master.

Raj burst into the conference room with a cardboard tray of burritos, followed closely by Owen who had a tray of chips and drinks. Shoving the tray to the middle of the table, he hovered by Mark’s shoulder, reading over the exchange.

“What’s happening, I’ll jump on.”

“I’m just playing along, they’re trying to make it known that they’re in control of the site.” Mark moved down a chair and Raj immediately replaced him. Mark felt a wave of adrenaline roll over him in relief.

“What are we trying to do here?” Owen asked, standing behind them watching the screen. “Do you think they’re going to give themselves away?”

“Probably not, but they’re taunting us,” Mark said, eyes glued to the screen. “When they want attention like that it means they’re letting their ego get the better of them. It means they’re starting to make mistakes. They build the site so everyone else would spill their secrets, but now all the secrets are coming out and they’ve lost control.”

“So it’s just psychology?” Owen countered.

“Basically, yeah. At least in theory. I’m going to let the chatroom expert see how he does.”

Raj waited at the ready for the next message to appear, nostrils flaring.

ImtheAdmin - Or the master of the puppets? LOL.

“I’m gonna fuck with him.” Raj said, beginning to type. “I mean…if that’s okay with you?” He glanced to Mark.

“Yeah, do it. Meanwhile I’m running a trace. Keep them talking.”

zYX321123fuckyou - What are you gonna do next?

ImtheAdmin - Meaning?

zYX321123fuckyou - Pr3pSF can’t last forever — they’ll know people were using it to bully

ImtheAdmin - And?

zYX321123fuckyou - And you let it happen. You’re the master, right? It’s on you.

ImtheAdmin - I’m clean. I can pull the plug and it will be like Pr3pSF never existed.

zYX321123fuckyou - Why would you do that? It’s great. You should keep it as a portfolio - colleges will think it’s brilliant.

ImtheAdmin - Thanks. I guess.

zYX321123fuckyou - Say you do wipe the site…you’ll build something else right?

ImtheAdmin - Maybe.

zYX321123fuckyou - Just evolve it like Zuckerberg at Harvard. No one knew how big Facebook would get from just rating hot chicks.

ImtheAdmin - You’re right. I’ll make one to rate hot guys.

zYX321123fuckyou - Who’d be at the top?

ImtheAdmin - Are you flirting?

zYX321123fuckyou - No. Just wondering.

ImtheAdmin - Wonder away.

zYX321123fuckyou - It must be fun.

ImtheAdmin - What?

zYX321123fuckyou - You’re the only one who knows who’s who on here — you know they’re real names and emails. So you know who’s saying what about everyone. This site is about intel, but you have all the intel.

ImtheAdmin - Unless someone dies and someone else takes over their account.

zYX321123fuckyou - Ha ha.

zYX321123fuckyou - Seriously. I’d love to know what my crush thought of me.

ImtheAdmin - No you wouldn’t.

“Oooh. Someone has a broken heart.” Raj muttered softly, holding off on responding.

ImtheAdmin - Everyone talks on here but there’s some people no one talks about at all.

zYX321123fuckyou - But everyone talks about you - you’re the myth on here.

ImtheAdmin - You flatter me.

“How’s that trace coming? I think they’re losing interest and I want to log off first.”

“The IP is bouncing but it’s getting slower. I’m almost there. I searched your logs too - it’s used a lot.”

“Could be a school.”

“Or just someone who’s online all the time.”

zYX321123fuckyou - I have to get to lunch. I leave the window open but I’m not always here.

ImtheAdmin - Is that why you’re on here all the time?

zYX321123fuckyou - Doesn’t occur to me to log off. Have to go now though. What is it you wanted to talk to me about? We never got to the point.

ImtheAdmin - Just wondering who you are.

zYX321123fuckyou - LOL. Yeah. Imagine you hate not knowing. Too bad!

ImtheAdmin - I could delete your account.

zYX321123fuckyou - You won’t. You like talking to me.

“I have the trace.” Mark sighed, eyes expanding.

“Perfect timing. I’m leaving them hanging.” Raj leaned away from the screen and blew out a breath. “What’s the location?”

“I’ve got the main one, and the secondary one but they’re both being used sort of equally.” Mark typed rapidly. “The main one…is wow, Xavier Prep. Didn’t see that coming.”

“What about the other address?” Owen asked, leaning in.

“Oh holy shit you guys…where’s Jeannie?”