Page 82 of Chasing Headlines
“It wasn'tme,” Cathy said with a shrug. “Liv says some idiot stole a live test bank.”
Hilda stared at her. “How does anyone steal a test? It's all online now, right?”
“Basically, there's a database where questions are stored and correlated to answers. Most likely they're two different tables. The professor generates a “test” in advance, but the same questions can be presented in any order. I dunno, if you're going to drop the table with the questions, just grab the table key and?—”
“You're giving me a headache. Someone hacked tests to cheat,” Hilda said.
“Right. And some sleazeball reporter, no offense Liv, is making a witch hunt out of it. Trying to catch anyone who may have just opened an email and not actually touched . . . anything.”
I cut in. “It’s like entrapment.”
“Which is where I come in. I'll do the log analysis and validate what actions were actually taken on the files.” She turned away still muttering something about how she would do all the amazing and complicated things she does.
Hilda crossed her arms. “If Antonio's name is on that list of cheaters. No coffee, mana.”
“Did you just call him Antonio?”
Her nostrils flared. “I mean it, Liv. No cheaters.” She spun on her heel.
“Wait!” I went after her. “Are you talking? Texting? You mean you'll go out with him if he's not?” She fast-walked away from me, book bag swinging as she moved. “Hilda?” She shut her bedroom door with a bang. I rubbed a hand over my forehead and turned back to Cathy. “Was that a yes?”
She shrugged. “Sounded like it. Unless his name's on Mr. Hacker's list.”
“Hm.” I made my way back to the couch. I sat down and leaned back in the lumpy grumpy thing and contemplated the bland ceiling tiles.Who's around athletes and?—
“I'm not entirely sure why you care so much,” Cathy said over the rapid fire of her keyboard. “But you're Liv, and I gave up trying to figure you out . . . probably five minutes after we met.”
“That's fair. Can't believe you tried for a full five minutes, though.”
“And that right there.” She turned and gave me a winning smile. “Is why we're friends.”
Dark thirty the next morning, my cell phone vibrated itself off the painted box they gave us as a “nightstand”. It landed with a loud thud, and I guess, to my credit this one time, my lite-sleeping tendencies found their way to the “plus” column.
Rivers : I got the file.
Rivers : Hopefully you'll be up before noon.
Rivers : Sending a FastTransfer file. Let me know when you get it.
Rivers : If you want a mention in my Pulitzer acceptance speech, get the fuck up!
I groaned and pulled my pillow over my head.Asshole.
I pulled myself out of the bed with my fingernails, and texted him back.
Liv: On it.
I dragged into the living room and found Cathy . . . still up? At her laptop. What on earth she did on that thing at all hours of the day . . . did she even go to class? Ever? Maybe I should ask her one of these days. I sighed, grabbed another Star Struck cola out of the fridge. I placed the extra caffeinated beverage of cyber champions on the table and hugged her from behind.
“How can I help?” She patted my arm.
“He's asking for names associated with the IP addresses. I can't ask you tonot findanyone.”
“But that was the point, wasn't it?” Her voice rasped. “To save your baseball who-whatever-they-are to you?”
I rested my forehead on the back of her head. Her soft red curls smelled of vanilla and roses. “I can't save individuals from bad choices they've already made. But maybe I can help the team still . . . somehow. This is a matter for the school administration and the IT department. Buttheydo need the names and any information you can, uh?” I struggled for the right words. “Find out?” I stood and scrubbed my palms over my face. I needed to make coffee.
“I'll get it done, no worries.” Cathy picked up the soda and sipped.