EXTINCTION WARRIOR

Chapter 17

"As for their firewall, I am using a virtual private network, which is redirecting my network to a foreign country. I am being channeled through Iceland, in fact."

"Does XH have a MEMYSELFi page?" I ask. Everyone on the planet has one—everyone,except me. I'm not allowed to have one until I turn fifteen. I really wanted one before...but I don't care anymore.

"Of course they do,"he says without looking up. "The XH page features every model the company sells. It encourages customers to post videos of their androids and gynoids doing the most ridiculous, degrading activities...completely demeaning."

"You're programmed with the company's email address, right?"

"Every model is,"he replies without looking up.

"Give me the lightboard." I say, flipping onto my back with my knees bent, my boots on the bed. Mom and Dad would kill me for that.

He passes it over, and I balance it on my knees.

"I'm going to phish for the company password—on their MEMYSELFi page. It might be the same for their system. I know it's not sophisticated, but you never know." It's as basic as it gets but worth a try. Plus, it's the only hack I know. I'm sure he's going to say I'm being naïve...that it's way too simple...that nobody ever uses a password for more than one site.

I'm shocked when he says,"I had not considered that."

I doubt it's going to work, but continue, "Okay...I'm writing that I've just posted a video of you on their MEMYSELFi page—something totally humiliating,like...I modified you...to, let's see...to act like a Ssanibot." I snicker. "Now I'm directing the administrator to click the link to watch you lick the floor and—"

"The administrator clicks the link..." he interrupts.

"And I lead them to a log-in page, they enter their password and...we wait a few seconds....and...." I can hardly believe it, "I've got it!" I exclaim, stunned it actually worked, pass the lightboard back to him,and flop over on my belly.

His fingers speed across the lightboard. A few rapid clicks, taps, pings, and in seconds, he knows Big Bear's serial number and the exact location of White Wolf's superyacht loaded with the very last of the world's scaly anteaters.

"Tootega, pull up a map of the Bay of Bengal on lightscreen one," Tuk asks.

All the codes dissolve into a map.

"Tootega, indicate the following position, one, six, point two, one, four, one, seven, three latitude, and nine, six, point eight, nine, zero, one, zero, one longitude."

Instantly a blinking red dot appears. The yacht isn't in the Bay of Bengal at all. It's near the delta of Burma's biggest river, in the Andaman sea.

"Tootega, enlarge the area near the coordinate." I ask, rub my burning eyes, and yawn."You know what I think?"

"I do not."

I roll off my side of the bed, stand and stick my finger, glowing in the lightscreen. "This river runs north-south through the entire country. If I were WhiteWolf, I wouldn't unload at a port along the coast. It's too dangerous. He knows WEAPP is on high alert looking for him. If I were White Wolf, I'd cruise up this river...the Irra...waddy."

"And take the road to Mandalay!" Tuk exclaims, suddenly bright and cheery.

"Huh?...he's in a boat."I sit, confused and shake my head.

He turns toward me, grabs my shoulder, and in a weird accent says, "Come you back to Mandalay, Where the old Flotilla lay: Can't you 'ear their paddles chunkin' from Rangoon to Mandalay? On the road to Mandalay, Where the flyin'-fishes play, An' the dawn comes up like thunder outer China' crost the Bay...!"

"What are you talking about?" I'm too tired for Tuk's obscure reference.

"You must know it.Rudyard Kipling's poem, 'Road to Mandalay'. He only wrote one of your favorite stories—The Jungle Book."

I yawn again, "What does that have to do with White Wolf? And before I fall asleep, would you please tell me your plan."

"I simply cannot control myself when my data bank cross references!" Tuk replies, pleased with himself.

"So tell me.....come on!" I whine.

He jumps off the bed, and runs his finger up the waterway. "The Irrawaddy is the most important waterway for commerce in Myanmar. It is known as the road to Mandalay. I believe your instincts are correct, that White Wolf is planning to take his cargo up the Irrawaddy to Mandalay, here,"he says, pointing to a city in the north. His finger glows with the word, Mandalay. "If I were White Wolf, that is precisely where I would unload my pangolins. It is also much closer to China, the home of his network."

"So we should follow them up the river?"

"Let us discuss this in the morning, when we are nearer the superyacht, and you are well rested. I commend your instincts, Luki. Well done."

"That sounds like yes." I mutter, rubbing my eyes.