Free The Whisper Box by Roger Olivieri Page B

for opening up new video games in the car before they got home. To add to the irony, he had not wanted his kids to get a computer because he was afraid of the trouble they would get into on the Internet. Now he was the one in trouble.
    On his way home he listened to the usual banter on talk radio about how this Farnsworth story was about to progress to international level. The special guest of this particular show was a Republican congressman from Iowa. He urged the President to step forth and speak the truth if any allegations were true. The spokesperson for the Southeastern Democratic Coalition verbally assaulted the Republican from Iowa for reacting so strongly about something that was still unknown. They argued the entire time Aaron was driving home. He loved every minute of it.
    Aaron handed out the kisses and hugs to his family. Dinner felt like it took hours. All he could think about was sneaking out to the car and retrieving the computer that was now snugly hidden under the spare tire in the trunk. If he had brought it in when he got home there would be questions to answer about a two thousand-dollar purchase. He contemplated telling his wife that it was company issued but she knew better. She was well aware that the bank he worked for was struggling financially because he told her everyday. There would be no way that they would buy everyone two thousand-dollar laptops. Poor John Martin had no clue that his credit card balance just skyrocketed while he was shooting the breeze with his fellow higher-ups during their afternoon conference call. Aaron still could not believe what he had done this afternoon. Stealing the credit card bothered him a little; in fact it scared him that he had gone to such extremes because of LadiesFirst, the scandal, and the strangers threat.
    Emily actually fell asleep before the kids that night. Matty was still talking to herself in bed while Christopher rolled from one side of his bed to the other creating a ruckus that Aaron could hear down the hall. They each had nightly rituals, but he knew they would be asleep soon.
    As Aaron tiptoed out of the front door he noticed a car across the street with two elderly gentlemen in the front seat. He froze for about the fourth time today, thinking immediately about the warnings and the threats from the stranger in the parking lot. Just then both men stumbled out of the car. It was Ed, his neighbor, with his drunken brother-in-law Scott Bankman. Obviously Ed had to drive Scott's car back to his house. Aaron did not recognize the car so it had him shaking for approximately fifteen seconds. He breathed a sigh of relief, and continued on towards the car. Aaron grabbed the lap top box and the piece of paper with all of Mr. Martin's credit card information on it.
    When he got back in the house he stopped for a minute to make sure that he had not awakened anyone. When he realized everyone was still asleep, he headed down to his office and began the fifteen-minute process to sign Johnny Martin up for Internet service and sign him on. He was now on the Internet as Johnny Martin. The computer was a laptop and could not be traced to one particular location. He got into the Republican chat room and named himself JohnnyM80 because Republican Stud had been discovered. Next, he found LadiesFirst. He had to figure out a way to approach her, knowing she would be on guard. He could not tell her his real identity. Obviously her computer was being watched also. He sat there staring at the computer for about fifteen minutes, trying to figure out a way to approach her before she disconnected from the Internet.

6
     
    Mac was worried and excited at the same time. He had no idea who was on his trail or if they were on his trail. He drove around town, getting on the highway, then off, changing lanes somewhat recklessly with the intent of losing anyone who may be following him. When he felt convinced that there was no one on his trail he headed to his home base, his