Page 99 of The Fake Out

“Excuse me? Yes, you can.” I marched across the room. “We are leaving now.”

“Yes, of course.” Ali patted me complacently on the arm. “I just need to do one thing first.”

“Ali…”

But she was already moving behind Peter’s desk. “I was about to do this when I heard Peter and had to hide.”

I glanced nervously toward the door, straining to hear anything that might indicate Peter was returning. “Do what?”

Ali didn’t reply and when I looked over, she was furiously typing on Peter’s computer.

“What are you doing?”

“It will take me fifteen minutes at the most.”

“You have got to be kidding me.” I paced back and forth, wringing my hands. I could hear the low rumble of voices, not close enough to make out the words but close, nonetheless.

“I just have to remap a few of the keys on his keyboard. Last time I was here, I made sure I got his computer details and I’ve been practicing.” She grinned and wagged her eyebrows at me. “This is going to be epic.”

I paused at the gap in the door and listened intently. Had the voices gotten louder? Panic fizzed through me. “Seriously. You have to hurry.”

“I’m going. I’m going,” she muttered. “Stop interrupting me.”

I eased the door open a bit and peeked out. Peter and Chris were standing at the end of a long hallway, still too far to make out actual words. Thankfully, Peter’s back was toward me. I tiptoed out into the hallway and waved a hand, trying to get Chris’s attention.

We made the briefest of eye contact. I switched from waving to stretching my hands apart and pointing to my wrist in what I hoped translated to “more time.” He scratched his head and, yes, there—a thumb’s up.

“You have five minutes,” I said to Ali once I was safely inside.

“That’s perfect.” Furious tapping on the keyboard. “I’m almost done. This may be my masterpiece. I could retire after this.”

“That sounds like an excellent idea.”

“I’m kidding, of course.” More furious tapping. “Done. Come and see my genius.”

“Can’t you tell me about it later?” But I was already scurrying to the desk.

Ali popped out of the seat and gestured for me to sit. On the computer, a blank word document was open, cursor blinking. “Type Peter’s name. Go on. Do it.”

I quickly did as she asked. At first nothing happened until I hit the R. I gasped when, “I am a giant cucumber,” appeared instead of his name.

Ali laughed à la evil scientist. “Isn’t it amazing?”

I typed PETER one more time just to make it happen again and held back a laugh. “We have to go now.”

“Right, right.” She leaned around me and closed a few windows. “Let us be off. I have to pee anyway.”

After opening the door with sloth-like speed, we crept into the hallway. I gave Chris a wave, grabbed Ali and dragged her to the back door. As expected, Uncle Joe had already left, his part in the plan finished.

Ali giggled as we pushed the door open and started to jog away from the building. “That was amazing. Epic. I am the master. Do you hear the Rocky music playing, or is that in my head?”

When we made it back to Chris’s truck, Ali leaned against a door, a wide smile stretched across her face. “So, how did you do it?”

“Uncle Joe. He brought his key,” I said. “How did you do it?”

“Uncle Joe. But he doesn’t know I have a copy of his key so don’t tell anyone.”

I huffed. “Ali. You have to stop doing stuff like this. One of these days, you’re going to get yourself in too much trouble and nobody’s going to be able to help you.”