Txt2kill

By Vicki Draeger

Samantha, a Maui High student, grows increasingly troubled by a series of rogue text messages appearing on her phone with no name or number. Somehow, she is getting texts meant for others, and she can’t reply. Eventually these cryptic messages lead Sam and her best friend, Lei, to the conclusion that North Korean terrorists are planning to detonate a dirty nuclear bomb in one of Maui's luxury hotels on Easter Sunday. Because of phone pranks Sam and Lei have pulled in the past--and the sketchy information they have about the plot--the girls are reluctant to contact the Maui police. With only six days to decipher the messages and stop the killing of thousands, Sam and Lei enlist the help of two boys from school--physics whiz kid Gi, and football hero, Jason. The four crusading teens are also dealing with distracting personal issues. Sam grapples with the specter of her father's previous addiction, while Lei has to make some difficult decisions about meeting with her biological mother, a woman who abandoned her at birth. Gi's favorite uncle and mentor suffers from advanced stages of Multiple Sclerosis, and Jason, a leader on the football field, has been following some peers in a perilous direction. This unlikely group join forces in an attempt to save their island home and thousands of its inhabitants.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Mar 31, 2015
• ISBN: 9781631928116

Book preview

THRILLER:

Chapter One

Sam

There should have been some bone chilling warning, some dark, hair-raising premonition of what lay ahead, but Samantha’s day started like any other. The alarm shrieked at 6:00 a.m. and as usual, she wanted to throw it against the wall. Dragging herself to the bathroom, she stared in the mirror. Sam winced…serious bed-head. The problem with long hair was it took so long to dry. She decided if she just pulled it all back into a side ponytail she could get by without washing it until tomorrow…Saturday.

Long hair took forever to dry and she didn’t want to get on the school bus with a wet head. Teeth were not optional. She brushed them hard, washed her face, and felt she was slowly re-entering the land of the living.

She wiggled into skinny jeans, threw on her favorite White Zombie T-shirt, tightened a wide black belt with metal studs, then took a couple of minutes to apply some mascara and eyeliner. Sam figured it was worth the extra time. If people were looking at her eyes, they weren’t likely to notice her not-soclean hair.

One final glance in the mirror and she raced into the kitchen where her dad handed her a smoothie he’d whipped up in the blender and poured into a paper cup.

Here, he said, Drink your breakfast.

He knew Sam was always late in the morning, so this was their ritual. Besides, only one burner on the stove worked, and the oven hasn’t heated up anything in years.

Sam threw a couple of energy drinks into her backpack, pecked her dad on the cheek, grabbed the paper cup, and headed down the street to the bus stop. She knew her friend, Lei, would save her a seat.

She’d just finished the smoothie when it appeared in all its ugly yellow glory—the Maui High School bus. Someone in the back of the bus hurled a brown banana at them. It hit a kid on the shoulder. Didn’t hurt him, but boy did he turn the air blue with his swearing. Sam was impressed. She’d never heard such a continuous string of profanity, almost poetic in its cadence.

Last one on, the double doors whished shut behind her. About halfway down the aisle she saw her friend Lei, who flashed her a big white-toothed smile.

Sam thought maybe Lei’s teeth just looked so white because they were set against her mocha skin. She would have given anything to have Lei’s complexion, her wavy black hair, and Lei was always saying she wished she could have Sam’s cat’s eyes, as she called them. Lei’s cat, Zen, a silver tabby with attitude, had eyes that sometimes looked blue, sometimes green. Lei said Sam’s eyes changed from topaz blue to jade green according to what she was wearing.

Sam plunked into the seat next to Lei just as Lei’s cell phone began to warble and chirp.

Not for the first time, Sam wondered what made them best friends. Lei’s text messages announced themselves with birdsong. Sam’s phone growled grrr…argh whenever a text came in. Sam loved jeans and t-shirts. Lei wore skirts, blouses, and dresses. Sam liked misty, rainy, over-cast days. Lei was all about the sunshine. Sam thought it might be part of Lei’s Hawaiian-Filipino heritage like her hair and skin.

Sam played everything by ear. Lei always made a plan. She already knew she wanted to be a nurse. Sam was clueless about the future.

So who was that? Sam asked as Lei jammed her cell into her backpack

"My dad reminding me Ayla’s birthday is next Friday and I should think about getting her something. She’s so funny. She was trying to tell me she wanted boots but she kept pronouncing it BUTTS!

Sam laughed. Who wants a pair of butts? One is quite enough.

Yeah, Lei grinned.

No longer laughing, Sam looked wistful. You’re so lucky to have a kid sister. I wish I had a brother or sister. Dad tries but…

The bus pulled into the parking lot and everybody piled off. Grrr…Argh Oh, that’s probably Jason calling to ask me to the Spring Dance, Sam said.

I’m sure it is, Lei laughed.

It was their private joke. They were both freshmen…not exactly on the higher rungs of the high school social ladder. Jason Adams was a junior and captain of the football team. Sam had a major crush on him, but he didn’t know she existed.

Lei and Sam both had English first period. Sam clicked open her text as they walked along. She usually checked out the number first, but there was no name or number. The screen didn’t even say unknown. She read the text.

So…was it Jason? Lei grinned wickedly.

Uh…no.

Well then, some secret admirer?

Sam handed the phone to Lei. What do you make of this?

Lei looked at the screen. Her eyes crinkled at the edges as she tried to understand the text.

they will no we rn’t a paper tiger, wen thousands r ded.

Girlfriend. Lei handed the phone back to Sam. You’ve got some crazy person sending you texts. A joke…right?

I don’t know who it’s from. See. Sam stuck the phone in front of Lei’s face, There’s no number and no name.

I can’t see anything with the phone in my face like that. Here…give it to me.

Lei grabbed the phone and studied the text for a minute before handing it back.

Weird. Why is there no name or number? It gives me chicken skin. Lei rubbed her upper arms. Thousands dead… and what in the world is a ‘paper tiger’?

I don’t know, but I plan to find out.

They entered Mr. Yamahito’s classroom where Sam took her usual seat in the back. She thought Mr. Yamahito was all right because he didn’t make them sit according to any stupid seating chart. Lei, always sat in the front.

Sam opened her book, then slipped her phone out of her backpack and held it under the desk. She put it on silent, and waited for Mr. Yamahito to get all wrapped up in his presentation of the first act of Hamlet. When she thought the timing was perfect, she opened the browser and googled paper tiger. Her forehead furrowed as she read, Paper tiger is a literal English translation of the Chinese phrase zhǐlǎohǔ, meaning something that seems as threatening as a tiger, but is really harmless. This Chinese colloquialism is similar to the English phrase its bark is worse than its bite.

Sam was more confused than before.

As she started to slip her phone back into her backpack it vibrated. Sam looked down and again there was no name or number. She opened the text:

u r rite

Sam stared at her phone. This guy was acting like they were having a conversation even though she couldn’t text him or her back…not that she’d want to.

Another vibration. She looked around to be sure no one, and especially not Mr. Yamahito, was watching. Coast clear… she opened it.

k I’ll meet u then. Do u hav everythin we need?

Sam waited to see what would come next, but there was nothing.

Miss Hue? Mr. Yamahito’s voice boomed. Sam jumped, almost dropping the phone.

Huh?

I said, ‘Miss Samantha Hue, would you be so kind as to explain the relationship between Hamlet, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.’

Uh…they were…I mean, Hamlet, Rosencrock and Gullenstein were…

Please pay attention Miss Hue. Lei?

Sam wasn’t surprised when Lei gave the right answer. Unlike Sam, Lei was an A student.

Sam looked at the clock repeatedly. Her fingers tapped on the desk. Algebra was next. Math came easily to her. Sam’s dad told her it was because math and music used the same parts of the brain. She was pretty good on the violin.

At last the bell rang. Sam wanted to talk to Lei about the two new messages, but she was up at Mr. Yamahito’s desk asking him something. Sam would have to wait. The morning dragged on until finally it was lunchtime. Just as the bell rang, one more text came in. Sam snatched her phone and opened it.

Might b a few mins L8 cuz I Gtg talk 2 teacher. Save me a seat @ lunch k?

Only Lei. Sam felt disappointed. While she didn’t get very good grades in anything but math and art, Sam loved to read mysteries. She watched all the detective stories on T.V. These texts were shaping up to be a real live mystery one Sam intended to solve.

She went to her locker and tossed her morning books on the lower shelf. It felt good to lighten the load. She also pulled a Monster from her bag and gulped it down in a few long swallows. A few other kids were doing the same. A little caffeine to kick start the day, then off she went to grab a tray, find a table, and wait for Lei. She was just pitching the empty Monster into the trash when she heard Grrr…Argh from inside her bag.

Sam grabbed her phone.

Yes! No name or number. She opened it.

Chapter Two

Lei

Lei thought Sam looked spooked. She wasn’t eating and that wasn’t like Sam. Nothing ever fazed that girl. She loved risk and excitement. Lei elbowed her way across the crowded cafeteria. She saw Sam pick up her phone then put it back down, over and over. And Sam was chewing her lower lip, a sure sign she was upset.

Thanks for saving me a place. Lei scooted in next to Sam and started digging around in her backpack for her homemade lunch.

Well, it’s not like there are a ton of kids lined up to sit next to me you know. Sam looked at Lei and raised one eyebrow.

So if Jason came over here and wanted to sit by you maybe you wouldn’t save my place? Lei hoped bringing up Jason would distract Sam. She pulled the tops off the plastic containers that held her home lunch…sushi and spinach salad. Ruth always packed something healthy and delicious.

Well… Sam said. Aren’t you curious? She stared at Lei with her big cat eyes. It occurred to Lei that Sam also had the curiosity of a cat. Then she remembered the saying, curiosity killed the cat. Lei shuddered.

Curious about what? Lei asked, though she was pretty sure she knew.

About that text I got this morning.

Sam, you need to forget about that. I’m sure it was just a fluke of some kind. Lei bit into her sushi.

No, it is not, Miss Smarty. Sam sat back and crossed her arms. I’ve received three more.

Three? What did they say?

Well, the first one said, ‘You are right.’ The second one said, ‘I’ll meet you then. Do you have everything we need?’ And then I got this last one about five minutes ago as I was getting ready to come in here and grab some food.

Let me see it.

Sam had set her phone on the table like she was waiting for another message to come in. She scrolled to the last text she’d received and showed it to Lei.

r u sure we can trust him? He may need 2 b elimin8ed.

Eliminated? Lei’s dark hazel eyes went wide. Someone is talking about thousands dead and eliminating someone? Sam, whoever this is, it’s nobody we want to know.

Sam set her phone back on the table carefully. What should we do?

"You’re asking me? You’re always the one looking for adventure. I don’t think you should do anything. It’s probably some weird joke."

Sam was sucking on her lower lip again. Lei, what if it’s not a joke. What if it’s real?

Real? Like someone is planning to kill thousands of people?

Sam nodded as she shoved another chicken finger into her mouth.

Well…. Lei sat back and thought about it. "Maybe we should tell somebody about it and try to stop it…whatever it is."

There’s the problem. Sam talked with food in her mouth.

Lei grimaced but didn’t say anything. She figured that after Sam’s mom died her dad hadn’t bothered trying to teach her manners. Sam was still the funniest, kindest girl Lei knew.

We don’t know who’s sending the texts, why they’re sending them to me, who they plan to kill, or even where they’re going to do…to do…whatever it is they’re planning to do, Sam said.

Lei waited until she’d finished chewing a bite of her spinach salad. So we’re stuck. Then she remembered. What about that paper tiger thing?

Oh that. It means like when something looks scary but is really harmless, Sam said.

I don’t see how that’s going to help us. Lei’s phone chirped. It was her step-mom although Lei always thought of her as ‘Mom’. Her real mother had run off when she was just a baby, so Ruth was the only mother she’d ever known.

Lei, I hope I caught you at lunch, honey. Did you like your salad?

Yup, was rly good. Thx 4 takin time 2 make it. Btw, should I buy Ayla those cowboy butts?

Uh, I got some of that but what does ‘Btw’ mean?

Never mind, I’ll see you after school. Hugs.

Lei sighed and snapped her phone shut. Getting a text from Ruth is like reading a letter. I’ve tried to teach her but she doesn’t get text talk.

Sam was shredding her napkin, another nervous habit of hers. Why do you call her Ruth? Why not ‘mom?’

It’s dad’s idea. He says I still have a mother, even if she’s not around. Ruth doesn’t care so it works for us.

Grrr…Argh! " It’s probably Jason," Sam said, but neither of them laughed. They both stared at the phone. No name. No number.

Sam’s hand trembled a little. Lei wasn’t sure if it was from fear or excitement.

Go ahead, Lei scooted closer. It’s just a text…it can’t hurt you. At least I don’t think it can.

Sam picked up the phone and hit the text icon:

Many flors, lower level, place it so they all collapse but need gud spread n atmo. Bitten by ther own dog.

Lei looked at the text over Sam’s shoulder. I wish we could text back.

Me too, Sam said, but we can’t. And we’re only getting one side of the conversation. That makes it even harder to understand.

It’s like it’s written in code or something. ‘Bitten by their own dog?’ What is that supposed to mean?

Sam shrugged.

The bell rang and they went over and put their trays on the moving conveyor belt. Lei had PE. It was the worse time of day to have PE. Trying to exercise on a full stomach. Another reason she ate light at lunchtime.

As they left the cafeteria, Sam pointed toward a tall thin boy with glasses, poring over a thick book. Look, the geekguy is so caught up in his book that he didn’t even hear the bell ring. Sam snickered.

I feel sorry for him. He eats totally by himself every day.

Sam looked at him again. Maybe he likes it that way.

I don’t think anyone wants to eat by themselves, Sam.

Oh well, not our problem, Sam said as they walked out together-- Lei dragging herself to PE while Sam headed toward her art class with a little bounce in her step.

Wanna come over and spend the night? Lei asked as Sam was going up the stairs. I don’t have hula class until 11:00 tomorrow so we can stay up all night.

Sounds good. What time?

"After my