The Hanging Tree

t w e l v e

IF YOU'RE GOING TO KILL US TONIGHT, how are you going to deliver those and get them back in time?" Jess asked, and Nancy bit her lip, anxiously awaiting her sister's response.

"Were you not listening to a thing I just said?" Zoe appeared to be extremely frustrated.

"Yeah, there's this thing called the internet," Trenton jumped in. "I heard it works really well."

"Can't they just trace the IP address, then?" Drew questioned, being the one who knew the most about technology, due to his so-called detective work.

"No, we run it through a shit-ton of servers so they can't find us. They'll probably end up in like Canada or something if they try to trace the signal."

"Plus, if they go to the police it won't work," Trenton pulled out a badge. "I am the police."

"So, who's up first?" Zoe smiled maliciously. "How about you, sis? I bet mom and dad won't even respond. Oh, and if they do, it'll probably be an apology explaining how they can't afford to waste any money on you."

"Wow, Z," Nancy rolled her eyes, placing a hand over her heart. "Hit me right here."

"Get in the booth," Trenton pulled her out of her seat, dragging her over to the enclosed room. "Sit."

Nancy sat at the computer, wondering what she should write. Then she remembered the day after the first murder of Moonlarkville, when she and her parents had sat at the kitchen table and came up with some terms. Zoe had been at one of her so-called 'debate meets', which Nancy now knew were a total fluke.

-

"Okay, here's the deal, Nance," Her dad had said. "Five kids from your school were pronounced dead yesterday. They have yet to perform an official autopsy, but judging from the marks around their necks, they were hung. The person who did this is pretty vicious, Nance. They sent the bodies to the parents. Who does that?"

"The Capitol." Nancy mumbled, taking a bite of her cereal - not fully understanding just how serious the situation was.

"What?" Her mom asked in confusion.

"Oh, nothing. Just, uh, Hunger games reference."

"Nancy Michelle, I want you to understand me when I say this. These kids are dead. They're not coming back. And we don't know if there's going to be another episode like the, but what we do know is that we don't want anything to ever happen to you. Ever."

"Though in the event that it does," Her mom added. "We want to have a plan in place."

"For example," Her dad transitioned in smoothly, and Nancy bet that they had rehearsed this conversation many times. "If you were captured by the killer and you had the chance to send a message, we want it to be encrypted."

"Just in case the murderer wants to see it, they won't know what you're talking about. You know, if the message is for purposes other than telling us your location, and if you're not allowed to disclose it."

"You guys really thought this one through, huh?" Nancy caught their dazed expressions and the darkened circles under their eyes.

"Kept us up all night," Nancy's mom confided almost proudly.

"Okay, let's get to work," Her dad clasped his hands together, signifying his impatience. "Get the ideas flowing."

"How about 'I'm safe here' means the exact opposite?" Nancy suggested.