Crush Culture [M.Wheeler]

[44] CODE CRACKED

"Hey, what took you so long?" Dustin asks as Nori re-enters the back room. "I... just broke up with Mike." She explains, taking a seat beside him.

"You're kidding.." He trails off, shocked. "Do I look like I'm kidding, Dustin?" She sends him a serious stare.

"Well, how do you feel about it?" He inquires. "Great, actually. Feels so.. refreshing." She nods. "Wait, who's Mike?" Robin questions. "Mike's Tiny's boyfriend— ex boyfriend." Dustin explains.

"Yeah, no shit, dumbass. But have I seen him before?" She asks. "Yeah, he'a the guy that rang the bell, like, twenty times three days ago when we went to the movies." Nori states.

"Oh. Yeah, he seems annoying." Robin chuckles. "Wait, you broke up with Mike?" Steve shouts, throwing open the windows.

"Steve, quiet down, Jesus. You're gonna shake the entire mall. And yes, I did." She nods. "Hell yes. I knew you could do better." Steve praises.

***

Later that evening, when the mall was already closed, Nori, Dustin, Mike, Steve, And Robin read what they have translated up to now.

"The week is long, the silver cat feeds, when blue meets yellow in the west."

"I'm sorry, what? Did we read that right?" Nori asks.

Later, they all head out, Steve locking up. "I mean, it just...it just can't be right." He comments. "It's right." Robin argues.

"Honestly, i think it's great news." Dustin chimes in as Nori tiredly leans her head on his shoulder as they walk, his arm around her shoulder as well.

"How is this great news? I mean, so much for being American Heroes." Steve chuckles. "It's totally nonsense."

"It's not nonsense. It's too specific. It's obviously a code." Dustin responds. "What do you mean a code?" Nori questions, yawning.

"Like a super secret spy code." Dustin states. "That's a total stretch." Steve shakes his head. "I don't know, is it?" Robin speaks up.

"You're buying into this?" Steve furrows his eyebrows. "Listen, just for kicks, let's entertain the possibility that it is a secret Russian transmission. What'd you think they were gonna say, Fire the warhead at noon?" She attempts to reason, making a fair point.

"Exactly." Dustin agrees. "And my translation is correct. I know that for sure, so.." she trails off. "The silver cat feeds. Why would anyone talk like that unless they're trying to mask the true meaning of their message?"

"Exactly." Dustin says again. "And why would anyone wanna mask the true meaning of their message unless the message was somehow sensitive?"

"Exactly."

Steve makes a face, mocking the two. "So I guess that confirms your suspicion." Robin says to Dustin. "Evil Russians."

"I can't believe I'm about to agree with this strange child, but, yeah, totally evil Russians." She laughs.

"You're right. Dustin is a strange child." Nori nods, earning a light slap from the boy. "Hey. Stay on task." He whisper-shouts.

"Fine, So how do we crack it?" Nori looks up at Robin. "Well, I guess we translate the rest and hopefully a pattern emerges." Robin shrugs.

"A pattern. Right, like maybe silver cat is a meeting place?" Dustin suggests. "Or a person." Robin adds.

"Or a weapon." Nori nods. "It's probably gonna take a super genius to crack it, but... where's Steve?" She pauses, turning around.

Steve stands in front of a mechanical horse ride, searching in his pockets for quarters. "Hey, Steve." Robin calls out. "What are you doing?"

"Uh, it's a quarter. I need— do you have a quarter?" He asks, holding out his hand. Robin chuckles, running over to him. "Sure you're tall enough for that ride?" Robin jokes.

"Quarter!" He shouts, taking the one that Robin passes him and placing it into the machine. Suddenly, it begins to play, while he crouches beside it.

"You need help getting up, little Stevie?" Robin asks. Dustin and Nori snicker. "Shh! Would you three just shut up and listen?" Steve responds.

"Holy shit." Dustin realizes, recognizing the music. "The music." He sets down his backpack. "The music!"

He takes out the tape, beginning to play it. "I don't understand." Robin comments. "It's the exact same song on the recording." Nori points out.

"Maybe they have horses like this in Russia." Robin suggests. "Indiana Flyer? I don't... I don't think so." Steve shakes his head.

"This code, it....didn't come from Russia. It came from here."