“Oh,” Aida said, stunned at this turn of events.
“Or go back to sleep if you want.” She headed back down the hall, and when she turned the corner, Aida retreated back into her room to ring down to the kitchen to have them bring her some coffee.
It was Pippa who delivered it. “You done good, yeah?” she asked in a low voice as she deposited a tray of coffee and cornetti filled with Nutella on the table.
“I think so. I’m not the one making sense of things, but what you did helped me get the information I needed. I owe you one.”
“Don’t fret, it ain’t nuffin’. I hope ya find what yer lookin’ for. If ya need anythin’, let Ilario and me know. These people ain’t normal, and us lot doin’ their dirty work need to look out for each other.”
Aida had to smile at Pippa’s offer of solidarity. If she knew ancient Greek gods were involved, the sous-chef might change her mind.
“I wish there were a shot of sambuca in that coffee,” she joked.
Pippa nodded in approval. “Yer wish is my command, luv. I’ll be back in a jiffy with yer liquid courage.”
“I was joking, Pippa. But also, I thought it was liquid hope?”
“Today it’s courage, innit? You seem like ya might need it.”
Aida sighed. “I do, I do.”
“Cor, then I’ll be bringin’ ya some. No, no, arguin’.”
After Aida had dressed and downed thecaffècorrettoPippa brought with a heavier dose of sambuca than she was used to, she headed out of the palazzo toward Piazza Navona, feeling a little fuzzy but glad for the warming liquor.
When she arrived at Yumi’s rented flat, she was surprised to find Felix there.
He folded her into a hug. “Dear god, Aida, what have you gotten yourself into?”
Aida couldn’t help but laugh. “Felix, you seem to forget that it wasyouwho got me into this mess!”
“Ahh, yes, I suppose I did,” he said sheepishly. “I am sorry about that. Never again will I try to help you find your dream job.”
Yumi put a finger to her lips to shush them. “You can put your things in my bedroom.” Yumi gestured at Aida’s purse.
When Aida returned from depositing her MODA phone where it wouldn’t register their conversation, Yumi waved them to sit on the couch and launched into an elaborate explanation of how she attempted to hack into the MODA database. It was all over Aida’s head, and between her lack of sleep and the spiked coffee, Aida found it difficult to concentrate.
Felix finally snapped. “Stop! Can you simplify? You’re putting Aida to sleep.”
Aida startled at the sound of her name.
“Sorry. Let me make you acaffè.” She headed to the open kitchen but didn’t stop her explanation. “Long story short—I can see how the information gets to the database, but getting into it is, well, unusual. There seems to be some sort of key that is needed to unlock it.”
“A key?” Aida asked over the sound of the espresso machine.
“Yes, but it’s not like any other sort of passcode or access point I’ve ever seen.”
“That doesn’t sound promising,” Felix said.
“It’s not. I don’t know what I can do at this point. I need to know more about the database.”
Aida groaned. “And where are we going to find out that information? We don’t even know where the database is.”
“That’s not true.” Yumi came around the edge of the bar to bring Aida her espresso. “Ithinkit’s in London.”
“But you aren’t sure?”
“The IP address is attached to a firewall that obscures the precise location, but that address is in London and since MODA is based there, it’s my logical conclusion. But standing in front of it doesn’t get me the key.”
