Chapter 6 - THE DIGITAL SNAKE DENBack at the Springfield Police Department, the bullpen was a hive of frantic federal agents, cyber-crime investigators, and local detectives.
The hard drives recovered from the master bedroom floor safe had been plugged into the department’s forensic mainframe. On the main wall monitor, a live terminal window scrolled through thousands of encrypted chat logs, bitcoin transaction records, and video files belonging to The Serpent Circle.
"It goes deeper than we thought," a federal cyber-agent announced, adjusting his glasses as he stared at the screen. "This wasn't just a local operation. Thomas and Sarah Miller were part of an international syndicate spanning three continents. They used the 'snake bite' code phrase on emergency lines to test police response times in different cities."
Daniel stood behind the console, drinking a fresh cup of coffee that actually tasted warm for once, watching the data stream past.
"What about the other victims?" Daniel asked, his voice low and gravelly. "How many kids are out there?"
The agent tapped a few keys on his keyboard. A global map flashed onto the wall screen, dotted with dozens of glowing red markers across North America and Europe.
"At least fourteen active safehouses identified so far," the agent repliedgrimly. "Interpol has already been notified. Raids are happening as we speak in Toronto, London, and Munich. Because of that 911 call little Emily made... because Claire Johnson kept her on the line and you guys breached that door... we just blew the entire global network wide open."
In the corner of the station, little Emily and Chloe were sitting on a couch provided by social services, wrapped in colorful blankets, eating chocolate chip cookies and drinking hot cocoa provided by dispatch supervisor Claire Johnson, who had come off her shift just to sit with them.
Emily looked up as Daniel walked over, holding her stuffed rabbit in one hand.
"Officer Daniel?" Emily asked softly.
Daniel knelt down on one knee, offering a gentle, reassuring smile. "Yeah, kiddo? How are you holding up?"
"Is the snake really dead?" she asked, her voice trembling just a little.
May you like
Daniel reached out and gently touched the gray, threadbare ear of her stuffed rabbit.
"Every single head of it," Daniel said firmly. "And it's never coming back."
