Chapter 46 - A Different Kind of Challenge
Later that week, Alex received an email unlike any he had ever seen.
The sender was Dr. Ortiz.
Subject:
Collaborative Design Challenge
Instead of inviting Alex alone, the university proposed something unexpected.
Students from several schools—including some that had competed against Westbrook—would work together for six weeks to develop accessible technology addressing real community needs.
Emma read the email twice.
"So... teammates become collaborators?"
"It looks that way."
Coach Daniels smiled.
"Engineering rarely rewards people who stay inside one room."
The challenge required mixed-school teams.
No school could submit its own group.
Everyone would be assigned new partners.
Alex scanned the participant list.
Many names were unfamiliar.
One was not.
A student from the neighboring school whose team had shown unusual interest in Version 15 would also participate.
Emma noticed the same name.
"Think that'll be awkward?"
Alex shrugged.
"Maybe."
Coach Daniels folded the email.
"Then it's probably worth doing."
Meanwhile, Investigator Bennett visited the café where the anonymous wireless network had originated.
The manager willingly provided access logs.
Dozens of customers used the network every day.
Nothing immediately stood out.
As Bennett prepared to leave, an employee stopped her.
"I don't know if this helps..."
He pointed toward a community bulletin board.
"Someone kept sitting in that corner every evening last week."
"Why do you remember?"
"They never ordered anything."
The employee hesitated.
"They just used a laptop... watched the school across the street through the window... and left."
Bennett thanked him.
It wasn't enough to identify anyone.
But it confirmed one important fact.
The anonymous activity hadn't been random.
May you like
Someone had been deliberately observing Westbrook High.
Who that person was—and what they ultimately wanted—remained unanswered as another chapter of the investigation quietly unfolded.
