The Chaos Code Read Online Free Page B

didn’t seem to be any use. Or was it? That last sentence had seemed weird to Matt when he first read it, but now he wondered if it was the clue he needed:
    Before she married me, your mother would have been able to help you with it .
    Well, he needed help. But why Mum? She was certainly good with computers. She’d been working for the company that serviced the university computers when she met Dad. He was head of the Archaeology Department, and told Matt that he found her in his office one day under the table.
    â€˜She was connecting up the new computer systems,’Matt remembered Dad saying. ‘I wouldn’t let her out from under my desk until she agreed to go for a drink with me.’
    Matt had laughed, but Mum didn’t. ‘Your father was younger then,’ she said. ‘We both were.’ And that seemed to close the topic.
    Which didn’t really help, Matt thought frustrated. There were no cables to connect. Matt got down and looked under the desk. There was nothing hidden so far as he could see – no envelope with secret codes taped to the bottom of any of the drawers. But there was a metal plate with a manufacturer’s name stamped on it. ‘Timberly.’ He counted the letters, feeling more confident and excited – eight!
    He bumped his head in his haste to get out from under the desk, catching the bruise he’d got the previous night. He scarcely noticed as he typed in the name, sure it would work.
    But it still wasn’t right. He got the same error message and almost thumped the screen in frustration. Why wasn’t it ‘Timberly’? It made sense. It fitted the clue. If Dad was actually here, he’d shout at him. Matt took a deep breath. But was it the only answer that fitted the clue? That was the next question.
    And then he got it. Really got it, he was sure – even more sure this time. Mum’s name. Before she was married and became Sarah Stribling she’d been Sarah Milligan. He typed ‘milligan.’ It didn’t work. He staredat the red error message. The error had to be wrong, he thought, smiling despite his irritation at the notion of an error being itself a mistake.
    A mistake. That might just be it. He typed ‘Milligan’ again, but this time with a capital M. There was an agonisingly long moment when nothing happened. Progress blobs crawled along the bottom of the web browser as it contacted the server computer, wherever that was. Matt held his breath. Then the screen changed.
    It showed a plain window of text – black on white. A letter, addressed to Matt.
    â€˜Yes!’ he said out loud, his hands bunched into triumphant fists.
    Dear Matt,
Sorry about the cloak and dagger stuff, but you can’t be too careful these days! Actually I thought you’d enjoy the challenge and I’m glad, though not at all surprised, to see that you’re up to it. Well done.
    I’m sorry I’m not at home now. Your mother did warn me you were coming, but I’ve had to go away. It was sudden, though not unexpected. I really don’t know when I’ll be back, and so I thought I’d better give you some clue what to do and where to go while I’m away. Like learning Latin, it could be quite an ad-Venture. And you might need some help with it.
    Remember those games we used to play when you were younger? Notes and cryptic clues? Let’s Find Treasure, I used to say and you were always so good at it. But maybe you’re too old for that now. I’m sure you’ll think of something to do.
    Great, capital, so the real question is where you can
go
. Obviously you’re welcome to squat at The Old house for As long as you like. Unless maybe you think you should find a school friend like Ned or Tim or someone to Join for the Annual holidays. No more Encouragement needed.
    I’ll be in contact just as soon as I can, but don’t worry if you don’t hear from me. (Too many negatives in that