The Terminal List (Terminal List, #1)

by Jack Carr

“Use cash to buy an iTunes gift card so you can download Signal. It’s a private messaging service from the app store. Make this your username.” Reece took a napkin from the table and wrote down a series of random letters and numbers. He copied the same characters at the bottom of the napkin and tore the paper in half, sticking one half in his shirt pocket. He slid the top half across the table to Katie. “It’s basically a texting app. You’ll need cell service to get Signal, so just use a prepaid SIM bought with cash. After that, don’t use cell again. Only use it over public Wi-Fi. Also download a VPN from Private Internet Access. Pay for it with a gift card you buy with cash. Keep Wi-Fi turned off when you are not actively using it. In fact, keep the phone turned off when you are not using it. Try to check it at least once a day. They can still get to you if they are specifically targeting you, but this will make it more difficult.”

“We are always listening, bro,” Ben added with a smile. “If I need to pass you anything sensitive I’ll leave it in this shared room on SpiderOak,” he continued, writing down a username and a random number/letter/symbol set of twenty-six characters. “Use this to get in. It’s like a very secure version of Dropbox where not even the Company can get access to the file. It drives the NSA nuts. Use a VPN that you buy with a gift card purchased with cash from Wal-Mart or Starbucks or something and it’s about as secure as we can get off the shelf.”