by AJ Newman
Mike shook his head a lot while I spoke, and I read that as disagreeing. “Mike, you don’t believe us, do you?”
“Yes, but I’m afraid we’ve opened a can of shit eating worms that might bite us in the ass. Beth and I called in a few favors and also had a PI check on Brunner, New Wave, and the operation next door. It ain’t pretty. Brunner actually came up clean, and I’m wondering why he threw his lot in with the Russians and his American backers.”
“Mike, Brunner needed the money to perform his work, and apparently there is a yet unknown overlap of our process with the goals of the Russians and the American backers,” I said.
Beth shrugged and then gave us her tightlipped smile. “I had my friend in the government do a little research on New Wave. He was astounded that there were five shell companies before he found the Bates Foundation and that Russian oligarch. Vasyli Brezhnev’s fingers were all over the final company that controls the entire operation.”
Jane’s mouthed the word ‘wow.’ “Bates controls the major social media and most significant search engine in the world, and Brezhnev controls the Russian government and the Russian mob. We’re screwed and way over our heads.”
I started speaking when Cindy’s eyes grew large. “A seagull just exploded and dropped to the water between us and shore. I don’t see Elmer Fudd with his shotgun.”
Everyone scanned the skyline for the larger drones. Jane spotted the first carrier drone. “I see a large drone about the size of a robin at the back of the boat. Crap, there are two more hovering in front of the boat.”
We swam to the boat and climbed the ladder, acting as though nothing was wrong. Mike went to the controls to raise the sea anchors in preparation to bug out. He hadn’t started the engine when the nearest carrier drone released a swarm of the micro drones. I opened the back seat and fetched Mike’s 12 gauge and a flare gun.
“Jane, shoot the flare gun at the bastards.”
I jacked a round into the chamber and led the swarm, which had shrunk down to basketball size. I shot the number four shot into the middle of the swarm, and there was a powerful explosion. The ball of orange fire flashed behind us, and then a cloud of black smoke took its place. The swarm had been about thirty feet away, and the explosion rocked the boat knocking Cindy down.
Cindy yelled, “Don’t let a ball of them close to the boat. They’ll blow us out of the water!”
Jane shot a flare into another ball-sized group dispersing them. “No shitting, Sherlock. That explosion knocked you on your ass. The little shits are regrouping.”
I shot again as the engines fired up. The smaller swarm exploded again but much closer. The flames were far enough away that we were just hit by a blast of hot air, and tiny pieces of the drones peppered our bodies.
Mike yelled, “Hold on,” as the boat hauled ass away from the area just in time to see a much larger ‘mother ship’ drone drop a dozen of the carrier drones. A few seconds later, several of the carrier drones released more swarms of the Nanobot drones.
The carrier and micro drones couldn’t match the boat’s speed, but the mother ship drone kept pace until Mike pushed the throttle all the way forward. The person controlling the drones must have realized we were going to pull away because we saw some puffs of smoke, and a life jacket exploded at the back of the boat next to me. The projectile only exploded and didn’t hurl any projectiles at me. However, the life jacket’s pieces pelted several of us, but only stung a bit.
Suddenly, there was a massive swarm of carrier drones and another ‘mother ship’ in front of us. We were heading into them as Mike tried to steer the boat away. Several small projectiles hit the front deck blowing holes in the fiberglass. No one was hurt, but Mike’s boat took a beating. Then just as suddenly as they appeared, the ‘mother ship’ headed back toward land with the carrier drones and swarm falling into the ocean.
I had turned to blast the ‘mother ship’ with the shotgun when I saw Jane with her large black bag. She opened the bag to show us a bulky electronic device. She’d jammed the drone’s communications.
“Good girl.”
“I’m not Punk. I’m a woman.”
“I noticed. Good woman.”
Jane laughed and gave me a middle finger.
Beth yelled and pushed Jane, “Why didn’t you use that when they first showed up!”
I stepped between them and shoved Beth away. “Beth, cool it. We didn’t want to give away our ability to kill their communication until we had no choice.”
I sat down beside Jane with my arm around her. “Sorry about the ‘good girl’ comment. You saved our asses back there. I’m very proud of you, and we owe you for probably saving our lives.”
Jane chuckled. “I was just screwing with you,” and then she whispered in my ear. “I see you like my Bikini.”
I leaned over to whisper in her ear and saw my daughter watching closely. “Cindy won’t let me look at beautiful women.”
Then Mike yelled, “Those bastards get any faster, and we’re screwed.”
I wondered if this was an attempt to scare or assassinate us. Beth drove the boat while we checked each other’s wounds and tried to talk over the engine’s roar. These drones were slightly larger than a housefly. We all picked bits and pieces from our exposed flesh. I knew we almost died but didn’t say anything.
A few minutes later, Jane had an epiphany. “John, when I read the preliminary work on the FXA1, I remember seeing a blurb about a couple of explosions.”
“Yes, if you run the process at fifteen degrees or hotter than recommended, you run the risk of the batch exploding. We called the explosive FXA2. Only a small amount … “
Mike interrupted. “Well, dip me in hog snot! The Russians are working on Nanobots and drones on one side of the building while our process cranks out high explosives on the third shift in Brunner’s operation.”
My mind spun a bit then caught up. “Brunner’s goal was to develop Nanobots that attacked viruses and germs. The other side of the building manufactures micro-drones. What if the same technology and the explosives are used to kill people?”
“Dad, one of these tiny micro-robots or Nanobots as we call them, couldn’t hold enough explosives to kill a man. Larger drones could. Hey, how explosive is this damned stuff?”
Mike stopped the conversation. “Whoa! Damned explosive. I turned the formula over to the DOD, and they were happy as a pig in crap to pay us a million bucks for the rights to produce it after we refused to manufacture the stuff.”
The mercenary in me reacted by forcing me to stick my hand out. Mike said, “Oops. We forgot about you. I’ll cut you a check later. Back to saving the world.”
I smiled internally as I thought about an extra fifty thousand dollars, but then frowned when I remembered it could have been a half-million bucks.
Jane mulled over the situation. “One! Cindy, you said one couldn’t kill. They already have programmable swarm technology for drones and could probably develop it for Nanobots. Perhaps they could send swarms of fifty thousand Nanobots or drones armed with the explosive. They could be set to explode at the same instant.”
I looked around at the dropped jaws. “Holy crap comes to mind. This is a game changer for assassins, terrorists, and militaries. This could upset the world order if this technology becomes common knowledge.”
Jane pondered the situation. “Cindy, don’t several labs have programs to have Nanobots manufacture more microrobots? Isn’t it just a matter of time before Nanobots are manufacturing billions of Nanobots, which then produce Nanobots at the molecular level?”
“Yes, that’s the goal to produce robots smaller than blood cells that can perform surgery, attack cancer, or kill bacteria and viruses.”
I needed time to think and plod through all this information, but something nagged at me in the back of my mind. We were close to Mike’s dock when I blurted out what had been bugging me. “Mike, I believe you were bugged before you brought us aboard. Jane and Cindy, is there a way to detect o
r perhaps monitor the transmissions from the bugs? Also, we need more jammers to jam their signals when we can’t outrun them or hide from them.”
Mike’s eyes snapped from the horizon to mine. “That would explain a few things. We must proceed as though we’re all bugged.”
Jane winked at Cindy. “Let’s take a break until around seven this evening and meet to finish discussing this at Long John’s over dinner. I’ll be bringing Jere.”
I looked at Mike, Mike started to speak. Cindy said, “You wanted us to help with nanotechnology and drones. Now take the help and trust us.”
Long John’s – Dauphin Island
Cindy and Jane were late for dinner. I’d volunteered to watch Jere and kept him entertained while Mike and Beth conducted business on their tablets and phones. Mike hit the table. “Crap, I lost service. Hey, that’s strange. I also lost the WIFI signal.”
Beth held her phone up. “Me too. A cell tower must have malfunctioned.”
Murmuring sounds began to fill the room, and people stared at their cell phones. I thought we had significant failures at the cell provider, or someone had exploded an EMP device. I had seen two flies fall from the wall to the table and started to call for Doc when I looked a bit closer. I tore some paper, picked up the drones, and wrapped them in several layers before placing them in my shirt pocket.
Jane and Cindy entered the room and joined us. Jane set a beach bag on the table. “We have five minutes to talk, and then we’ll stop jamming the signals.”
Mike’s eyebrows rose. “How …?”
Cindy said, “We’ll explain later. Let’s make our plans and move forward. Jane and I borrowed several prototype signal jammers but can’t seem to fine-tune it. We’re jamming all signals for two to three miles.”
Jane passed one around the table, and it was about the size of a paperback novel. She gave each of us a jammer, and then I said, “Let’s finish our discussion, quickly.”
I took over. “My contact in the MPD says someone blocked the investigation on Ken’s death. We have no proof and can’t go to the police until we gain some evidence. I need your thoughts.”
Mike replied, “I hired a private investigation firm to get to the bottom of this situation. One of our competitors has bugged us and is trying to steal the FXA1 process. We need to concentrate on keeping to the chemical reaction side of this mess and leave the investigation to the pros. I don’t want any of you hurt. Above all, I don’t want Brunner to know about the issue. We’d look like fools if a competitor pops up with the same top-secret product.”
I thought that was a load of crap and started to protest when Mike laid the law down. “We only need to keep the reaction above one-hundred percent efficiency. Brunner owes us one million dollars. We’ll walk away from the entire project and won’t have to support it anymore.”
“But Mike.”
“John, we’re through with detective work, and that’s that. Let the experts deal with our competitor.”
Jane reached into the bag and flipped the switch to stop the jamming device. I shook my head the whole time my best friend spoke and couldn’t believe he’d chickened out. He was usually fearsome.
Mike’s face was as sour-looking as I’d ever seen when he said, “Beth, go on home. I’ll walk down the beach in a few minutes to join you. I have to talk with John.”
I slipped the handkerchief with the two microdrones to Jane. “See what you can find out about these.”
Chapter 19
Long John’s - Dauphin Island
Mike motioned for me to follow him to the parking lot, where he invited me to get into a black Suburban with dark windows. I opened the back door opposite Mike and was surprised to see two men in the front seat. Mike raised his palms to me and then pointed at the men. “John, this SUV isn’t bugged and has a built-in jammer plus shielding. You’ll have to use your cellphone through the car or roll down the window to make a call.
“I had my guys sweep our houses, cars, boats, and Long John’s for bugs. They found them everywhere they looked. I also had them sneak into New Wave and found bugs everywhere. The bastards used a combination of remote and hardwired devices in addition to those tiny drones.”
The man behind the wheel turned to me. “Sir, this shit is more sophisticated than anyone, but the CIA or KGB has available. The microdrones are much more advanced than even the CIA has in use. Mike, we can make several safe rooms, but you have to remember each room will stand out to the ones bugging you.”
My head hurt with the bad news. “So, you were talking for New Wave’s benefit back there. Sorry I was pissed.”
“Don’t be sorry. Your indignation helped make the conversation believable.”
“What can we do? What do you recommend we do to communicate in private?”
“We recommend that you not say or do anything that you wouldn’t want to be heard by Brunner or his men unless you know you’re in a safe area. Mike purchased a new SUV for you earlier this week when we first started looking for bugs. It is a safe area to talk about secret info. We’re open to ideas about a room in your home that can be made safe”.
“John, I’m sorry about being rough on you back there, but the table also had several hardwired bugs, so your jammer might not be delivering the ability for safe conversations.”
“I knew something was wrong. I couldn’t believe you’d turn tail and run.”
Mike cleared his throat. “I am scared but won’t run from this fight. I laid the groundwork to confuse them with my comments about a competitor trying to steal our secrets. Maybe that will make them think our safe rooms and cars aren’t for them. We just have to be smart about how we get to the bottom of what’s going on with New Wave.”
I took a few seconds to think and then said, “I guess we only talk in our SUVs and your boat for a few days. It will be impossible to make a safe room in the building.”
“We’re working on an idea but may not have it workable until this problem is long gone.”
Mike looked me in the eyes. “Old buddy, we have stepped in some deep doo doo. Your SUV will be at your home when you wake up in the morning. The boat has been swept for bugs and will be guarded until you take it out for the weekend. I’ll tell Brunner some BS about how my security staff found some bugs from a competitor. He won’t believe it, but it will keep him guessing. Tell Cindy and Jane that nothing’s changed in their jobs. Stay safe.”
“You stay safe.”
I walked the short distance to my house and saw Jane’s vehicle parked next to Cindy’s Jeep. I walked up the stairs to the deck, and Cindy greeted me with a beer. Jane waved from her chair.
“Where’s my little buddy?”
Cindy pushed me down into one of my wicker chairs. “Jere’s in the guest room. Jane and her boy will stay with us until they get the bedrooms done in the cabin.”
Jane had a frown, and her lips were tight. “I hope we’re not an inconvenience.”
I took a swig. “No, not at all. I like having Jere around.” I started to add it’s almost like having a grandkid and stopped. “I’m just glad we can help you and my little buddy.”
We conducted chit-chat around the consumption of several bottles of beer. Then I said, “Mike and I want both of you to know that your jobs and the plans we have for you are safe. We’ll hurry up the process of qualifying New Wave and move on to our next assignment. Jane, the cabin is yours as long as you want it.”
Then Cindy threw me a curve. A big stinky curve. “Mom’s coming down next week and expects to stay here in the house with us. Jane will be in her cabin by then, so I told her to discuss it with you.”
I uncharacteristically kept calm. “Jane, I’m having a crew come in and remodel that cabin to a more modern look. Cindy, tell your mom that I have company and no room for her. She can get a room at The Island Breeze Condos.”
Cindy laughed, “Dad, you know you want Mom here to second guess your every move and pass judgment on your lifestyle.”
“Beer. Beer, please? I
won’t say anything bad about your mother, well, because she’s your mother. Cindy, come here. I have a secret to tell you about your mom.”
Cindy rubbed her hands together in anticipation. “Is it something juicy?”
I leaned over and put my lips to her ear. “Play along with Mike and me. They bugged everything. Jammer probably doesn’t work on hardwired bugs. Now move away and laugh. Tell Jane when I leave.”
“I have to see a man about a horse. I’ll be baaaaack.” The last part was said in my best Schwarzenegger voice.
Cindy waited until I was in the john to pass on the info. She told Jane to laugh when they parted and to tease me about her mom when I came back. Usually, Jane was a bit timid, but the beer had loosened her a bit.
“John, I’ll gladly stay in the cabin so you can spend quality time with Sally. I hear she’s still fond of you.”
I don’t know why that made me mad, but I played along. “I’d rather be horsewhipped and dragged through briars than spend quality time with Cindy’s saintly mother. Beer, please?”
Cindy drew blood with her next comment. “I know how to solve the problem. Mom can stay in your room. You two shared a bed for over seventeen years. Surely, you can put up with each other for a week. Dad, you might want …”
“Daughter, we were having fun teasing me until you crossed the line there. Don’t ever say something like that again.”
I could see her slump down, and I reacted quickly. “Gotcha! I’m okay, but I don’t sleep with married women unless they’re married to me.”
“Dad, I’m sorry. I guess I knew it would piss you off, and I pushed it anyway.”
“I forgive you and would rather discuss beer and boating.”
I gave her a hug, and we started making plans for the weekend. We’d move Jane down here and store her stuff in my garage while her cabin was remodeled. I planned to sneak a safe room into my home as soon as possible, so we could say what’s on our mind. The effort to not say something about New Wave was killing me.