by Thomas Fay
‘That won’t be necessary, Sentinel,’ she said.
‘Like hell it won’t. You tried to kill us,’ John said.
‘I did no such thing.’
‘What about those armed operatives that followed us to Olympic Park?’
‘Their job was to apprehend you once you retrieved the storage device. Clearly, given your android partner, they had little chance of succeeding without sufficient firepower. They were, however, under strict orders not to harm you or your uncle.’
John tightened his grip on his weapon. ‘Who sent you after us?’ he asked.
‘No one sent me, Sentinel. I am the head of Council Security. It is my job to ensure the Council is protected from all threats internal and external.’
‘Really? Where were you when Gage took control?’ John asked.
‘Councillor Jonathan Gage’s coming to power was not a threat. It was merely a shift in the political structure of the Council.’
‘Oh, come on, Agatha!’ Simone exclaimed. ‘The man’s a psychopath.’
‘It is not for me to judge individual Councillors’ political views and aspirations,’ Councillor Stone said.
‘Even if they’re so blatantly wrong?’ Simone asked.
‘There are many who would say the same about your father’s convictions.’
‘I … well, yes, that’s probably true. Gage is still a menace.’
‘The Chairman saw fit to reinstate Councillor Gage following the shift in power in 2048. That proves it was merely a political upheaval rather than a threat to the Council.’
Socrates appeared in the doorway leading to the underground garage.
‘Do you require assistance, John?’ he asked.
‘No, the situation is under control.’
While he didn’t fully trust her, John suspected Councillor Stone was telling the truth in that she was not aligned to any political faction within the Ruling Council. Her job was to maintain security. Which led to the obvious question.
‘What’s in that e-storage device?’ John asked.
Councillor Stone looked at him, her eyes boring into his.
‘The contents of the storage device are a matter of Council security. I cannot disclose that information to you.’
‘Then we can’t hand it over,’ John said.
‘I wasn’t joking earlier when I said I had the authority to suspend you indefinitely, Sentinel. You and your android partner.’
‘Just tell us what’s on it and we’ll hand it over.’
‘I’m warning you, this isn’t—’
‘I know what’s on it,’ Nathan said.
All of them turned to look at Nathan, who had been sitting quietly in his chair during the entire confrontation. His hands rested casually on the sides of the e-storage box. Like he was holding something he wasn’t quite sure what to do with.
‘I thought you said you had no idea?’ John asked.
‘I only just figured it out. One of my contacts told me about an intelligence operative sent into Iona in the early days by the EU parliament. His job was to infiltrate the Iona Corporation and extract their most closely guarded secrets. She didn’t know what happened to him but she gave me enough to begin my search. It took me a while but I followed the breadcrumbs across Europe. I managed to learn a lot about the operative, whose name was Hector Frank. He was a Hungarian national recruited by MI6 at an early age. Highly trained and skilled at infiltration. He spent months in Iona making the right contacts, gathering information and positioning himself. Finally, he managed to do it. He extracted data from the Iona Corporation’s most secure severs.’
‘What happened to him?’ John asked.
‘He realised he’d never make it out of Iona with the data. So, he hid the information inside an e-storage device. This one.’
Nathan patted the grey cube.
‘I learned enough about his infiltration that I managed to figure out where he could have hidden the e-storage device. I narrowed it down further by cross-referencing corporate addresses before the GEC with those that remained after. That’s how I found the right building with the safe that contained the e-storage device.’
‘So, what’s on it?’ John asked. ‘It has to be the schematics to the Flux Cell. That’s the only thing the Iona Corporation would keep on their most secure servers.’
Nathan turned to look at Councillor Stone.
‘It’s not the schematics, is it?’ he asked.
‘No,’ Councillor Stone replied, her voice low. John was surprised she hadn’t stopped her uncle from speaking although Socrates’s presence may have had something to do with that.
‘But it has to do with the Flux Cell?’ John asked.
‘Yes. I’m sure of it,’ Nathan said.
‘Then what is it?’
Nathan picked up the dark metallic cube. Hefting it in his hands, he turned it over and over. Finally, he stopped.
‘This device contains records of all the failed Flux Cell tests the Iona Corporation performed before they managed to create a stable one.’
Thirty-Four
The sun disappeared behind the line of trees on the cliff facing the safe house. A warm orange glow permeated the air, bringing the native flora to life. A hover-ferry floated by on the harbour, bound for Circular Quay. The Opera House shimmered in the receding light. A single transport ship, its quad engines burning brightly, flew in a wide arc as it descended towards the Ruling Council Chambers located on Garden Island. John leaned back into the couch. Placing his handgun on the table, he looked directly at Councillor Agatha Stone.
‘How is this even possible?’ he asked.
‘I do not understand your question, Sentinel,’ she replied.
‘I know what you are—where you came from. Given the technology the Iona Corporation uses is not terrestrial in origin, I don’t understand how a human intelligence operative could have infiltrated your most secure server and stolen this data?’
Councillor Stone actually managed to look surprised for a moment before her stern mask slid back into place. She turned to Simone.
‘You told him the truth?’ she asked.
Simone shook her head. ‘No. My father did. John had already seen too much to go back.’
‘I was not informed.’
‘I guess it wasn’t a matter of Council security.’
Councillor Stone began to say something but stopped herself. Simone’s grin was from ear to ear. John found her very attractive at that particular moment in time.
‘So how did it happen?’ John asked.
Councillor Stone said nothing.
‘The operative had help,’ Nathan said. ‘It’s the only way he could have accessed the servers.’
‘Yes,’ Councillor Stone said.
‘It was one of yours, wasn’t it?’
Councillor Stone cast a glance at Simone. Her eyes glinted dangerously as she turned back to appraise Nathan.
‘It was,’ she finally said.
‘Why?’ Nathan asked.
Councillor Stone made a fist with her right hand. She held it in front of her face, appraising it closely.
‘These bodies have many limitations and even more impulses. The biochemical response you humans term love being one of the most unpredictable. And dangerous, it would seem.’
Looking at Councillor Stone, it was difficult to picture her as being anything other than human but, hearing her words, John was forcibly reminded that these were aliens. From another world, ones who could seemingly create human bodies at will. Yet it seemed the process made them susceptible to human emotions.
‘Are you saying an Ionian fell in love with Hector Frank, the MI6 operative? She helped him extract the information?’ John asked.
Councillor Stone nodded but said nothing. John let out an explosive breath.
‘Now I’ve heard everything,’ he said.
‘I still don’t understand why she did it. Even if she loved him, why help him extract the information?’ Nathan asked. ‘Unless she …’
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‘Didn’t know what it was,’ John finished his uncle’s sentence. All of them turned to look at Councillor Stone, even Socrates, who had been watching the entire exchange in silence.
‘Agatha, is this true?’ Simone asked.
‘Yes,’ the Councillor replied, the reluctance evident in her voice.
‘So, you keep secrets even from your own people. Interesting,’ Nathan said.
John turned to Simone. ‘Did you know about this?’ he asked.
‘No, my father never told me about any early Flux Cell experiments. As far as I knew, the technology worked from day one. This is news to me.’
‘Socrates?’
‘I was not aware of this,’ the android replied. ‘Neither was Professor Holstein. It would seem this was a closely guarded secret that only a select few within the Iona Corporation were aware of.’
‘It would seem that way. Which begs the question—why is it so important?’
‘That should be obvious, Sentinel,’ Councillor Stone said. ‘The information would shatter people’s belief in the Flux Cell. The entire economic resurgence, the golden age of prosperity this city and the rest of the world are experiencing, would collapse overnight if people started to doubt the Flux Cell.’
‘True but …’
John’s words trailed off. He smacked his fist into the palm of his hand.
‘Of course! That’s why you needed the data.’
‘What do you mean, John?’ Simone asked. Turning to Socrates, she asked, ‘Do you know what he’s talking about?’
‘I believe John is referring to the fact that the recent Flux Cell malfunctions could be related to this stolen data or alternatively, the data could provide information on how the malfunctions are created,’ Socrates replied.
‘We’re right, aren’t we?’ John asked.
Councillor Stone stared at him for a full sixty seconds. Finally, she nodded.
‘We believe the stolen data may help us determine what is causing the malfunctions. If we can review the failed experiments where the Flux Cell singularities collapsed, then we may be able to understand the nature of the device being used to disrupt them.’
‘Is that why you created this sham with IIA to force my uncle’s hand to retrieve the data?’ John asked.
‘Yes. We needed him to do so quickly and figured, given his background in intelligence, a tightening noose would be the best way to do so.’
‘But how did you know he would find the data?’
‘Because your uncle was a known associate of Hector Frank’s. In fact, they worked together for several years. When one of our European agents alerted us to the fact that someone matching your uncle’s description was looking for a former MI6 operative who disappeared in Iona, we knew it was only a matter of time before the data Hector Frank stole resurfaced.’
John was speechless for a moment. Then, he turned to his uncle.
‘You knew Hector Frank?’
Nathan grinned. ‘I may have worked with him from time to time.’
‘I guess that explains how you found that safe and why Council Security was after you.’
‘Hector’s methods were well known to me. It wasn’t hard to figure out what he did with the data.’
‘This all still seems too much of a coincidence—you learn the truth about the Iona Corporation and start looking for this stolen data which leads you back here at the same time as the Flux Cells begin to malfunction?’ John said.
Nathan’s grin vanished as he looked at Councillor Stone with a newfound respect.
‘Of course! I suspected it all sounded too convenient at the time but given my past with Hector, I trusted the information. You set this entire thing in motion, didn’t you?’
Councillor Stone nodded.
‘Yes. We have been searching for a way to locate the data for a while now. When you resurfaced during the UN Security Council summit in 2044, we realised we could use you to help us find it.’
‘I still don’t buy it. Why did it take eight years?’ John said.
‘Because you uncle is extremely adept at disappearing. It took us years to locate him and then we had to be careful not to alert him to our machinations. We used overseas agents to divulge just enough information that he would become curious. Eventually we led him to the truth about the Iona Corporation which we knew would prompt his return to Iona.’
Nathan laughed. The others turned to look at him.
‘What’s so funny?’ John asked.
‘You could have just asked for my help.’
Councillor Stone spread her hands, another very human gesture. ‘We had no way of knowing if you would help us or not and we needed to recover the data. Now more than ever, it seems.’
‘Wait a second,’ John said. ‘Why did you need the data? You said it was copied from your most secure servers. Surely that means the data is still on those servers?’
Once again everyone turned to look at Councillor Stone. She in turn stared at them in silence.
‘Agatha?’ Simone asked. ‘What is this really about?’
‘I have told you already—we require the data to help us stop what is happening with the Flux Cells,’ Councillor Stone replied.
‘Yes, but surely you can just access the data on the servers?’
Councillor Stone took a deep breath. It was a surprisingly human reaction. She looked at each of them in turn. Finally, she said, ‘We can’t because someone accessed our most secure servers and deleted the data.’
Thirty-Five
The mood in the room shifted drastically following Councillor Stone’s revelation about the Flux Cell experiment data. It was one thing to face an unknown threat, even one that comprised powerful androids and a device that was capable of destabilising the world’s primary energy source, the Flux Cell. It was completely another thing to learn that the Iona Corporation, the one entity they knew they could rely on to keep them safe from alien technology, had been struck a crippling blow.
‘Who had access to the data?’ John asked.
‘Secure server access is restricted to a handful of Councillors and the Chairman,’ Councillor Stone said.
‘That’s a short list of suspects,’ Nathan said.
‘Definitely. Is there no way of determining who it was? No log, no electronic fingerprint?’ John asked. ‘Any chance someone else could have hacked into them?’
Councillor Stone shook her head.
‘Our deep servers are not terrestrial in design, as you correctly assumed. Only a Councillor, with specific permission, could access the data. We made sure of that after the last time secure information was extracted.’
‘Who are the Councillors with access?’
‘I cannot provide you with that information.’
‘The Councillors with access to the deep servers are: Agatha Stone, Alara Green, Marcus Holland, Jonathan Gage and Qallan Frost. All other members of the Ruling Council are restricted,’ Socrates said.
John turned to his partner. ‘You really are full of useful information, aren’t you?’ he asked.
‘Yes, John. That is the purpose of a comprehensive database which is catalogued and cross-referenced, unlike the messy biological construct you call your brain,’ Socrates said.
‘I …’
Nathan laughed.
‘I think you’re starting to rub off on him,’ he said.
‘Could be. Not sure that’s a good thing,’ John said.
‘So where does that leave us?’ Nathan asked.
‘Holding critical information, it would seem.’
Nathan turned the e-storage device over in his hands one more time. Standing up, he walked towards Councillor Stone. He held the dark-grey cube out to her.
‘Here. This belongs to you anyway,’ Nathan said.
After the slightest hesitation, Councillor Stone nodded. She reached out and took the cube.
‘The Iona Corporation appreciates your assistance, Mr Tesh,’ she said.
‘What will you do with it?’ Joh
n asked.
‘Analyse the data and attempt to figure out how someone is disrupting our Flux Cell technology.’
‘I don’t suppose you’ll let us know if you’re successful?’ John asked.
‘If we are, then you’ll know. If not, then it won’t matter.’
‘Let’s hope it isn’t the latter.’
‘Indeed. Farewell, Sentinel.’
Councillor Stone exited the room via the garage door. The moment it closed behind her, the tension in the room dissolved.
‘So, what now?’ Simone asked.
‘I don’t know about you three but I’m tired and I need a shower,’ Nathan said. ‘That was a little too much excitement for an old man like me.’
They laughed at that. Except for Socrates, who was staring at the garage door as if he could see Councillor Stone through it. John suspected that on some spectrum the android probably could.
‘Are you alright?’ John asked his uncle.
‘Just tired, John. This isn’t as easy as it was when I was young,’ Nathan said.
‘I’ll show you to a bedroom,’ Simone said.
John mouthed the words thank you as she led his uncle down the corridor towards the back part of the house. Settling back onto the couch, John watched Socrates for a while in silence. Finally, he couldn’t help himself anymore.
‘What are you doing?’ he asked.
‘I am tracking Councillor Stone’s movements to ensure that she leaves the premises,’ Socrates said.
John smiled. ‘I knew it.’
Thirty-Six
The holographic projectors sprang to life as Simone waved her hand in the air before the sensors. A field of dense photons materialised as the sounds of the evening news resounded throughout the living room. She settled into the couch, next to John. His arm instinctively went around her shoulders, pulling her closer.
‘If you’re just joining us, we are minutes away from a scheduled announcement by the Chairman of the Iona Corporation. Speaking live from the press room at the Ruling Council Chambers on Garden Island, Qallan Frost will be addressing the city with what is expected to be an important message. We’ll take you live to the press room in a minute but first a message from our sponsors.’