Chimera Code (Jake Dillon Adventure Thriller Series)

by Andrew Towning

  challenge to Kirill’s authority was there. “The majority of your people

  are with us; but there is a hard-core element who do not know when

  they are being offered a once in a life-time opportunity. The days of an orderly and calm world are numbered - if they will not join us, they

  will die. Along with anyone one else who dare to oppose us.” “Ramus, may I ask why there is such urgency? We are simply not

  ready yet...”

  “You may. Ezra is dead; but the Chimera blueprint has not been

  recovered. And as we speak, Ezra’s body has also not been recovered.

  If Scorpion or Ferran & Cardini have copies of those blueprints, they

  could write an identical Chimera Programme to challenge us - the

  difference being, that their virus will be smarter than ours because it

  will be able to run at one-hundred percent efficiency. Our plans would

  not stand any chance of success, Kirill, not a damned hope in hell.

  We need to be strong! Assertive! And we can’t do that until every last

  remnant of Scorpion and Ferran & Cardini has been erased.” Ramus

  sighed through the microphone of the comm. “Just get on with the

  task, Kirill: twenty-four hours. You know what the alternative is... All

  of your equipment is to be transferred to my stealth ship; even as we

  speak, everything except what you and your team will need to work

  with, is being transported by my fleet of helicopters and moved to a

  temporary secure facility awaiting my arrival.”

  Kirill ground his teeth hard. Ramus had no right to talk to him

  in this way, after all, they were supposed to be equals, and after a

  moment of awkward silence, he said, simply. “I’ll start right away.”

  He cut the connection and stood, stunned, gazing at the large wall

  mounted monitor, which showed the snow-capped mountain range

  of the Scottish Highlands.

  He could sense them; sense the programmers, from basic right

  up to level one - the highest, the analysts, the coders, the hackers -

  sense them all around, below and above him. All of them going about

  their duties, some of themwill see another Highland dawn break -

  some of them would not...

  We know who you are and where you are, he thought. And those bureaucratic buffoons in Whitehall, who had placed

  Scorpion on such a high pedestal, only for it to be knocked off so

  easily, was to be their ultimate weapon against global terrorism. Your time has come.

  Oh, how I have waited for this moment, he thought, his mind

  rethreading the path of time, retracing years and decades. Visions

  resurrected in his mind; resurrected, re-visited, and buried again.

  Kirill remembered the time he had defected to the west, and the many

  murders that were carried out because of his actions.

  You are all finished. Almost finished, he thought.

  And yes. We will take control.

  But first? First we must ensure that those who oppose us are

  taken out of the equation.

  * * * The A-25M flying boat banked gently, gaining altitude as it approached the mountainous regions of the Scottish Highlands. Vast and wild, and still an adventure.

  Tatiana gazed down at the mountains, the narrow crevasses and rocky gullies, the deep depressions, some filled with the freshest crystal clear water of the mountain streams, the occasional herd of deer on the lower slopes casting their gaze upwards and scattering as the small aircraft droned low overhead, below the prying radar. Tatiana spotted lone shepherd huts and the occasional village; as they made their way through valleys and over snow-capped peaks and the further north they went, the colder it became and the harsher the landscape appeared.

  Dillon shifted in his seat, groaning with the effort of the movement.

  “How are you feeling?” Asked Tatiana.

  “Like a piece of tenderised meat. Beaten black and blue to within an inch of its life.”

  “Much pain?”

  “I’ve had worse,” said Dillon.

  “Well, I’ll give you a shot of painkiller when we touch down, just to take the edge off. I think you’ll probably be stiff for a few weeks.”

  “What’s new. It’s an occupational hazard.” Dillon gazed out of his side window, down at the mountains, the thought of his home being not far away, a tempting proposition as a stop-off. He rubbed the back of his head, mind spinning, confused after recent events. He glanced across at Tatiana - who was staring down at the landscape flowing like a river below them.

  “How about you, Tats? Are you okay?”

  Tatiana did not turn, her gaze fixed on some distant non-existent point.

  “I’m fine.” Her voice was cold.

  He reached over and took her hand and squeezed her warm flesh.

  “I’m sorry about Ezra - what he did was brave and selfless. He did it to protect his people, his facility. But most of all, he did it because he knew what would happen if the content of that optical disc fell into the hands of the enemy. He was the key to their success - and their failure. He also knew that by sacrificing himself, he would be giving us more time and slow down their progress finishing the Chimera scripts... If this terrorist Ramus is in league with professor Kirill, he obviously wants that programme running perfectly, and obviously has big plans for it. And ifit really can take down the mainframes and networks of every major banking and finance institution around the globe, as Ezra said, then...”

  “If?”

  Dillon shrugged. “Sounds too far-fetched to me. But ifit can

  - then whoever controls such a weapon, for that is what it is - will become extremely powerful and, in the process, wealthy beyond comprehension.”

  “There’s more to it than that, Dillon.”

  “Dillon frowned.”

  “This programme - the blueprints that I saw when it was in its infancy of inception: they were mind-blowing. If it became fully operational in the wrong hands - it could completely re-map and take over the banking world. It would fuck-up every stock market around the planet. But more than that, it would worm its way into every computer in every government computer system, and it would not discriminate. It learns on the run, intuitively adapting itself, making itself invisible. But remains there, inside, waiting for the command. The command to terminate. Chimera is the ultimate weapon that will be in control of every weapon’s system in existence...” Tatiana rubbed taut muscles in the back of her neck, in an attempt to ease the tension.

  “Don’t you see, Jake. Everything is computerised and connected to the biggest highway in the universe. The Internet. Everything...”

  “A sobering thought, wouldn’t you say?” Dillon said with a brief sideways glance.

  “Oh yes, it’s sobering alright, Dillon.”

  She glanced back at him, her eyes red-rimmed. “I was really quite fond of Ezra, you know. Even though we didn’t always see eye-to-eye. He was an impressive man, who made the ultimate sacrifice because he knew it would give us more time. He knew that it would give you more time but…”

  “…but?”

  “I can’t help thinking there is something out of place.” “Like the Assassins?”

  “Yes.”

  Dillon smiled grimly. “If we find who has resurrected this age old society of killers, we find out who is manipulating Kirill, and the Chimera Programme. And we know that the same person is the one who’s been systematically destroying the Scorpion network and killing the assault teams.”

  Tatiana merely nodded, and Dillon reached over and stroked her cheek, wiping away the tears. “We’ve got to stay focused, Tats. This conversation has got to keep for later,” he said. “Ezra was a master of deception, How do we know, he might have even faked his own death.” His words just slipped out, even Dillon
knew that only a miracle would have saved Ezra from a messy death. But it had to be said, silence was not a good option, and Tatiana had to be looked after. Talking made it easier for her hurt to feel better...

  Tatiana remained silent. She simply gazed back out of the window but her fingers took Dillon’s hand and squeezed gently. He said no more but she knew that he was there. There for her...

  Dillon smiled inwardly.

  I wonder just how lethal this Chimera Programme really is. He thought, as he banked to the right and the A-25M responded to his touch.

  And more importantly, who is it wanting to unleash its power to gain world-wide computer dominance? It could be this terrorist, Ramus - or it wouldn’t be beyond the realm of possibility if a government were involved or behind him...

  The face of Kirill floated into his mind; he remembered that chilling smile, and the ice cold look in the man’s dark eyes. He had believed; believed in his actions, without a hint of insanity. He would have killed Dillon there and then in Cornwall, and not thought twice about it...

  You bastard, Dillon thought.

  But then - that was far too easy. Kirill was not in charge; he was merely one of the monkies, dancing to the tune of the organ grinder. Someone much bigger, more powerful and altogether much more intimidating. Somebody who wanted Scorpion out of the way

  - destroyed... But Scorpion had been almost invisible, only those seconded to Scorpion, a hand full of Ferran & Cardini personnel, and the Prime Minister’s office knew about the special anti-terrorist task force. It’s terrorist clean-up operations had been so successful that the world-wide press had started to ask questions as to who it was behind the termination of some of the worst terrorists of modern times. But security had held and secrecy had remained in place.

  Realisation came like a bolt out of the blue.

  It had to be somebody on the inside.

  It had to be somebody at the top of Scorpion - Ferran & Cardini

  - the Prime Minister’s office.

  Betrayal...

  Treason...

  Words that went completely against everything Dillon believed in.

  Every now and then, he looked over at Tatiana, who was now sleeping, snuggled inside her parka hood, which was pulled up around her face for added warmth. Vince was still snoring loudly in the back of the cabin, and Dillon had never felt so alone in all his life; as he flew the small amphibious aircraft through picturesque vallies. He gazed out of his side window at a clear blue sky, the sun glinting off of the fast moving white water rapids a hundred feet below them. After another mile, Dillon spotted what he had been looking for. A loch, remote enough not to have hoards of sight-seeing tourists, and just long enough to allow him to land safely. He brought the A-25M in at the far end of the loch, skimming over the surface of the water, the aircraft becoming heavier and heavier, until it was able to power through the still water and up onto a small sandy beach.

  The others awoke, coming round from their slumber as he touched down. Once he had scuffed the skids up onto the beach, he didn’t waste any time releasing the cabin door and struggling with stiff aching joints and muscles, to descend the ladder. Tatiana and Vince followed. All of them stretching away the tension as they stepped down onto the wet sand, enjoying the fresh mountain air after the staleness of the cabin.

  Vince plundered his rucksack, bringing out a small Primus stove and set about boiling a pan of water for a brew of tea. Tatiana sat down on a large rock nearby, gazing out across the expanse of the loch, and Dillon walked up the beach and back again, looking around warily.

  “If that tea takes any longer to brew, I’ll die of thirst here mate.”

  “You always were an impatient man, Jake Dillon. These aren’t teabags full of floor dust, you know. What I’m brewing here, is the finest Indian leaves that money can buy. And the proof will be in the tasting, mate.” He looked up at Dillon, handing him a steaming hot tin mug of the fresh brew.

  Dillon took a sip, and looking over the rim of his mug, “Not bad for an Australian.” The big man smiled good humouredly and handed Dillon another cup, which he took across to where Tatiana was sitting.

  “I don’tlike it. Why have we put-down here? We could be spotted from any one of those mountains, sitting ducks for the taking.” Her words were spoken with little emotion, or even a glance up at Dillon.

  “To be honest, Tats. I needed a break, I’m not a fucking robot, you know. Have you ever seen what happens to a light aircraft when the pilot nods off. And anyway, anyone could have heard the sound of an aircraft engine for miles around, that’s why I chose this particular loch to land it on. This area is uninhabited. No villages, no crofters, nobody for miles around.”

  “How long do we stay here?”

  “About an hour and a few more cups of tea. And maybe then I’ll be ready to take on the mountains and valleys again. I only hope that we can make Kirill’s facility in time to meet up with the others.”

  “The Priest is with them. They’ll be there, okay.” Tatiana got up off of the rock that she had been sitting on and stood staring directly at Dillon for a moment, and then said, “Coming up here will not have been for nothing, you know, Dillon?”

  “I’m glad to hear it, Tats. Because since you arrived back in my life, I’ve been shot at, stabbed, almost blown-up, my home has been trashed, and I’ve never flown so far in such an uncomfortable aircraft. All because of this bastard, Kirill...”

  “Kirill is the key to everything that has happened, and he is at the end of all this.”

  “Is he really going to have all of the answers?” Asked Vince.

  “Only if I ask the right questions and apply just the correct level of pain,” said Dillon. He paced up and down the beach for a while. All the time thoughts about his present situation running freely through his tired mind.

  Tatiana went over to where Vince was now watching over his pan of boiling water. “You okay, Tatiana?”

  “I’m fine, Vince. Thank you for asking. But it’s Dillon, he’s changed so much. Do you think he’s okay?”

  “I could say that there’s absolutely nothing wrong with him. But like you, I’m seeing a Jake Dillon that I’ve not seen for a while. Of course, it could be that this whole affair is moving along at such a fast pace, and the killing is so prolific, that he’s having to think on his feet - on the run, so to speak. Or, it might be his oldproblem showing itself once again!”

  “Old problem?”

  “You of all people must know?”

  “Haven’t got a clue what you’re talking about. Talk to me, Vince.”

  “How do you think he’s stayed alive all these years? Skill, instinct, experience. Well, I suppose you could call it all of those rolled in together. But something changes inside his brain when he’s under extreme pressure.”

  “Such as?”

  “He kills people. Usually with exceptional ease.” Vince said, as he poured more boiling hot water into the small teapot.

  “But, that’s what he has been trained to do.”

  “Yes that’s true. But part of the reason why he came up here to Scotland, was to get away from all the killing. That last assignment he was given for instance; remember the one? The stolen Vermeer painting, Charlie Hart on Sandbanks. We should all remember it, because that assignment turned out to be one of the biggest smuggling operation busts - ever. Afterwards, Jake told me that it had turned into a blood-bath at the house near Lyme Regis. But, that as he was killing each and every one of those men sent to kill him. He felt nothing, actually found himself enjoying the killing so much, that it eventually felt like he was watching from afar. Affected him really badly, and then that Issy went and left him. Well, that was the last straw, it had all took its toll, to the point, where he had to get off the Ferran & Cardini International merry-go-round for a while. Or, in his own words, go completely mad. Personally, I still feel that he made the right decision, and I’m glad he got out. It saved him, Tatiana. Saved him from himself... We’ve kept in touch over the la
st year or so, and that’s why I’ve been able to keep an eye on him. Make sure that he didn’t become a candidate for a stay at a secure unit.”

  “I had no idea, Vince.”

  “Well, it’s not something that you shout about from the rooftops, is it. You and I are the only people who know about this. So let’s make sure it stays that way. Okay?”

  “Absolutely okay, Vince.”

  “He might also be a bit twitchy about flying illegally the entire route from Santorini. If we had been caught flying through airspace where we’d not got clearance... We could have got into some major trouble.

  “It’s a good thing that Dillon stayed below five-hundred feet, then.”

  “What’s that about staying below five-hundred feet?” Dillon said gruffly.

  “Oh, nothing. I was just saying to Vince, that we’re going to have to stay covert.”

  “Easy to say. I’m the idiot who has to weave that aircraft between those mountains. Vince, how are we doing for fuel?”

  “With the extra fuel tanks that we installed, we’ve got plenty to get to Kirill’s facility, and then enough to get us out again.” Dillon nodded, and sat down on a near-by rock beside Tatiana. He said, rubbing his eyes, “I suggest we get going soon. How far away from Kirill’s facility are we?”

  Tatiana, picked up the e-map reader beside her and tapped a point on the map. “We’re presently about a hundred miles south of the facility. As long as we stay low - and lucky for us there’s not that many inhabitants in this area - then we can carry on skirting up through the valleys, to the northern most mountain range, and our final destination. We’ll be able to head for the co-ordinates Ezra gave to me on Santorini, just before the Assassins attacked...” Tatiana’s voice trailed off. She glanced at Dillon whose eyes were closed, his face stony. “How long will it take us to get there, Jake?”

  Dillon opened his eyes, “I can have us there within an hour, but from here on in it’s going to be a much harder ride; there’s definitely a military stealth presence, although I’m not entirely sure why, probably a legacy from the old SAS training centre that is now part of Kirill’s complex. We’ll stick out like a sore thumb, of course, and the area around the complex will be a no fly zone, especially as we’re not exactly flying any official colours or markings. This A-25M is Russian built and will be quite happy flying low over land as well as water, but everything will have to be done more cautiously. And here’s the real peach, I’m not used to flying in such unfamiliar and treacherous terrain.”