“So I did a quick search and download of the people who were at that specific building on the relevant dates. It was easy, with that security guy’s authorization,” the hacker said. He was still hunched over the computer, filtering out and printing hard copies of what Elijahn wanted. Elijahn did not like computers. He understood technology, understood it extremely well, in fact, and used it to his advantage, but that did not mean he had to like it. He preferred to buy people to deal with it.
The hacker was still talking, explaining endlessly, trying to impress—Elijahn was used to the technical people he bought trying to impress, so unlike his militants, whom he preferred—and his voice was an irritation. “Of course, knowing who was in the building at the time of the attacks is not enough, so I hacked a bit higher than his authorization to find the clearance levels they use.” The hacker knew all about clearance levels, he continued bragging. He was used to using them to get what he wanted, be it knowledge or money. But these particular clearance levels he did not want to use. He only wanted to find out what they meant and who held them, which he did.
“So I found some people who were there on all those dates we have for Oracle and some other dates around them, just to establish a pattern, and whose clearance is high enough to give them access pretty much anywhere. Which I’m thinking is exactly the kind of clearance Oracle’s operator would have. Yes, I’m sure. Yes,” he said, pulling sheets out of the small printer beside him and handing them to Elijahn. “Couldn’t get more without risking it, they’ve got pretty good cybersecurity in there. But don’t worry,” he added quickly, not wanting Elijahn to mistakenly think he’d messed up in some way, “they never even knew I was there.”
“This is all you found about them?” Elijahn was looking at the information about the people the hacker had singled out.
“I . . . I had to be careful. And there were too many people, I thought the clearance levels are important, to narrow the search. And after I got them, it was too risky to go back and find more about them. I could try hacking again . . .”
“No.” This was not worth the risk. Or the time. Elijahn turned his attention to what he did have. In no time, he had the list narrowed down to three. He would have preferred to kill them all, and to target, perhaps, several more of their leaders. To satisfy his anger, if for no other reason. But this was a foreign land, not his turf, and his resources were limited.
He focused on his chosen targets. The first, a man named Dr. Bernard Miles, was currently stationed at IDSD Missions although he had formally been part of IDSD’s Advanced Technologies Research Division for the past eighteen years. His specialty was artificial intelligence in military command applications, and he had no military training, but according to the data about him he was authorized to join troops in the field as part of his work. As such, Elijahn thought, he would be in a unique position to help develop a missions system such as Oracle. In fact, he would be in a good position to also be Oracle’s operator. Looking at the man’s professional brief, he thought it was a man he himself would hire.
The second man was an IDSD army colonel, John Edwards, who had the obscure title of critical mission expert. Elijahn did not know what that was—nor did the hacker—but the man was a decorated combat soldier with experience in an impressive range of areas. However, he was sixty-three and had never worked in anything relating to computers. Still, the hacker had pointed out, quite correctly, that technology had been a major part of combat throughout this man’s military career, all the more so since he was part of IDSD, which from the start focused on creating a smart, professional military force. The hacker had also explained that unlike the artificial intelligence’s creator, an operator would not necessarily have to have a computer-related background. He could, instead, have expertise related to whatever attacks Oracle was used in, although even the hacker seemed skeptical there, stretching it, perhaps, to placate Elijahn. No, the first man, Miles, sounded more fitting.
Still, this one would be killed, too. Just in case.
Elijahn’s problem here was that neither could explain what Oracle did. Not entirely. The hacker might have been on the mark if there were only the audio files to consider, and the transcripts taken from the data center. But Elijahn had actually seen the attack on his base, through the cameras he had there. And hearing the audios from the drone later, all he had to do was close his eyes and see the images that came with the sounds and voices he was hearing.
And even now, two years after the attack, he could not let go of the feeling that what he had seen was impossible. The attack was impossible. Oracle was impossible. It did not fit, certainly not snugly, with the image the hacker had built for it. There had to be more to it, Elijahn’s gut told him. Yes, perhaps an artificial intelligence such as the hacker was sure Oracle was could have capabilities that were beyond Elijahn’s knowledge, and that could explain it all. And so yes, Miles and Edwards would be killed, and perhaps the chatter Elijahn would look for later would show panic about the death of whoever it was of the two who had been the force behind Oracle. But perhaps not.
Something was still missing. And Elijahn wanted to know what.
His eyes flickered to the third photo, the third person he had decided to pick.
This one was a different story. This one he had selected out of the people whose information the hacker had given him even though she did not fit the profile. No, that was not quite accurate. Elijahn had no way of knowing if she fit the profile because there was nothing about her. No information at all. And yet, this person was at IDSD’s missions building on all dates.
And her clearance was the highest of the three.
All he had were a photo, and the dates and times that had caught his eye. Not the dates of the destruction of his base and the two additional missions. No, the other dates and hours that outlined the pattern of her arriving at IDSD and leaving it, automatically recorded by its security system. It seemed to him that she was there a lot. Several days in a row, at times. She came and left at odd hours, and there was no regularity to her stay there. And then there was that title again, critical mission expert.
He could act now, complete his revenge. Kill the first two, and thus, he was almost certain, cripple Oracle.
Almost certain.
His eyes flickered to her photo. And her name.
Lara Holsworth.
Beside him, the hacker sneered. “A looker.”
Elijahn punched him.
He did not heed the man’s pitiful whimpers. The hacker had now outlived his usefulness. True, he was Elijahn’s best. That was why he was the one Elijahn had brought with him here. But the fact was that Elijahn’s plan was nearing completion, and he was not planning on leaving any loose ends behind. And since he would not take the hacker on the final part of his plan, he was just about disposable.
His eyes were glued to the photo. He wanted to think about this one a bit more. A lot of secrecy there, the kind of secrecy he himself would put in place if he wanted to hide something. Like he had hidden himself. Like they would hide Oracle. Or the person responsible for its impossibly extraordinary achievements. He decided to add her to his list.
Although he might not kill her after all.
Chapter Fourteen
The next day found Donovan at IDSD Missions once again, walking with Nathan through the war room to Frank Scholes’s office.
“Donovan.” Scholes motioned him in, and Nathan stayed outside with the vice admiral’s aide.
“I’ve assigned a team based on what you said you’d need. They’re under your command for the duration of the investigation. Nathan will make the introductions.”
Donovan nodded. He was now focused on finding Elijahn, and adding an IDSD team to the search was the best way to go. IDSD had better international resources and access, and considering the information it had about Elijahn, his group and his former affiliates, and its original involvement in stopping him two years earlier, its team had a better chance of successfully tracking his movements w
orldwide, while Donovan’s designated SIRT team, under Ben, would be far more efficient inside the United States. To ensure seamless contact between the two teams, so that nothing would be missed, Donovan had suggested that Nathan join his people at USFID, and do what he did best, liaise. Which Nathan had readily agreed to do once he would make sure Donovan was working just as seamlessly with the IDSD team.
“How did you get on with Lara yesterday?” the vice admiral asked. “I didn’t have a chance to talk to her much today, she’s on a mission. A bad one to start with.”
The one she’d been called to the night before. Donovan frowned. “Bad for Lara?”
Scholes’s eyebrows rose. The man’s first question was not to satisfy his curiosity about the mission or about Oracle. It was to worry about Lara. “I’m afraid there’s a chance it will be.”
“She’s exhausted.”
“The past days haven’t been easy.”
No, Donovan thought. Not in the least. “We’re fine, we’ve straightened things out between us.” He contemplated the vice admiral. “You told her you gave me security access to her house.”
“Yes.”
“I’m not sure that was a good idea. I get the feeling it’s difficult for her to accept.”
“Naturally. I gave you access to her life outside her work. And without asking her permission. As for my having told her—one rule, Donovan. Never lie to Lara.” He raised his hand to stop Donovan’s objection. “Somehow I don’t think you would. Not even to protect her, is what I mean.”
“I understand. But as it is, I’ve now invaded not only her work life, but also her personal life, in a manner of speaking.”
Scholes looked at him slyly. “And here I thought you were doing that anyway. Or were intending to. Don’t bother.” He stopped Donovan before the latter could speak. “I’ve commanded people most of my life, and I’m a husband, a father, and a grandfather. Bullshitting me is not an option.” He laughed, but the laugh was cut short when his aide stepped into the office.
“Sir,” Celia said. “We have a . . .” She darted a glance at Donovan, and Scholes indicated for her to go on. “Somalia is now MC4.”
“At least that one we expected.” Scholes stood up. “Good luck with the hunt,” he said to Donovan, then called Nathan in and ordered him again to make sure Donovan had what he needed. With that, he left.
“What’s MC4?” Donovan asked Nathan as they exited the office.
“Mission Command at level four, a mission that’s not under IDSD control and without its prior involvement, but that is known to it and now requires its assistance.” Nathan threw a glance at Mission Command. “It must be bad. They’ve had this going throughout the night, but apparently now it’s coming to a head. It’s always more complicated when it’s something IDSD was not a part of in the planning process.”
Donovan stopped to look. Across the war room, Scholes was walking toward the office nearest the conference room, where a harried officer stood. They spoke briefly, but when Lara exited the office they made way for her, then followed her briskly to Mission Command. As she walked she turned and called out, “Bailey, Walsh, keep the drones away. For now I want only space eyes, zero interval, full overlap.”
As the “yes, ma’am” sounded she began turning back, saw Donovan, and slowed down. She acknowledged him, with some hesitation, he noticed, then hastened her pace again and disappeared through the heavy Mission Command door that opened before her.
“So,” Donovan said, now able to put what he’d just seen in context. “What happens when Lara asks for full satellite coverage?” Even with the abundance of alliance space technology, satellites were constantly at work on multiple other tasks at defined sectors. Constant coverage at full sector range, which was what she’d asked for, would be near impossible for a substantial duration, unless a complex retasking of a series of satellites was employed.
“She gets it,” Nathan simply answered and led him to a workspace in the midst of the war room. Inside, a small team was discussing something near a screen where a map moved beside running data. Donovan knew what they were doing, because he was the one who’d asked that they do it. They were trying to track Elijahn’s movements prior to his arrival in the United States, based on criteria he had given Scholes the day before. Over the next hours he would add criteria, eliminate others, work with them to retrace Elijahn’s steps, then go back to USFID and do the same with his investigators, focusing on locating Elijahn’s whereabouts inside the country.
“There.” The hacker pointed. “And there, and there.” He indicated three frames on the screen. Three cars. “My recognition software found them.”
“It took time,” Elijahn grumbled.
“I had to wait until night to place the camera, I couldn’t risk anyone seeing us, and cars arriving in the morning, there are so many of them, the software needed time to identify the people you want.” The hacker spoke quickly. He was very aware of how close he had come to dying. He needed to be of use, needed to find a way to stay alive. The man standing behind him clearly had no compunction about killing him despite the role he had played in his plan ever since the loss of his base.
So far everything had worked out well. Since the data stolen from IDSD did not include addresses for the three people Elijahn chose to target or details of their vehicle registrations—these required a higher authorization level—the hacker had implemented a contingency plan for tracking their movements. In the small hours of the previous night, he had traveled with two of Elijahn’s militants to IDSD. They approached not from the main road that led to the huge complex’s main gate, but from a narrow path that cut through the woods behind the open fields that flanked that same road. Hidden by the trees at the edge of the woods, the hacker had navigated a small remote-controlled ground device, not larger than a toy car, into some vegetation just off the road and half a mile from IDSD’s main gate, far enough from the security cameras and tracker beams not to be seen. He then directed the miniature camera on the device to slide up its pole to the vegetation line, where it would provide clear visuals of the road, yet still be hidden enough not to be detected by a surveillance drone.
Hours later the hacker was back at the warehouse, while the camera was still in place, recording all vehicles passing by to and from the IDSD complex. This was potentially valuable information, the identities of all the people driving on that road, even those who were not Elijahn’s immediate targets. And yes, the hacker would file it away for future leverage. But for now, his facial recognition software focused on locating the three people Elijahn had chosen as his targets.
His idea was simple. Once he would locate the targets, he would have their cars and would hack the software in them—the manufacturer software, he did not want to risk being tagged by the IDSD security software he assumed these high-ranking people had in their cars. He would then track the cars from afar, know where they were at any given moment, and this would allow Elijahn to plan his attack on the targets. Yes, he would be valuable to Elijahn yet.
So far it had worked liked a charm. He had them, their cars, and hopefully more time in this life.
“What now?” Elijahn’s tone was never patient.
“Now I hack the cars. And their positions will be tracked on these screens.” The hacker pointed to where three screens stood, one beside the other. “We will be able to discern travel patterns and know their positions at any given moment.”
“How long will that take?”
“I will be tracking all of them by tonight. Morning the latest.”
Elijahn was silent for far too long. The hacker prayed.
“Do it.”
The hacker breathed in a sigh of relief and went to work.
Back at USFID, Donovan spent some time with Ben’s team, IDSD’s liaison now included. Satisfied with their work, and with the interagency collaboration, which was crucial in this investigation, he then decided his own work would best be served if he took the time to clear his mind, and a thorough worko
ut at one of the gyms gave him just that. By the time he’d showered and dressed in jeans, a USFID T-shirt and a lightweight jacket the investigation was running smoothly in his mind, and he was easily observing it from every angle.
Skipping his floor, he joined White for a quick dinner at the director’s office, where he could update him in private. It was also the only place White dared have the burgers and fries he so craved, which his wife had sworn him to avoid for his health. He tried, he really did, but those working dinners with Donovan at his office were his chance to happily fail.
The pressure from the agencies was down, White told Donovan. Donovan was now in the loop about Oracle, which meant he no longer had to be watched in their effort to protect it, and his insistence in the investigation was what had ended up directing them to Elijahn, and so he finally had their trust, along with the freedom to do as he wished.
Night had fallen by the time Donovan returned home. He’d hoped Lara would be back by the time he got there, but her house was dark and silent when he drove by and pulled into his driveway. He frowned. She was still at Mission Command when he had left IDSD’s war room, and from the anxiety around him and Scholes’s expression, he had understood something had indeed gone very wrong.
He contemplated having some coffee and sitting down to do some work, but instead walked out to his back yard. He couldn’t take Lara off his mind. There was a lot he understood now, a lot he could reconcile in his mind. But not quite enough. Not for him. Not when it came to her. He needed more. Even if he no longer tried to explain to himself why, he wanted to know more.
The thought sent him to her house, to ensure it was secure. Just in case. Even though her home system would have picked up on a security breach. Maybe the fact that the data center’s much more sophisticated security had failed made him reluctant to trust any security system right now, or maybe it was because he was wondering when Elijahn would figure out who she was and come after her. It didn’t matter either way. He simply had to make sure.
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