by Alex Siegel
"None of your business," Dohman said.
"We were ordered to search the server room, and that's part of it."
"You're not going through that door. I don't care how many search warrants you show me. I'll get fired if I even let you touch it."
"We're not leaving until you open it," she said.
"Then you're never leaving," he said.
"By court order, you must open the door."
"I want to hear that directly from a judge."
Two security guards had accompanied the group. They moved to block the red door with their bodies, and they crossed their arms defiantly.
Marina had a problem. Without proof that God's enemies were involved, she couldn't justify shooting these people. No amount of arguing would compel them to step aside.
She looked around but didn't see any surveillance cameras. This discovery struck her as odd, so she checked again to be sure. Lucky for me, she thought.
She walked over to Dohman and calmly injected venom into his neck. He wasn't expecting the attack and didn't try to stop her until it was too late. She stunned the two security guards with a combination of spinning kicks which almost knocked them off their feet. While those men were still dazed, she put them to sleep, too.
"Wow," Hanley said.
Marina grabbed Dohman's badge which was clipped to his belt. She went to the red door, swiped the badge across the sensor, and typed in the combination she had observed earlier.
The door made a disappointing buzzing noise. The bolts remained in place.
She tried again and produced the same result.
"Why won't this damn door open?"
"That badge must not be authorized," Hanley said.
"Fuck." Marina snarled and kicked the door.
A piercing alarm wailed. She immediately clamped her hands over her ears, but the sound penetrated like a drill. This isn't going to work, she realized.
She knew she had to leave, so she took one last look around. The red door looked very sturdy, but it was set in a wall made of ordinary sheetrock. Cutting through the wall appeared easier than breaking down the door. The floor of the server room was made of raised tiles, and there was probably enough space underneath to crawl.
More security guards flooded into the server room. They appeared confused by the sight of the men on the floor.
Marina nodded to Ipo and Hanley. The three of them quickly made their way out before questions could be asked. As Marina threaded her way through the crowd of guards, she snatched three badges.
The Spears walked swiftly out of the building. They slowed down only when they were safely in the parking lot. The fresh air and bright sunlight felt nice on Marina's skin.
"That could've gone better," she said.
"At least nobody got shot," Ipo said.
"We're coming back tonight. We're going to see what's behind that fucking door. This is getting ridiculous."
"Yes, ma'am. Do you have a plan?"
"I'll think of one." Marina clenched her jaw.
The team climbed back into the police car they had arrived in. Ipo drove off.
Chapter Twenty-one
Peter Hastings played the surveillance video again. It showed the intruders having a brief conversation in the parking lot right before they left. He couldn't hear the words, but he could read the lips of the woman. The enemy was coming back tonight.
Peter set his jaw with determination. His mysterious adversaries had slipped through his fingers twice, and he refused to let it happen a third time. When they returned, he would be ready.
He rocked back in his chair as he worked on a plan. He had tried hired thugs and the police, and neither had worked. He needed a force that was even more potent, one that couldn't be beaten.
Peter had an idea. He sat up straight and began to type on his keyboard.
* * *
Ipo parked in the big, white tent behind headquarters, and he, Hanley, and Marina stepped out onto the dirt. More vehicles had been added to the team's collection including a white Porsche and a rusty, old pickup truck. Marina looked at the assortment and smiled. Her headquarters was becoming real.
She went to the door in the back of the building, but there was no exterior handle now. The door had been replaced with one made of steel plate. It couldn't be opened from the outside.
"Looks like Imelda finally secured this entrance," Marina said. "We'll have to go around to the front."
The three of them jogged around the building. They entered through the original front door which hadn't been changed.
Imelda was working in the reception room. She was installing surveillance monitors in an area that would eventually be the security booth. It wouldn't be as big as the one in Soulfriends, but Marina's would be much more sophisticated. The Gray Spear Society prided itself on having the most advanced security technology in the world.
"Come with me," Marina told Imelda.
The group went into the main part of headquarters.
"Gather around!" Marina told the rest of her assistants. "I have assignments for you."
Corrie, Min Ho, and Jia came over. Katie also attended, but she stood back a little. With her injury, she couldn't really participate.
Marina quickly explained what had happened at Soulfriends.
"And we're going back tonight," she concluded. "Corrie, I want you to synthesize some knockout gas."
Corrie raised her eyebrows. "How do I do that, ma'am?"
"I don't know. The chemical formula must be in the notes you received. The Society uses knockout gas and foam all the time. Imelda, build a delivery mechanism for the gas. We'll be shooting through a wall into another room."
"Yes, ma'am." Imelda nodded.
"Min Ho," Marina said, "track down the architectural plans for Soulfriends headquarters. I want to know my way around in there."
"Yes, ma'am," Min Ho said.
"Jia, put our pictures on these badges."
Marina gave Jia the three badges she had stolen.
Jia examined them. "Yes, ma'am."
"Finally, Hanley and Ipo, we'll be disguised as Soulfriends security guards. Go buy appropriate black uniforms for all of us."
The male legionnaires nodded.
"Dismissed!" Marina said. "Go!"
Everybody but Katie scattered.
Marina walked over to her remaining legionnaire. "How are you feeling?"
"Slightly better, ma'am," Katie said. "I wish I could be more useful."
She was wearing a blue bathrobe which fit loosely over her injured shoulder. Blue sweat pants and flip-flops completed the odd attire. She was armed with a gun in a holster on a belt. Marina was reminded that all the team members needed formal gray robes, and she needed a commander's robe.
"Until you're healed," Marina said, "you'll be our security chief here. That will be useful."
"I'll do my best."
"No offense, but why were you recruited? It's obvious why Ipo is a legionnaire. He's huge and strong, and his martial arts skills are excellent. Your strengths are less apparent."
Katie winced. "It's true that I'm not a great fighter. Martial arts have never been a strong focus in my life. I was recruited for my ability to work undercover. I'm a natural actress, and I'm great at getting people to trust me. I'm very friendly. I'm the last person anybody thinks might be a spy."
"Those skills do have uses," Marina admitted, "but are you brave? Undercover assignments often mean working alone in the enemy camp. If they see through your act, you're dead. You can't afford a single slip-up."
"I enjoy the challenge, ma'am. I can pull my weight on this team. Give me a chance to prove myself."
Marina cocked her head. "OK. On our next mission, you're working undercover."
"Gladly." Katie smiled. "What else can I do for this one?"
"You can order pizza."
"For dinner?"
"No," Marina said, "for the mission. About thirty boxes should do."
* * *
Marina look
ed up at the night sky. The heavens were lovely even though city lights washed out most of the stars. Venus and Mars were both out tonight. She also spotted Castor and Pollux in the Gemini constellation.
The air was uncomfortably cool and breezy, but this time, she had remembered to wear a jacket. Ten hot pizza boxes in her arms were also warming her chest. The heavy boxes contained more than just pizza.
She looked at Ipo and Hanley. "Are you ready, gentlemen?"
They nodded. "Yes, ma'am."
All three of them were wearing the black uniforms of Soulfriends security. The men were also burdened with an overabundance of pizza, and nobody had their hands free.
"Then let's get it right this time," Marina said.
She led her legionnaires across the dark parking lot behind Soulfriends headquarters. Most of the cars were gone, but a surprising number remained despite the late hour. Lights were still visible through many windows in the building. Apparently, people worked well into the night here.
Two real guards sat on chairs on either side of the back door.
One of them stood up as Marina approached. "Is that pizza for us?" he said.
"It's for everybody," she responded. "Take a slice."
He and his partner eagerly opened the top box and pulled out slices of pepperoni pizza. They began to eat.
"Would you mind getting the door?" Marina said. "Our hands are full."
One of the guards gave her a hard look. "Hey, I don't think I've seen you before."
"We're new. That's why we had to get the pizza. Come on! These boxes are hot."
The guards used a flashlight to examine the badges of all three Spears. The badges were real, but the pictures had been replaced to match their faces. Jia had done an expert job.
One guard used his own badge and key code to unlock the back door. He held it open as Marina, Ipo, and Hanley went inside.
"Thanks!" Marina said. "We'll leave the leftovers in the kitchen so you can have some later."
She and her legionnaires walked confidently through the building. They had studied the floor plan and knew exactly where to go. She nodded politely to the scattered employees who were still working. She had eaten dinner, but the aroma from the pizza was still making her hungry.
The first target was the security control room where the surveillance monitors were located. The team couldn't do much until that threat was neutralized. They didn't go directly there, and instead, they circled around to an adjacent supply closet. The back wall of the closet led to the control room.
Marina and Hanley entered the closet, put down their pizzas, and closed the door. Ipo remained outside and stood guard.
Hanley opened a pizza box in the middle of his stack. It contained a metal device that looked like a big squirt gun with an attached tank. Imelda had built the gun, and Corrie had filled the tank with knockout gas. Hanley pressed the nozzle against the wall with all his weight. He pulled the trigger, and an explosive charge punched a narrow hole through the wall. Marina heard a hiss as gas was injected into the control room on the other side. She held her breath in case a little leaked back.
After the gun had expelled all its gas, Hanley stashed it on a high shelf. He and Marina picked up their pizzas again, and they left the closet.
"We're good," Marina told Ipo. "Let's continue."
The team headed for the server room next. Marina was more relaxed now that she could operate freely. The guards in the control room were all asleep, and nobody was watching the surveillance monitors.
She arrived at the door leading to the server room and put down her pizzas. She swiped her badge across the sensor and used the keypad combination she had seen earlier in the day, but it didn't work, which didn't surprise her. The badge had probably been deactivated after being reported as lost.
Marina dug through her own pizza boxes until she found one containing an unmarked spray can. She held her nose and sprayed the latch on the door. Nitric acid ate the metal, producing smoke and noxious fumes. After a few minutes, Ipo was able to yank open the door with his brute strength, breaking what remained of the latch.
The team went inside and viewed their prize: the red door. This time, they would not be denied.
Ipo dug through his boxes until he found one containing a large, electric cutting tool. It had a three-inch, circular blade coated with diamond dust. He plugged it into one of the many outlets on the floor normally used for computers.
He began to cut through the wall next to the red door. The spinning blade made a high whine as it sliced gypsum and wood with ease. At this rate, it would take less than a minute to make a hole large enough to crawl through.
Marina heard rapid footsteps over the noise from the computers and the cutting tool. She spun around. Men wearing blue body armor were pouring into the room. They wore helmets and carried MP5 submachine guns. The letters "FBI" were printed in white on their vests.
Marina immediately realized she was hopelessly outnumbered and outgunned. Her own team only had small arms and minimal armor. The FBI had twenty guys in the room already, and more were still coming in.
"Hands in the air!" a federal agent yelled. "You're under arrest!"
Marina raised her hands in surrender. She wasn't afraid of getting arrested. She had escaped from far worse predicaments, and she knew exactly how to handle this one. Her team was carrying fake identification as always. The FBI would end up with nothing but frustration for their trouble. Still, it was yet another setback in an investigation that had seen too many already.
She turned to Ipo and Hanley. "Go quietly. Don't cause any trouble. Let me deal with this."
* * *
Peter Hastings typed a message and sent it to Rebecca. "I got them!" the message read. "I got them!"
The response didn't come immediately. He realized it was late at night, and Rebecca might've gone to sleep. She had a busy class schedule which started bright and early in the morning. The Stanford University Department of Psychology was tough on graduate students.
He was getting disappointed when a message finally appeared on his screen.
"Got who?" Rebecca sent.
"My enemies. I knew they would break in here tonight, so I called the FBI ahead of time. They were arrested just a minute ago. The feds will find out who they really are."
"How will that help you?"
"I'll hack into the FBI computers and get the information," Peter sent. "I'm a genius."
"That was smart. Congratulations."
"Thanks."
"I saw Bill Conway committed suicide," she sent. "Did you do that?"
"My enemies were about to talk to him."
"I told you not to use a termination sequence unless it was an emergency. It's way too early. You have to keep your cards hidden until Soulfriends has at least a billion users."
"I didn't have a choice," he replied.
"OK, but don't do it again. You'll ruin the plan."
He nodded even though she couldn't see him.
"What did you tell the FBI?" Rebecca sent.
"That my enemies are cyber-terrorists," Peter sent. "They were trying to plant viruses in the Soulfriends Network."
"That's kind of funny. Soulfriends is a virus itself, a psychological virus."
"I never thought of it that way, but you're right. Social media spreads like a disease."
"It's late," she sent, "I need to go to sleep."
"Sorry."
"No problem. Good night."
"Night."
Peter took his hands off his keyboard and leaned back. It was a good night indeed.
* * *
Marina was sitting in a small, white room. The only furniture was a folding table and two uncomfortable, folding chairs. A mirror was obviously one-way glass, and she couldn't see who was on the other side. All her possessions had been taken including her precious phone. She had no way to call for help. She didn't know where Ipo and Hanley were, but she presumed they were in similar interrogation rooms.
Marina was
fuming. Getting arrested was embarrassing enough, but for a commander, it was particularly mortifying. She was supposed to be too smart and experienced to let herself get caught. Her job was to save other people, not be saved. She wanted to hide her face in shame.
A man in a blue suit entered the room and sat across from her. He was tall, middle-aged, and completely bald. His weathered face had seen some hard years. He put a manila folder on the table.
"Sorry to keep you waiting," he said. "I'm Special Agent Christopher."
"I'm not talking to you," Marina said. "I want my phone call."
"Be patient. We know you were attempting to commit an act of cyber-terrorism on a massive scale."
She furrowed her brow. "That's not true. Who told you that?"
"We got a tip. Regardless, you committed several felonies tonight, and we have them on tape. You're in a lot of trouble."
She could guess who had given the tip to the FBI. Ice Crusher, she thought. He trapped us again. Her humiliation was doubled. Her enemy was outmaneuvering her at every turn, and she was very weary of looking like a fool.
"Just let me make my call," Marina said. "This whole thing will be taken care of in a matter of minutes."
"No lawyer is going to get you out of this mess," Christopher said.
"I'm not planning to call my lawyer. Why are you even talking to me? It sounds like you have enough evidence to put me away."
"I'm hoping you'll come clean. You must have information that would be interesting to me. You can start by telling me the name of your organization. If you cooperate, you might get your sentence reduced. You could get out of prison before you're an old hag."
She smiled in a patronizing manner. "It's nice that you want what's best for me. Just give me the damn phone, so I can fix this."
He stared at her. "You're pretty cocky for a terrorist who is facing a long stretch in prison."
She sighed angrily. This is such a waste of time, she thought. Ice Crusher must be laughing his ass off.
"Do you want to use my phone?" Christopher said eventually.
"Sure."
He took a cheap cell phone out of his pocket and handed it over.
Marina dialed the legate's emergency number.