by JC Ryan
“How would you overcome that?” Sam asked. He expected Raj would probably have an answer ready.
“It is not going to be easy. We cannot pull the same trick we did in Boise when we recorded the activities and signals for a few days, then hijacked their computers and fed the recordings to them. They would know what we did there and would have countermeasures in place.” Raj replied.
“Any ideas at this stage?” Daniel wanted to know.
“Nothing I am going to talk about, yet.” Raj laughed. “Leave it to me and the team. We'll work it out and let you know. As Sam always says, ‘where there is a will, there is a way’.”
***
Jian pointed at the screen in front of them and said, “Gui, follow that guy walking down the corridor, let’s see where he works. I've spotted him in the hallways a few times before, but have not been able to figure out what he does and where his workplace is.”
Gui quickly moved the spyfly closer to the man and when he stopped in front of a door, where his chip was scanned to give him access, the spyfly landed on the back of his shoulder.
Almost immediately, the two of them realized this was the place they'd been trying to find for many weeks now. They started recording immediately and managed to get two additional spyflies into the room as people came in to drop off new parcels or containers from the production line.
After two days of intensive observation of the man’s routine, they were convinced they'd captured the entire process. They hacked into the computers on the workbench, intercepted and copied a few of the reports generated by the quality check software.
They had quite a bit of fun watching this man and his frolics while on his own, sometimes singing out loud, jumping up and dancing around to the tune of the music in his ears. To them it seemed as if he had those earphones permanently fixed in his ears, they never saw him without them.
They reported their discovery to Rube, who immediately placed an order for a few samples of the latest bamboo attire to be delivered via FedEx. The technical team was excited to receive the latest information. The discovery of the quality control room and the process was a significant step forward. The next challenge was to get a copy of the software and one of those devices into which the chips were inserted for testing. Gui and Jian were already working on that.
The two of them realized, because they were not chipped, it would be impossible for them to get into the facility. Even if they were chipped, it would be near impossible with all the security checks employees had to go through. Their only option was to get someone on the inside who would cooperate with them, but they knew no one there.
They decided to follow the man, who called himself Guozhi, they’d learned from the loud conversations he had with himself while alone in his lab. A spyfly was planted in his backpack, and when he went home, Jian and Gui followed him at a distance on their scooters.
Once they had his address, they deployed more spyflies and started monitoring all his after-work activities. Guozhi lived on his own in a small apartment. From their initial surveillance, it didn’t look as if he had many friends. It seems as if he lived a lonely and mundane life. They were wondering if they should ‘arrange’ a date for him with one of the Tectus female agents to see if she could help to get them what they wanted from that lab.
They were just about to make the necessary arrangements to bring a bit of excitement into Guozhi’s dull life when he surprised them. On the Friday night when he returned from work he acted excited, singing and dancing around his apartment while he dressed up. It was obvious he was on his way out. They followed him with great interest.
The next morning, although Gui and Jian were surprised with what they’d discovered about Guozhi’s private life, they had what they were looking for. Guozhi was gay. They had graphic and irrefutable evidence on video, complete with sound.
Under the rule of the new government, homosexuality was a crime, and it carried a mandatory death penalty.
Blow smoke up their skirts
The Supreme Council's looming financial changes kicked everyone in Tectus and the Rabbit Hole into top gear. They’d decided that they wouldn’t launch Operation Pincer before the announcement, as they wanted to use the distractions of the chaos that would follow in the wake of the proclamation at Peter’s suggestion. However, they couldn’t wait for too long after that. They were working against the clock to be ready before the announcement was made.
The technical team hadn’t received new information from Gui and Jian since they reported they’d found the quality control lab. An analysis of the reports sent by them clearly showed that the chips were activated and deactivated a number of times during the quality check process. They knew the software running on those computers and the connected devices held the key to the elusive shutdown routine. The lack of news from China was frustrating and stressful.
The best Rube could get out of Gui and Jian was that their efforts had paid off. They'd made a breakthrough, but it would take about two weeks before they could expect to have the reward in their hands.
Daniel and the rest of the Operations Team paid Raj and his crew a visit in the computer lab to get an update on their progress with the chip scanners at the Harpers’ house. They were not disappointed.
“As you know, we've discovered the frequencies on which the chips operate quite a few weeks ago. We also discovered that each chip has a unique thirty-two-digit number, which is sent to the chip scanner to identify the person. That number is embedded in the GPS module of the chip. Obviously, the reason for that is to know a person’s exact location at any given moment,” Raj explained.
“Sorry to interrupt, but I need to know how you were able to test that, especially since you can’t activate the chips?” Luke wanted to know.
“You see, the chips are assembled from a selection of modules. Some interact with each other and some operate in isolation, such as the GPS module. Its only function is to report the carrier’s location. Because it's a stand-alone module, in other words, it doesn’t need the chip to be able to function, we were able to remove it from the chip and reconstruct it,” Raj replied.
“Very interesting, Raj. We’re all ears,” Daniel said.
Raj continued. “Okay, so next we fabricated our own version of the chip scanner and tested it against the GPS module of the chip. It worked very well. In fact, we tested it with quite a few of the chips and were able to retrieve the chip ID numbers with ease from as far away as five yards.
“So now that we can read the chip numbers, what's next?” Sam wanted to know.
Raj smiled, “Well, we uploaded a small piece of code to the spyflies in operation at the president’s house and retrieved the chip numbers of everyone in the house. Here is the list of ID numbers and the names of everyone.”
“What! Come on Raj. You’re kidding me, man! That's not possible. You really have those numbers? And the names?” Sam looked ready to dance a jig.
“I am not joking. We do indeed have the names and numbers. I can demonstrate it to you, if you want.” Raj laughed.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean it like that,” Sam apologized. “It’s just that I’m so technically challenged that these things all sound like fairy tales to me.”
“No worries Sam, that’s why you have a team of geeks to take care of those things.” Raj grinned. “Shall I continue?”
Heads nodded all around for him to continue.
“Okay, so when we had that problem solved and were able to collect the data about the movements of everyone in the house in the same way their chip scanners do, we started recording that information.
We suspect that part of the security processes would be to make sure that they are not fed historical data as we did in Boise. They would have some program that would check to see what they are receiving was not sent to them before. Therefore, we used the recorded data of the people’s movements and made changes to it, so that their actions were distinctive from anything sent before. We then compared and tested that agains
t the original recordings to make sure the data we will be feeding them would be unique.
So by the time we go live, we will have enough unique movement data to blow smoke up their skirts for weeks.” Raj concluded his explanation to an audience whose jaws had already dropped a few minutes ago and now broke out into laughter with his last comment.
Daniel looked at his companions and while he high-fived with Raj said, “You all of course know that I taught Raj everything he knows about computers!”
“Yea right! Of course, we all know that,” Salome laughed.
***
In preparation for their move out of the city, Peter and Kelly decided it would be sensible if he went to Mount Ararat to get everything in place for their arrival.
He and Owen required just a few more hours of flight training to get certified for twin-engine aircraft and night flying. They were going to wrap that up in the next week, and then they would finalize the purchase of the Baron G58 Beechcraft as well as the construction of the airstrip and hanger.
Peter and Kelly had already decided what their house would be. Although they were financially well off, money wasn't an issue. Neither of them desired a luxurious home or lifestyle. The natural things in life, the beauty of fauna and flora, fly-fishing, freedom, healthy living, fresh air, and happiness were the things that mattered to them. They agreed they were going to live off the grid, produce their own food, and follow a minimalistic lifestyle. In any case, their personal wealth would mean nothing in a few weeks, anyway.
Kelly did some research and came up with the idea of building a house constructed from shipping containers, which would be eco-friendly, much quicker and easier to build than conventional houses, and a lot cheaper. Properly insulated, the house would be cozy in the winter and resistant to excessive heat in summer. Those houses could withstand winds up to one hundred and seventy-five miles per hour and would never collapse during an earthquake.
They were looking at designs and available kits when Kelly smiled and said, “We should look at a design that has at least four to five bedrooms.”
Peter did not immediately get what she was alluding to, “Are you planning to host lots of guests?”
“No, one guest bedroom would be enough, but we will still need at least three more bedrooms,” she chuckled.
“Why so many …” Peter started and realized what she was talking about. “We haven’t even talked about that. You will make me the proudest father ever! Kelly, it's absolutely fantastic to know we feel the same about having children.”
“Oh yes, I can’t wait to hold our babies in my arms and for the little pink feet pattering around our house,” she said with a big smile as Peter put his arm around her waist and pulled her closer for a tender kiss.
“You make me so very happy,” he whispered in her ear.
Peter would complete his pilot training during the course of the next week. And then he’d head for Mount Ararat to start the preparations and to help with the final planning of Operation Pincer.
***
A few days after Raj received the visit from Sam’s operations team, Roy got his chance to show them what he and his team were doing. He explained they were working on their own version of the Palladium system that had been employed so effectively by the CIA during the Cold War era.
They already had the 10th Cycle radar evasion system ready, and he explained to them how it worked. It was contained in a metal box the size of a shoebox. When activated, it would make any airplane invisible to radar. It was already in operation in the owl-drones and hummingbirds – this one was just a bigger and more powerful version.
The next part of the project was the construction of a system that would create phantom airplanes, which would appear on radar screens in any location of their choice. The solution for that was actually very simple and easy, he explained, as everybody started laughing.
“What did I say now?” Roy asked, his eyes round and a slight tilt to his head.
“Roy, you’re overestimating our intelligence. When ordinary human beings listen to you, nothing is ever simple and easy.” Daniel laughed. “But, please continue. You might just surprise us all.”
“Okay. Be ready for the surprise then. You'll see I wasn’t joking about it.” Roy smiled. “All we did was change some of the owl-drones and fitted them with a few gadgets, using the same technology Raj used in those GPS tracking devices in the vehicles of Sam’s guards in Boise. That’s it.”
“Come on, Roy. It can’t be that easy. There must be more to it,” Salome said.
“Hang on, I understand what you said, but those owls are much smaller than an airplane. Their radar will pick that up, won't it?” Sam asked.
“No, don’t worry about that. We’ve created an electromagnetic field around the drone that would make it look big enough on their screens,” Roy said.
“Don’t even try to explain how you did that. I am one hundred percent sure I won’t understand.” Sam laughed.
Roy continued. “Thanks to Rube and his friends, we have a map of the locations of each radar station in the USA, including the frequencies they use and access to their computers.”
Sam was impressed, “Well, the way I see it, thanks to these whiz kids, all we have to do now is map the entire plan out. After that, we start doing the walkthroughs, and as soon as we know how to shut those chips down, we'll be ready to go.”
A new iPhone
Guozhi didn’t notice the two men lurking in the shadows when he arrived home. When he opened his front door, he was pushed from behind, lost his balance and fell to the floor, terrified. Struggling over onto his back, he stared up at the two figures dressed in black from head to toe, including their balaclavas.
When one of them spoke, the blood drained from Guozhi’s face; it was a deep metallic voice, as if it originated from the inside of a big metal container. What he heard made his whole body explode in a cold sweat. “We have been sent by the Triad,” the voice said.
He knew this was his last day on earth. He knew about the Triad and their cold-blooded killing of anyone who dared to cross their path. How had he upset the Triad? Now the reason was not necessary to know - he was about to die.
The second figure came closer, grabbed him by the hair, and pulled him onto his feet, groaning with pain. A foul smelling and -tasting piece of cloth was shoved into his mouth and secured with duct tape. The man almost dislocated his arms in the process tying his hands behind his back with the duct tape. They pushed him into the kitchen and made him sit down on a chair. One took a seat opposite him and the other the seat next to him. Gouzhi tried to talk, but he could not get a sound out. He'd already wet his pants, his terror was so great.
The two men didn’t say a word. The one on the opposite side of the table just looked at him, while the one next to him opened a tablet PC and turned on a video. The man forced his head around and made him watch the video.
He tried to look away, but the man next to him waved his index finger as a signal to him not to look away again and turned his head back to the screen.
He was forced to watch three short clips. The first one was a compilation of the most gruesome parts of the treatment of people at the facility. The second one was of him at work in his lab. The third one was a compilation of a few very explicit sexual scenes between him and his lover a little over a week ago.
Ten minutes later, the video stopped, and tears of fright were running down Ghouzi’s face. There was nothing about him these men didn’t know. Fear made him overflow again and now urine was puddled on the floor. He had no doubt that these men were sent by the Triad, and he was certain they were going to kill him.
The man opposite him spoke for the second time. “Ghouzi, you have been found guilty by the High Tribunal of the Triad. We are the executioners. Do you wish to speak before we proceed?”
Ghouzi nodded his head nervously; he definitely had something to say.
“Good, you will get a chance to say something. Any noise and you'll die immediat
ely. Is that understood?”
Ghouzi nodded in agreement, and the cloth was removed from his mouth. He kept his voice down and immediately started pleading and begging for his life; he would do anything they asked, if they would just spare his life.
The two men continued to frighten him for a while longer and then told him that the tribunal had authorized them to spare his life, if he would cooperate with them and do exactly as he was told. He didn’t even listen to what it was they wanted him to do – he immediately agreed.
They took out an iPhone – the exact same model and color as his own – and handed it to him. Their demands were simple, if puzzling. He had to plug his new phone into one of the computers in his lab to charge it and make sure it was switched on while it was charging. Once it was fully charged, he had to unplug it and switch it off.
Then he had to remove the back cover of his new phone and place two of the cylindrical testing devices in the placeholders created for that purpose in the new phone. They told him he'd be watched every step of the way. He'd be contacted once the job was done, and he needn't worry, they'd know when he'd completed the job. He got a few more unsympathetic and very clear warnings about his health and his future if he failed in any way to complete his mission.
Three days later, Rube got the message from Jian and Gui. They had everything they wanted. The question was how to get it to him. They were a bit worried that the cylinders might be detected if they were sent as part of a clothing shipment.
Rube passed the good news on to Raj and undertook to get a message to the Tectus managers to see if they knew of anyone who could help. Within an hour, he had an answer back. There was a Chinese businesswoman in Los Angeles who owned and operated a very popular organic clothing store. She made regular trips to the factories in China, and she would be more than happy to purchase a few of the latest iPhones for her friends and bring them back with her the next week.