by Len Marshall
“What are my next orders?” Lee asked.
“Wait for couple of more days. In case of more failures, we’ll move to plan B for which instructions will be passed on to you at the appropriate time. For now, just keep in mind that that is a more kinetic strategy and you’ll have to act fast,” Ping said.
“I think we must continue our current plan a little longer. Any kinetic action will draw unnecessary attention from the US law enforcers and in this particular scenario there is a possibility that the American military will also get involved,” Lee said.
***
Jacob paid a surprise visit to his father’s office two days after he had talked to Neil who had made Jacob realize that he could not avoid his father forever and that eventually he would have to talk to him. The decision to visit was not an easy one for Jacob but, during the last few days, he had realized that he loved his father way more than he disagreed with him.
“I think I crossed my limit and I’m sorry for that Dad,” Jacob said to his father. He had to muster a lot of courage to say these words. Jacob had found himself in an unprecedented predicament.
“It’s OK, Son. You’re entitled to have your own views about life Ajay’s reply stunned Jacob. “And you don’t have to be sorry, Son.” Ajay knew why Jacob was apologizing so he chose not to ask the obvious question.
“I think I’ve disappointed you more than once in life Dad,” Jacob said. This time Ajay realized that Jacob had a lot on his mind and he needed to lessen that burden. Ajay didn’t want to punish Jacob any more than his son was already punishing himself.
“First of all, there’s no reason for me to consider you to be a disappointment. I have no doubt as to my son’s ability to achieve whatever he wants in life. But if you are referring to our disagreement on certain things in life, I think that’s natural and if I’m disappointed with anyone, it is with my own self.” Ajay had an unfamiliar air of calmness and it was making Jacob nervous.
“Yes. It’s true that a couple of dreams I had for you have not been fulfilled but that doesn’t mean that it’s your fault,” Ajay continued. “I taught you to be your own man, to follow your own dreams and then make your own plans to achieve those dreams. Now if your dreams are not reconciled with mine about your future in this company, how can I blame you for that?” Ajay said in the same peculiar calm tone.
When he had arrived at his father’s office earlier that day, Jacob had many scenarios in his mind about how this conversation could possibly unfold but what was transpiring at that moment between father and son had not been among those scenarios. He wondered why his father had not realized this obvious fact much sooner instead of continually pushing Jacob to become part of the Waverley Davis management and ultimately it’s CEO. “Thank you, Dad, for understanding,” Jacob said appreciatively. Finally, he thought, Dad will no longer push me to do that job anymore and I’ll be able to concentrate on building my own firm to develop my own secure OS like I’ve always planned. Little did he know that, at that moment, providence had a whole different future game plan that was about to soon be unveiled?
Ajay observed the change in Jacob’s disposition. “Jacob, can I give you a piece of advice for your future endeavors as a business entrepreneur?” Ajay asked.
“Sure Dad. I would love to learn all the secrets of business from the most successful person I know.” Jacob sounded genuinely thrilled.
“Let me share with you one big secret of my life. I was taught to welcome every experience in life, even the disappointments. I acted on these and today look where I am in the global technology market,” Ajay said and Jacob was perplexed.
“Dad how did welcoming disappointments in life lead to your success?” Jacob’s next question surprised Ajay. Something had changed or was changing in Jacob. Unlike earlier, he now wanted to continue this discussion. Ajay was suddenly stunned to see that a change in himself had made such an impact on Jacob as well. On the other hand, Jacob was also pleasantly surprised. So far, nothing that his father had said had made him react the way he would normally would after talking to him on a topic which contained words like “life,” and “experience,” in it.
“What I have learnt in life is that, the way you conduct yourself reveals everything about you.”
Chapter Five
As within,
So without
Diana Cooper
“We must welcome every joy and sorrow as a vital experience in life because we don’t know what each experience is going to offer us for the future. Sometimes disappointments trigger a strong urge to bring about a change within ourselves which leads us to recognise our own shortcomings and eventually change our circumstances. I began to embrace my disappointments as lessons instead of shying away from them. Soon enough I was able to fix them myself and address the shortcomings which had brought about those disappointments in my life in the first place. I was able to move forward.” Ajay illustrated his life experiences in a very thoughtful way.
This change in Ajay’s approach had worked its magic.
“I think I’ll be able to make a fresh effort to understand your choices and decisions. And I hope one day I’ll discover a far nicer person in my son than I can see in him now,” Ajay said with a smile on his face. Jacob was amazed.
“How long does a person keep learning in life?” Jacob asked
“There is no limit, you keep learning all of your life. Lately, I’ve realized that learning in life never stops. It only comes to an end with our death. However old we are, whatever we go through, it’s always possible to be reborn. If each day was a copy of the one before, what a pity! Every breath is a chance to be reborn.” Ajay’s smile had deepened and Jacob certainly had been given some food for thought. He had never found Ajay’s words so full of impact before.
He spent a few more minutes in his father’s office then left to meet with Neil before going to a meeting with bank executives to give a presentation about his ideas which would hopefully secure a long term lending agreement with that bank.
“What truly inspires you, Jacob? What’s your motivation in life?” Neil asked after Jacob had told him about the earlier discussion with his father. Jacob was puzzled by this unexpected question.
“Innovative ideas, sound strategy and persistent efforts based on that strategy, I guess,” Jacob replied looking a little perplexed as he struggled to understand the rationale for this discussion. “Why have you asked that?”
“I want to understand why a person like Ajay Mohan, who you’ve spent all your life with so far, has failed to become your inspiration in life.”
“Look, whatever I am today, it is of his making. He finally accepted that today and now he’s fine with me pursuing my own dreams and, you know what, he also gave me some serious food for thought.” Jacob’s reply put Neil in a feel good mood because he knew for a fact that Ajay would always advise his son in a way that gave give him food for thought. Hopefully, Jacob had the presence of mind to understand that.
Neil smiled because for the first time in his friend’s life, he had listened to his father and that meant that something had changed between the two of them. Neil was happy that he was able to break the deadlock and trigger a positive change that was going to bridge the gap between son and father.
“Now it’s up to me to not to disappoint him.” Jacob sounded determined.
“I suppose your brain is busy planning the best possible strategy to do that already isn’t it?” Neil asked.
“You know me too well, old friend,” Jacob chuckled. “Yes, that’s exactly what’s been going on in my head since I left the meeting with Dad earlier,” he confessed with a smile.
“Sometimes belief or faith is as important as any business strategy.” It was Neil’s turn to give his friend some advice. He continued, “Well, at least you’re persistent, if nothing else.”
“I think persistence is u
nderestimated in one’s efforts. I see it as one of the most critical elements for success after that of having a sound strategy,” Jacob replied. “You do realize that persistence is just another word for faith, don’t you my friend,” he said.
At that moment, Neil had a call from his immediate supervisor in the finance department summoning him to an urgent meeting. He hoped Jacob would not leave as he still had something really important to tell him. He was thinking about Clarke, his new girlfriend, and that things had been getting serious between them since they had met for the first time a few weeks ago. Neil was really attracted to her. “Can you give me a few minutes about something personal?” He wanted to tell Jacob about it. Neil knew that his friend would prefer to know first-hand from himself because he knew that if Jacob learnt about Neil’s new love match from anyone else, it would literally kill him.
“I can work on this computer here till you come back.” Jacob promised not to leave. After almost half an hour after Neil had left for his meeting, there was still no sign of him. Jacob watched the clock tick and stood up, it was getting close to the time for his own meeting with bank executives.
He had no choice. He had to go.
“You know, even Neil has been polygraphed.” These were the words he overheard when he passed a group of four finance division employees standing in the corridor gossiping in a small circle.
They continued, “Yes, something really serious is going on and everyone is so hush-hush about it.”
“What are all the computer department service engineers doing in the finance department?” they asked. “There are IT guys all over the place.”
“Did something bad happen to our computers?” asked another.
That same thought also occurred to Jacob. The group had seen him and dispersed quickly. Everyone was aware of Jacob’s friendship with Neil. He continued to walk towards the elevator and soon he emerged from the Waverley Davis finance department enraged and annoyed.
Neil returned to his office from his meeting after around forty-five minutes and gave a big sigh when he saw that Jacob had gone. He wanted to show him Clarke’s photo as well as telling Jacob about his feelings for her. “OK. Some other time, my friend,” he thought with a smile on his face.
***
In a coffee shop, two girls chatted as they sipped their morning coffee. “How was your meeting?” She continued “I hope no one followed you.”
“Don’t worry. Everything happened as you said it would, exactly as you said it would, to be precise. He didn’t suspect a thing. I was in control.”
“Give me the complete details then Natalie. Why did they want to meet me after I’d already finished their job? Why this next meeting now? You know that we never compromise an operation when it’s active and the biggest rule is that operatives stay out of the grid, always keep it sterile.”
“Well, we have no choice,” she replied.
“Tell me why and why compromise this operation as well?” she asked loudly.
“It’s about completing another task similar to last task you did,” Natalie said. “They want to implant something else in that network and within next four days too,” she added.
“How did you respond to that?”
“I played like hard to convince. I told them that it wouldn’t be an easy proposition. Operations like these require planning and rehearsal.”
“Good. This confirms my suspicions were not misplaced. It’s bigger than we first thought. No group can deploy this kind of cyber weapon unless the outcomes are much bigger because now the stakes are so high.”
“That explains the compromise and I think it also explains our arrangement,” Natalie said.
“Well, Nat, I call it our very important partnership which may one day save our lives as well.”
“Oh my God. Is it that serious?”
“Yes, of course.” Natalie almost panicked.
“Relax. I’m just saying. It’s always safer to have a good friend looking out for you. Isn’t it?”
“Yes. You’re right, I guess. Please, don’t put me in any danger will you,” Natalie said.
“It’s not you. It’s me who’s in trouble now with this latest demand of theirs.”
“It’s just another meeting with some regular guy like you’ve done hundreds of times before.”
“No, this man is different. Sadly, I’ll have to do it. I have got emotional feelings for him and even I can’t do that.”
“Do we have any choice then?” Natalie asked.
“No! I guess we don’t .But I’ll have to find a way out of this situation.”
She stood up from her chair. As she was leaving, she quipped, “Just keep your eyes open. Just in case.” Natalie listened to these last words.
Both now standing up, the girls were of the same height with similar relatively thin frames. Their faces were very different though.
“Oh damn,” thought Natalie as she walked away from the coffee shop towards her apartment.
***
Jacob reached his office, enraged after learning that he was being kept in the dark about something which had not only stressed his father but had put Neil into some kind of trouble as well.
He was furious at the fact that his best friend had not told him about his polygraph test. More importantly, neither had his father mentioned it.
He was pacing restlessly around his room shaking his head in disbelief. Then, after a few minutes, he started to think about the whole situation. He thought, “You know, even Neil has been polygraphed.” He repeated this sentence in his mind again and again. “Even Neil” he thought. Suddenly, he realized, “That means other people have also been polygraphed,” he said out loud.
Now he set about analyzing the possible causes for the secretive polygraph. Some financial fraud he thought but then every single scenario he could possibly imagine that entered his head could only to be rejected outright.
He had known Neil since their childhood. Neil was well off and Jacob’s Dad absolutely loved him, almost like a son. He would gladly give him whatever he wanted in life. So there is no motive for any crime Jacob thought.
“I ought to ask Neil outright,” he thought. Then he remembered earlier in the day, that maybe he had forgotten to mention it. Oh! Then suddenly he remembered their conversation.
He asked me to stay in office after his meeting but I had to leave. This might be the thing he wanted to talk to me about. See, he reasoned, Neil was not guilty of not sharing a secret with him. It was partly my fault and partly his, he mused. Maybe if I telephone Neil on his mobile and ask what the big secret was that he wanted to tell me about earlier, we can discuss this polygraph thingy as well he reasoned.
He waited as the dial tone purred his number. “Hello Neil, it’s Jacob, it’s me buddy.”
“Dude,” Neil answered. “You know that I’m really proud of having a buddy like you. Well just listen to this, Jacob, it seems to me that I’m in love with someone,” he reported happily.
“Oh, my God that’s great, you never mentioned it.” Jacob was clearly not ready for this surprise, at least not at a time when he was expecting a very different kind of emotional outburst from him about the near chaos at work.
“I was about to tell you earlier today and that’s why I asked you to stay but it got late.” Neil was still happy chatting.
Jacob wanted to change the subject by asking, “Why were you polygraphed Neil?” However, he continued to ask about his new girlfriend instead. They spoke at length about his girlfriend, how they had met online and how they had had several great dates.
As he listened, Jacob had to fight very hard to suppress every instinct to ask the question he wanted the answer to.
“Well, has anything else exciting happened with you lately that you want to share with me?” Jacob asked.
“No
, buddy. Everything else is just fine.”
He put the telephone down and ended the conversation.
After talking to Neil, Jacob once again tried to make sense of his phone call and why Neil had not told Jacob anything about the polygraph tests. He needed to know what the current investigation was about so he was forced to call a few other people at Waverley Davis who he knew from back in his internship days. Somebody should know he thought. Most, it seemed, were operating under strict instructions from higher management not to say anything.
Once again, he walked around his room trying to figure out this riddle.
He began by recalling the first day that he saw his father stressed. That means, he thought, Dad wasn’t angry with me or what I had done. The reason must be these polygraphs. All the time his brain was trying to join up the dots.
That’s why someone in the corridor mentioned something being wrong with their computers. This level of security, he mused, must be because of Intellectual Property Theft. Maybe it’s another scenario, he thought, maybe the leaking of Confidential Financial Data or even military data. Jacob picked up his car keys and left for Waverley Davis. He had decided to ask his father why he had not been told about this situation.
Jacob arrived in Ajay’s office.
Ajay was not expecting the visit or the direct question from Jacob. He was surprised by the strong gaze fixed on him as his son waited for an answer that would satisfy him.
“Why did the security team polygraph my best friend then?”
“Who told you? Neil?”
Ajay want to know how much Jacob knew.
“No Dad, he’s very loyal to you. He didn’t tell me anything,” Jacob said. “I came to know about all this by accident.” He told his father what he had overheard earlier that day outside Neil’s office. “I think you must be well aware of our policy of keeping certain things confidential son so I’m afraid I won’t be able to give you an answer to your liking,” Ajay said.