Cyber Countdown

by Terence Flynn

  “I have a question. Is the hypervisor an operating system?”

  “Not exactly. It’s more like a monitor that supports and controls all the VMs that connect with it. The important thing is that VSI creates security systems to protect the hypervisor. Our systems are the hypervisor firewalls or hypervisor intrusion detection and protection systems that protect the VMs, including operating systems and applications. It’s more complex than that, but that’s essentially what VSI does. Any questions?”

  “Yes. Are the hypervisor security systems you mentioned the secret sauce?”

  James smiled and said, “No, there are numerous companies that use hypervisor technology. It’s not new, since it was invented in the 1960s. However, our secret sauce is what makes the VSI security technology superior, and I can’t talk about it.”

  “Because if you told me, you’d have to kill me?” JoAnn asked with a smile.

  “Something like that,” James said, as he laughed.

  “Well, you sometimes talk in your sleep, but I promise not to listen unless I overhear another woman’s name.”

  “I need to prepare for my meeting with the president and Barbara tomorrow. Maybe you can lend me some of your political expertise now that I’ve finished my security lesson.”

  “Okay, but before we start I need another glass of wine. I’ll be right back.”

  JoAnn went to the kitchen to get more wine, and noticed a red light flashing on the kitchen phone.

  “James, do you know that there’s a message on your phone?”

  “Yeah. I’ll get it later.”

  “That would drive me crazy. What if it’s important?”

  “If it’s going to bother you, then play it.” James was slightly annoyed because he hated being tethered to a phone twenty-four hours a day. He and JoAnn listened to the message.

  “Hi, James, this is Special Agent Rick Tanner from the FBI. I’m calling to tell you that we have found evidence of SUV tracks leading to and from Philip Wu’s home that bypassed the gatepost at the entrance. We ran the tracks through the FBI’s TreadMate database, and they look like they might be from a Ford SUV. We’re checking with local rental agencies using the picture of the Chinese suspect found dead in Philip Wu’s Jaguar. Please contact me when you can.”

  James quickly finished his wine. His meeting the next day had just become a lot more important.

  James showed up for the meeting with the president at the White House thirty minutes early. He wanted to tell Barbara about the message he’d gotten from Rick Tanner prior to the meeting. Barbara was talking with her secretary when she saw James enter her outer office.

  “You’re earlier than expected, James. The meeting isn’t for another half hour.”

  “I need to discuss a message I got from FBI Special Agent Rick Tanner last night, since it could reopen Philip’s case.”

  “Let’s go into my office and talk.”

  James entered Barbara’s office and she closed the door.

  “The FBI found proof that indicates Philip was targeted and that his death probably had nothing to do with a burglary.”

  “What evidence leads you to this conclusion, James?”

  “Are you aware that Shelly Brockner believes Philip was targeted, and that there were at least two assailants?”

  “Yes, I was there when she briefed the president, but her analysis was based on circumstance. As I recall, there was no actual evidence of a vehicle entering and leaving the community and making its way to Philip’s house without passing through the checkpoint at the entrance.”

  “I was informed by the FBI last night that they found that evidence. They think the vehicle might be a rented Ford SUV and are checking the local rental car agencies that rent that model. We’re hoping someone can identify the dead assailant.”

  “Okay, we can discuss it with the president at our meeting. I also have some bad news. It looks like the foreign cyber-attack bill in the senate is going to pass and will be sent to the house.”

  “Who told you that?”

  “George Solomon. He met with Senator Thompson two nights ago. He informed me yesterday at the funeral, which was the reason I left so fast.”

  “Does the president know about this?”

  “He does. I briefed him last night, and he was angrier than I’ve ever seen him. Let’s walk over to the Oval Office before we’re late. I’m sure he’s going to also want to hear your news.”

  The president was sitting at his desk as they walked into the office. He stood up and greeted both Barbara and James.

  “Good morning, James. I assume Barbara has briefed you on the status of the cyber-attack legislation.”

  “Yes, she has, sir. Is there any possibility that the majority leader will change his position?”

  “I don’t know. I called his office to arrange a meeting for later today, but they said he wasn’t in yet.”

  “What can we do?”

  “Absolutely nothing. We just need to let this play out. Your buddy George thinks the majority leader has a messiah complex and that his brain is pickled, which is probably true. Hell, half the politicians in this town hate Lee Thompson, and the other half are scared to death of him. We all know the senate bill will be tabled when it gets to the house and that months of hard work will go down the drain. There are no options at this point except to pick it up again after the midterm elections. It’s obvious that Senator Thompson is just using this to propel himself into another term in office. He’ll ride it as long as it helps him.”

  “The delay of this legislation will certainly make the Chinese happy,” Barbara said.

  “Maybe I should use that point with Senator Thompson. He hates the devils, as he refers to them. I’ll let you know what happens after my meeting with the senator. I suggest we look to see if there’s anything I can do as president through regulations or executive orders while we wait this out. My predecessors seem to have used that avenue quite a bit. Maybe I can as well.”

  “We can look at that, but it isn’t very popular in Congress or the courts these days. Congress and the electorate have become very suspicious of presidents who try to go around the legislative process. I’m not certain that we should take on that fight in your first term, Joe.”

  “You mean if I do, it could be my last term?”

  “Something like that.”

  “Is there anything else we need to discuss, Barbara?”

  “Yes, it looks like the Philip Wu murder was premeditated, and that he was targeted and killed by at least two assailants.”

  “My God, to what end?”

  “We aren’t certain sir,” James said. “Shelly Brockner believes he could’ve been targeted because of the work he’d been doing with NSA and Cyber Command. The FBI found evidence of an SUV that bypassed the gatehouse to get to and from the Wu residence where he was killed. They’re also checking rental car agencies where the vehicle could’ve been rented.”

  “That’s terrible. We need to give this investigation our highest priority.”

  Just then the president’s secretary buzzed his phone. He listened for a few seconds and his eyes widened before he said, “Get the details, and please make sure Shelly is notified immediately. Has anyone notified his family? Thanks, Andrea. Please get me his wife’s phone number and find out the arrangements when they’re made.”

  After hanging up, the president turned to James and Barbara.

  “Senator Lee Thompson was found dead at his home by one of his staffers this morning after missing an important vote. It looks like a heart attack brought on by excessive alcohol consumption. His body has been taken for autopsy by the DC medical examiner.”

  Everyone was stunned. Barbara broke the silence. “I’ll put together a respectful press release, Joe.”

  “I’m sure that’ll be difficult, Barbara. But we need to respect the office, if not the man, and give this the deference it deserves. Please determine which candidates are likely to take Senator Thompson’s place as majority leader. I
’ll need a complete dossier on each by tomorrow morning.”

  “Sure, Joe. I guess this will change all of our priorities.”

  “Yes, it certainly will. I hope there’s nothing more we need to address today. I have things to do, and I’m sure the both of you do, too.”

  James momentarily thought about telling the president about his leave of absence, but decided it was not the right time. The evidence indicating that Philip may have been murdered and the sudden death of Senator Thompson had just changed everything.

  7

  George Solomon was in his office when he got a call from one of his lawyers.

  “Good morning, George, this is Jason Fisher.”

  “Hello, Jason. How are you doing today?”

  “I’m fine. Have you seen the news?”

  “Not since earlier this morning. Has something happened?”

  “Senator Thompson was found dead in his home this morning. They believe it was natural causes. It’s on every news channel.”

  “Thanks, Jason. I’m turning on the TV. I’ll talk with you later.”

  As the TV came on, George said, “CNN,” and the TV displayed a reporter doing a live report from Georgetown. He listened as the reporter said, “Senator Thompson was found dead in his home this morning by his longtime friend and campaign manager, Alex Travon, when he didn’t show up for a vote on the senate version of the foreign cyber-attack bill. Mr. Travon had a key to the house and found the senator on a couch in his living room. The death has been listed at this time as being due to natural causes, and the vote has been postponed because of his death.”

  George locked his office door and poured himself a glass of champagne to celebrate. The country, his state, and his family were better off without the bastard, thought George. He buzzed his assistant, Nadya Murin.

  “Have you heard the news about the majority leader, Nadya?”

  “Yes, George. How could you miss it? It’s all over the media.”

  “I need to talk with you. Please hold all my calls and come to my office.”

  “I’ll be right there.”

  George was scanning through the news channels on his TV when Nadya walked into his office.

  “Close the door, Nadya. We need to develop a plan on how we can take advantage of this turn of events.”

  “If you’re planning on making a statement to the press, I suggest you don’t. The majority leader had friends and associates that you don’t want to alienate.”

  “I doubt he had any real friends, just sycophants and dependents. But that’s not what I wanted to talk about. We need to determine who the front-runners are in the senate to replace him and who the White House is backing. I need to know if it’s someone we can work with, and the best way to do that.”

  Nadya breathed a sigh of relief. “Okay, the first part will be easy. I’ll have a list of the top five likely candidates to you along with dossiers in two hours. Finding out who the president will back is much more difficult, George.”

  “I know. The president and Barbara Chang will never tell me anything, given our current relationship. We need to find someone else who might know.”

  “What about James Jordan? As Federal CIO, he’s a senior member of the White House staff and also a close friend of the president. He might be able to find out.”

  “I doubt the president would discuss it with him since it has nothing to do with James’s position as Federal CIO. Even if he did, James would never tell me, and I have nothing on him that would allow me to coerce him into finding out.”

  “True, but you did introduce James to his current girlfriend, Senator JoAnn Young. I hear that she’s very close to James, and is also well respected by her senate colleagues. She could be involved in the selection process.”

  “It’s a possibility, but JoAnn is very independent. She left our firm to start her own very successful hedge fund, even after I offered her a vice presidency and a ton of money to stay.”

  Nadya frowned. “I remember that. You offered her more than I was making. I also recall that you sent her a lot of customers when she was struggling in her first year. She owes you, George.”

  “Okay. I’ll call James and see if he and JoAnn will meet me for dinner tonight at Michelle’s. They seem to love that place.”

  George called James’s office and was told that he was out for the rest of the day. He then tried James’s personal cell phone, but it went directly to voice mail, so he left a message. George also thought about calling JoAnn but rejected that idea, since he heard the senate was in caucus after the death of the majority leader. The whole government is probably on hold because of the death of such a useless bastard as Senator Thompson, George thought.

  After his meeting with the president, James went back to his office and turned on the TV. The local stations were still just reporting the basic facts of the majority leader’s death, but Fox News was interviewing a doctor who was describing a possible cause. James listened intently as the doctor said, “The majority leader was rumored to be a severe diabetic and used insulin to control it. I believe that’s likely, based on his weight and known family history. Alcohol can cause blood sugar to become seriously elevated; and if the senator was very intoxicated, he could’ve accidentally taken a lethal overdose of insulin. It’s been known to happen with diabetics after drinking alcohol.” Here we go with the rumors and conspiracies, James thought.

  It was twelve thirty, and James needed to be at VSI by two p.m. He grabbed two energy bars out of his desk drawer and headed to his car. James walked into VSI a few minutes early and showed his identification. He was escorted into the large conference room on the first floor with a huge oval conference room table. Theresa Killian, Christopher Hoffman, and Tom Allen were sitting on one side of the table. James thought they looked nervous as he took a seat on the other side. After some small talk, James started the meeting.

  “The other day I was called into the FBI director’s office to discuss Philip’s death. During the discussion she said that she contacted VSI for information and was told that Philip was working with NSA to develop an Advanced Persistent Threat. When the hell did VSI start working with the government to develop cyber weapons?”

  Christopher was the first of the group to respond.

  “VSI wasn’t involved at all in those projects. They were outside projects between Philip, NSA, and Cyber Command; we know nothing about them. They were awarded to him, not VSI, on a sole-source basis as ‘black projects.’ The funding line items are themselves classified. No one at VSI has the clearance to know what they’re about. Theresa had to be cleared for top secret just to access Philip’s schedule at Fort Meade. She was also provided a secure cell phone to contact him while he was there.”

  “Thanks, Chris. When did this happen, and why wasn’t I told?”

  “It happened about two months after you left VSI to become Federal CIO,” Tom said. “Philip made it clear to all of us that it was his personal business and that no one, including you, was to know about it or be part of it. I’ve no idea why he was working with the feds. I’m sure he wasn’t enjoying it. We all believe he was being coerced, but we don’t know how. Philip doesn’t seem like someone with skeletons in his closet. You knew him better than we did, boss.”

  “No skeletons that I know of, Tom. Philip was about as straight up as they come. Who in the federal government is running these projects that Philip was involved with?”

  “All we know is that it’s someone high up in NSA or Cyber Command,” Theresa said. “We have no names, but I’m sure you could get that information from the president. If you do, don’t tell us. Whoever it is, we don’t want to know.”

  “Don’t worry, Theresa, this conversation is private. I promise all of you that it goes no further than the people in this room.”

  “Or the people bugging this room,” Tom said, as he frowned.

  “What do you mean by that, Tom? Do you believe that someone is electronically monitoring this facility?” James asked in a ch
allenging manner.

  “We aren’t certain, but we all have the feeling that it might be happening. There have been a number of unusual events. We believe someone was trying to gather information on our technology. I have no evidence that they succeeded,” Tom responded.

  James slowly stood up, and with his palms on the table he leaned toward Tom with a concerned look on his face.

  “What events? When did this occur? Why wasn’t I informed?” James asked, raising his voice.

  Tom was startled. He’d never seen James that angry. Tom gathered himself and said, “It started right after you left. Our corporate network administrator, Tony Maxwell, was offered a government job at the Pentagon. The weird thing was that he said that he never applied for the job. He took it because the salary was about the same as here, but it was much closer to his family and friends. We hired a replacement who was here about a month, and then he just disappeared. I was suspicious, so I looked at the network logs after he left and found evidence of attempts to get information beyond his authorization level. He was denied access by our security systems.”

  “Did you inform Philip?” James asked, in a calmer voice.

  “Yes, and he was not happy. I asked him if you should be informed. He said no, and that he would take care of it.”

  “Did you find out what happened to Tony’s replacement?”

  “He doesn’t exist. We checked out all his personal contacts and none of them were real. His name and social security number belonged to a guy in North Carolina whose identification was stolen.”