[Alex Hoffmann 02.0] Devil's Move

by Leslie Wolfe

  “It’s probably not going to be explosives.” Lou made his voice heard for the first time that evening. “Because the software is what they care about. They said they didn’t care about hardware, so probably there won’t be bombs inside the devices.”

  “Sure,” Alex said humorously, “and we always believe the bad guys when they give us their word, and there is no such thing as a diversion.” She winked in his direction, softening the lesson. Her protégé needed work.

  “Yeah, but they said hardware could go anywhere, didn’t they?”

  “Yes,” Alex explained, “but that could very well be because they already had the right hardware vendor in play. How do you know if that isn’t the case here?”

  “Umm...a confirmed kill,” Lou said, smiling bitterly and blushing at the same time. “I better shut up then.”

  “No, no, not at all,” Tom encouraged him. “What do you think about what you heard here tonight?”

  “I heard a few very scary things. If the deaths were not random or coincidental, they were executed by a pro, or more than one. Timing a heart attack with this kind of accuracy is top-notch contract work. Expensive. Car crashes are not that hard to get done, but one so clean, on a random rental car and leaving absolutely no evidence behind, that’s also scary. The scariest thing remains how they knew who was against awarding the deal to the offshore vendor.

  “What do you mean?” Tom asked.

  “All these hits had precision. That means there is heavy surveillance deployed in everyone’s homes, offices, computers, phones, cars, everything. To get an op like this done you need months to prep. Makes you wonder when it all started, really. How did DCBI get the contract at first? Was someone else blackmailed to get that contract assigned? How far up or back does this reach? Is this Electionsgate?”

  “Exactly,” Sam agreed. “You think like a spy; you’ve got some serious talent, young man. You know what else we don’t know? Is this deal with the offshore company the entire game or just a piece of a bigger strategy?”

  “How would we even know?” Lou asked.

  “We wouldn’t,” Sam replied, “not until we find out who the players are behind this and what they’re after.”

  “Tom,” Steve asked, “what did Claire say about this? What does she think?”

  “She said I’m a crazy old fool, but she’ll support me and all of you in whatever we decide to do. Richard said essentially the same. If we choose to take this case, he’ll help us all the way.”

  Alex looked at Robert Wilton. He was sunk into his chair, pale, expressionless, staring into nothingness. She felt a wave of empathy for the man who had started this series of events, only wanting to save his wife’s life and ending as a traitor against his country.

  “Mr. Wilton, can you—”

  “It’s Robert, please,” he interrupted.

  “Robert, yes, will you please tell us how you feel about letting us, a group of strangers, deal with this and hold your life in our hands?”

  It was a loaded question. Robert thought a little before answering, his voice unsure and faint.

  “You see, Sam brought me here. He saved my life before, many years ago. He said I could trust you with my life and that he’s going to trust you with his to get this done. I realized that I did a terrible thing. Even though we don’t understand all the implications or what those people want, it’s still a dreadful thing I have done. No doubt about that, and I will have to live with that for the rest of my life, no matter what happens. It’s not about me anymore. I don’t think it ever was. Even more than keeping Melanie safe, I am determined to do whatever it takes to fix this and make it right again. I am not sure we will be able to, but I am definitely hoping you will help me. If anyone can save Melanie, save us, it’s all of you.”

  “Steve, anything else you’d like to add or ask?” Tom probed.

  “I am 100 percent in agreement that something needs to be done. Normally I’d say call the feds and let’s be done, because this job is just too damn risky for us to attempt on our own. It’s too dangerous for Alex to work this case. But if we bow out, whoever’s orchestrating this attack will succeed anyway. Not even later, when they’ll regroup and figure out their Plan B. They’ll win now, when the feds shut down e-vote reform citing security concerns. They will win, because if that happens we will be voting on paper for the rest of our lives. They will steal our progress, our courage to change.”

  Tom turned toward Robert.

  “Robert, we will make a decision tonight. It will probably be a long night. Please allow us time to think though this.”

  Robert stood up and headed toward the door.

  “Whatever you decide, just know that you’re a remarkable group of people. Thank you for hearing me out.”

  “Absolutely. Please go straight to your room and keep in mind every move you make might be monitored. We will be in touch shortly. Try to get some sleep.”

  As soon as the door closed behind him, Alex stood up and starting pacing angrily.

  “Do you guys realize that he might have been set up? To begin with? He doesn’t even realize it. How did they know DCBI would have a vulnerable sourcing leader at the right time to go for this deal?”

  “Oh, my God,” Steve said, “are you saying his wife’s heart disease might have been a setup?”

  “I am saying it’s possible. They definitely know how to give people precisely timed heart attacks.”

  “Interesting idea, definitely worth looking into,” Tom said. “Let’s get back to decision making for now. How do we do this, want to take a vote?”

  Alex felt the sweat break at the roots of her hair. She was scared, yet very excited at the thought of being part of such a bold operation. Oh, God...please let this be the right decision.

  “Can’t believe I’m crazy enough to say this, but I’m willing to do it. I think if I say no, there will be no one else left to say yes the right way and get to the bottom of this. I’d be abandoning you, this team, Robert, and every single individual who will want to cast a vote this November. But I am not a spy...I will need some serious time with Sam to teach me a few tricks. I will need tons of support.”

  She spoke with enthusiasm, an enthusiasm she felt with every fiber in her body and could not explain. I did get stirred up. Tom was right. But I am also certifiable. And scared, she thought. She took a deep breath, then continued, “I would prefer it if I don’t end up dead or in jail. It scares me to even think about that, so I won’t. And I will need a very stiff drink as soon as we’re done here.” She smiled awkwardly. Her hands were trembling, but she felt good about her decision. Screw the bastards.

  “We’re batshit crazy, all of us, but let’s do it,” Brian said. “Can’t believe myself; I have everything a man could dream of, and I’m willing to risk it all because of some patriotically bruised ego by a threat of unknown source and magnitude. Textbook definition of insanity.”

  “Steve?” Tom asked. Steve was back to leaning against his favorite wall, a look of concern wrinkling his forehead.

  “I’m behind you, like I’ve always been, but I’m fearful that we’re getting in over our heads. We’re sending Alex to who knows where, while we’ll be in the safety and comfort of our California office. That just doesn’t seem right.”

  “I’ll be fine,” Alex said. He was protective of her, too protective for a rational business decision, but it did make her feel good.

  “Lou, how about you?” Tom asked.

  “I’m all in. What I wouldn’t do for five minutes alone with whoever thought this shit up,” he replied without any reluctance.

  “OK, then, let’s do this,” Steve said. “Let’s nail whoever’s playing with our country and our future. But if I sense the danger levels are beyond acceptable, I’ll hit the brakes.”

  “Fair enough,” Tom said. “We’re in agreement, then. Let’s hope it’s the right thing to do. Drinks, anyone?”

  They attacked the room’s mini-fridge bar in a tight formation, not wasting an
y time with glasses or ice.

  Alex gulped a shot-size bottle of Martini vermouth and said, “Since we’re all facing mortal peril with this case, and considering tonight might very well be our last night of freedom and relative tranquility, can we at least make the most of our stay in Vegas?”

  ...Chapter 35: Krassner’s Press Conference

  ...Wednesday, January 20, 9:01PM EST (UTC-5:00 hours)

  ...Flash Elections: At a Glance

  ...Nationally Syndicated

  The waving colors of the American flag marked the show’s opening credits, then faded out, leaving the studio image of Phil Fournier in its place.

  “Good evening, everyone. Republican Senator and presidential candidate Doug Krassner held a press conference today, presenting his platform in more detail and answering questions from the press for an unprecedented marathon of almost three hours.

  “Krassner impressed his audience with the very firm stance he holds on many contentious items of general concern, such as immigration reform, healthcare, unemployment, economy, poverty, illiteracy, and defense.

  “Some of Krassner’s views were quite surprising, considering that traditionally Republicans have been more on the side of big business. Despite incorporating platform ideas that are out of alignment with current big business lobbying efforts, Krassner maintains that this platform is actually going to help big business more, by bringing long-term vision and strategy to the forefront.

  “For example, Krassner’s views about immigration state clearly that he will not support a relaxation of the immigration laws, leading to more temporary or permanent foreign workers being allowed to enter the workforce, as long as the American workforce is plagued by long-term unemployment. This single point is an exposed nerve for big business, that has been lobbying for an increased number of temporary visas and the relaxation of immigration limitations and criteria in the effort to secure highly qualified labor at lower cost.

  “Krassner is very aware of this issue and has promised big businesses that he will work with them to make sure their labor needs are solved without prejudice to their interests and without any further prejudice to ‘our wounded and desperate workforce,’ as he called it. When prompted by questions from the media, he quoted thoughtful and compelling solutions, such as a government-funded program to relocate unemployed workers to where the jobs are, including housing buy-back and buy-in aids, significant tax breaks for corporations that choose to establish operations in high-unemployment areas, incentives for telecommuting work arrangements, and professional development programs for the unemployed, where corporations would be invited to participate and train their future workers in exchange for tax breaks. He also proposed tax incentives for corporations that hire young graduates and place them in skill development or apprenticeship programs.

  “Krassner said, and I quote, ‘the problem is that corporations don’t want to spend any time in developing their workers. They expect all new hires to come fully trained for the jobs they are getting. Corporate citizenship has become, for some time, just lip service. A demonstrated, yet often ignored fact remains that a corporation cannot sustain itself long term if the social environment and the health of the community around it are decaying.’”

  The studio monitor rotated through pictures taken at the press conference, showing the charismatic Republican engaging with the press. Phil continued his summary, “Krassner proceeded in the same strong-minded manner to expose his views on healthcare reform. Healthcare reform has been an ongoing battle for many years, and Krassner’s presentation today dedicated ample time to address it. In his view, healthcare needs to undergo a process of, and I quote again, ‘dramatic simplification.’”

  The screen shifted to show footage from the press conference. Krassner’s voice was bold and determined.

  “We have a healthcare law that few people understand, and with a reported twelve-million words on some thirty-thousand pages, even fewer will ever actually read. This is ludicrous. We need to simplify healthcare and build a system that allows people to just get care when they need it. Having developed a piece of legislation the size of a truck was a terrible waste of government money.

  “The two things we do need to control in healthcare are simplification and cost. Do we understand why, if I want to have my cholesterol checked and I don’t have any insurance, the lab will charge me four hundred dollars? But if I go the next day and present my insurance card, the same test only costs $17.50. What’s really going on? How is that acceptable? Wouldn’t you want to find out? How much should cholesterol testing cost?”

  Krassner paused for a second, loosening his tie, then continued. “I believe in the core values of the Republican doctrine, and, based on these values, I believe that we should preserve the unalienable right of the American people to access a healthcare system free of corruption and self-destructive greed. I believe we should look in the right direction when trying to fix healthcare, poverty, and illiteracy. We should go back to our core precepts, the precepts that have been at the cornerstone of our government’s constitution. Because here’s what’s happening: in the maze of healthcare costs that don’t make sense from one patient to the next, and in the wake of a multi-year effort to generate a twelve-million word piece of legislation, we have become weary and unable to remember what we started fighting for. We are defeated.”

  Applause and cheer erupted in the press room. The image faded, returning to Phil Fournier’s studio desk.

  “Yes, they liked it a lot. But it remains to be seen if Krassner, who some are already calling a radical, can secure the nomination from the Republican Party and win the presidential election after threatening a few big-business interests.

  “After today’s press conference, Krassner’s ratings spiked to 41.5 percent. Definitely bold and willing to break patterns, Krassner’s resolve is aided by his personal wealth, making him less dependent on fundraising for his campaign success and less vulnerable to big business pressure. Speaking of breaking patterns, Krassner might have started his press conference attired in a formal business suit, but he ended up losing the jacket and tie and rolling the sleeves of his white shirt to his elbows. Whether that was intentional or not, I guess we’ll never know, but the subliminal message conveyed by his image was loud and clear.

  “We will keep you informed of Krassner’s ratings as today’s message reaches the homes of voting Americans. From Flash Elections, this is Phil Fournier, wishing you a good evening.”

  ...Chapter 36: Work Session

  ...Friday, January 22, 9:27AM PST (UTC-8:00 hours)

  ...Tom Isaac’s Residence

  ...Laguna Beach, California

  Alex had suggested, and they’d all agreed, that the best location to work on their new case was out of Tom’s home, not the corporate office. Too much sensitive information was in play to allow janitorial services or the corporate building’s administrator to set eyes on any of it. She requested a large corkboard and a whiteboard, and Tom had installed those on the wall of his home office. The chic room had lost in style but gained in functionality, giving up elegant wall art and uncluttered real estate in favor of juxtaposed corkboards, a small meeting table, and enough seating for the team. It made for a crowded workspace, but it was the safest place to have conversations about the new case.

  Alex came in carrying colored knitting yarn, a set of dry-erase markers, highlighters, Sharpies, corkboard pins, and sticky notes. She unloaded the supplies on the table and gave a sigh of relief when she noticed the Keurig coffee maker on the small table next to the window. They had everything they needed.

  “She’s here; let’s get started,” Steve called from the doorway, then turned and gave Alex a quick hug. “How are you this morning, doing all right?”

  “Yeah, I guess. It all started sinking in, what we’re about to do, and...yeah, I’m all right. I think I have an idea where to start,” she said, unsure how to express her thoughts.

  “Good morning,” Tom greeted her. “How’s your da
y so far?”

  “Busy,” she responded, gesturing toward the pile of supplies scattered on the table.

  Brian and Sam, houseguests of the Isaacs for the past couple of days, took their seats. Lou, still a little intimidated and uncomfortable in Tom’s home, picked the most distant chair to sit on at the back of the room.

  “All right, let’s hear your approach, Alex. What are your thoughts so far?” Tom invited her to start.

  She took a hurried gulp of fresh coffee and walked toward the whiteboard, marker in her hand. She drew a vertical line on the whiteboard, separating the space into two sections of different sizes, and wrote above the left space “Known” and above the right space “Unknown.”

  “As you can see, we know very few things at this point. We know there’s this guy, Helms, keeping busy to set things up.” She wrote Helms’ name under the Known category. Then she pulled a file folder from her laptop bag and took out a sketched likeness of Helms and pinned it in the higher mid-section of the corkboard. “Steve worked with Robert to get us this sketch. You have talent, Steve,” she complimented him, then went back to the whiteboard. “We know they were behind Melanie Wilton’s transplant. Facilitating it? Definitely. Causing the need for it? Unknown at this point. Do we know what happened to Melanie’s heart? Why did she need a transplant in the first place?”

  “She had congestive heart failure,” Sam said. “I probed discreetly with Robert; I couldn’t bring myself to tell him that he might have been set up before we’re absolutely sure of it.”

  “Yeah, definitely,” Tom agreed. Steve nodded his agreement. There was no need to add to the man’s internal anguish.

  “He said that Melanie started developing heart failure a few months ago, maybe six or seven,” Sam continued. “At first she was more and more tired, unable to sustain the slightest physical effort. For a while she just rested, thinking it would eventually go away. Then they saw a cardiologist, who was able to manage it successfully with medication for three or four months. Then she started accumulating blood in her extremities, abdomen, and lungs. That only evolved a month or so before the transplant, so it was fairly new.”