Wanda

by carl smothers

  “Pepper, its time to start the final integration sequences,” Carmen said. “I’m not going to use voice. It’s too easy for a symbol to be misinterpreted, and there is no time for reentry.”

  “I agree, but voice is faster.”

  Carmen didn’t respond. Her fingers flew over the keys in a blur. She focused intently, and Pepper watched in amazement. This woman works like a machine. I can’t follow her data entry. I hope she’s accurate.

  “Five minutes to uplink.”

  Carmen started the final integration of the field equations with the virus routines.

  “Uplink in three minutes.”

  As Harry studied Carmen, he thought, it’s amazing how the fate of the U.S. depends on the skill of this young woman. I sure hope she’s up to it. I bet it’s never occurred to her that she could fail. He blinked several times. I hope to hell she doesn’t.

  “Uplink will occur in two minutes.”

  “Mr. President,” Holmes said, “I think we have to be prepared for plan B in about forty-five seconds.”

  “I understand, General,” the President replied from his hardened command and control room.

  “We’re going to get it in time, sir!” Harry responded in an excited tone.

  Carmen still had a hill to climb. Her teammates watched in awe as she entered the data at an uncanny speed. She seemed unaffected by the time and silently worked with the computers, seemingly oblivious to the extreme situation. As she completed the final command entry, she looked at Pepper and smiled.

  “Sixty seconds to uplink. All code sequences are in place.”

  Carmen turned to Harry with a look of relief, the most emotion she had shown throughout the ordeal.

  Weapon Facility

  Waziristan Valley, Pakistan

  General Sone monitored progress as Lieu set the final sequences in place.

  “General, we’re ready to attack.”

  “Proceed. Let’s get this over with,” Sone said with a smirk.

  The system was on-line, and the large world targeting display showed the black hole forming over the valley. General Sone smiled and waited while watching the big board. Not long now, he thought.

  “Start the final coordinate download from WNS,” Lieu ordered.

  The navigation operator gave the final request. The computer sent the request to the WNS system. As planned, when the request was received by the satellites on-board computer, it was rerouted to STL.

  Pentagon/STL

  Command and Control Center

  Washington, D.C.

  “We have intercepted the coordinate request to WNS from the Waziristan computer complex. Initiating virus integration sequence.”

  Once it accomplished the final handoff, the computer announced:

  “Handshake with WNS has been accomplished. Code uplink completed.”

  “General Holmes, our modifications worked!” Harry exclaimed. “We’ve delivered the package.”

  Holmes checked the satellite topography downlinks. They had done everything possible. Now it was a wait and see situation. This is nuts. I would’ve bombed those bastards. Damn, my left arm is killing me.

  The antimatter and RFG satellite launch platforms targeting coordinates had been uplinked and both would be ready to fire when the president commanded. It would take fifteen seconds for the high-speed missiles to impact the Waziristan Valley once the red button was pushed.

  Igor Romanoff sweated profusely. In a very calm voice, he asked. “Harry, how long until we know this is going to work?”

  “Computer, how long will it take them to get everything in place and get the black hole on target? Please give us a time reference.”

  “The time is 10 minutes, 58.321 seconds.”

  The president sat with his finger one-quarter of an inch from the red button. I’d hate to push this hideous button, but if I don’t see something concrete shortly, I’ll do it. He had entered his authorization codes. He checked the satellite weapons status board and everything was green. The missiles were ready to go.

  Weapon Facility

  Waziristan Valley, Pakistan

  In cyberspace, the virus the team had incorporated was undergoing a transformation and was beginning to execute its routines to compile itself. The MOA AI virus scanners prowled through the system and began to get suspicious of the strange unscheduled utility programs popping up from clock time to clock time. As it sniffed around, one scanner routine detected a bit pattern that, while it was not exactly to its invasive specs, appeared close enough. Its fuzzy logic made the connection, and the scanner attacked the virus kernel.

  It first tried to isolate the kernel and block off all transfer and jump routines it might use to escape. The kernel tried to employ a stochastic jump and interrupt maneuver, but the scanner had it isolated, in its claws, holding on tenaciously.

  The black hole moved closer to its target, only minutes left before the monster devoured Washington. General Sone watched the big board with glee and rubbed his hands together in anticipation of his greatest victory.

  “Five minutes to target.”

  Things were getting intense. The MOA scanner blocked off all avenues of escape for the virus kernel. Attack and counter attack operations occurred at trillions of operations per second. The AI scanner and the virus created attack and counter attack strategies as they went. The scanner finally made a mistake. The virus quickly cut off its communications with the supervisory program, preventing it from getting help from other subroutines.

  Having a few spare clock times, the kernel compiled additional parts of its code. Using its enhanced capabilities, it was able to quarantine the scanner. The antivirus routine tried every escape tactic in its library, but to no avail. Finally, it reverted to its last ditch routine: a trap program designed to fool the virus into thinking the scanner had ceased its attack, followed by an engulfment strategy.

  This was the scanner’s Achilles heel, and a key part of Carmen’s design strategy. Once the scanner employed the trap routine, the kernel inverted it and used it to compartmentalize the scanner. As the antivirus program lost the battle, the virus devoted more CPU time to compile the rest of its code. Even thought the kernel could now protect itself, further attacks would seriously affect the integration time and possibly allow the monster to reach target.

  The black hole continued to make headway toward Washington. In less than five minutes, it would be in place, and the carnage would begin.

  Pentagon/STL

  Command and Control Center

  Washington, D.C.

  “Harry,” the general asked. “When should we see this thing?”

  “Any second now. Computer, time reference please.”

  “The time reference is 4 minutes, 39.545 seconds to closure.”

  The President’s trembling finger was on the red button. He had never experienced this degree of stress. His finger put a slight pressure on the launch control button. My gut tells me to push the button, but my mind says wait. God … please help me to make this decision. He bit his lip and took several deep breaths. It didn’t help.

  Weapon Facility

  Waziristan Valley, Pakistan

  The virus freed itself from the battle with the scanner and began to finish compiling its code. Time was running out. Once its code finalized, the virus incorporated the new field and matter generator equations software code, modified the navigation algorithms and changed the steering coordinates. It closed the back door. The black hole halted its movement towards Washington.

  Pentagon/STL

  Command and Control Center

  Washington, D.C.

  “Three minutes to attack.”

  Holmes fought with himself to keep from demanding the President push the red button. All he could do was watch. The black hole had appeared on the displays. Fortunately, it was not in attack position. He was nearly livid, but years of command had taught him to hide his emotions, no matter how intense. He clinched his teeth tightly to conceal his anxiety. His arm was
hurting even worse.

  If it were me, I would push that damn button right now. Screw the Pakistanis. I love America, and I’m not about to let these sons of bitches destroy her without one hell of a fight. Damn it, Mister President, push the button!

  The STL and Pentagon teams watched and waited. General Holmes and Harry had patched in the satellites for views of the Waziristan Valley, Washington, D.C. and Brussels. The ominous black hole was nearly in position, but had stalled. Did that mean the virus was working? Harry prayed silently that it was. This was more frightening than his first encounter with the wormhole during the early phases of the program.

  Everyone watched the displays, but no one said anything. The black hole had not moved. It sat in one spot as if it was trying to decide what to do.

  Something’s going on. They wouldn’t stop the attack here, Harry thought.

  “Two minutes to attack.”

  The President’s hand shook as he lightly pushed the red button that would initiate the RFG attack and signal the satellites to deliver their payloads. He shook his head in disbelief and thought; I hoped I would never have to do this. God help me. He backed off.

  Within two minutes, the black hole would be in position. He bit his lip and waited. His finger moved back to the red button. He caught himself and pulled away again. Like everyone else, he had to sit there and wait for some computer code to save millions of people from death, and the world from dropping into a state of chaos. He would have less than one minute to react.

  “Harry, how much longer?” Holmes asked.

  “If the virus worked, we should see the black hole reversing course right … now!”

  “Attack ETA is now 25.126 seconds.”

  “Mr. President, push that damn button!” Holmes yelled. “Attack is imminent!”

  Chapter 74

  Weapon Facility

  Waziristan Valley, Pakistan

  “So far so good, Dr. Lieu,” Sone said. “It should only be a few seconds before the attack begins.”

  “We shall see.” As Lieu scanned the status displays, he noticed something was wrong. Unscheduled changes appeared to be taking place. “Computer run a scan and evaluate any changes in the field and matter synthesizers’ code.”

  “Working. The matter generators and field synthesizers are working to the design equations.”

  “Computer, check the code against the original version dated 1.2. 2256.”

  “The equations have been modified.”

  “We’ve been hacked,” Lieu shouted. “Someone worked a reverse strategy. We’ve been attacked in a manner similar to the one we used to steal the original system designs.” Clever, he thought as he studied the metrics board. I underestimated them.

  “Computer, the navigation algorithms are changing the orientation of the weapon. Please check the navigation algorithms.”

  “The algorithms have been changed.”

  Nervous, Lieu knew the answer, but had to ask. “Computer, what are the new coordinates?”

  “This facility.”

  Sone jumped up and yelled at Lieu, “What’s wrong here? Fix it now or we all die.”

  “Computer, change the coordinates back to those initially programmed.” Lieu ordered.

  “Access to these subroutines is blocked. There is no way to make changes. All avenues of recovery have been evaluated, and there are none.”

  The general screamed and ran for the elevators to escape. Lieu looked up at the world-targeting map and saw the black hole reversing its course to converge on their location. The monster would attack in a matter of minutes.

  There was no need to run or hide. Only death was certain at this point, and there was no escape, nowhere to run.

  Lieu sat in his chair, watched the map and laughed hysterically. The sound was deafening. He cupped his hands over his ears to muffle it, screaming with fear and pain.

  The monster was tearing the facility to pieces, atom-by-atom. Debris flew, and the monster they had released was now intent on killing them. It did not care where it fed … just that it did.

  Lieu gazed up at the ravenous demon from hell that had come to devour him. He laughed aloud.

  I guess the monster I created is now going to destroy me. How ironic.

  The gravitational well of the black hole stretched his body like a rubber band, and disassembled it. His pain and suffering was terrible, but brief.

  Once the monster attacked the field and matter synthesizers, an enormous explosion took place. It quickly consumed the energy from the blast and all available matter. With the synthesizers gone, the beast could not sustain itself and it, too, died quickly and quietly.

  The monster and its creator were no more.

  Chapter 75

  Pentagon/STL

  Command and Control Center

  Washington, D.C.

  Grant felt like his personal relief valve was open as he watched the destruction of the Waziristan complex. He removed his hand from the red button, leaned back in his chair and said a prayer of thanks for the deliverance of his nation.

  Holmes and Romanoff stood in his doorway, expressions of relief plastered on their faces. Igor ran his handkerchief across his baldhead.

  “Mr. President, thankfully it’s over and we’ve won,” Holmes said. “Sir, I just want to say how much we all respected your leadership during this crisis.” Holmes then fell to the floor.

  “Igor, what’s wrong?” Grant asked.

  “It looks like he’s had a heart attack.”

  Grant picked up his phone and called the medics. “General Holmes has had a heart attack. Get the medics to my office immediately.”

  The paramedics arrived shortly and stabilized Holmes. “He’s going to be okay, Mr. President.”

  “Thank God. Please keep me informed of his status.”

  The entire STL team cheered wildly when they realized the counter-strategy had worked. They danced around, patted each other on the back and shook hands — happy to be alive.

  Harry and Marc sat silently, trying to come to grips with what had just happened. Harry laughed out-loud, an involuntary reflex to vent the enormous tension.

  “We did it. For a while there, I thought we were going down. I’ve never been so spooked in my life. This was scarier than that time the wormhole went nuts and damn near killed everyone. Wanda saved our butts the first time, and it looks like Carmen has done the same.”

  Still stunned, Marc shook Harry’s hand. “Damn, I r-r-really thought it was all over. Holy shit, I do not even want to think about what could have happened. We beat that son of a bitch Oganda!” He jumped from his chair, shaking his fists in the air.

  The video link rang in. It was President Grant.

  “Yes, Mr. President, how may I help you?” Harry asked. It was hard to hear. The facility was noisy with the celebration.

  The president chuckled. “You already have, Harry. I called to let you know we’re grateful for what you and your team have done. Please tell everyone I send them a sincere congratulation for a job well done. I want to thank each and every one of you for serving your county so well.”

  “Thank you, sir, I’ll do that. We’re all relieved this craziness is over.”

  The President smiled broadly. “So am I. You people did great. Now, take some time off and relax. You’ve earned it.”

  “We’ll do that, sir, but we have an issue that has to be addressed, first.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Before this technology’s deployed, we need to install safeguards to ensure it can never be used as a weapon. We know exactly what to do, and I think it can be accomplished in a few weeks.”

  “Outstanding idea. Please proceed as fast as possible, and send Dr. Robinette and Bill Hart a summary of your approach and timeline.”

  MOA HQ

  Anwar, Pakistan

  Sheik Oganda was working on the marvelous speech he would deliver when he accepted the surrender of the nations. He had spent a lot of time making sure it had the correct phras
ing and terms. It outlined the behavior of the heads of state and their general military officers as they bowed before him and surrendered their swords. As he smugly reviewed the document, Yasaid walked in.

  “Your Highness. I have bad news.”

  “What? Have we heard from General Sone?”

  Yasaid hesitated. Oganda often shot people who brought him news he didn’t like. He clinched his fists.

  “Your Grace, the attack has failed.”

  The sheik sprang from his chair with the look of a mad man and screamed, “What do you mean, failed? Get General Sone on the video link immediately!” He hissed.

  Yasaid shook with apprehension. “The weapon facility has been completely destroyed. Everyone in it is dead.”