California Triangle

by Uzi Eilam

  “Let’s say,” Richman said, “the foundation is interested in showing goodwill and will demonstrate how serious our intentions are.”

  The waiter came to the table to suggest dessert, recommending baked quinces and calorie-packed baklava. An ornate bronze finjan coffeepot arrived at the table with bitter but fragrant coffee, along with small cups.

  “And how high does this goodwill reach?” Gideon said, in complete contrast with his nature and way of doing things.

  “We were thinking an advance payment of around seventy thousand dollars,” Richman responded. “What do you say to that?”

  “I don’t know.” Gideon hesitated. “I may be taking quite a risk, giving you material that belongs to the institute…”

  “We’re prepared to compromise and compensate you for the risk,” Richman continued negotiating. “Can we agree on the round sum of one hundred thousand?”

  Gideon wasn’t used to discussing such large amounts, but the simulation exercises in Israel had prepared him for that too. His face betrayed nothing. He answered, “I’m not sure I’m doing the right thing… But I agree to an advance on that scale.”

  He slowly pulled out a ten-page printed document from his briefcase and placed it on the table beside him. He gauged their reactions carefully. Ryan reached his hand out for the document but immediately pulled it back. Richman licked his dry lips, and Miles just stared at the document.

  “Edward!” Miles said to Richman. “The gift for Dr. Ben-Ari!”

  Richman picked up an elegant Samsonite case, released the lock code, and handed it to Gideon, his head bowed. Gideon opened the case and caught a glimpse of the bundles of hundred-dollar bills that filled it. This is something you only see in the movies, he thought and made more of an effort to appear unfazed.

  “The case contains the full amount that we discussed,” Richman said. “And as Dr. Miles said earlier, we’ll discuss further research later. You’ll find that the foundation is very generous.” He tried with all his might to sound convincing.

  Those bastards figured I’d stop at one hundred thousand, and prepared the exact amount in cash, Gideon noted. He grabbed the handle of the briefcase and stood up. The meeting ended with handshakes and good wishes for further fruitful collaboration. The case was heavy, and when he walked toward the bicycle stand near the entrance to the restaurant, he wondered how he’d carry it all the way home.

  35.

  The Congregation Etz Chayim’s synagogue on Alma Street in Palo Alto was full to capacity on Rosh Hashanah eve. Michael and Barbara attended services regularly and took part in Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur prayers. The Goldman and Ben-Ari families had honorary reserved seats in the front row, thanks to the generous contributions that Michael had made over the years. The hall was buzzing before the service, and Michael went from one person to another, proud to tell everyone about Gideon’s trip.

  “Dr. Ben-Ari recently returned from a visit to Israel. He was invited to important, confidential meetings,” he announced, puffing his chest out.

  Gideon didn’t feel comfortable but accepted Michael’s need to boast. He felt indebted to him and made an effort to talk to his father-in-law’s acquaintances. Suddenly, he noticed Nurit and Yudke walking in. He asked Michael’s forgiveness and went over to them. He noticed how great Nurit looked in a designer dress and wondered why he’d never seen her wear it before. She had great taste, her clothes far above those she’d worn at the kibbutz. He found it hard to believe that Yudke would spend much on clothes, judging from the old-fashioned suit that he’d also worn to the concert. How can she afford it?

  “Happy New Year.” Gideon smiled. “What a pleasant surprise to see you.”

  “Happy New Year to us all,” Yudke said heartily.

  “Yes, Happy New Year, Gideon,” Nurit said without looking directly at him. “Are you here without your family?”

  “We’re all here, Nurit.” Gideon tried to sound natural. “I saw you come in and came over to say hello.”

  “Amen, amen,” Yudke said, surprising him.

  She looks troubled, Gideon thought, and she can’t hide it. For a change, Yudke sounds more outgoing and relaxed than ever. I really should meet with him more often, if only to continue working on the compatibility between Callnet and my algorithm. In fact, I could use some of the self-confidence that this nerdy, stable person exudes. Perhaps it’ll help me lose the black cloud closing in on me.

  “You disappeared on us,” Barbara said with maternal concern. “The service is about to start…”

  “Oh… I saw the Avni family come in. Do you remember them? Yehuda and Nurit. I went over to wish them a happy New Year.”

  “Yes. That Israeli engineer,” Michael said, coming to life. “We met them at your concert.”

  Suzy held onto Gideon’s arm without saying a word.

  While the cantor enchanted the congregation with his singing, Gideon turned his head to look back, listening to an inner voice that compelled him to. He quickly scanned the crowd and saw a familiar face. Bill Abrahams? What the heck is he doing here?

  Bill never mentioned being observant, but he was wearing a large black skullcap and a prayer shawl that covered his short body from head to toe. His diligent research assistant noticed his astonished gaze and nodded his head while mumbling the words of the prayer.

  “Who did you see?” Suzy whispered to him, noticing his sharp movements. “What happened?”

  “Bill Abrahams, my research assistant, is here,” Gideon whispered, “I’ll introduce you later.”

  Gideon couldn’t concentrate on the service. He couldn’t stop thinking about Bill’s unexpected appearance at their synagogue, wondering how he’d landed up attending such a small intimate service when there were so many others to choose from. I really don’t know much about him, other than what he told me. He’s very quiet. Maybe I should try to get closer to him? In comparison, Bob speaks freely, even openly criticizing me and our research. I still haven’t worked out what drives him. Does he have something against me? Perhaps he’s against the military side of our research…

  As soon the service was over, Gideon rushed over to Abrahams. “Hi, Bill. Happy New Year. What a surprise!” He shook the young man’s damp hand. “I haven’t seen you here before. What good spirit brought you here?”

  “Uh… A few students I study with recommended Etz Chayim. I never skip Rosh Hashanah prayers.”

  “Come with me,” Gideon said enthusiastically, “and meet my family.” He took Bill by the arm and led him through the crowd that was streaming out to where Michael and Barbara were still sitting with Suzy.

  As soon as Gideon had finished introducing everyone, Michael went straight into action and started interrogating Bill about his family, studies, and work at the institute. Bill seemed embarrassed by the flood of questions and answered weakly. Michael didn’t slow down.

  “Michael, leave the boy alone!” Barbara scolded her husband. “It’s Rosh Hashanah, not just any old day.”

  “Can we invite you to join us for a festive dinner?” Barbara looked at Bill who looked at her thankfully. “I’ve cooked enough for an army…”

  “No thanks, Mrs. Goldman,” Bill said politely. “I’ve been invited for another Rosh Hashanah dinner. I wish I could come, but I have to get moving. Happy New Year to all of you.” He smiled gratefully and left.

  Yudke and Nurit came over, and Gideon noticed that Yudke seemed to be dragging Nurit along.

  “So what do you wish for the New Year?” Michael went straight into action.

  Gideon didn’t take his eyes off Nurit, who lowered her own and hesitated.

  “I’m hoping that the New Year will bring the successful conclusion of all our projects,” Yudke said.

  “And what about you, Mrs. Avni?” Michael asked. “What are you hoping for?”

  Gideon felt a shiver run down his spine. Why i
s he badgering her? What kind of answer can she give him? She can’t really tell him the truth…

  “I’m hoping to complete my doctoral dissertation at Berkeley,” Nurit whispered without adding anything further.

  ***

  After Barbara’s rich meal ended, Gideon couldn’t fall asleep, despite the time. It wasn’t the gefilte fish that Barbara had learned to make from Michael’s Polish mother, nor her roast beef, which was marvelous. Suzy was already fast asleep, and Gideon got up quietly so as not to disturb her. He poured himself a glass of milk and sat on the balcony of their floor, wrapped in a robe against the morning chill. The night had been calm, unlike the waves of thoughts that flooded him.

  What can I wish myself for the New Year? he asked himself, voicing the question that Michael had asked earlier at synagogue. I’m not sure that my research and algorithm that I’ve pinned all my hopes on will even work. The Iranians are like a thick black cloud hanging over my head, like the nightmares I had as a kid. And another cloud has unfolded to darken my relationship with Nurit, who seems more distant every day… And what’s going to happen at the institute? Will Deutsch continue to protect me? He also doesn’t look that great these days.

  He refused to carry on thinking about Nurit and Suzy. I must focus on the main issues facing me—first and foremost, my research at the institute. I’m going to pave the road to successful completion of the algorithm, he promised himself, and everything else will work out.

  Suzy was fast asleep, and Gideon lay down carefully on the bed. He fell asleep with renewed hope to find the strength for the New Year.

  36.

  As Gideon rode to the institute the next morning, he thought about everything that was happening around him. The series of threats haunting Nurit was the first thing that came to mind. Who would want to threaten her? How much of their attempt to get their hands on Yudke’s secrets were connected to her? And maybe I’m to blame too, and my algorithm is also part of it?

  The incident with the worm on Nurit’s computer had been dealt with, but the threats hadn’t ended there. Will our algorithm really be enough to improve our missile defense system? How can we be sure the algorithm will be able to handle multiple simultaneous threats? After all, no one has actually tried it. And is our software protected against cyber threats, or is there a Trojan horse or worm hiding there too? And talking about computer bugs, why did Bill suddenly appear at our synagogue? What synagogue did he attend in previous years?

  After parking his bike by the entrance to the facility, he thought about asking the computer team to check the software that his algorithm was based on. I’ll talk to Deutsch first, he decided. I’m sure he’ll support the idea.

  Nancy was in before him. “Hi, Gideon, good morning!” she said with a toothy smile. “You’re in early today. Any special reason?”

  “Good morning to you too, Nancy,” Gideon replied without taking his eyes off her tight knit dress. “I wanted to have a short chat with Gerald this morning. Can you buzz me when he arrives?”

  “Sure, Gideon. In the meantime, can I spoil you with a cup of coffee?”

  “Thanks, Nancy, you’re the best.” Gideon smiled for the first time that morning.

  His familiar and comfortable office helped him relax. He sat down and wrote down a few main points to discuss with Deutsch. He’d have to mention the worm they’d found in Nurit’s computer, even though he wasn’t sure how to bring it up. Nancy knocked lightly on his door and came in carrying a tray with a cup of fragrant coffee and a plate of fresh Danishes.

  “Now that’s a real treat, Nancy.” Gideon’s eyes lit up. “Thanks! What a great way to start the day!”

  Shortly after she left, a familiar knock at the door interrupted his thoughts. He was still thinking about the potential dangers to their research. Deutsch opened the door, full of energy and with a smile on his face.

  “Morning, Gideon,” he said. “Nancy said you wanted a word. Are you free now?”

  “Morning, Gerald, yes—if you have a few minutes,” Gideon replied without trying to hide the tension in his voice.

  “Talk,” Deutsch said as he sat down opposite him.

  “I’ll begin at the end, Gerald,” Gideon said, grabbing the bull by the horns. “I’m considering—if you agree, of course—asking our computer team to check the program for the algorithm with a fine-toothed comb.”

  “Did anything in particular happen? Is there a basis for your concern? Our systems are secured by the most current and innovative methods, as you know.”

  Gideon looked at Deutsch’s face. “I don’t have anything concrete, Gerald, but I’ve been walking around lately with a bad feeling about our research.”

  “Can you elaborate?” Deutsch asked.

  “It all began with an incident that seemingly doesn’t involve us. Something happened to a doctoral student at the University of Berkeley, Nurit Avni…an especially violent worm in her computer…”

  “Is she Dr. Avni’s wife? I met her at the concert, if I remember right. How does this concern you?”

  “We’ve known each other for many years, and she asked for my help when she received threats on her computer.” Gideon squirmed. “When I brought her computer to our team, they found a new, dangerous worm. They took care of it with impressive professionalism.”

  “And that’s all?”

  Gideon chose his words carefully. “Another thing. During my trip to Israel, I received a detailed briefing on the dangers of cyber attacks. I can’t point to anything in our software. It’s behaving perfectly,” Gideon continued hesitantly, “but I have a bad gut feeling. Is there any problem conducting further tests here?”

  “No, Gideon, I see no reason for Thomas and his team not to take care of it,” Deutsch said without hesitation. “We have to be absolutely certain.” Deutsch was thinking about the reprimand that the institute had received from the FBI for slack security. “You can talk to them directly and tell them that it’s my decision.”

  ***

  In the evening, when the institute had emptied out, Gideon was called to Deutsch’s office. Thomas and another member of his team were there too, and they looked concerned.

  “Thomas, could you describe again what you found?” Deutsch said.

  “All right. Gideon, it turns out that your fears were justified. We worked on your software all day and found a complex problem. We identified it in part, and we know that there’s been a cyber penetration. We don’t have the capability of dealing with this in full at the institute. We need powerful computers for such a heavy job, the kind that only the Pentagon and perhaps the FBI have. Dr. Deutsch, I recommend talking to the FBI first and handing this issue over to them to handle. I guess we’ll have to install an upgraded software protection system from the FBI after they crack the problem.”

  “I see,” Gideon said with mixed feelings. “It’ll probably take a few days…”

  “I’ll have a word with some people I know there,” Deutsch said, “and ask them to give us priority. It’s in their interest too.”

  “What do I tell my assistants?” Gideon asked. “In my opinion, we shouldn’t involve them in this. The project still has sensitive areas that I don’t share with them.”

  “They shouldn’t be involved in this, Gideon,” Deutsch said. “Find an elegant way to continue working without letting them in on this.”

  ***

  Gideon found waiting for the results from the FBI nerve-racking. He gave his assistants more time off, encouraging them to attend university lectures. He set up an urgent meeting with Yoni at the consulate without elaborating. Yoni was waiting for him by the security guard at the entrance and led him straight to the secure room.

  Yoni got straight to the point. “What’s getting to you, Gideon?”

  “I had my suspicions, which turned out to be justified—regarding a cyberattack on our research files at the institute
.”

  “You mean the problem that Dr. Deutsch informed the FBI of?” Yoni said, surprising him.

  “So you’re already in the picture? So quickly?”

  “Yes. O’Connor filled me in, and I know they’ve given it top priority. Was there anything else you wanted to tell me?”

  “Nothing special, Yoni,” Gideon responded, “and I’d like to say I’m glad that I acted on my gut feelings…”

  “But?”

  “But when you connect the worm in Nurit Avni’s computer with the threats on her computer and with the cyber attack on the institute, there’s only one conclusion to reach—New Horizons must also be checked.” Gideon stopped and noticed a twinkle in Yoni’s eyes.

  “Good thinking, Gideon,” Yoni said, praising him. “I admit, I haven’t given it much thought, and there’s logic to what you’re saying. Let’s wait until the FBI completes the tests and decide then what best to do about Yudke’s project.”

  Yoni’s secretary knocked lightly on the door before opening it. “O’Connor’s on the line. He says it’s urgent.”

  “I’ll take the call in my office,” Yoni said and walked out.

  Gideon tensed up and waited impatiently for his return.

  “O’Connor asked us to come over immediately,” Yoni announced when he came back. “They have the test results, and they wanted to update us. Dr. Deutsch and a couple of others from the institute are on their way to San Francisco.”

  Gideon felt his stomach turn over as it always did before military operations. “This is outright war, Yoni,” he said. “Only this time it’s in a completely different arena from the wars we remember.”

  “In war as in war,” Yoni said as they entered O’Connor’s office. Gideon noticed Dr. Deutsch and two members of the computer team and nodded to them. O’Connor and three other FBI people were sitting around the long conference table.

  “Hello, all, and welcome,” O’Connor began without introduction. “Thank you for being here on such short notice. It’s important to us to present the findings of the cyber attack tests we performed, so we can determine a course of action to provide us with the security we need for further research in missile defense.” He stopped for a moment and looked around. They were all hanging on his every word. “Jeff,” he said to Special Agent Jeffrey Williams, “I suggest you brief them on what you found.”