by C. R. Daems
"Then I got an email saying I was a finalist and eligible to win ten million credits. All I had to do was to go to the website they indicated and sign in using a user ID and password they provided. When I did, I had to answer a bunch of questions about my position and my ability to access the information I claimed the robbers would need. I thought it strange, but they said it was to help the police determine a way to make the gallery safer as well as other similar facilities. I probably shouldn't have—but ten million credits ... and I didn't see the harm, as I wasn't giving them specific details." She stopped and ate a small snack while she awaited some feedback, judging by her increased tension.
"What happened next?" Adrian asked after she washed down the snack with several sips of coffee.
"I heard nothing for a couple of weeks and thought I hadn't qualified for the next round. Then I got the next email, telling me I had qualified for the final round and directing me to a new website. It asked for some very specific information about the gallery ... but nothing like specific paintings or their value or passwords or codes. More like how many alarms in the building but not where ..." She hesitated. "Nothing useful."
She was right: so far, everything she claimed to have given them could have been determined from a month of monitoring the gallery, which was open to the public.
"Then what?" Adrian asked.
"I was told to log on to another site in ten days to find out the results. When I did, I was notified I was one of two finalists. The last test would be a face-to-face interview, and I was given an address and time to meet." She stopped to pour more coffee and to drink before she continued. "When I arrived, a limo was waiting and I was driven out of town to an area where a tent was set up. Inside sat two men with masks on. They said I was eligible to receive ten million credits as soon as I delivered the information they wanted. As a show of good faith, they would pay the ten million in advance. All I had to do was get a safety deposit box. I gave them what they wanted ... I was afraid not to," she said between gasping sobs. "When I hesitated, they insinuated that the people putting up the money would be upset if I didn't provide the information they wanted and might inform the gallery, which would press charges, or my family could be harmed. Alternatively, I could give them the information and be ten million richer."
"Mrs. Atwood," said Adrian, "right now you are cooperating, and that will work to your benefit. Because the robbers may be watching, we're going to let you go home and come back to work tomorrow. Tell your co-workers we questioned you about gallery procedures and then sent you home. If you do anything foolish like contact the robbers or try to flee, you'll destroy yourself and your family."
We had discussed our options, and in the end, we decided to try and keep the raiders in the dark as long as possible, as we were a long way from identifying them. Neither Captain Mitchel nor his superiors liked it, but we had the authority to overrule them.
* * *
"Any ideas on how to proceed?" Adrian asked when we were back on the Vulcan.
"Can we find out who owns the website where the original ad appeared?" Kris asked.
"I tried." Gannon shook his head. "I traced the website to a server, but it turned out to be a dead end. They gave a fake name and address when they rented space on the server for a month, then shut it down. The guy who owns the server never saw the person who rented the space, because he paid with a credit chip, which Captain Mitchel said was a gift card bought with cash."
"The question is whether the intermediary who placed the original ad, and the one who interfaced with Atwood on the Dark Web, and the one she met in person are all the same party who dealt with McCure on Stone Ring and Ms. Simons on Holy Star?" Kris asked.
I hurriedly reviewed the three raids with Red's head lying on my forehead. "I believe ... no, I'm sure there are multiple parties acting as Controllers for the raiders," I said.
"How?" Adrian and Kris both blurted together.
"Look at the timing of the raids." I pointed to the folders, which they stared at but didn't pick up.
"One six months after the first, and the second three months later. I don't see it?" Adrian frowned.
"I made a couple of assumptions ... First that the raiders have a Controller who they drop on a planet to find the next target. Second, that he has to organize a local team: someone to set up the ad on a server and the Dark Web and someone to check out the potential client and their business. He then interviews the client, or maybe someone else interviews the client and gets the details. He then arranges for a meeting with the raiders." I stopped and waited for comments.
"Sounds logical and consistent with what we've found out so far. But how does that lead you to your conclusion?"
"That couldn't possibly take place in less than six months, probably more. So the party on Stone Ring could not have made it to Holy Star and Eastar to organize those raids."
"Anna's right, which means they could have agents ... Controllers on many other UAS planets right now, fishing for the next big raid." Kris's voice rose with each word.
"And that could explain how the raiders set up that attack on Holy Star so quickly. They already had locals they could contact, maybe even a Controller on site at the time, working another client," Adrian said almost to himself. "I like it as a working theory. Any suggestions on how to proceed? We can't access the sites we've identified without potentially alerting the raiders. Even if we could, I doubt it would tell us anything. And the clients don't know anything about how they communicate." Adrian was clearly frustrated.
"If Anna is right, then they'll be running ads on other systems. If we could find one, then we could pose as potential clients," Gannon said into the silence.
"A meeting with Lultrel," I said. "We need to keep her from arresting the clients we've identified and to put the NIA on alert for the ads."
* * *
"We could lose these people if we pretend we don't know they’re involved. I'll bet they each have ten to twenty million sitting in their safety deposit boxes, and you're saying we shouldn't touch that either," Lultrel said after she had been briefed on our findings and conclusions.
"Ma'am, we're at a dead end unless we can find one of their ads and get a line on one of the people we’re calling a Controller."
"All right, tell me what you want me to authorize."
"First we need to put every NIA office on notice to watch for the ads and give them instructions on what to do and not to do. Second, don't arrest the three individuals we identified. Let everyone assume we failed to find anything. And third, put a ship on standby for us to use when an ad is identified," Adrian said, which was what we had decided prior to the meeting.
"All right, write up what the agents are to look for, what they should do when they find it, and what they should not do. I'll have Commander Wright get it out under my name."
* * *
"My orders say I'm to take you back to Oxax but to remain on station and available on twenty-four hour notice to transport you wherever you want to go. The rumors say you didn't find anything, but knowing you and based on my orders, I doubt that." MacLin leaned back in his office chair and took several drinks of his wine, awaiting a comment.
"Between us, we would prefer that everyone thought we were at a dead end and therefore returning home. What we're doing is waiting for the raiders to continue their operations. We just don't know where that will be," Adrian said.
"Think of it like a spider's web. We’re waiting for someone to touch one of the strings," I said.
"Good analogy, but it gives me the shivers," Kris said. "I would have preferred a bloodhound analogy."
"So, back to the kennels for a rest." MacLin laughed. "I estimate five days travel to Oxax."
CHAPTER SIX
Oxax: The next step
I dropped Adrian and Gannon at the office, as Adrian wanted to get Rich settled and arrange temporary quarters for him, and I dropped Kris at her condo. When I arrived home, Alexa greeted me at the door with a hug.
"When you joined the NIA, I hoped you were in a safe profession." She laughed. "You might be safer on a war cruiser."
"But then I wouldn't get home as often, and as much as I like cruiser duty, I love our home and being able to see you often." I returned her hug.
Red hung between us and brushed her cheek with his tongue.
Alexa chuckled. "If anyone would have told me I would become fond of a krait, I would have thought him crazy. Hi, Red. Are you home for long?" she asked, holding me by the shoulders and examining me. "You look recovered."
"I am, Mother. I don't know how long. We've identified a pattern to their raids, and now we wait and see where it emerges. Their approach is quite clever ..." I went on to explain what we' had discovered and what we were waiting for. That night I went to bed feeling loved and content.
* * *
I arrived early for our standard ten hundred hours conference. Adrian and Gannon were already there. Kris entered as I was locking up my new multifunctional handgun. Before I could say anything, my PCD buzzed and the screen said to report to Stauffer's conference room. As I looked around, everyone was looking at their PCD. I followed the others, hoping the raiders hadn't struck any new planets or created any new ads. I wanted—no, needed—time home to recuperate.
"I would like an update on what the plan is going forward," Stauffer said, getting straight to the issue.
"Let me start at the beginning. That way I can keep things in perspective ..." Adrian spent a good hour going over what we had found and ended with our discussion with Lultrel. "Every NIA field office as been notified and given instructions in the event they encounter an ad. Given what we know, we should be able to arrive before they provide our agent with the address to their Dark Web site."
Stauffer sat staring off into the distance for a long while. "Do you think it was a good idea to let those clients go free? After all, they have millions in their safety deposit boxes and could disappear, and they were complicit in the robbery and murders."
"Sir," I said when no one answered. "I believe they began by hoping to win millions playing some innocent game and then at some point the raiders used threats to get them to comply. It may not be a valid defense, but I know if someone threatened to kill my mother, I would give them anything."
"No you wouldn't." Kris snorted. "You would put your life on the line to stop them."
Stauffer nodded in agreement. "Sinclair is right, but I understand what you're saying, Anna."
Adrian added, "Besides, the clients don't know anything—"
"But they do!" I bolted to my feet with excitement.
"It was a one-way exchange. The clients talked and the raiders listened. And at the face-to-face meeting they wore masks," Adrian said to nodding heads.
"They know when the Controller sent notice to whoever was in contact with the raiders. And that message went through the WavCom." Red took the occasion to coil around my neck and lay his head on my ear, something he seldom did. I couldn't help but fantasize he was telling everyone to listen to me. I couldn't help a soft giggle. Whatever Red was or wasn't, I loved him and reached up and stroked him.
"Anna's right," Kris said. "We need to examine the messages from that time and for a day or two afterward."
Stauffer looked to me before speaking. "Anna, how do you feel about going along to one of the sites? There are three of you—well four, but Lieutenant Gannon isn't familiar with the equipment and doesn't have P1A authority."
"If I can go with Captain MacLin, I think I'll be alright. He doesn't mind that I still haven't learned adult speak," I said, and not in jest.
"Wouldn’t we be better off in twos, since I doubt the raiders have given up retiring us?" Kris said, and I knew she was thinking of protecting me, not herself.
"Let me talk to Admiral Rawls," Stauffer said. "I personally think using the Vulcan is like waving a red flag at the raiders. I'll get back to you. In the meantime, relax. You deserve some time off."
"Thanks, Kris." I gave her a hug. "For wanting to look after me."
"I ... guilty as charged. I wasn't sure how comfortable you would be on your own, and in truth, we work well as a team. And who knows when Red will need a nanny."
"You two belong together. You're both certifiable nuts, but my lips are sealed." Adrian slid his finger along his lips like closing a zipper and then grinned.
* * *
That night I sat curled up on one end of the couch with Alexa on the other end. "What do you think, Mother?"
"I like the idea of Kris being with you, not that I think you can't handle yourself alone, especially if you're with Captain MacLin. But as Stauffer has pointed out, the Vulcan may be a liability, and although you've grown a lot, I don't know if you’re ready for senior officers yet. They would see you as a young girl, which would threaten their egos. They're used to being in command and not questioned."
"Were you like that?" I asked out of idle curiosity.
"I would like to think I listened better than most, but when you’re in charge, you're responsible for the consequences. That tends to make you go with your gut—and hope you're right."
"I would love to have Kris with me, but in a way I'm ..."
"Afraid she'll be killed trying to defend you." Alexa leaned over and took my face in her hands. "She might, and you might be killed defending her. That's bad logic, like when you wanted to move out to protect me. Isn't it better that we found a solution which kept us together? Your presence could result in saving Kris's life versus her being killed if she were on her own. A glass of water can be half empty ... or half full. It's up to you."
* * *
Since Stauffer didn't call, I stayed away from the office. I did some shopping in town, stopped in to watch Magistrate Bellona work, spent a few hours on my language hobby, listened to music, and had several philosophical discussions with Alexa in the evenings. And at night in bed, I thanked whoever was listening for Alexa and all I had.
That ended on noon of the fourth day, when I received a message from Stauffer to report to the office immediately. I arrived last.
Stauffer wasted no time getting to the issue. "Admirals Rawls and Lultrel have discussed the issue with Admiral Webb. They’ve diverted two cruisers, one to take Commander Shrader and Lieutenant Gannon, and the other to take Commanders Sinclair and Paulus."
Kris nudged me.
I nudged her back.
Stauffer went on. "I leave it to you to decide who goes where. Your P1A authority remains in force for the foreseeable future. They want this case solved at any cost. Report back here tomorrow at noon. I'm told the cruisers will be here this evening, and the captains will be in Admiral Rawls’s conference room at noon." Stauffer stood. "We're obviously expecting miracles." He snorted a laugh and marched off in the direction of the elevators.
"You don't mind, Anna?" Kris asked.
"No, big sister, I love having you along. It's just I'm a dangerous person to be around," I said, being honest. "But Mother has convinced me there is strength in numbers, if we take reasonable precautions."
"Good. We definitely need to take reasonable precautions. I doubt the raiders want you dead any more than Adrian or me. Did you hear that, Adrian and Rich? Reasonable precautions!"
"Yes, Mother Sinclair. Rich and I are going to make sure we can hit what we aim at by the time we get to where we’re going." Adrian looked toward Gannon, who nodded. "By the way, who's going where?"
"Why don't you go to Holy Star and Anna and I will go to Stone Ring and Eastar. That will give you more time to bring Rich up to speed." Kris looked to me and I gave a nod.
"Okay, but keep me up to date on what you find and when you leave for ...?"
"I think we should take Eastar first, as it was the latest robbery," I said when Kris looked to me.
* * *
Saying goodbye to Alexa so soon was difficult for us both. Although the WavCom was expensive, I agreed to keep her up to date on my activities. I arrived at the office a half hour early and had no so
oner put my gun away when Gannon arrived.
"Hi, Rich. What do you think about all this travel?"
"I love it. Never thought I would get time on a war cruiser, and I'm with the dream team on a super high-profile assignment. It feels like I've died and gone to heaven." His smile was ear-to-ear, and I could feel his excitement.
"Just don't forget this dream team has a wanted-dead reward on its head. The threat is real." I felt a slight damping of his mood.
"I won't. I won't let the team down," he said just as Adrian and Kris entered.
After storing their weapons, we made our way to Rawls’s conference room, where Stauffer sat. A few minutes later, three captains appeared, with Rawls behind them.
"At ease," she said as we braced to attention, although no one had called attention. "You know Captain MacLin, and you might remember Captains Hargrove ant Thayer. They were the captains who answered the NIA's request for help at Shadows Rest. And to complete the introductions, this is Commander Shrader the unofficial team leader and Lieutenant Gannon, who is on temporary assignment with them. Commander Shrader, have you decided who is going where?" Rawls sat, waving everyone to sit.
"Yes, ma'am. Commanders Sinclair and Paulus are going to Eastar and Stone Ring; Lieutenant Gannon and I are going to Holy Star. Where we go from there will depend on what we find or don't find."
"Thayer?" MacLin asked, surprising me.
"I'll take the ladies," she said as if this had already been discussed.
"In case you're wondering, we decided to assign a three cruiser pack to support this assignment. If raiders from another alliance like the PRS or FPU are involved and they’re military or ex-military, we’re going to need assigned cruisers so we don’t have to rely on cries for help," Rawls said, looking at each one of us. "Captain MacLin is the designated pack leader. For now, he’s going to New Zheng as a distraction in case the raiders are watching. If you even suspect trouble, let MacLin know—and regardless, keep him informed. Good hunting."