How Spy I Am

by Diane Henders

  My heart gave a hard thump. “You have another network key?”

  “No. I put Irina’s in place of yours when I stole yours from Kraus.”

  “You knew what was happening all along.” I controlled my anger with an effort. “When I thought I was going crazy. When I was about to be arrested and charged with espionage.”

  Kasper shrugged. “Of course, but what could I do? Robert had gotten me the position at Sirius. As agreed, I stole your key from Kraus and dropped it in your back yard when the keep-alive ceased for a week. I believed Robert had taken you out of the country and was building a new identity for you. As soon as you were safe, he would return and we would bring the Knights to justice. Admitting my knowledge would have put all of us in jeopardy.”

  His face hardened. “Do you have any idea how hard it has been for me to wait? To know the Knights are still exploiting their mages and their countries?”

  “But Irina’s key is still out there. So somebody else could get it and use it.”

  “No.”

  I frowned at him, but he didn’t elaborate. “No, what?” I snapped.

  He blew out an irritable breath through his nose. “No, nobody else can use it. The keys are completely unique, calibrated to a specific mage. The brainwave patterns of mages are so unusual, there are… were… only eight mages in the world.”

  “Bullshit. There’s no way there are only eight people in the world who can use that key.”

  He glared. “You aren’t listening, stupid. I said only one mage in the world can use the key. Irina’s wouldn’t work for you or anybody else. They’re completely unique. Unique. That means one of a kind.”

  I resisted the urge to slap him again. “Yeah, I got that. What I’m saying is, there’s no way there are only eight people in the world that share the characteristics that let the mages use the keys.”

  “You’re probably right,” he admitted grudgingly. “I doubt if they tested every candidate in the world. There may be one or two others.”

  “You doubt they tested the world? Hello, a couple of billion people? More being born every second?”

  Kasper gave me an irritatingly superior smile. “But only a small segment of the population was conceived between October 29 and November 2, 1963. And only a vanishingly small segment of that group is also female, brown-eyed, and carrying the recessive gene for red hair.”

  “Uh…” I eyed him. “And what’s so special about those traits?”

  “During those dates, both the Lowell Observatory and the Observatoire du Pic-du-Midi observed transient lunar phenomena.”

  “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

  I expected him to make another insulting crack, but instead he looked thoughtful. “The Knights don’t really know. At the time when I… obtained information… from Rimmel, the Knights believed that the lunar phenomena during those dates were caused by solar energetic particles. The particles that caused the glowing colours on the moon were bombarding Earth at the same time. They could have caused the tiny anomaly during your conception that allows you to use the key.”

  “So you’re saying all the mages look like me. Born on the same day.”

  “No, stupid, conceived within the same three-day span. Actual birth dates cover a range of several weeks about nine months later. And of course you all look different. The only similar physical characteristics are varying shades of red hair and brown eyes. Do I have to explain genetics to you, too?”

  “Call me stupid again, and I’m going to yank out a couple of teeth just for fun, dickhead.”

  He shut up, leaving me to try to make sense of the new information ricocheting around my skull.

  “So… Why are the Knights trying to kill me?” I asked.

  Kasper snorted. “Why do you think? You wiped out one of their mages from a thousand miles away just by touching her mind in the network. You killed a Knight inside the network without even trying. You’re threatening their entire operation.”

  I stared at him while my brain did a few gymnastics. That didn’t quite ring true if the Knights were the idealistic group I’d envisioned, but if one of the Knights was selling intel to the highest bidder, eliminating me to protect his livelihood would be at the very top of his to-do list.

  Just like Sam had said. If I could stop the evil Knight, I’d save the world and save myself in the process.

  Assuming everything Kasper had said was true. I still wasn’t sure I could trust him, but I didn’t have any reason to disbelieve him. And he’d given me names. I straightened and returned my attention to my captive.

  He was beginning to shiver on the cold floor of the truck box. And his wrists and shoulders must be killing him. I knew exactly what that felt like. He might be a dickhead, but he was still a human being.

  I determinedly suppressed a tug of sympathy.

  “How do I find the Knights?” My voice was harsh enough to hide any trace of compassion, and he twitched.

  “Th-they have th-their own n-network.” He cleared his throat and his shivering intensified. “It’s a s-subset of the old ARPANET.”

  I wrapped my arms around my own chilled body and tried again not to feel sorry for him. “What the hell is ARPANET?”

  I could hear his teeth chattering. “The original p-packet switching n-network.” At my blank look, he groaned and struggled onto his side on the hard steel floor. “Oh, for c-crying out loud… B-basically the f-first internet. N-now untie me and g-get me w-warmed up b-before I die of hypothermia.” He clenched his quivering jaw and glared.

  “Sorry, I can’t do that.”

  “Th-that’s everything I know…”

  He trailed off and the expression drained from his face, leaving behind an impassive mask remarkably similar to Kane’s cop face. I was wondering absently if they taught you that in spy school when he spoke again, his voice completely flat.

  “I sh-should have known you c-couldn’t let m-me live. Y-you are a s-spy, aren’t you? I should have r-recognized that r-right off the b-bat.”

  “I’m not planning to kill you.” I did my best threatening glare. “Unless you’re stupid enough to attack me. I just have a few more questions.”

  Kasper went limp, resignation slackening his features. “F-fine. I can f-feel pneumonia c-coming on already.”

  “What were you doing at the park tonight?”

  “Robert c-contacted me and t-told me to m-meet him there.” He looked down his nose at me. “I suppose he m-must have intended to b-brief us b-both.”

  “Why would Robert fake his death without telling us? Or you, at least?”

  “H-how the h-hell should I know?”

  “Could he be working with the Knights? Trying to capture or kill me?”

  “No, of c-course n-not! He h-hates them. Wh-why would he t-try to s-save you only to t-turn y-you over t-to them?” We stared at each other in the dim light, and his face slowly hardened. “Unless…”

  “Unless he was planning to deliver me and the key to a buyer three years ago but something went wrong. And he was setting you up to take the blame for stealing the key. And now he’s setting us both up again.” The words came out sounding as thin and icy as the dagger of pain that slipped into my heart.

  I saw the same pain twist his face for just an instant before his expression closed down. “H-he w-wouldn’t. I’m p-positive he w-wouldn’t. Th-there m-must b-be another explanation.”

  “What other explanation could there be?”

  “I d-don’t know…” He stared at me for a long moment before his face twisted. “L-let m-me g-go. I have t-to t-track d-down an old f-friend.”

  “Two more questions. Who are the mages? And where do you live?”

  “B-Betty Hooper is M-Magnolia…”

  By the time I pulled up in the darkened alley behind Kasper’s apartment and went around to open the tailgate, I was pretty sure he wasn’t much of a threat. The entire truck vibrated with his shivering, and I could hear his teeth chattering from six feet away.

&
nbsp; I braced one foot against the tailgate and dragged him to the edge to pull him into sitting position, his legs dangling.

  “Let’s be clear,” I muttered. “You make a single move against me, and I’ll kill you on the spot. Got it?”

  He nodded jerkily, and I cut the nylon tie around his ankles. “Come on.” I grabbed one of his bound arms and helped him stand.

  “C-cut m-me l-loose.”

  “Not yet.” I closed up the truck and pointed him in the direction of the apartment. “Walk. Where’s your key?”

  Inside his remarkably clean and tidy apartment, I heaved an internal sigh of relief. Lucky it was a small town. Nobody was still up at two in the morning to see me ushering a tied-up man into his own apartment.

  “Where’s your bedroom?”

  He eyed me without expression and led the way in silence.

  “Lie down on the bed.”

  This time there was a tinge of nervousness in his expression, but he complied without comment.

  I glowered down at him. “If you find Robert first, you will do nothing until I get to talk to him. You will tell me the instant you find him. If you don’t, I’ll tell Stemp you’ve been working with the Knights, concealing knowledge of their treasonous activities. I guarantee you won’t like the results of that. And I’ll tell the Knights you know about them, too. I don’t care who gets you first. Either way, you’re toast unless you do exactly as I say. Clear?”

  He nodded, still shivering convulsively.

  “Good,” I said, and shot him with another trank.

  Chapter 45

  I cut the tie on his wrists and heaved his limp body into a comfortable-looking position before covering him up with every blanket I could find in the tiny closet. The shelves were neat, the bedding clean, and curiosity made me peek into his dresser as well.

  One plastic-lined drawer held the malodorous, food-stained clothes he usually wore, balled up and rumpled. The other drawers contained clean, neatly-folded clothing. The bathroom was clean, too, toiletries tidily arranged inside the medicine cabinet.

  I shook my head as I locked the door behind me before pushing his key under it. Damn spies. How many times had I passed him on the street without noticing his unremarkable face when he was wearing clean clothing?

  Back in the dark silence of the park, I hurried to collect my wheelbarrow, wondering if Robert had watched me arrive. He’d been one step ahead of me the whole time, the bastard.

  My skin crawled into icy gooseflesh at the thought that he might be watching me even now. I gave a whole-body shudder and jogged for the truck, the wheelbarrow bumping noisily over the gravel.

  Home again, I unloaded everything in the garage before heading for the house. Goddammit, I’d sit on the fucking computer until Robert contacted me. I’d had more than enough of his bullshit.

  I settled in for a long night, but he must have been waiting. I’d only done a couple of clues in my first crossword puzzle when the tiny blinking square appeared.

  As soon as I clicked on it, the text scrolled rapidly in its box. “23:00 tomorrow night, same place, flash light 3 times”.

  My fingers flew across the keyboard. “Confirmed. Last chance…” I hesitated. How could I raise the stakes so he’d be sure to show himself? “…before I disappear,” I finished, and hit the Enter key. Let him make whatever he wanted of that.

  The text box blinked out of existence without further comment.

  By the time I parked in front of Kane’s office at last, my shivering rivalled Kasper’s. Fatigue and delayed reaction sent long tremors through my body, and my leaden legs barely carried me up the walk.

  When I entered the subterranean meeting room Kane was waiting for me beside the door, and I realized he must have been watching the monitors for my arrival.

  “Glad you made it,” he said, the darkness of his eyes betraying his casual words, and I realized the interior surveillance cameras must still be active.

  He handed me a small carton of orange juice, his warm fingers lingering over my icy ones for a moment.

  “Are you all right?” he asked, studying my face.

  “Fine.” I took a long swallow of juice. “Thanks.” I turned away to head for the bunkroom.

  “Did you get the information you needed?”

  I held back a sigh and answered without turning. “Most of it.”

  “Anything you can tell me?” His voice was emotionless.

  “No. Sorry. Good night.” I kept on walking.

  Sleep eluded me for a long time while I lay curled in a shivering ball. I wanted nothing more than to hand over the names of the Knights to Stemp and let trained professionals deal with them, but I was still hoping he wouldn’t have to find out about Kane’s failure to kill Robert.

  Just a little longer, and then I’d spill the whole thing. I needed to find the Knights. I needed to talk to Sam. And Robert had a hell of a lot of explaining to do.

  I groaned my way through the shower in the morning, wondering how Kane could get by on so little sleep. When I finally made my way to the meeting area, the mouthwatering aroma of hot peanut butter made me pounce on the brown paper bag awaiting me on the table.

  “Thanks,” I mumbled through a mouthful of crispy bagel.

  “You’re welcome.” Kane smiled, but his eyes appraised me with a cool reserve that hadn’t been there before.

  I sighed as the bagel lost some of its flavour. I’d feigned sleep when Kane had slipped into the opposite bunk the previous night, and he’d been gone before I’d awakened.

  I stopped another sigh before it could slip out. His withdrawal was good news, dammit. He’d be safe, and I could do what I needed to do.

  Assuming I didn’t end up dead.

  The sigh escaped anyway.

  In my office, I took stock of Spider’s smile with rising hope. “Does this mean you have some good news?” I asked. “I could sure use some right now.”

  “Maybe. I did a bit of research last night, and I don’t see why you shouldn’t be able to get through that DMZ in Macon. You might just have to do things a little differently than usual.”

  He turned an eager face in Kasper’s direction, faltering only slightly at Kasper’s sullen glare. “Um… She should be able to bypass the security servers entirely, shouldn’t she? Just get a fresh IP from the external firewall and use it to jump directly to the internal firewall on the other size of the DMZ?”

  I eyed Jack and Kane, relieved to see they looked just as uncomprehending as I felt. “What does that really mean?” I asked cautiously.

  “Oh!” Spider bounced up from his chair and grabbed a marker to draw on the whiteboard, his eyes sparkling with enthusiasm. “DMZ stands for De-Militarized Zone. It’s a security buffer, essentially like a no-man’s-land between a private network and the public internet. Here’s how it works…”

  Long minutes later, I could feel my eyes glazing over. “Hang on, Spider.” I rubbed the incipient headache between my eyebrows. “So you said I could jump over it, right? Why don’t I just try it and see how it goes?”

  “Oh. Okay…” He trailed back to his seat, looking disappointed.

  “Thanks for the explanation, though,” I added quickly. “That really helped.”

  “Oh, you’re welcome!” His smile returned and he turned back to Kasper. “What do you think?”

  Kasper crossed his arms and slouched back in his chair with a shrug. “I don’t know why you’re asking me. As we established yesterday, I’m only guessing. Let her try if she wants to.”

  I tried to temper my annoyance with the knowledge that he was probably as sleep-deprived as I was. Guilt nibbled me at the sight of the shadows on his cheeks where my fingers had clamped down. He was probably still finding bruises in places he hadn’t even known he had.

  I reached out to accept the network key from Kane. “Okay, then, same as yesterday. This time I won’t panic if I get tossed around, but if I vanish from the sim again, signal me with some web searches, okay?” I paused. “Ma
ybe it would be better if you didn’t use my name, though. How about if you search for something else. Something unusual. Then just keep searching it over and over so I know it’s you.”

  “What do you want me to search for?” Spider asked.

  “I don’t know. Pick something.”

  “I don’t know. Camels?” He grinned. “They always make me laugh. They’re so funny-looking.”

  “Camels it is.”

  Back at the firewall outside Macon, I hovered nervously in the data stream. Nothing to be afraid of. This time I knew what would happen. I’d get scrambled, but it wouldn’t hurt me.

  I deliberately ignored the memory of Jack’s comment about flatlining the previous day. It wouldn’t hurt me. And I needed to get into this network now more than ever.

  I dove into the stream.

  Chaos swallowed me. The wild tumbling shredded my control and panic overtook me despite myself. Flinging my virtual spiderweb far and wide, I dragged myself out of the riptide and trembled in the smooth flow outside it, clinging to composure with the last quivering remnants of my will.

  Do not panic. Calm. Stay calm. There had to be a way.

  I hung suspended in the data tunnel. Spider said I might have to do things a little differently. Okay, so my usual swimming metaphor obviously wasn’t working. The undertow was killing me.

  I quickly discarded that mental image. Not killing me. I was fine. I attempted a deep breath, but quickly abandoned the effort before I could freak out again about not being able to breathe.

  No need to breathe. I’m only data. Data doesn’t need to breathe. I’m fine.

  Come on, brain, work with me here. Give me some new imagery. Swimming? Definitely not. Floating? Nope. That would be even worse. How about… bodysurfing?

  Cautious hope bolstered my rapidly shrinking courage. I suppressed a slightly hysterical snicker at the ‘shrinking in cold water’ reference and propelled myself atop the data flow before I could change my mind.