“Yes, that’s the one.”
Lee thought carefully back to Friday night in the ambassador’s apartment.
“It’s odd, actually. I was worried about it beforehand. But, he didn’t even mention it. If he knew that I had followed him, he didn’t acknowledge it at all.”
“Okay, that’s good,” Frank said.
“Yeah, it’s good.”
“So, how did the date go last night?”
“I’d say it went well. Exceptionally well, actually,”
“Well, what happened? Where did you meet?”
“He had me meet him at the corner of 50th and Madison in Manhattan. It was a high-end apartment owned by one of China’s United Nations Ambassadors.”
“UN Ambassador?” Frank’s eyebrows rose, her surprise apparent in her expression. “Was the ambassador there?”
“Yeah, he was there. His name’s Li Jeheng.”
“Li Jeheng.” Frank raised her index finger in the air. “I’ve heard that name before…one sec.” Frank began typing ferociously on her laptop. “Here he is,” Frank said, having evidently mined some information about him on her computer. “He’s pretty young for a UN Ambassador. Only sixty years old.”
“He gave me pretty much his life story. Apparently, his father served alongside the communists during China’s civil war in the 1930s.”
“He’s what they call a princeling,” Frank said.
“Princeling? What’s that?”
“Princelings are relatives of the founding fathers of the Chinese Communist Party—people like Mao, Zhou Enlai, Deng Xiaoping, and others. Usually, the term refers to the sons of these men. These princelings have, since the formation of the C.C.P. in 1949, enjoyed incredible access, privilege, and wealth in China. Ambassador Li is one of these princelings.”
“I understand.”
“And I assume Xiang was there as well?” Frank asked.
“Yes, it was just Xiang and the ambassador.”
“—and what happened?”
“The main thing, Agent Frank, is that they offered me a deal.”
“A deal?”
“A deal between our families.”
“—between your families? What sort of a deal?”
“You seem as surprised as I was when they made the offer,” Lee said, smiling.
“Lyn—” Agent Frank placed her fork and the napkin she’d been holding on the table to emphasize her next comment. “Lyn, everything about this case has been surprising. The fact that Xiang asked you on a date. And now this deal—”
“I understand, Agent Frank. I don’t know what to say.”
“Has trouble always followed you around this way?”
“Agent Frank, you have no idea.”
This coaxed a barely discernable smile out of Frank. It was good, Lee thought, that there was still a smile hiding underneath the bags under her eyes.
“What are the details of the offer?”
Lee took a few minutes to explain the offer as described by Ambassador Li and Xiang. When she’d finished, Frank looked her in the eye. She lowered her voice to a near whisper. “Lyn, has there been any indication at all that they know about us? That they know you’re working with us?”
The seriousness of Frank’s demeanor alarmed her. “No, I don’t think so.”
“You’re absolutely certain?”
“As far as I know,” Lee said.
“Okay. But I don’t think this is a good idea. Not a good idea at all.”
“Why not?”
“Because it creates a conflict of interest,” Frank explained. “How can we fully trust you through this when you have so much to gain by working with Xiang?”
“I guess I hadn’t thought of that,” Lee said. “But, if I refuse, it will look really bad.”
“Maybe you can tell Xiang that your parents don’t want to deal. That way, it’s not on you.”
“I could, but to be honest, I’m certain they’re going to be very receptive to the agreement. Despite the distance, my parents are still very close to my family still in China. To decline an offer like this would be really bad. It would look really bad. It could hinder our current relationship.” After a few moments of silence, Lee said, “Agent Frank, is there something I should know about? Something on your end?”
“No, nothing on my end. All the information we’re getting is coming from overseas. Nothing here in New York or in the States. I have no information that Xiang or any of his known relatives or associates knows about you working for us. You understand?”
Lee nodded. “I understand.”
“Everything seems fine,” Frank repeated. “In fact, your position with Xiang and the ambassador may be the best lead we’ve got going right now. It’s important, Lyn.”
“I understand.”
Agent Frank relaxed her expression and her tone of voice. “—and you’re doing a fantastic job.”
Lee smiled. “How do you think I should handle the ambassador’s offer going forward?”
“Is it something you want to pursue?”
“Are you kidding me? Something like this could be life-changing for my family in China. Guanxi is a powerful factor in China, Agent Frank. It’s the currency through which wealth is built. In normal circumstances, this is a no-brainer.”
“Have you discussed this with your parents yet?”
“No, of course not. I wouldn’t have said anything without letting you know first.”
Frank looked her in the eye again. “Thank you, Lyn.”
“No problem.”
“Go ahead and talk to your parents. Just proceed as normal.”
Lee smiled broadly. “Thank you.”
“No problem. But don’t get overly excited about this, Lyn. Not yet. There will likely be an end-game to all of this. The odds of this deal being transacted in its entirety are small. Understand?”
“Yeah, I understand.”
“Okay. Just keep being yourself. Let this relationship with Xiang play itself out slowly. Be cautious.”
“Okay.”
“And let me know immediately if you suspect anything.”
“Okay. I will.”
“There’s one other thing I need to ask you,” Frank said. She pulled a small box, similar to a jewelry box, out of her coat pocket and slid it across the table.
Lee took it in her hands and opened the lid. Inside was a small brown stone about the size of a marble.
“A rock?”
“It’s a microphone and transmitter,” Frank explained. “Made to look like a stone.”
“What do you want me to do with this?”
“If Xiang invites you to his home, I want you to place it in his house. But only if he has any potted plants in there and only if you think it will blend in well.”
Lee took it in her hands and placed it in her purse.
“Listen up, Lyn,” Frank said. “Don’t force it, okay. Just let everything develop in due time. Don’t ask him if you can visit his house. Wait until he offers. Understand?”
“Yes, of course.”
“Good.”
“If he does let you into his house, remember to take notes in your head. What’s the layout? What items does he have in there? Don’t place the microphone someplace it will stick out. Wait until later and let us know what’s in there and we can find something that will blend in better. There’s no reason to take any unnecessary chances. Understand?”
“Yes, absolutely.”
“And continue to be cautious in noticing your surroundings and people around you. If they’re onto you and if they have reconnaissance on you, you want to be able to sniff that out and tell me immediately, okay?”
“Okay,” Lee said. “I think it’s under control.”
Agent Frank smiled. “Excellent. You’re doing a fantastic job.”
Lee felt reassured. Agent Frank had a way of doing that. Suddenly, an important question popped into her head. “Have you had a chance to follow up on the Confucius avatar? The one that met up with
Xiang?”
“I have, yes. It’s what the IT guys are calling a ‘ghost.’ We haven’t been able to identify who’s behind it. The only thing we know for sure is that it didn’t originate from Brooklyn’s systems.”
“It came from an outside source?”
“Yes. We still don’t know where. We’re working on it.”
They chatted for a while about peripheral things before Frank again paid for breakfast. Lee exited first, at Frank’s request, into another cold Brooklyn winter day.
Chapter 10
New York City
Wednesday, January 28, 2:17 p.m. EST
Digital Lyn Lee was at work in her usual place in the Help Sponsor desk when a soft ping echoed in her left ear. Pings could mean any number of things within the portal, so she had to search around in order to narrow her options down. After a few seconds, she discovered a new instant message from Tobyn Collier. It was a response to the IM she’d sent him regarding the source of the miniature reflecting pool and cavern. She clicked on the link to open it.
Lyn, both the stone room with the reflecting pool and adjacent stairs and underground cavern were created a while back by some interns from CUNY. Apparently, they were curious how the reflecting pool in the main lobby was created, so we let them try a smaller version.
There were no employees hanging around for assistance, and there was another Sponsor in the kiosk, so she decided to visit the Polymaths again. She took an elevator down to the Grand Cathedral and began walking around the perimeter concourse. She was almost to the Polymaths when she noticed a colorful winged animal flying in a circular pattern high above, near where the soaring columns merged into the vaulted ceiling. She raised her right arm into the air, tracing a circle around the general area in her vision where the bird was flying with her finger. She double-tapped on the circular region, which engaged the zoom feature. She kept tap-tap-tapping on the circle, causing the imagery within the area to zoom to higher magnification.
She kept tapping until she could see the winged creature close up. It was an impressively large purple bird-like creature with scales and a dark purple crest. It flew slowly, flying in a figure-of-eight pattern around two of the columns. Periodically, she lost her view of the beast within an amethyst angel that was part of the design in one of the stained-glass windows. She watched for a few moments before disengaging the zoom and continuing her walk. It was only a few moments later when she arrived at the Polymath kiosk, which was currently being manned by her colleague, Simon Shelby. She knew it was him because his avatar was, like hers, a company photo of his face configured upon one of the traditional black suits. She could always spot him from a distance because he wore thick black glasses.
Lee: HEY, SIMON.
Shelby: HEY, LYN. WHAT BRINGS YOU BY TODAY?
Lee: I’D SUBMITTED A REQUEST FOR A CONVERSION PROGRAM FOR DR. HOLLOWAY IN PROJECT FARADAY.
Shelby: OH YES, THAT’S RIGHT. WE DO HAVE THAT ONE READY TO GO. DO YOU WANT ME TO SEND IT TO HIM DIRECTLY?
Lee: YES, THAT WOULD BE FINE.
Shelby: WHAT SECURITY LEVEL?
Lee: YELLOW. IT’S NOT HIGH RISK.
Simon: WILL DO. I’LL SEND IT TO HIM RIGHT NOW.
Lee: THANK YOU.
Lee was still gazing upwards at the flying beast.
Lee: SAY, SIMON, WHAT IS THAT FLYING ANIMAL UP THERE? FLYING NEAR THE TOP OF THAT COLUMN?
Shelby: WE WERE WONDERING ABOUT THAT ALSO. I THINK WE FINALLY FIGURED IT OUT.
Simon made a tapping motion with his hand, then pinched his thumb and index finger together and dragged his hand while simultaneously separating his thumb and index finger further and further from each other. This created a 2D rectangular communication template which hovered in between the two of them. He then made another tapping motion with his hand, and a photo of a purplish winged creature appeared within the rectangle with some dialogue next to it.
Shelby: WE THINK IT’S A PHOENIX. IT’S A BIRD-LIKE CREATURE FROM GREEK MYTHOLOGY THAT SUPPOSEDLY IS REBORN CYCLICALLY.
Lee: REBORN CYCLICALLY?
Shelby: YES, REBORN. IT’S GOING TO DO IT AGAIN IN ABOUT TEN SECONDS. WE’VE BEEN TIMING IT.
A few moments later, a flame began to slowly consume the creature. The flame grew larger and larger, illuminating the column and the ceiling above it when, unexpectedly, a new phoenix emerged from the flame. It was a much lighter color than the old phoenix. She zoomed in again and realized it was off-white with a tinge of pink.
Shelby: ITS COLOR KEEPS TURNING A DARKER PURPLE UNTIL IT STARTS TO FLAME OUT AGAIN. IT IS PRETTY COOL.
Lee: NEVER A SHORTAGE OF SURPRISES IN THIS PLACE.
Shelby: THAT’S FOR SURE. THIS MORNING I COULDN’T SEE MY DEBUGGER FOR THE LIFE OF ME. I THOUGHT KELLER HAD PUT A DAMNED CLOAK ON IT WHILE I WAS AWAY. I WAS SCREAMING AT HIM UP AND DOWN FOR THE BETTER PART OF THREE MINUTES BEFORE I FINALLY FIGURED OUT I JUST COULDN’T SEE ANYTHING WITH GREEN PIXELS. IT WAS JUST THAT MY DAMNED HUD WASN’T WORKING PROPERLY. KELLER FINALLY ACCEPTED MY APOLOGY, BUT NOT WITHOUT MAKING ME BUY HIM A LOBSTER DINNER. SOMETIMES THE SOLUTION TO A PROBLEM IS RIGHT THERE IN FRONT OF YOU, I GUESS.
Lee: HA! HA! YOU SHOULD TAKE HIM TO TUNA MAC’S ON LOWER MANHATTAN. I HEAR THEY HAVE GREAT SEAFOOD. SEE YOU LATER, SIMON.
Shelby: CIAO.
Lee was just turning to head back to her Sponsor kiosk when she spotted an avatar identical to Xiang’s moving toward her. The digital numbers morphing around each other were impossible to miss, but she didn’t know for sure it was Xiang until he initiated communication.
Xiang: HEY, LYN. SAW YOU STANDING HERE AND WAS WALKING BY. THOUGHT I’D SAY HI.
Lee: HEY, XIANG. GOOD TO SEE YOU. WHAT ARE YOU UP TO?
Xiang: NOT MUCH. HOW ARE YOU?
Xiang’s avatar had moved closer and she could see the integer numbers moving about within the avatar’s profile: coalescing, loosening, and then re-coalescing. It was like a hive of bees. It was at this moment when Simon’s dialog forced its way into her mind. Sometimes the solution to a problem is right there in front of you. Something happened in her mind that clicked. What if there’s a coded message in Xiang’s avatar?
Xiang pinged her for a response.
Xiang: YOU THERE, LYN?
Lee: YES, I’M DOING WELL. JUST FOLLOWING UP ON SOME SOFTWARE SHELBY AND HIS TEAM CREATED FOR ME. HOW ARE YOU?
Xiang: DOING WELL. I CAN’T STAY AROUND LONG. HAVE TO BE BACK FOR A MEETING IN FIVE MINUTES. JUST WANTED TO SAY HELLO.
Lee: I UNDERSTAND. GREAT SEEING YOU. SEE YOU FRIDAY?
Xiang: SEE YOU FRIDAY.
Lee: BYE.
Lee watched Xiang’s avatar move off down the perimeter concourse.
Lee waited until her morning break to call Agent Frank on the secure phone she’d been given.
“Agent Frank here.”
“Agent Frank, this is Lyn Lee.”
“Yes, Lyn, how are you?”
Frank seemed surprised to hear from her. That made sense, since it was the first time Lee had contacted Frank outside of their weekly meetings.
“Good, thanks. I had an idea I thought you should know about.”
“Certainly. What’s the idea?”
“It has to do with Xiang’s avatar.”
“His avatar? How do you mean?”
“Xiang’s avatar within the portal.”
“Go on.”
“Xiang’s avatar is…this is hard to describe.”
“That’s okay. Take your time.”
“Most of the male avatars look like men dressed in business suits and tuxedos. Xiang’s is unique in that it consists of tiny numbers within the silhouette of a man in a suit. These numbers move around within the silhouette, coalescing and re-coalescing again elsewhere within the silhouette.”
“Okay. That sounds…interesting.”
“It’s hard to miss in the portal, that’s for sure. My point is that I’m wondering if these numbers are hiding some sort of code. I wonder if he’s been communicating messages back and forth
to someone else.”
Frank didn’t respond.
“Are you there, Agent Frank?” Lee said after a few moments.
“Yes, I’m here. That’s very interesting, Lyn. Let me have one of our techs handle this. I don’t want you poking around Xiang’s profile. Just keep on as normal. I’ll let you know if anything results from this, okay?”
“Okay.”
“Thanks, Lyn. Keep up your great work, and be careful.”
“I will, thanks, Agent Frank.”
Lee frowned. She realized after some brief self-evaluation that it had been difficult for her to reveal that information to Frank. Xiang hadn’t been anything but sweet to her, and he seemed so unsuspecting. A part of her felt badly for betraying Xiang in this way. But this is what you signed up for, Lyn. Lee slid her phone into her purse and headed back to her Sponsor kiosk.
Chapter 11
New York City
Wednesday, January 28, 2:24 p.m. EST
Jillian Frank sat in her cubicle in the FBI headquarters in Manhattan. The call from Lee had surprised her and she was anxious to have her concern investigated. She typed an encrypted email explaining the issue presented by Lee with respect to Wu Xiang’s avatar and sent it off to two people. The first, Gregory Jefferies, was an FBI agent and a computer specialist who was assisting with the Brooklyn intel investigation. He’d been added to the team soon after the FBI had learned about a possible leak at Brooklyn Capital. The second person was Patricia Fields, a manager within the National Security Agency. She’d have Jefferies take some digital snapshots of Xiang’s avatar and send them to her. If there was anyone who could unravel a hidden message, it would be Fields and her team in the National Security Agency.
Frank finished typing the email and sent it into the digital netherworld. She hoped she’d hear a response from them sooner rather than later.
New York City
Wednesday, January 28, 3:12 p.m. EST
LuAnn Salsbury loosened the yellow-and-black bandana she’d fastened around her head just long enough to slide in a stray lock of hair, and re-tightened it. She stood on a cement patio just outside the rear door of her and her husband’s two-story home on Sea Gate Avenue. The home was situated along the shores of the Upper New York Bay, about a half mile north of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge.
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