by Uzi Eilam
“And what does this Ryan have to offer you?”
“He mentioned companies and people who are interested in what I do. Ryan also said there is a lot of money to be had in this field, and he mentioned tremendous sums that I could get to continue my research.”
Deutsch’s face was blank, and Gideon realized how much warmth he was usually showered with.
“I have no idea,” he added hesitantly, “who’s behind this offer. I’m not sure that any company would be suitable when it comes to information security.”
“You’re right,” Deutsch responded decisively. “We must remember the Pentagon is funding this stage.” Deutsch smiled coldly. “With your experience, you must know how to deal with the problem.”
Gideon cringed. “My experience? What do you mean?”
“Oh, come on, don’t be modest. It’s no secret that you were in a paratrooper commando unit, and it’s no secret that you received the Medal of Valor.”
How does he know all this? Gideon wondered.
Deutsch, as if reading his mind, added, “Do you really believe we would hire anyone without knowing as much as possible about them?”
“Well, it’s true about the Medal of Valor,” Gideon admitted hesitantly. “But… But what does that have to do with my research and the institute?”
“Think, Gideon! What’s necessary for studies such as the one you’re doing? You’ll find that courage, creativity, perseverance, and optimism are basic requirements for success,” Deutsch said dryly. “In any case, I—as a former commando unit soldier who fought in Vietnam—have a special place for comrades in arms, and you are included in that community.”
Gideon felt a wave of admiration for the tall skinny man sitting across from him. He had a vague idea that Deutsch had a military and defense background, but a commando fighter? He wondered how many other surprises he had in store.
“You’re really unpredictable! How does your combat experience fit into your scientific career? What came first?”
“I managed to combine the two. The price wasn’t easy.” Deutsch nodded. “But that’s a long story. Why don’t we leave that for another time? Maybe over a beer when we celebrate the last stage of this study? And get ready to answer my questions too—how did you combine the two in your life?”
“Sounds fair,” Gideon replied eagerly. “I’ll gladly have a beer with you one evening… But you didn’t really answer my question. What do you think of getting investors to fund the study after my contract expires? You mentioned the Pentagon. Can you tell me more?”
“Sure,” Deutsch said. “But I should stress the need for confidentiality that our client, the Pentagon, insists on. We here don’t have the entire picture and don’t know what efforts other bodies connected to the defense establishment are investing. I told you that I trust your experience, and your wisdom too, of course. You know to be careful not only in choosing your friends, but in the matters that you discuss with them. What a person says and how others understand it aren’t always the same. Or what you say adds to what the result is. Someone looking for information collects every bit they can get their hands on, and even a fragment of information that you let slip can be critical.” Deutsch paused, staring into space.
To Gideon, he seemed to be elsewhere. He cleared his throat and Deutsch said heavily, as if awakened from a dream, “Can you repeat the name of the company that your new friend works for? And what he does there exactly, Mr.…”
“Ryan Davis,” Gideon answered quickly. “He works for Cisco Electronics and Communications. I don’t know in what capacity, but if it’s important, I’ll try to find out.”
“No, don’t go out of your way,” Deutsch said as he glanced at the phone on his desk. “Just be careful please.”
Gideon didn’t need more than that to know that the meeting was over. “Thanks for your time and for listening,” he said.
What’s on his mind? He wondered and closed the door behind him. What alarmed him when he heard who Ryan works for?
Gideon waited at the door for a few seconds, waiting to see if Deutsch would reach for the phone. He hoped to catch a word or a sentence of the conversation, but there was no way he could hear anything through the soundproofed armored walls.
15.
Ann’s Coffee Shop in the center of Menlo Park had just opened when Suzy arrived to meet her two childhood friends Mindy and Mary Lou. It was their usual meeting place.
“Morning, Suzy! How are you this morning?” Ann welcomed her with a big smile. “Are you ready to order? Omelet and toasted whole-grain bread, as usual?”
“Thanks, Ann, everything’s great,” Suzy answered and thought that, actually, things really weren’t. “I’ll wait for Mindy and Mary Lou, but I’d love a glass of water please.”
She couldn’t wait to tell her friends about her last few days. Gideon was distancing himself, shutting her out even more these days. What had happened to that talented, handsome man she’d fallen in love with? I believed that everything would work out when I came back home to California, and I’d feel safer—things have only become more complicated.
Mindy and Mary Lou were giggling when they walked in together and gave Suzy a big hug. Mindy was wearing one of her loose dresses that she loved so much. She’d gained weight after her third child and was no longer the prom queen. Mary Lou, on the other hand, was dressed in a blue pantsuit that matched her eyes and suited her figure. Suzy and Mary Lou both went to the gym in Menlo Park every day, and the results were clear.
Ann greeted her two old customers with a cheerful “Good morning” and asked for their orders.
“I’m skipping breakfast today,” Suzy declared. “I’ll just have a coffee and one of your famous brownies.”
“What’s the matter with you?” Mindy was surprised. She had no intention of skipping the rich breakfast that Ann was famous for. “You back on your depression diet?”
“Get off her case, Mindy!” Mary Lou exclaimed. “Sometimes a person just doesn’t feel like eating a lot…” She studied Suzy’s expression as she ordered a vegetable omelet with parmesan cheese, whole-grain toast, and coffee.
“So—what’s our topic for today?” Mary Lou began as Ann, quick as always, placed their food and drinks on the table. “You mentioned you had something you wanted to talk about, Suzy?”
“Nothing really special. Or new.” Suzy sighed. “I feel great at home, and my relationship with my parents is good, although they aren’t getting younger,” she added sadly. “I felt lonely and isolated both socially and culturally during all those years I spent in Israel. I was thrilled to return to Menlo Park, and I’m so happy I have you two… But Gideon is growing more distant and sinking further into his research. The kids are doing their own things in Israel, and they’re so grown-up and independent now. I have Gideon here, and I’m spoiled for culture and entertainment, but we don’t go out. In fact, ever since he got back from that three-day conference in Berkeley, we’ve hardly said a word to each other.”
“Husbands are all the same,” Mary Lou said, and they all burst out into not-very-happy laughter.
“Robert never says a word to me,” Mindy said, “other than to put me down for my weight. And he spends all his time with his computers, until late at night, claiming that’s the price he has to pay to withstand the competition.”
“Jeffrey too,” Mary Lou added. “He never comes home at a reasonable time during the week. Luckily, we have the weekend, but sometimes work calls him then too.”
They all fell silent and automatically lifted their forks to their mouths, lost in thoughts that added no enjoyment.
“Are you planning to do something about it, Suzy?” Mary Lou asked with concern that resulted mainly from her own situation.
“I discussed it with my mother. We had a long conversation. We considered having a family dinner at home, just the four of us. Surprisingly, Gideon agreed
immediately and promised to come home early that day. At least he still has a soft spot for my parents.”
“A family dinner sounds good, Suzy!” Mindy exclaimed. “Have you thought of anything else? Maybe you could surprise Gideon and buy him something he wants as a surprise? A little bit of attention never hurts.”
After a few moments of consideration, Suzy said, “That’s an excellent idea. It didn’t cross my mind. I have another whole day to choose something suitable. And what about you, Mary Lou? Is there anything that could appeal to Jeffrey?”
“I doubt it. He’s tried to talk about his company, and about the technological challenges they face, but to be honest, it’s boring. He can tell I’m not interested, so he doesn’t try anymore. When he gets home late from work, which is every day, he grabs something from the fridge, and we don’t eat regular meals together anymore. He only agrees to go out for a meal with I nag him, but when I manage to convince him, he really is with me and his mind isn’t on work. It happens so seldom I’ve basically given up,” she finished, lowering her eyes.
“You’re lucky, Mary Lou,” Mindy responded. “I can’t get Bob to go to restaurants. He claims they’re a waste of money and only make us gain more weight… Meaning me, of course. When the kids were still at home, Bob spent more time with the family. He played baseball with Lawrence and did crossword puzzles with Diane. But now that they’re gone, Bob’s no longer involved at home. And, like you, we don’t eat together anymore either.” She sighed.
Suzy thought about what her friends had said, and realized that she hadn’t really given up and that there was another area that may help—music.
She looked at her friends and said, “You know, I just realized that music is just as important to Gideon as research, if not more so. He still plays with the campus orchestra every week. It’s easier for me to convince him to go to San Francisco for a concert or to the opera than to go out for a meal. I’m going to try working with that, even though I’m no expert on music.”
The atmosphere became slightly more optimistic, and Suzy received loving hugs from her two friends before they went their own ways. I’m going to walk around, see if I can find a gift for Gideon. It can’t be too expensive or big, but not some cheap toy either.
***
The Goldman’s three-story house was surrounded by shady trees, extensive lawns, and flower beds that the gardener took care of and cultivated so that they were always in blossom. Suzy’s heart expanded every time she walked from the parking area to the large carved oak door that she remembered from childhood. Her mother was in the kitchen supervising the cook, who was preparing dinner.
“Hi, darling,” she called to her, “did you have a nice morning?”
“Yes, I met up with Mindy and Mary Lou for breakfast, but I could hardly eat a thing. Just a brownie.”
“Are you nervous about dinner tonight?”
“Yes, a little,” Suzy replied. “Look what I bought Gideon.” She pulled out an elegant wallet from a bag. “To replace that wallet that he’s been schlepping around with since his paratrooper days. I hope he likes it.”
“Good idea, Suzy. I’m sure he’ll love it. Now go to your apartment to rest, but first, see if it needs tidying. You want everything today to be perfect.”
Suzy felt like she was her mom’s little girl again. She had everything under control. Everything was ready to go—she had nothing to worry about.
***
Barbara Goldman was not a pretty woman. She had crinkly hair and a sharp nose. No one doubted her wisdom and intelligence, and no one could help but look away when her black eyes focused on them. Michael Goldman, a tall blue-eyed man, had been a law student when Barbara’s dark gaze affixed on him. He’d been captivated by their intensity, and that was it. They became a couple and got married after Michael completed his studies. The young Goldman family combined the kindness and Jewish humor that Michael had inherited from his parents, Polish immigrants, and Barbara’s wisdom and determination. Michael was a successful lawyer, and the family didn’t need any financial help from Barbara’s wealthy parents. From the very beginning, Gideon realized that Barbara wore the pants in the family. Michael was fascinated by the Jewish hero, the paratrooper fighter who’d come to live with them, and he didn’t hesitate to ask Gideon to recount his exploits in battles, time and again. Gideon went with the flow. It was a small fee to pay for all the good that Michael and Barbara lavished on him.
***
Gideon sat in his office all day, staring mindlessly at the computer. He couldn’t concentrate and engaged himself in the more automated tasks of editing the written material and moving passages around. He couldn’t stop thinking about the alarming call from Nurit, telling him about the menacing note and photo. It wasn’t something to be ignored. He’d tried to calm Nurit, minimize the concern he felt, but he couldn’t relax. The memory of the two nights he’d spent with her in Berkeley suddenly felt like a lifetime ago, but he still couldn’t get them off his mind. Is our young love blossoming again? He wondered. I owe so much to the Goldmans. How do I get out of this? Can I?
Something had to be done about the note, but he couldn’t decide what. He sighed, gathered his things, and went out to his bike to ride home for dinner. He was nervous.
16.
Yudke opened the door much more slowly than usual. He’d spent the evening drinking at a pub in Palo Alto with his team from work. They were celebrating the successful end of a stage in developing the smart card they called Callnet.
“That was two too many beers,” he muttered to himself. “I shouldn’t have been tempted.”
Nurit was in Berkeley and would probably be home the next day. Yudke was glad to be alone. He was more relaxed that way. He looked around the spacious, bright living room and was seized by a sense of unease. Something wasn’t right. He couldn’t put his finger on what, exactly. Finally, he noticed the angle of one of the armchairs was slightly off. Maybe Nurit moved it when she left in the morning? Maybe I did, when I walked past to put my laptop and briefcase in the study?
His head felt heavy with alcohol as he went to the study. The massive gnarled oak desk suddenly looked suspiciously clear. Where did I leave my laptop when I came home? A dull suspicion nagged at him. I’m sure I left it in the middle of the desk, he thought. He examined the bookshelf and noticed the books were in a different order. After spending three years in the army as a fighter, and then as an officer in the southern commando unit learning from Bedouin trackers, he’d become good at noticing things most people wouldn’t. The trackers’ doctrine together with Yudke’s orderly mind made it clear that someone had been there in his absence. The laptop was on the far side of the desk. Someone had meddled with it.
Yudke quickly turned it on. The names of work files immediately appeared on the screen. Someone had copied the files. He decided not to bother the company’s security officer at night but to take care of it first thing in the morning. The cloud of alcohol enveloping him was a tested remedy for sleep, and he was out as soon as his head hit the pillow.
***
“Good morning, George,” Yudke said as he entered the security officer’s compact office. “Got a few minutes for me?”
George Lyall was a retired marine officer and a Vietnam War veteran. He still had the short haircut marines were known for, and he still worked out every day in the gym the company ran for its employees. He could still strangle a man to death with his bare hands within seconds. But for now, Yudke wanted an evaluation of the exposure and risk to himself and to the company after having data on the system stolen. Yudke knew not to allow Lyall’s muscles to deceive him; the man was smart, sharp, and quick-witted.
“What a question! Yudke, you know my door’s always open, even when it’s shut…”
“This is no joke,” Yudke said tensely. “My home was broken into last night, and someone messed with my laptop. I took it home yesterday, as I always
do. It happened while I was out with the team.”
“What was on it?” George asked sharply, keeping his eyes on Yudke. “Any Callnet files?”
“Of course not, George.” Yudke stared steadily back. “You know the instructions better than I do. The SC Project files are on a flash drive that I always have with me. There are no sensitive files on the computer, or anything related to them.” Yudke felt his peace of mind returning. The matter was now in the hands of George Lyall. It was no longer only his problem.
“Tell me exactly what you did from the moment you left the office until you got home from the pub and discovered the break-in,” George said calmly and straightforwardly. “Was there anything unusual? A car you didn’t recognize parked by your house when you went out?”
“No, I didn’t notice anything unusual,” Yudke said and gave a scientific, orderly description of everything he’d done the night before.
“That doesn’t sound like just a normal break-in,” Ryall said. “If it had been, they would have taken the laptop and maybe a few other things from the house. I wouldn’t be surprised if it turned out that someone’s been following you and learning your routine.”
“What do we do now?” Yudke asked anxiously. “Does my team have to know about the danger and prepare? And what should I do at home? Is there any sense in installing surveillance cameras, in case of another break-in?”
“Do nothing at this point,” Lyall advised. “Leave it to us. I’ll let my superiors know, and we’ll come up with a suitable plan of action.” Then he added, “But you must tell your wife. From what I understand, she isn’t home most of the time?”
“No, Nurit attends Berkeley, and she hasn’t been home for a few days,” Yudke replied, thinking about how the security people knew every detail of his life.