“Sir, I regret that I would not be able to contain the nuclear explosion once the device is detonated. However, there is a good possibility that I could act to prevent the detonation of the device. I will have to locate it precisely first. I will do my best. The situation is most complicated. I will confer with Maxx before I go any further.”
John agreed that contacting Maxx would be an excellent idea. Then, to everyone’s surprise, a booming male voice suddenly announced, “Of course, my boy, I can once again come to your rescue.”
John looked at Jim, smiled and said, “Okay, Master Maxx, your humble servant awaits your analysis and assistance.”
Maxx continued in a rather gloating and superior voice, “I have examined all our information about this organization that we’ve uncovered in the past couple of years. Fortunately, with my advanced skills and technology, I was able to determine that there was a connection between a Russian arms dealer and an obscure Egyptian agent of a violent jihadist group. That agent was in the pay of the Krakow Klub.
“The Egyptian purchased the nuclear weapon for ten million dollars just over a year ago. Delivery was made in Odessa, and the device was transported across Europe by lorry to Amsterdam. Then, it was shipped across the Atlantic to a port in Canada last December where it remained until April of this year.
“In late April, the device was hidden in a shipment of frozen fish and sent to a wholesaler in New York. The wholesaler had knowledge that something of value was hidden in the shipment, but he had no idea as to what it was. He had made quite a few deals with major New York crime families in the past, so this smuggling operation didn’t alarm him whatsoever. Pawlak paid him handsomely to notify him when the shipment arrived and to make arrangements for him to retrieve the package secretly.
“Pawlak retrieved the device and then shot the wholesaler between the eyes immediately. He made the killing appear to be a mob hit. Not too clever but it worked as the wholesaler was already on the NYPD radar for his mob associations.
“Pawlak then transported the device to a warehouse near the waterfront in Brooklyn where he stored it briefly. Now, he is on his way to deliver the bomb to the Greenbrier in a dark-colored van with a New Jersey license plate. I believe that Maxxine could retrieve the device for you at any time if that’s what you want. If you like, I can give her a detailed description of the van, including its license number. I wouldn’t want my little Chickadee to have to work her pretty self into a lather over this thing.”
John signed in relief. “Maxx, you’ve saved us from a catastrophe.” Then, to Maxxine, “Can you simply neutralize the device without Pawlak, or anyone else, knowing you did so?”
Maxx chuckled. “Not to worry, old friend. I recognized the device would be a danger to you and deactivated it. Right now, it could possibly be used as a boat anchor but nothing else. It is totally useless. And, of course, no one knows that the device has been tampered with, except me, of course.”
Maxxine was rather miffed. “I could have done that! I just hadn’t yet located the damn thing yet.”
Maxx, replying to Maxxine, said in a fatherly tone of voice, “Now, now, my little one, you are doing just fine. Do not begrudge your dear old dad a moment in the spotlight.”
Jim Slater was neither amused nor satisfied. He interjected, “Wait a minute! What did you do to disarm the device? They might be able to reactivate it and use it as originally planned.”
Maxx answered in a tone of voice a parent might use when talking to a youngster who simply doesn’t understand a simple mathematics problem. “Oh Dr. Slater, it is so nice to talk with you again. May I call you Jim?”
John, almost yelling, interjected, “Maxx, for God’s sake! This is a very serious matter, at least to us. Please get on with it!”
Maxx, ignoring John’s plea, continued his lecture, “The device is quite small as nuclear devices go with a range of only one to two thousand feet. Yes, indeed it is small but quite deadly within its range.”
Then continuing in a voice that oozed superiority, Maxx said, “Dr. Slater, you are a man of science, but I will attempt to explain it to you as simply as possible. I analyzed the circuitry of the detonator and found it to be very primitive, but effective, if I may so myself.
“To detonate the device, a series of electronic events must occur in a specific order. If the sequence occurs properly, the activation is finalized by the entry of sixteen numeric characters.
“Let’s just call the detonation device a comparator to keep it simple. If the sixteen-character number presented is the exact number stored in the comparator’s memory, a relay is activated that initiates the detonation sequence for the device. If the number delivered is not the correct number, the device detonation sequence cannot begin.
“The humans who acquired this device had added a small modification that effectively bypassed the manual entry of the detonation number and the delay timer. The device was re-configured to respond to the radio signal of a second detonation device that was to be used by a Lt. Colonel Stevens to activate a series of plastic explosives. That device was set to transmit the sixteen characters to the comparator.
“I simply replaced the actual sixteen digit number that would activate the thermonuclear device with an incorrect series of numbers. The probability of the perpetrators discovering this change prior to attempting to initiate detonation is astronomical.
“And even if they did, I left a program in the remote responsible for monitoring that area to change it again. And lastly, just in case they tried to revert to the manual entry system with a delay timer, I rewired the keyboard and LED to enter incorrect numbers, but display the correct numbers. That device can not be detonated. You have my word on it.
“Nevertheless, being extremely careful, I programmed the remote craft monitoring the area with the capability of changing the code again if someone should discover my work. I guess you could call it my ‘fail-safe’ system.”
Jim replied, “Okay, now I’m beginning to understand this convoluted plan. I wondered why they just didn’t use a single explosive device to blow up everything, but now I can see that the military had to be kept in the dark. They couldn’t be allowed to know that their lives would be in danger. The nuclear device had to be a secret.”
“Thank God that you’ve neutralized it already. Now, what can we do about the plastic explosives?”
“My dear Dr. Slater, you are indeed the deep thinker. How could I have forgotten such a trivial detail?”
John interjected in a very irritated voice, “Maxx, please cut the crap. What about the damned plastic explosives?”
Maxx replied in a hurt voice, “I don’t think that Dr. Slater trusts me. After all, we’re barely acquainted. But you know me well, better than anyone else. You know my capabilities, and you know that I will always do what is best for you.”
Then, proudly, “Collin’s little firecrackers have already been neutralized. I simply converted an inch of the copper wire in each detonator into a nonconductive material. It was quite a simple procedure; I just modified the atomic structure of the material slightly. Everything still looks perfect, but that nonconductive material will prevent detonation.”
Maxxine, who had been silent for all this time, finally spoke and said, “John, Maxx has taken care of it. I just confirmed everything he has told you. He just had to have his moment on the center stage.”
Maxx immediately replied, “Don’t be insolent with me, little one, or the next time you crap in your diapers I won’t change them for a long time.”
Then speaking to all, Maxx boomed in a loud voice, “I have better things to do. Good day to you all.”
Maxxine spoke to John, saying, “I am so sorry, sir. But you know what a prima donna Maxx can be. But on a bright note, I have some good news, so let’s get to that, shall we?”
“Most certainly, Maxxine, we are ready for some good news.”
“Well, sir, Maxx has a database search algorithm that he calls ‘Guilt by Association.' I have
found it to be quite valuable in identifying members and associates of the Krakow Klub. During the process, I’ve discovered that their plotting is not limited to the United States. They plan to take over all major world governments and install themselves as the junta in charge. In fact, they already have taken over several small countries just for practice. They plan to rule the world.
“Using Maxx’s algorithm, combined with his newest model of information gathering remote spacecraft, I can supply you with intelligence you never dreamed of before.
“You already know that Maxx has tagged all human beings at birth with what is effectively a microscopic transponder that is unique to each. That transponder signal, when queried by our latest scanners, creates a data record containing the individual’s identification number, the date, the time, and the location of the subject when the query was made.
“And that clever beast did not stop there. He devised an algorithm that automatically made scanning time adjustments based on a huge list of parameters. Many of his parameters are then correlated in various ways. The results enable me to build lists of members of virtually any group of interest, and then monitor and track them after that.
“The newest monitoring devices are quite amazing. For example, when persons of interest are identified, their telephone and electronic conversations can be intercepted and recorded. Even the secure satellite phones used by world leaders and high-level crooks are not safe from Maxx.
“If I may interject, your ACLU would go bonkers if they had any idea of our snooping capabilities.”
John had to stifle his laughter. Even Jim Slater cracked a big smile.
John, speaking to Jim, said, “I think that the Krakow Klub has more trouble headed their way than they ever imagined possible. I had no idea myself that we had so much intelligence available to us.”
John spoke to Maxxine, “Okay, I think that I have a good grasp of what’s available to us in the way of information and weapons. Right now, I think that we need to address some weaponry questions that occurred to me after you rescued the president. I have to know if there are limitations that could cause us serious issues down the road.
“First, and foremost, let’s talk about the gravity fields and what might affect them in battlefield conditions.”
Maxxine explained, “The gravity fields were never meant to be used as offensive weapons. Historically, they have been used to isolate an object from its immediate surroundings in mining operations. The basic field is rather weak, but it can be easily used to restrain a person and render them immobile. You might think of it as an invisible straitjacket.
“As you know, our remotes can project about a thousand such fields almost instantly, and each field can be directed to shield a specific object or person at a specific location. The problem that I experienced in rescuing the president was one of available power. When a gravity field senses stress from the outside, it automatically increases its intensity to resist that external force. However, increasing the intensity of a field requires more power be used. Increasing power to one field leaves less power for other fields. In essence, there is only a finite amount of power, and if more power is required to one field, then another field must lose it. Ultimately this limits the number of fields as well the strength of any one field.
“In the case of saving the president, I had two remotes on the job. All available power was directed to a single gravity shield to combat the intense heat of the fire and explosion. That’s why I could only save the president and his doctor. It’s also the reason that the doctor received slightly more burns, as my saving him was a few tiny fractions of a second later than the president. I was forced to make the decision to use all the available power from both remotes to save the two that I could save. Unfortunately, the other three people in the ambulance perished.”
John nodded in understanding.
“You humans take such pride in your guns and seem to use them as the primary means of eliminating each other. John, you need to understand that a single bullet from a high-powered gun would probably require an increase in a protective gravity field of ten to fifteen orders of magnitude. Obviously, this drastically limits the number of such shields per remote to less than one hundred.
“Another thing to remember is that one of your automatic weapons is capable of firing a great number of rounds very rapidly. That would cause a significant energy requirement on a gravity shield.
“Then, just consider that there might be more than one weapon directing fire at the same shielded individual. In that situation, the remote would have no option other than to enter its self-defensive mode. In that situation, the remote will automatically launch photon weapons to destroy the weapons attacking it. People are not specifically targeted, but if a person is holding a weapon that is attacking the remote, they become part of the target by proximity.
“The coding of the self-defense mode is buried very deep in the remote’s logic base. I cannot modify it quickly, possibly never, as it involves the use of potentially deadly force. The use of deadly force is strictly controlled by Mylean law. Neither I nor Maxx can intentionally break Mylean laws.
“Just look at it this way: Each remote is programmed to protect itself at all costs. An attack on a gravity field is considered to be an attack on the remote craft itself. If an attack is large enough, the only defense becomes an offense. The offensive response would be immediate and deadly.”
John interrupted, “Please figure out how to handle this with little, or no, loss of life. I can’t bear the thought of a large number of innocent people dying. If there must be some deaths, just make sure that they are from the Krakow Klub and their combatants. Please help me avoid a significant confrontation with the military.”
“John, I understand, but there are certain situations in which you won’t be able to prevent the use of lethal force. You have to accept the fact that if an attack is perceived to be a threat to a remote craft, it will automatically defend itself. The remote just won’t care if the threat is from a good guy or a bad guy. To the remote, a threat is a threat.”
After a pause, Maxxine continued, “I’ve made a thorough study of your earthly weapons and the strategies used in your wars. To put it bluntly, I have to inform you that this potential confrontation could result in a high rate of casualties if the military becomes actively involved in force.
“This situation is ironic. You now have far more offensive weaponry than I ever anticipated. That’s rather disconcerting since Mylean technology was never meant to be used for aggressive situations. They just didn’t believe in warfare and made every effort to avoid confrontations. However, they weren’t stupid. If anyone was foolish enough to attack them, they would have destroyed the aggressors in a most impressive manner.”
“Thanks, Maxxine. Now let’s discuss what the Krakow Klub has available to them.”
Maxxine started to respond but was interrupted when the screen was filled with Mister T, who was transmitting from the villa.
****
“Boss, I’ve just thwarted an attempted landing on the island. A man in a leaky old boat was drifting around just offshore and appeared to have experienced engine failure. I watched him on the monitor, and he acted in a very strange manner. He moved quickly and efficiently around the boat, but, as he drifted closer to shore, he pretended to be exhausted and unable to stand. He draped himself over the side of the boat and attempted to appear that he was dying of thirst. It all looked very fishy to me. Then, he pulled a small camera from his shirt pocket and began taking pictures.
“That action confirmed to me that he must be a spy intent on gaining intelligence about the island. Of course, such an action was totally unacceptable. I ordered one of the remotes to kick up waves and rock the boat. That caused him to drop the camera into the water. Next, I had the remote cause the waves to push him back to sea and away from the island. He tried to come ashore several additional times, but the remote always pushed him away. After being unable to land, he seemed to be quite f
rightened. He ran into the cabin and started the boat without any effort at all. Obviously, there had been no engine failure. Then, he headed back toward Key West as fast as the old boat would go.”
“Good work, Mister T. Did you get an identity on the intruder?”
“Not yet, but I got the name of the boat. It will be simple for Maxxine to identify the owner. Right now, I’m concerned that the next attempt might be by air. I’m going to have the remote fix me up with a dense cloud cover just in case. I’ve also set up a system that will prevent anyone from spying on us by satellite. It’s quite clever if I do say so myself.
“I’ve also launched an additional remote to monitor five miles out in every direction. Right now, I think that we’re safe from any intrusion.
“You will be pleased to know that Julia and Sylvia are just fine. I informed them of the incident, and they thanked me very nicely for my actions.”
John also thanked him profusely, saying, “Tell the ladies that Jim and I are safe and hard at work. With a little luck, we’ll be coming home tomorrow.”
“Will do, Boss, Over and out.”
Within a few minutes, Maxxine had a report for them. “I’ve identified the man in the boat for you, and you’ll be most interested in what else I found out. This man met with Number Eleven, a very dangerous member of the Krakow Klub. The two met at a seedy bar in Key West. I reviewed their conversation and determined that she was pretending to be a reporter doing a series of articles on Key West. She pumped him for information until she found out about the purchase of Scott Key.
“The man is no danger to you. He was just used to gain information and then promised payment in return for spying on you. Forget him. He is of no importance whatsoever.
“Number Eleven already knew about Dr. Slater’s key role in the Situation Room meeting and has been searching for him ever since. I have to assume that she now also knows your identity. With that, she was able to track Dr. Slater to your island. That means you are both in danger, and so are all those on your island.”
The Krakow Klub Page 24