by Ted Halstead
The objection had never come. As the sign darkened and Chen lowered her phone, her heart leaped when she saw what the taxi driver was doing.
His phone was also up and recording.
Chen passed the driver money that covered both the fare and a generous tip, saying, "I'll get out here."
The driver nodded his understanding.
Chen walked as quickly as she could without seeming to run. Fortunately, she had planned well.
Shanghai's subway system was the world's second-largest, with four hundred fourteen stations. One of those stations was only steps away.
It took less than two minutes for Chen to board the first train she found leaving the station.
By then, police had already begun confiscating the phones of everyone they could find anywhere near the hacked signs. But it was already too late.
Shanghai just had too many people. And they almost all had phones.
Members of Forward had used Chen's code to hack the hated "shame display" signs in every major Chinese city. The same message had been displayed on all of them.
Gateway owners uploaded recordings of the message to dozens of sites. Quickly removed by Chinese censors, they were still seen by millions.
Forward had announced themselves to China's citizens and the Party.
What would they do next?
Chapter Twenty-Four
Cape Canaveral Air Force Base
SpaceLink Launch Command Center
SpaceLink project manager Mark Rooter stood next to his boss Eli Wade as they both looked out the vast expanse of glass in front of them at the rocket about to launch into the clear morning sky.
It was an awe-inspiring sight. Wade had dreams of using this very rocket model to send crews to the Moon and then Mars.
Today, though, no crew would be on the rocket. Instead, there would be four hundred SpaceLink satellites, enough to replace the satellites destroyed by the Chinese and add more for even better Internet coverage.
Wade smiled to himself at the thought. Yes, it was time to send a message to the Chinese.
Attacks on SpaceLink satellites would have consequences. Ones the Chinese wouldn't like.
"How's the launch looking?" Wade asked, glancing at the three displays in front of Rooter. They were full of graphs and data that, from Wade's vantage point, meant nothing.
Not that he couldn't have figured out the data on the displays if he sat down and took the time. But that's why he hired people like Rooter. So he wouldn't need to do that.
"Everything's green. Even the weather is cooperating," Rooter said.
"Great! But you still look worried," Wade said.
At first, Rooter looked startled, and then he laughed. It had the sound of coming from a man who hadn't laughed in some time.
"Sir, if the first launch of a new rocket model this size didn't worry me, you'd need a new project manager," Rooter said with a smile.
"Got you," Wade said with a nod. "So, ten minutes to go?"
"That's right," Rooter replied, glancing up at the large rectangular clock with a red digital readout suspended from the ceiling. And impossible for anyone in the launch center to miss.
Rooter knew Wade could see it and understood what the display meant. Pointing that out would have not only been rude, though. It would have missed the point.
Wade was just as nervous as he was.
Rooter had been present for every one of the dozens of rocket launches that had been necessary to establish the constellation of SpaceLink Internet satellites. For each one, he'd wondered if this would finally be the time it became routine.
It never did.
One part of each launch was always the same, though. Somehow, time seemed to both slow to a crawl each time Rooter looked up at the countdown clock and pass by in a blur as he monitored the hundreds of things that could go wrong with a launch.
Before he knew it, Wade was chanting the same refrain that had been familiar since the Apollo program that took crews to the Moon.
"T minus nine, T minus eight…"
Fire gushed from the bottom of the massive rocket, propelling it upwards. Slowly at first, then faster and faster.
Until it was out of sight.
A large display hung from the ceiling at the launch center's front now showed the rapidly receding launch center from the perspective of the rocket's bottom, where a camera was sending back a steady stream of images.
A sudden flurry of activity at several consoles caught the attention of both Rooter and Wade at the same moment that a red alarm bar appeared on all of Rooter's displays.
"What's causing these pressure fluct…?" was all Rooter had time to say.
Before a blinding flash from the ceiling display was replaced with static.
And all his displays showed zero incoming data from the rocket.
Now one of the technicians near Wade stood up and gestured at his headset, where he had just received a message.
"Sir, NASA tracking reports the rocket has broken up. Multiple fragments are now appearing on their radar," the technician said.
Into an echoing silence that had been a buzzing hive of activity moments before.
Rooter sat down heavily. It wasn't the first rocket they'd lost.
But it was the first in a long time.
And the very first of their newest type. After so many successful tests of every component…
"What happened?" Wade asked quietly.
Rooter shook his head. "It doesn't make any sense. Something went catastrophically wrong with stage separation. But the pressure readings didn't make any sense."
Wade nodded and gestured for Rooter to follow him. Rooter's first instinct was to object, to say he couldn't walk away after a disaster like this.
Two things immediately stopped him. First, Wade was his boss and could ask him to do whatever he wanted.
Next, there was nothing here for Rooter to manage. Finding the explanation for the rocket's explosion would take hours, if not days.
Rooter wasn't looking forward to the "it's not your fault" pep talk he knew was coming. At least he knew Wade well enough to know he wasn't about to be fired.
Wade swiped the access card to the conference room door and motioned for Rooter to precede him. Rooter sat down, and Wade closed the door.
Then Wade sat down right next to him with an expression Rooter didn't understand.
Wade was angry. But not at him.
His next words cleared up the mystery.
"Could this have been the Chinese?" Wade asked.
Rooter sat back, astonished by the question.
That possibility had not occurred to him. At all.
But the more he thought about it, the more sense it made. The Chinese had certainly pulled out all the stops to destroy the satellites they had broadcasting an Internet signal that could be picked up within China.
OK, they had the motive. But how?
"Let's assume the Chinese did this. They'd either need access to the rocket or to the launch center. I guess we should start by reviewing the logs showing exactly who that was and if there's anything we missed in their background checks. And if any of them had a big recent bank deposit," Rooter said sourly.
"What about an attack through the network? I know this rocket is monitored through our other launch centers, so access has to be possible. Maybe someone breached our security," Wade said.
Rooter shook his head. "Not possible. Monitoring data that's outgoing is allowed anywhere in the network. But uploading software code or sending a command to the rocket can only be done from this launch center."
Wade cocked his head. "You seem sure about that. Couldn't a command have a launch center authenticator included if they were able to reproduce it?"
"No way," Rooter said emphatically. "The network is set up to check that the command or software update was sent with essentially no lag. In other words, from this launch center. If it was sent from anywhere else the system would know, and alert us immediately to an attempte
d breach. We've tested it multiple times, and it's always worked."
Wade grunted, and Rooter could see he wasn't convinced.
"OK, but you're going to check network activity logs, right?" Wade asked.
Actually, it's probably the last thing Rooter would have done on his own, but why not? It wouldn't take long, and then they could move on to the real culprit.
Rooter was sure it was someone with physical access to the rocket who'd probably been paid a handsome sum to carry out the sabotage.
Maybe someone at the launch center right now.
The thought sent a wave of anger through Rooter that surprised him with its intensity.
No. Whoever was smart enough to do this without being caught in time wouldn't be dumb enough to hang around.
So, check to see if anyone had picked now to go on vacation. Or call in sick.
Wade interrupted the jumble of thoughts passing through Rooter's mind.
"Look, I know we've both got a lot to think about here. Why don't you check on those network activity logs, and I'll get us some help with this investigation. People who can, for example, check to see if anyone here recently opened an offshore bank account," Wade said.
Rooter realized he hadn't even answered Wade's last question and had been sitting frozen with his thoughts. Shaking himself, he nodded.
"Right, boss. I'm also going to check if anyone has picked now to go on leave, either on vacation or calling in sick. I can't think of anyone offhand, but we've got a lot of people here, and some of them are contractors," Rooter replied.
"Good. I'll let you know who I can get to help us later this morning. Once you find anything, tell me and only me. We still don't know who we can trust here. Until we settle that, we can't decide what we should do next," Wade said.
Rooter nodded, sickened by the realization that Wade was right.
Until they got to the bottom of this, SpaceLink was going to be frozen in place.
And that, Rooter thought bitterly, had to be exactly what the Chinese government wanted.
Chapter Twenty-Five
The White House
Washington DC
President Hernandez looked up from his stack of papers as General Robinson walked into the Oval Office.
"Good morning, General. I understand you have an update on the explosion of that rocket in Florida," Hernandez said.
Robinson nodded. "Yes, sir. I just finished speaking with Eli Wade. They don't know how it happened, but they suspect China was behind it."
"Well, I had the same thought. After that Chinese laser attack on SpaceLink satellites, they're the obvious suspects. But sometimes rockets do blow up, and it was the first operational flight of this new Spaceship model. I'm going to need real proof before I can go public with an accusation," Hernandez said.
"Agreed, sir," Robinson said. "Wade called me because I knew about the laser attack, and this latest disaster happened at an Air Force base. However, I think this investigation will require resources well beyond what's available to military law enforcement. I've referred the matter to FBI Director Finegold and made sure our military investigators know the FBI has the lead."
"Good," Hernandez said. "I'll call Finegold after we're done and tell him this is a top priority. Did he say who he's putting in charge?"
Robinson nodded. "Yes, sir. Bob Hansen."
"Excellent. I remember Hansen from when he stopped the Chinese effort to snatch one of their defectors from Dulles Airport a few years back. And wasn't he also involved in the arrest of those five Chinese agents trying to force dissidents who had made it here to return to China to face trial?" Hernandez asked.
"Yes, sir, in 2020. He's now been promoted to heading up all investigations for the Assistant Attorney General for National Security. Hansen is on his way to Florida right now," Robinson said.
"OK, so we'll wait to hear from the FBI. While we're on the subject of China, I wasn't happy to hear they've restarted construction on another one of their so-called islands. Is the Air Force monitoring that situation?" Hernandez asked.
"Not directly, sir. The Japanese have that job, since this newest Chinese provocation is in waters they also claim near the Senkaku Islands," Robinson replied.
"I'm sorry to hear that, General. Don't we have any assets in the area?" Hernandez asked.
Robinson hesitated. "Well, sir, it's not my place to discuss this, but I did see a report that the USS Oregon is nearby."
Hernandez grunted. "Right, it's General Robinson, not Admiral. As I'm sure, our friends in the Navy would be quick to remind you. Oregon is a Virginia class attack sub, right?"
"Yes, sir," Robinson said with a resigned smile.
"Funny how the Oregon keeps turning up at one crisis point after another, isn't it, General?" Hernandez asked.
"You're referring to its involvement in recent incidents in the waters off Korea and Saudi Arabia. I'd say that shows the Navy's good judgment in sending their best assets where they're most needed," Robinson said.
Hernandez laughed. "I keep trying to name you as National Security Advisor, and you keep turning me down. More comments like that, and I'll make you Secretary of State instead!"
Robinson winced. "Please, no, sir. I meant what I said before. I'll be a lot more effective staying under the radar."
Hernandez nodded, still smiling. "Fine. But tell me how you just happened to get a report on a sub deployment between China and Japan."
Robinson pursed his lips ruefully. There was a reason Hernandez had made it to the Presidency.
Very little got past him.
"For its past several deployments, the Oregon has been the testbed for advanced munitions, including ones that also interest the Air Force. The weapon they are testing in the Pacific now is one of those, sir," Robinson said.
"Interesting," Hernandez said, nodding thoughtfully. "You know, if it turns out the Chinese were involved in destroying our rocket, I'd like to make them regret it without going all the way to a nuclear exchange. Can you get me a report on this new weapon's capabilities without alerting anyone in the Navy or, for that matter, the Air Force that I'm the one asking?"
"Yes, sir," Robinson said. "I think a lot of our allies in the region would be happy to see something unfortunate happen to one of China's so-called islands. I'll get back to you later today."
Moments later, Hernandez was again alone in the Oval Office.
Yes, Hernandez thought to himself.
It was time for the Chinese to learn that you couldn't keep pushing others in the region without, at some point, having someone push back.
Hard.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Shanghai, China
Chen Li Na didn't like anything about this meeting in her apartment. She might trust Forward as an organization. The message she had helped them display on signs at traffic intersections all over China proved they were allies in fighting against the tyranny of Party rule.
But just how good was Forward's security? Particularly since they were willing to arrange something as risky as an in-person meeting?
Say this woman was a State Security agent. She could well be waiting until she had discovered as much of Forward's organization and its allies as possible before calling in the arrest teams.
So the fact that nobody had yet broken down Chen's door was no comfort at all.
Chen had no problem risking her own life in the struggle for freedom. As far as she was concerned, ending the Party dictatorship was worth the risk.
But the danger to her girlfriend Tang Yanfei did bother her. Yes, Tang was also part of the struggle.
But Chen knew that Tang's less important role was unlikely to expose her to arrest. No, if Tang ended up in prison, it would almost certainly happen because she had been swept up with Chen.
A soft knock at her door provided a welcome interruption to Chen's thoughts and even made her smile.
That wasn't a State Security knock.
Chen opened the door and stood rooted there for several m
oments.
The woman in front of her looked nothing like the person Chen had expected. Someone dull, gray, and anonymous.
No, this woman was the opposite of that.
Chen was average height, or maybe a little above. This woman exceeded her height by almost half a meter, making her one of the tallest women Chen had ever seen.
Her dark hair was cut short, unlike Chen's long flowing tresses. But many of the woman's individual strands were colored in a pattern that seemed at once random and, as her hair moved, picked with deliberate care by an artist.
Her makeup was delicate and had been applied sparingly. Yet it succeeded in accenting the woman's high cheekbones, full lips, and seemingly bottomless eyes.
Her perfume was just as subtle as her makeup. But it seemed to have been made just for her.
Chen was suddenly very glad that Tang wasn't present to see her staring at this visitor.
"May I come in?" the woman asked with a smile that said this wasn't the first time her appearance had provoked such a reaction.
"Please," Chen replied with embarrassment and an awkward wave towards her sofa.
The woman gracefully sat and said, "First, let me introduce myself. I am Wang Yan."
Which meant "glamorous" in Chinese. When Chen had been told to expect this name by Forward, she'd already thought the popular name was probably an alias. Now Chen thought that was nearly certain. A name probably chosen to match Wang's job as a model or actor.
"I know you must be wondering why I insisted on meeting you face to face. First, it is because I decided the information I have for you could not be trusted to any network and had to be delivered in person," Wang said.
Wang held up a USB drive she had just pulled from her purse but made no move to give it to Chen.
"Second, I need to be sure you understand the risk you are taking by agreeing to help launch this attack on the government. I trust the man who provided the information on this drive with my life, and I know you will do your utmost to keep the attack from being traced back to us. But make no mistake. The government will do everything in its power to find you," Wang said, locking eyes with Chen as she delivered her warning.