Death Dealer: They started with Blackmail. They ended with Murder. (Max Blake Book 1)

by Ian Brett

  I nodded.

  “OK go and do a bit more digging, perhaps a visit to the lab, and set up some surveillance? Have a word with Phil.”

  What Howard actually meant by that was that I should break in to Zanic, bug their phones and computers so we could check their files, then sneak round the lab and take a few photos. Huge fun as far as I’m concerned.

  ***

  Phil is 23 and our resident computer genius. He spends most of his time in the IT section only venturing out for food, sleep and whatever 23 year old males get up to in their free time. He tries to irritate me by calling me ‘Pops’ and to keep him happy, I pretend to rise to it.

  “So what can I do for you this time Pops?”

  After a pantomime cuff round the back of the head, I dropped a newspaper cutting about Zanic in front of him. “I need to find out if this lot are genuine or just a bunch of con artists, I need to see their files and check their correspondence.”

  “Methinks that is illegal Pops.”

  “Not for us, we’re the good guys, didn’t you know? So can you help me?”

  He walked over to a framed reproduction of the London Underground map and swung it aside to reveal a safe. Opening it he removed one of the shelves and exposed a hidden USB slot. He inserted a memory stick which he pulled from his pocket. This opened another smaller safe carefully hidden behind the back of the first.

  He took out a flash drive and waved it at me. “This is the best way. You can try to con them into downloading spyware off the internet but you can’t be sure they’ll bite. I can guarantee this works… it just means that we have to go there and plug it into their server. I’ll be able to copy any files you like remotely - even monitor their keystrokes and web searches.”

  “Brilliant, where did you get it?”

  “My design Pops, that’s why you pay me so much. It’s virtually undetectable - it doesn’t use much space and we can remove all signs when you’ve finished. You only need to break into their office once.”

  “But can you bypass their security system?”

  “Be surprised if I couldn’t. Lots of high tech companies tend to think its cleaver to integrate all their systems. This includes basic office equipment like printers most which have an on-line back up. I’ve been piloting a new hack that worms its way into security systems using this cock up.”

  “You’ll need to explain that one.”

  “OK most of the knob heads haven’t really thought through the security issues. They use codes like ‘Admin’ as their username or 123 as a password. They forget that they’ve just exposed themselves on the ‘world wide web’ so with the right tools anyone can access the device. Because all their systems are integrated once you’re into one unprotected unit you can rummage around their whole organisation and look up their skirt. How close can we get to the lab?”

  “You sneaky bugger, I’m glad you’re on our side!” I thought about access “They’ve got a large unit in the science park, they share car spaces with three or four others. We could stash the delivery truck there for a few hours without anyone noticing.”

  Phil wrinkled his lip. “Unless they’re very clever I’d only need a few minutes - when do you need to do this?”

  “Ideally as soon as possible, I’ll get my map of the park and bring it down here now.”

  I spread the map out on his desk and Phil smiled. “Perfect Pops.”

  “What is?”

  “See the dual-carriageway that runs along the left hand side of the park? Their labs are about 150 meters from that layby.” Phil pointed with his pencil. “With my equipment we can log on to their Wi-Fi and see what comes up. If you get the truck I can sit in the back and try to connect, while you pretend to be parked up for the night - watch the telly or something. Saves us having to worry about the park’s main security, we don’t want to show up on any video tapes.”

  We have an old, rather grubby articulated truck that we occasionally use for surveillance. Parked in a layby with others it’s almost invisible. Typically, we leave the back open to show aspiring thieves that there is nothing worth nicking. But inside, ours is a little different. It has a false back which has enough room for Phil and his toys. We parked in the layby close to Zanic and I was half way through watching the news when Phil banged on the hatch which connects the cab to the container.

  I crawled through to see him grinning. “What a bunch of prats, look what they’ve done.” He pointed to the screen of his lap top.

  “Not immediately clear to me Phil.” His screen was divided into four, two windows showing graphs and the other two, a list of figures. On their own they made little sense to me

  He was almost hopping with joy. “This is the best. Their heating system is controlled by computer, their IT guys have been lazy and connected it via their Wi-Fi.” He looked at me, shook his head at my blank expression and continued. “You’re meant to connect these systems directly to the server but that can be a pain to do. This lot have connected via the web meaning that they are now sharing their info with the world. The heating system has no security because it was never meant to be on the web in the first place. So I can look up their skirt and see everything.”

  “Bloody hell! So you’re saying we’re in already?”

  “Yes, I got in through the heating software, then linked to one of their printers so now I’m into their main server. That means I can control their security system, CCTV and any linked computers and laptops.”

  “You, my son, may have a revolting way of expressing yourself but you’re a bloody a genius.”

  “I keep telling you that but you never listen. Two things though. You remember the lab section is divided into two parts; the second connects off a corridor from the main lab. It has no windows and interestingly is not connected to the rest of the security system so no cameras and seems to have no electronic equipment - so I’m blind there. The other thing is there is one computer in the main lab area that is not connected to any system. Sod’s law being what it is I think its Miller’s, the one you want. The only way you will be able to access it is by being in the room and using the dongle.”

  “But can you get me in?”

  “Piece of piss now. Their system is easy, it’s designed to run off an iPad. I can turn off the alarms and unlock the doors and delete any record of us being there. I’ll doctor the security cameras to delete any images of you after you’ve gone but I’ll keep them running on my screen in case you run into trouble.”

  He was big headed enough without any more praise from me I just nodded and made a mental note to increase his quarterly bonus. This boy was worth his weight in gold. “OK if that’s all set up we can go now. Can you monitor everything from here?”

  “Sure, I’m setting that up now”

  “OK keep an eye on them for this evening - if everything seems OK I’ll go in tomorrow. That should give us time to get a decent plan together, so I can have a quiet time when I go in.”

  A good theory - shame that I was wrong.

  Chapter 4 Lab Work.

  Howard switched on the projector. “Let’s run over the plan - see if we can find any glitches.” The three of us were sitting in the meeting room and Phil was updating us on the layout. A map of the science park and a detailed floor plan of Zanic’s unit were illuminated on one wall.

  He used a laser pointer to demonstrate. “You can see that the unit is a rectangular block divided into four unequal sections. A large research lab at the North end leads into a central corridor. On either side of this corridor are two small offices - the one on the left, opposite the car park is the reception area. The one on the right is a security office. Both these have a door which leads to the central corridor but only the reception area and the main lab have exit doors. The main corridor is the link through to the South lab. Unfortunately I can’t tell you much about this room other than that it seems to have no security system. The main lab has four windows, each of the offices has one but the South lab has no windows and its only door leads
into the central link corridor.”

  Phil took the pointer. “Opposite the reception office is a car park which leads on to the link road. The whole area is surrounded by woods. The main arterial road is about 300 meters north of the labs and there’s a short layby where we can park a truck without arousing attention. That side of the science park is secured from the road by a high wire fence. The easiest way in would be to park in the layby cut a small gap in the fence and go through the woods.”

  “Agreed.” I said, turning to Howard. “The woods are close to the reception door, I’ll just need to get across the car park and that’s badly lit. Phil has cracked their systems. He can manipulate the CCTV feed the guards see and he’s locked on to their main monitor so we can use its internal camera to see where they are or if they receive any messages.”

  Howard looked at Phil amazed. “So basically you now run their systems?”

  “Yes.” Phil pressed a key on his lap-top. “And now we’re in I can do it all from here. Look, this is the live feed through their security cameras. This is the main lab, its dark as the lights are off, but you can detect any movement. We’ve other views of the car park, the reception area and this,” he flicked another key on his laptop, “is the view through the camera mounted on the guards monitor. I can split my screen to show any number of views when I want.”

  Howard and I exchanged looks again. The boy was good. “What were you saying about the other lab?” He asked.

  “That’s an odd one.” Phil shrugged his shoulders. “There are no cameras or security systems there, but I suppose, since there are no windows and the only door leads into the connecting corridor, which is monitored, they feel they don’t need it.”

  “Or there is something so secret that they don’t want any pictures accidently emerging.” Howard was always suspicious but often right. “You’d better be careful. Do you want any back up in the woods in case of trouble Max?”

  “No the lighter the touch the better. I don’t think I’ll run into too much trouble in a science park.”

  “OK when is it on for.”

  I looked at my watch. I was happy with the plan, I wouldn’t be there long and I loved creeping about in the dark “Few hours from now, I’ll go in at 4:00 am - still dark but by then the guards will be at their lowest ebb and looking forward to clocking off soon. The day shift starts at 7:00.” I looked at Phil and he continued.

  “I’ll monitor everything from here. I’m already into their server so the only computer Max needs to bug is the one where Miller sits…..”

  “How can he log on, we don’t know his code?” Howard objected.

  “Well we do actually, I’ve been watching him log on and it’s ‘Lucy.1983’ - his daughter’s name and year of birth, all pretty standard.

  Howard nodded. “I can see we’re going to have to watch you, young man.” His brow furrowed. “But can anyone link your surveillance back to us at this office?”

  “No that’s the beauty of this design, I’m running everything off site through a type of cloud system originating in Switzerland, no link to us and protected with a proper computer generated password.”

  “Eh?

  “Don’t want to blind you with science but it’s a type of quantum cryptology based on particle physics. Basically the code is generated by a genuinely random set of numbers plus any attempt to crack it leaves signs of snooping - so we’d know if anyone is looking. You may have heard of it as the system the Swiss use to prevent electronic vote tampering but the company also have several large banking and government clients.”

  “So that’s a complicated way of saying we're safe?”

  “We are, bar an act of God.”

  ***

  At 3:30 am I started to cut through the fence.

  Fortunately for me it was a filthy November day with a wicked mixture of mist and rain. The few drivers on the road were concentrating hard to make anything out in the low visibility to notice me. I was dressed from head to foot in black and had streaked my face with camouflage paint. A large peaked cap and safety goggles protected my identity and eyes. I cut the last stand and slunk into the woods.

  I was enjoying myself.

  I squatted beside a tree to get a feel of my surroundings. I wanted to become part of the landscape and watch for a while. After about ten minutes animals began to snuffle round again and I heard a cat hunting in a bush behind me.

  I waited, closed my eyes and began to absorb the atmosphere. After some 20 minutes I felt content that I was the only human in the woods. To be sure I lifted a small thermal imaging scope to my eyes and scanned the area. As I thought - nothing. If there were any guards outside or in the woods they were taking remarkable precautions not to be seen. As I looked deeper into the woods I detected the heat pattern of what was probably a fox but that was all. A hedgehog came scurrying close by, stopped to sniff the air but ignoring me he moved off on his business.

  “Can you hear me?” I whispered. I had a mouthpiece on a headset under my cap and a miniature microphone in my ear. “I’m ready for the off.”

  “Sure.” Phil said. “Looks like the guards are half asleep now. One has his eyes closed the other is sitting in front of the monitor smoking. I’ll turn the alarms off now and open the reception door for you...”

  I ran across the car park and heard a lock click just before I pushed the door open. There were no lights on but light flooded in from the security office opposite.

  “Still OK.” Phil’s voice sounded tense. “I’ve swapped the feed so they’re looking at old footage but I’ve kept live here so I can see everything - just nod if you can hear me.”

  I nodded as I crept along the corridor into the main lab. There were three rows of lab tables each about 12 foot long, I looked around for Miller’s computer.

  Phil’s voice came over my earpiece. “It’s at the far end of the right hand side desk - that’s it you’ve got it. Fire it up stick the flash drive in and let it run. Should take about two minutes then the red light in the end will flash and you can take it out.”

  I pressed the button. Nothing.

  After a second the request for a password came up. I typed Lucy 1981.

  Miller’s computer came to life.

  I turned the speakers off and sat on the edge of his desk to wait for the red light. A few moments later it came on, I removed the flash and turned the computer off. Phase 1 complete. A noise as one of the guards moved his chair in the security office but nothing else apart from that glorious pump of adrenaline that keeps me alive.

  “Great.” Phil’s voice came over my earpiece. “It’s working, I’m in Millers PC and downloading.”

  I walked as quietly as I could out of the lab, into the link corridor, past the guards’ room and down to the South Lab. I paused to listen but nothing so I opened the door, pulled a small video camera clipped to a headband out of my pocket and fixed it on. I was now beaming live pictures back to Phil

  I shut the door behind me and looked round.

  There were four long parallel benches stretching most of the length of the room. They were covered with lab equipment, but this looked more like some sort of production line. At the far end of one of the benches, I could make out a trace of a white powder peppering the surface - apart from that nothing but equipment.

  I moved cautiously towards the powder pulling a specimen bag out of my pocket. I removed the plastic spatula and scooped some of the powder into the bag. I wanted to see if there was anything of interest in the cupboards and I opened a few as I walked down the bench - nothing but more equipment as far as I could see. “Are you getting all this?” I asked.

  “Sure, clear and sharp.”

  There didn’t seem to be much here and I’d got what I’d come for so I decided to get out. I slid round the end of the bench and started to walk back up the isle nearest the wall.

  “Duck down!” Phil’s voice was urgent. “Fuck, something’s spooked them they’re running towards you ….they’re armed… both of them.r />
  The door was yanked open and the two guards ran into the room looking wildly round. One went to the bench on my far right and switched the lights on. The other turned and locked the door behind him and started down the middle isle. Both had silenced automatics held in their hands.

  I was trapped.

  “Come out, we know you’re in here. Come out we won’t shoot.”

  Shit! The one on the far side had walked down the length of his bench and was now walking up between the first and second, checking in case I was lurking underneath. I scuttled back down to the far end.

  “Nothing down that one.” The guard looked over to his mate as he walked round the end of the bench towards me.

  I punched my mobile as hard as I could upwards into his groin. It felt as if I had mashed a testicle. He collapsed silently into a heap and his gun flew out of his hand, over my head and landed behind me.

  “Bastard.” The other guard raised his gun and fired “I’m going to shoot you balls off, if you don’t come out now.” He was firing blind. The first bullet smashed through the side of the bench, a few inches from of my nose and sent a shard of splinters into my hand. His second hit the fallen guard in front of me, there was a scream and he lay still.

  “Max, can you hear me?” Phil voice was just audible in my earpiece.

  “Yes.”.

  “I’ll reopen the lab door then I’ll fuse the lights, see if we can give you a chance to get out of there.”

  Another shot. This time through the top of the bench.

  He was guessing but continued to shoot. It sounded as if he was running back up the lab to cut me off by the door. I could just see the butt of his mate’s gun underneath my bench. I lay down and just managed to touch it with my fingers as another bullet smashed though the bench catching the flesh of my palm. One finger was on the handle and slowly I began to drag the gun towards me.