ThePuzzlewaslocatedonPepperStreetintheIsleofDogs.ThepuboverlookedablackexpanseoftoxichydrogenoxidealongtheMillwallDocksinthedilapidatedEastLondonareacalledtheDocklands.TheIsleofDogs,awater-boundtongueofmarshlandinsideadramaticu-bendintheThamesRiver,hadatonetimebeentransformedfromhistoricalwharves,dockyardsandwarehousestoswankyriversideresidentialplexeswithstunningviewsoftheriver.Thatwasalongtimeago.Risingcrimehadseenasteadyflowofresidentsbailoutoftheareaasthesurroundingblackzonesencroachedfromalldirections.Theareahadsincedegeneratedintoahavenforsquatters,otherformsofhumanparasiteandUnionfreelancersboatingordrivinginfromthecontinent.
Atthedocks,afewyardsinfrontofThePuzzle,afewdilapidated-lookingboatsbobbedatopthick-lookingoil-slickwater.Mostofthemdidn’tlookseaworthy.RoundthebackofThePuzzle,withinaperimeterofchainlinkedfence,Caldwellcouldmakeoutaramshackleclusterofmobileresidences.Hewalkedthroughthepub’sfakewooddoorsintoahumidcloudofstalebeer,cigarettesmokeandrottingpubfood.Hewrinkledhisnoseandfoughttosuppresstheurgetogag.
Itwasbarely7.00AMbutalreadyarowofregularswasalreadylinedupalongtheexpansivemetalbarcelebratingtheNewYearbyknockingbackalcoholicbreakfastsonUnionsocialsecuritymoneyandstaringatthepulsatingpixelsofaholographicstripper.CaldwellscannedtheunfamiliarfacesandwonderedifoneofthemwasGlyph.Noneofthemlookedlikehackertypes.Noneofthemhadthathungrylookofthedigitalfloatingworld.
CaldwellmovedtowardsaraisedareaatthebackofthepubandslidintooneofThePuzzle’smockoakseats,awayfromtheclientele.Hecouldn’tstandidleconversationorprolongedcontactwithpeople.HehadtogetamessagetoGlyphasquicklyaspossible.TherewasaburlyIndian-lookingguybehindthebartryingtolooklikehewaskeepingbusy.Caldwellplacedtheknapsackbetweenhislegs,thebulkoftheconsolestrangelyreassuring.
ThePuzzlewasobviouslyaneighborhoodpub.Therewasadiscerniblesenseoffamiliarityamongitspatrons.ThemanbehindthebarwasengagedinsmalltalkwithoneofthecustomerswhoaddressedhimasRamandrequestedafreshpintofdarkale.Theslurofthecustomer’svoicesuggestedthathismembershipofalcoholicsanonymouswaslongoverdue.Helookedliketheseafaringtype,anassortmentoftattoosadornedflaccidwhiteskin,captainofoneofthefinevesselsoutside.CaldwellwonderedwhetherRamwasshortforRamesh.
ThemancalledRamacknowledgedthecustomer’sorderwithanodofhishead,thesmokefromthecigarettehangingfromthesideofhismouthcreatingatemporaryquestionmarkintheair.Hethendisappearedbehindthebar.Afewsecondslaterarobotshapedlikeaninvertedbucketcametolifeonthebarcounterwithashudderandrowsofblinkinglights.Therewasasmallarmyofthethingsparkedtoonesideofthebar,theircheappseudo-metalbodyworkglinting.Therobotblinkedandwhirredandsomethingwhineddeepwithinitschassis.Itsmidriffwassurroundedbyaneatrowofshotglassesofvariousshapes.Alightsensorattheendofitsminisculeantennastartedblinkingasitfiguredoutthelocationofthecustomer.Therobotgrabbedabeermugfromarackandproceededtopullapintofbrownale,muchtothecustomer’samusement.
“Newrobotbartender,theonlythingitcan’tdoisjugglebottles,”Ramthebartenderexplainedproudlytothewide-eyedman,allthewhilescratchingabsent-mindedlyathishairyarms.Thecustomerwatchedtherobotmakeitswaytowardshimandsetaperfectpintofaledownonacoasterinfrontofhim.ItswheelsandmetallicsilverbodyspunroundtopresentthecustomerwithaLCDreadoutofthebill.Themenatthebarmomentarilylostinterestinthedancinghologramandlookedovertoseewhatthemotionofwhirsandclickswasallabout.Theygawkedforafewsecondsandthenturnedtheirattentionbacktothegyratingpixels.
“MoreskullduggeryfromtheFarEast,”thepodgytattooedcustomersaid,stillslurring.“Thoseguyswouldbethedeathofusifwearenotcareful.”
“Helpfullittlebuggersthough,theseAutomatedBartenderrobots.Freemeuptospendmoretimepickingmynose,”Ramsaid,pullingamoistfingeroutofoneofhisnostrils.Thecustomerstartedlaughing.
“They’llputyououtofyourjobifyouarenotcareful.Someunionconglomeratewillrolloutawholechainofautomatedpubs,notahumaninsight.Thewholefuckinggigrunbythesedumbmachines.”
“Onepintoflager,FiftyUnionEuros.”therobotsaidinafemalevoice,itsscannersearchingforacreditchip.
“Putitonmytab,”saidthecustomertotherobot.Themantookalargeswigfromtheglassandlickedhislipsfeverishlytoridthemofthefroth.
“Onepintoflager,FiftyUnionEuros,”therobotsaidagain,thistimethefemaleputerizedvoicehadgoneupanoctave.Themanlookedlikehewasgoingtopummeltherobotintothecounterwithhisfist.Ramreachedoutandpressedabuttontooverridetherobot,whichpromptlyretractedandreturnedtojoinitsbrothersattheendofthebar.
“Bloodyputers,youpresentthemwithaproblemthatrequireshumanjudgmentandtheycrapoutonyou,”themansaidtoRamwhojustshookhishead.
TotherightofwhereCaldwellwassittingstoodabunchofslotmachinesandsomedecidedlygrubby-lookingcyberspaceterminals.Clutchingtheknapsack,hewalkedapprehensivelyovertooneoftheterminalsandtypedtheaddressofhisnetbase.Therewerenonewmessages.HefiredashortreplytoGlyph’smessage.Atdesiredlocation.Let’smeet.Heloggedoutofthenetbaseandwentbacktohisseat.Now,hejusthadtowait.HewonderedwhatGlyphlookedlike.Hewouldnotbesurprisedifthehackerturnedouttobesomeacne-challengedfourteenyear-oldwhizkid.Strangerthingshadhappened.
Tenminuteslater,thedoorsofthepubflewopenanditjusttookCaldwellasecondtoconcludethatitwasGlyph.Thethingthatcamethroughthedoorwasariggedupwheelchairwithwhatappearedtobehalfamandepositedonit.Despitehisobviousdisability,therewassomethingmajesticaboutthewayhecarriedhimself,thatairofconfidencepossessedbyhackersworkingonthecuttingedgeoftechnology.Helookedaroundthirty-fiveandsportedaruddyplexionandaruggedblackbeard.Whatlookedliketrodeswheresetoneachsideofhisheadandtheyseemedtobehookedupwirelesslytothewheelchair.Hewaswearingashinywhiteshirtwhichtrailedofftheendofhisleglesstorso.
Glyphwashalfman,halfmachine,willingthewheelchairforwardwithhisbrainwaves.GyrosinmotionasthewheelchairneatlynegotiatedthestepsthatleaduptotheraisedareaatthebackwhereCaldwellwassitting.ItlookedlikethehackerhadspottedhimtooasGlyphmadehiswaytowardswhereCaldwellwassitting.Hackershadanuncannywayofrecognizingoneanother.
ThewheelchairglideduptoCaldwell’stableandapairofemeraldgreeneyessizedhimupandthenbrokeintoasmile.
“IamGlyph.I’mgladyougotmymessage.ObviouslyyouarestillaliveandlookingentirelynothinglikewhatIimagined,”saidGlyphinamatter-of-factway.Thevoicewascool,unflustered.Forsomeonedeliveringbadnews,GlyphseemedveryrelaxedandthathelpedknocktheedgeoffCaldwell’sfear,whichwasstillthere,blob-likeandunshakeable.Glyph’swhiteshirthadsomeunlikelyfrillsdownthefront.Itwasobviouslyboughtatsomethriftstore.Helookedasthoughhe’dhadjuststumbledoutofaNewYear’sballafteraparticularlyheavynightofalcoholabuse.
“Thanks.It’sgreattofinallymeetyouintheflesh.Who’saftermeGlyph?”Caldwellaskedbreathlessly,instinctivelylookingaroundthepubtoseeifanyonewaspayingunnecessaryattentiontothem.
“Ithinkyoubetterhaveadrinkfirst.Youaregoingtoneedit.”
“Iamoutofcredit,outofahome.Iamsureyoucanunderstandmyimpatience,”Caldwellsaid,instinctivelyknowingthatpushingthemantospillbeforehewasreadywouldbefutile.
“Drinksareonme.Whatareyouhaving?Idon’tknowforhowlongIamgoingtohaveatabhere,”saidGlyph,ignoringCaldwell’sinsistence.Therewasatraceofdespondenceinhisvoice.
“Inthatcase,I’llhaveanXO,”Caldwellsaid,wonderingwhennexthe’dbeabletoaffordhisowndrinks.Hedidn’tmuchcareforXOseitherbutthecheapChineseelectronicdisplayssetintothetablessaidtheywereon“Special”.
“XOingrightup,”saidGlyph,affectingamockbow.Hiswheelchairreareditselfuprightandthegyrosthatkeptitbalancedkickedin.CaldwellwatchedGlyphkeyintheorder,hispodgythumbleavingsmudgesontheplastictouchscreen.
“Howdidyoudothatwiththewheelchair?Youdidn’tusethejoystick.”
“HadamatedowninSurreyQuaysrigthisbabyupwiththelatestneurosensorsystemfromTaiwan.Hadfoursensorchipsonehundredththesizeofapostagestampinsertedjustundertheskinonmyskull.Thisbabyreadsthesensorsinrealtime,”thehackerexplained,tappingagrayenclosureonthesideofthewheelchair.
“Musthavebeenpainful,”Caldwellspeculated.
“Notreally.Therealproblemsstartifthechipisblockingthegrowthofyourhairfollicles.Thenyoucanreallymessyourselfup.”
“Technology,can’tlivewithit,can’tlivewithoutit,”Caldwellsaid,studyingthehacker’sheavilyputerizedwheelchairwithitsmultipledisplays.Glyphwasobviouslymullingsomethingoverinhishead,thebanteranddetailsofhiswheelchair’stechnologyathinly-veiledsmokescreen.ThebartenderbroughtovertwoglassesofXO,saidhellotoGlyphandpromptlyreturnedtothebar.CaldwelltookasipandthenlookedatGlyphwillinghimtogetonwithit.Thehackerdrainedhalfoftheglassinonesinglegulpandgrimaced.
“KenzoYamamoto,TheHUB’slargestclientisdead.ThemenwhoareafteryouarehisYakuzacronies,”Glyphsaidcasually.
“Hecan’tbedead.Ijusthadaconversationwithanavatarthatpurportedtobehimjustoveranhourorsoago.Besides,howdoyouknowhe’sdeadandhowdoyouknowthattherearepeopleafterme?”
“Theavatarcouldhavebeenarecordedputerconstruct.Kenzowaskilledtwodaysago.”Caldwell’sheartskippedabeatashislastrayofhopedisappearedunderathickblanketofgatheringstormclouds.TheSlav’svialmayyetbecalleduponagaintoday.
“Howdoyouknowallthis?”heasked.
“KenzowasTheHUB’sbiggestclient.Ourrelationshipwithhimgoeswayback.Ofcourse,whenyouhaveaclientthatbigandwiththosekindsoffinancialresourcesyoudowhatyoucantocheckhimout.Followuponhim,ifyoulike.DealingwiththeYakuzaisriskybusinesssoyoudowhatyoucantomakesurethatyoudon’tsuddenlybeedispensable.Youtakeyourprecautions.Let’sjustsaywearetappedintotheirmunicationnetworks.Wefoundawaytoaccesstheirsatellites,discoveredexploitsintheirintrusiondetectionAIs,soweknowalittleaboutwhat’sgoingoninTokyo.UnderstandwhatIamsaying?”
“AndtheydiscoveredyououtandarenowingforallHubmembers?”Caldwellsuggested.
“That’snotitatall.ItappearsfromtheirinternalmunicationsthatKenzosentouttwopackagesrecentlyfromTokyo.OnewenttoNewYorkandtheothertotheUnion.”GlypheyedCaldwellquizzically.DidGlyphknowwhatwasinthepackages?
“Ican’tseethecorrelation.”
“Ithinkyoucan.Yamamoto’sdeathhasunraveledhisoperations,whichIsuspectwerenotpartoftheYakuza’smasterplan.TheYakuzawantverybadlytoretrievewhateverKenzosentyouandtheAmericantomakesurethatanyonewhohasseteyesonitistakenoutofthepicture.”CaldwellreceivedanotherintenselookfromGlyph.
“Whowastheotherguy?”Caldwellasked,hismindrapidlydigestingallthenewinformation.Glyphseemedparticularlywell-informed,amanwithhisdigitaleartotheground.
“ProfessorJoplinofHarvardUniversity,deceasedasofyesterday.Theyareingforyounext.”
Caldwell’sworstfearscametruewiththatonesentence.OntheMagLev,ithaddawnedonhimthattheconsolecouldbetheonlyreasonwhythere’dbesomeoneonhistail.KenzoYamamoto’sdeathofferedaconvenientexplanationforwaytoomanythings.Themanontheplatformwasnotafterhimjusttoretrievetheconsole.Hewasbentontakinghislife.
CaldwellwatchedGlyphclosely,wonderingwhetherthehackerwoulddemandtoseetheconsoleandifhedidwhetherheshouldshowittohim.HisonlyoptionitseemedwastosellthethingandtodisappeardeepwithinthefabricoftheUnion.Glyphmightbeabletohelphimlocateabuyer.Glyphpunchedoneofthemanybuttonsonhiswheelchair’sarmresttorevealasmalldisplayscreen.
“So,whydoyouthinkhesentthepackagetotheprofessorandtome?Idon’tunderstand,”Caldwellsaidafteritbecameclearthatsomeresponsewasexpected.Glyphwasnotsurewhetherhewasbeingsarcasticornot.
“Yousaidthatyoutalkedtohimorhisconstructtoday.Didn’theorittellyou?”
“No.Hesaidhewouldgetintouchsoon.”
“Wordincyberspace,theYakuzaseemstosuspectthistoo,isthathepokedhisfingersintoonetoomanypiesandtheChinesemadehimpay.”
“TheChinese?IthoughtKenzowasintomostlyJapanesecorporatestuff,”Caldwellsaid.
“SodidI.Atanyrate,hewasfounddeadonthetoiletattheCherryBlossomhostessclubinShinjuku,Tokyo.It’sapopularYakhangout.Apparently,hewaskilledbysomekindoftoxicpound,oneusedforassassinationspredominantlyinNewChina.Onthetoiletseatcanyouimagine?Hediedinahurryaccordingtoreports.Loadednanobotsgainedaccessthroughtheporesinhisskin.”
Caldwellthoughtaboutthevialandwonderedwhetherheshoulddrinkitscontentsrightthenandthere.
“Kenzo’sassociatesknowabouttheconsolesandwantthemback,”saidGlyph,smirkingashetookanotherbiggulpofXOandlookingatCaldwellasthoughdaringhimtodenythatoneofthesaidconsoleswereinhispossession.
“Soyouknow?”
“AhackintoDHL’scustomdeclarationsmainframeinIndia.TheputerhandleselectronicdeclarationsforallofDHL’sUnionoperations.”
“Isee.Fortherecord,IwasquitecutupbythefactthatIwasnolongerpartofthecoreteamonTheHUB.Kenzosaidheorchestratedthat,obviouslywithyourparticipation.”
“Yes,onKenzo’srequest.Saidheneededyououtofthepictureforawhile.OfftheradarifyouknowwhatImean.YouareoneofTheHUB’sbestsoIwasabitreluctanttodoitbutKenzo’spocketsaredeep.Sorry.”
“Nooffencetaken.Ireceivedtheconsoleinthepostjustthismorningandstilldon’tknowwhattodowithit.”
Glyphraptinthoughtnow,scratchedhisbeard.
“Haveyoujackedinwiththeconsoleyet?”Glyphasked.
“Onlytomynetbase.”
“Theycanprobablytracethat.”
“SowhatexactlydoyouknowabouttheconsolesandwhatKenzointendedthemtobeusedfor?”Caldwellasked.
“IfIknewthat,I’dprobablybedead.”
“Fairenough,butwhowerehisbuyers?”
“Anybodyhewanted.AsIsaid,Kenzomademarketsininformation.Hisexpertise,ifyoucouldcallitthat,wastofindinformationonpeopleororganizations,valuableinformation,notthecrapanyonecangetincyberspace,andsellthatinformationtothosepeopleororganizations,ortheirenemies,orgovernments,whoeverwasthehighestbidder.Somepeopleprefertocallitblackmail.”
“Andheoperatedthroughfreelancerslikeus,avirtualglobalnetwork?”
“That’sjustpartofthestory.Kenzohadanarmyofgameboys,hackers,phreakersandinformationdealersaroundtheglobeonthepayroll,fromHelsinkitoMoscowtoBeijing.Theyoperatedanonymously,deliveringthedatathroughaseriesofintricateroutinestoensurethatneithersourcenordestinationleftanytrace.YetrestassuredthatYamamotohaddataonthebackgroundsofeveryhackerwhopulledajobforhim.HavinganadhocinternationalhackingnetworkmeanttheYakuzaandthemajorzaibatsusheshookdowninTokyocouldneverdirectlyconnectanyofthistohim.”
“Electronicspyingandblackmail.”
“Correct,andlikeaphysicalworldspyhesubvertedcertaininsiderssuchasgovernmentofficials,bankemployees,academics,programmersandsoon.Sometimeshesingledoutpeoplewhohadnohistorywhatsoever,”saidGlyph,downingtherestoftheXO,leavingdropletsinhisbeard.Caldwellsippedfromhisglass,grimacingatthefoultaste.
“Peoplewithnohistory,likeme?”
“Correct.Itappearsthatsomewhereinhismassivedatabase,Kenzohadstumbledonsomeinformationaboutyou.Perhapsaboutyourpast.Informationthatmadeyouvaluabletohim.Wordhasitthattheotherrecipientoftheconsole,thisProfessorJoplin,wasoneoftheworld’sleadingmindsinartificialintelligence.Whywouldhesendconsolesinthepostwhentheyarereadilyavailable?”
“We’llneverknowbecausehe’sdead.”CaldwellwasstillreluctanttotellGlyphthattheconsoleinhispossessionwasunlikeanyother.Hewasn’tsurehowmuchhecouldtrustthewheelchair-boundhacker.
“Yes,butIthinkwecandeducetheanswer.Kenzosenttheconsolesbecausehewantedyoutwotohackintoanetworkinaccessibletoordinaryconsoles.Thefactthathechoseanartificialintelligenceexpertandahackerforthejobcannotbecoincidence.Also,thesuspicionthathewaskilledbytheChinesehassomesubstancetoit.Weallknowthattheyhaveahistoryofcreatingalternatenetworkstocyberspaceitself.Theyareunwillingtodependonnetworksthatareeffectivelycreated,evolvedandmanagedbytheUnitedStates.”
“Bytheway,howdidyoufindouttheywereingaftermetoday?”
“WefoundoutthattheYakuzainJapanhaddiscoveredthelastknownaddressesofeveryonewhoreceivedoneofKenzo’sconsoles.Andthedeathoftheprofessorsuggeststheyarealreadyintheprocessofdoingsomethingaboutit.WeeavesdroppedonmunicationsthatindicatedthatYakuzahadbeendispatchedtotheUnion.”
“Theyfoundthecapsuleaddress?”Glyph’sstorysoundedliketoomuchofcoincidence,buthedidn’tlooklikehewaslying.Hiseyeswereopaquegreenpoolsofsincerity.
“Probablyscenarioanalysisconstructs.Luckyforyou,theJapaneseYakuzaofficiallypulledoutofLondonaftertheBayswatermassacre.TheyformedsomekindoftrucewiththeUniongovernmentandtheyagreedtopullout.”
“So?”
“KenzowaspartofthemostpowerfulYakuzanetworkinJapan,buthewasarogueelementoffonatangentdoinghisownstuff,”Glyphexplained.“Itappearsthattheyfoundoutwhathewasuptoafterhisdeath.Pulledallthesystemsofflineanddecidedtodosomecleaningupfirst.Fortunatelyforyou,theyhadtoflypeopleoutfromTokyo.TheAmericanprofessorhadnosuchluck.TheBostonYakuzaarestillverymuchactive.”
“Soyou’vegotanAIguyandawhat,aloser?AndtheyjustwanttowipeusoffthefaceoftheplanetforbeingonthereceivingendofDHL’spackagedeliveryservice?”
“IamsureKenzodidn’tseeitthatway.Otherwise,hewouldn’thavesentyouthat,”Glyphreasoned,pointingatthebag.“Gottogototheloo.Willberightbackandwecantakealookatthatconsole.”Thewheelchairmovedoffonitsownaccordtowardsthetoilets,rubberwheelssqueakingonthetiling.
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