CaldwellandAgentHsuarrivedatTheMansionatNo.10ShekORoad,HYDRA’sHongKongheadquarters.Thesunhadsuddenlyeoutofnowhere,despitetheunmistakablechillintheair.ShekORoadontheotherhandwasrelativelycoolwithshadowsdancingontheasphaltasthehoverbykeglideduptothegates.Inthedistance,betweenthetrees,Caldwellcouldmakeoutawhitefour-storeyhousethatlookedliketheresidenceofareclusivebillionaire.Therewasnothingaboutitthatsaidsecretorganization.Atleastthat’swhatCaldwellthoughtinitially.
Alongwindinggraveldriveleduptothehouse,undulatingthroughwell-tendedgreenery.Caldwellcouldhearthehissofasprinklersystem.AgentHsuparkedthebykeinfrontofthegrilledmetalgate,whichwassandwichedbetweentwoimposingconcretepillars.Caldwellnoticedthelong-rangesurveillancecameras,oneoneachpillar,panningandzoomingtheentirestretchoftheroadanditsenvirons.Oncloserinspectionherealizedtherewereseveralcamouflagedcamerasinthefoliageofthetreesabovethem.
“Atnight,thecamerasautomaticallyswitchtonight-vision,capturinganythingthatmoveswithamazingaccuracy,”explainedMeiLin.Shehoppedoffthehoverbyke,whichbobbedonitsartificialaircushiontoadjustfortheweightloss.Sheenteredacodeonakeypadrecessedintooneofthepillars.APlexiglasscreenslidopenandshepositionedherfaceinfrontofit.Shehadtakenoffherhelmetandtherewasnomistakingwhoshewas,afactthatleftCaldwellutterlyspeechless.Herfacewasmuchhardernow,moreangularbutshewaswithoutdoubtthesameMeiLin.Agreenlasercaressedherface.Shethenplacedherhandinsidetherecess.Therewasaclickandthegatesslidopen.
MeiLinremounted,maneuveredthehoverbykeintothepound,andturnedtowatchthegateclose.Shehadn’tspokenmuchsinceshe’ddeliveredthebombshell.Caldwellfiguredthathehadawholelotofexplainingtodobutthatnowwasnotthetime.Firstthingsfirst,therewouldbetimeenoughforexplanations.Caldwellhadhissuspicionsthatitcouldallbeanelaboratesetup.ThememoriesofthegirlMeiLincouldbeFouler’swayofensuringthathecooperatedwithAgentHsuanddidn’tdoarunner.ItwaspossiblethathehadnevermetherbeforeandFoulerwasjusttakingadvantageofthefactthatCaldwellwasborninHongKongtoplantthesefakememories.Infact,washeactuallyborninHongKong?TherewasnowayofknowingwithouthackingtheBirthsandMarriagesdatabaseoftheHongKonggovernment.Thatwaseasyenough,timepermitting.Hecouldalsocheckschoolrecords,theHongKongInternationalSchoolwasprobablystillaround.
“Insidethebuildingthereisasurveillanceroomwithamainframeputerthatcontrolsallthecameras,listeningdevicesandsecurityaccesstoroomsinthebuilding.Multiplemonitorssystematicallydisplaythevariouseyeviewsofthecameras.Anyslightmovementanywhereonthegroundsesupononeofthescreenswithanalysisofthemostlikelysubjectbasedondimensionsandspeed.Theputerisprogrammedtorecognizehumanoidshapesinparticular,”MeiLincontinuedwithherlecture.
“Doyouneedallthissecurity?”
“Notsofarbutyoucan’tbetoocareful.WeareaBritishagency,IshouldsayUnionAgencybutwearestillveryBritish,operatinginahotbedofillegalandclandestineactivity.WhenpeopleusetheclichéthatHongKongisEastmeetsWest,thoseintheknowareactuallytalkingaboutspies,electronicandotherwise.”
Thebykecruiseduptothehouse.Thelawninfrontofitwasimmaculate.Thereweretwocarspackedinfrontofthemaindoor,ahybridMGandanelectricToyota4X4SUV.Aputer-controlledsprinklerdecoratedthewell-tendedlawnwithafinepatinaofmist.Caldwellfiguredthattheinnocent-lookingexteriorhidaveritablefortress.Thoseshutteredwindowswereprobablybulletproofandthethickoakfrontdoorwasprobablylinedwithreinforcedsteel.Electroniceyeswereeverywhere.Hespottedatleastthreecamerasontheroof.HedoubtedwhetherHQinLondonhadthesamelevelofsecurity.
“WeletoHQ,”MeiLinsaidtheatricallyasshegrabbedaremotecontroldevicefromapartmentinthehoverbyke’sdashboardandpointeditatthesideofthehouse.Theentiresidewallcameawaytorevealahugegaragewithbaysforatleasttencarsandseveralmotorcycles.ThereweretwoblackRangeRover4-wheeldrives,acoupleofKawasakimotorcyclesandapowerboatandmatchingJetSkionatrailer.WhatlookedliketwohoverbykessatcoveredwithgreenTarpaulin.
MeiLinparkedthehoverbykeandtheybothgotoff.Thelightshadeonautomaticallyassoonastheyhadentered.Thegaragedoorsclosedautomaticallybehindthem.MeiLinenteredanothercodeandanotherdooropened.Theywalkedintoakitchenarea.Thedoorshutwithseveralclicksandthesoundofheavyboltsramminghome.
AnelegantAsianwomaninherlatefortiesstoodtherewaiting.Shewaspainfullyslimandwaswearingathindressofexquisiteblacksilk,whichfloweddownwardsinonedramaticsweep.Sheworeherhairinatightbun,smoothedbackfromherdelicateforehead.HereyesweremadeupliketheheroineofalavishChineseopera.
“WeleMr.Caldwell.Wehaveheardalotaboutyou,”shesaidgracefullyassheusheredthemin.ShegaveMeiLinasolemnwinkandtheagentblushedopenly.
“Thankyou,”
“Mr.DeWitteisinhisstudy.IsuggestthatyoupopinandsayhelloasweareflyingtoJapanlatertoday.”
“Soundsgood.”
Themiddle-agedwomanmovedgracefullylikeaballetdancer.Shemusthavebeenextremelybeautifulinherday.Butnowherface,whichwasbeginningtocapitulatetotheravagesoftime,borealookofextremesadness.SomethingabouthermadeCaldwellthinkaboutgeisha.Theywalkedthroughalongnarrowpaneledcorridor.ThequaintwomanstoppedinfrontofDeWittesoffice.ThegoldplateonthedoorsaidBrianDeWitte,HeadofOperations.Thewoman’strimfingersrappedonthedoor.
“Comein,”athickBritishaccentbellowed.Thewomansignaledforthemtogothroughandleftsilently.CaldwellfollowedMeiLinintotheoffice.DeWitte,whowasphysicallylargerthanlife,stoodupandofferedhishand.
“GoodtoseeyouCad.Itrustyouhadagoodflight.”Therewasaflashofwhiteteeth,theeyestryingabittoohardtobejovial.
“Iwasdopedupformostofit,”Caldwellsaidsimply.
“Indeed.Pleasesitdown.MeiLin.”DeWittegesturedforthemtotakeseatsinwhatlookedlikeplusherHYDRAleatherssofaswithChinesecharacteristics.TherewassomethingdistinctlyAsianaboutthedesign.CaldwellgaveDeWittetheonceover.Therewasthesatisfiedairofapamperedcolonialfatcatabouthim.Caldwellwasn’tsureiftheoldboylookwasafrontforsomethingaltogethermoresinisterbuthehadthoughtthisspeciesofhumanityhadlonggoneextinct.Hisimmensedeskwascoveredwithantiqueobjetsd’artandthewallsweredecoratedwithChinesepaintingsandsomefine-lookingJapanesekatana.
DeWittewasdressedinanimmaculategraySavilleRowsuitandapinkVanHeusenstripedshirtwithawhitecollar.Hewasabigmanwithastrongfaceanddeep-seteyeswhichmandedacertaindegreeofrespect.Helookedlikehewashittinghismidfifties.Hishair,wherehehadit,wasthinandblonde,resemblingwispsofstraw.Despitethedelicatefeaturestherewasanedgetohimthatsuggestedex-militaryBritisharistocracy,thetypethatgotintothehigherranksofthearmybasedpurelyonlineagebutdulybailedout,outofsheerboredom.
“Iheardyouusedtobeoneofus,”DeWittesaid,smilingadevilishsmile.Hisdeeplytannedfacecrinkledattheeyes.MeiLinfrownedatDeWitteandlookedatCaldwell.
“Inapreviouslife.”
“Well,goodtohaveyouback.It’snotoftenthatoneofoursleavesthenestandgetstoeback.HYDRAdoesn’ttaketookindlytoprodigalsons.”
“GuessIamtheexception.”
“Yesindeed.”
Caldwellnoticedfromthecornerofhiseye,themomentaryexpressionofdisapprovalonMeiLinsface.HemadeamentalnotethatMeiLindidnotthinkmuchofDeWitte.
CaldwellwaitedforDeWittetocontinue.
“Well,HYDRAHongKongispredominantlyaresearchandintelligenceoutfit.Wereportondevelopmentsinthingssuchasnanotechnology,artificialintelligence,neuralnetworksandelectronicwarfare.Wedon’treallydothekindofhands-oninvestigativeworkthatyoudo.WhatshouldIcallit,er,hacking?”HesaiditwiththatarrogantBritishtwangthatmunicatedexactlywhathethoughtofit.“Havingsaidthat,wehaveenoughevidencethatsomethingworthyofthiskindofmissionisgoingonanditappearstheskillsIgatheryouhavearemoreappropriate.”
“Sowhatdoyouknow?”
“WeknowthatsomeofthegreatestmindsinNewChinaareworkingontopsecretprojectsforthePLA.Thisisespeciallytrueintheareaofnanotechnologyandartificialintelligence.We’vebeenmonitoringandtryingtoanalyzerelateddataflowsaroundtheNewChinacyberspacehubsmoreclosely.Toputitsuccinctly,recentlyalotofdatahasbeengoinginandnoneingoutsuggestingthatasignificantnumberofpeoplewereaccessingcyberspacefromanothernetworksuckingdatainbutnothingwashappeningtheotherwayround.Now,thatdoesn’tmakesenseunlesstherewasanothernetworkbusyreplicatingallthedataincyberspaceforsome,Idaresay,subterfugepurpose.
“Haveyoutriedboobytrappingthedatasothatyouknowatwhichpointitdisappearsintothisothernetwork?”
“We’vetriedeverythingweknow.Otherwiseyouwouldn’tbehereandwewouldn’tberesortingtothesekindsoflow-leveltactics.Wetendtobebigpicturepeople.”
“Wellnowyoudon’tevenhaveapostagestampofapicture,”Caldwelloffered.Thearrogantfatcatwasbeginningtogetonhisnerves.
“Let’sseeifyoucanturnthataround,”DeWittesaidabruptly.
Hewasabouttodismissthemwhenoneofthemanytelephonesonhisdeskrangsuddenly.Hepickedupthereceiver.
“Hello,”hesaidcautiously.Therewasalongpause.
“Whendidthishappen?”
“Areyousureitwasher?Andshehastheconsole?”Therewasanotherlongishpause.
“Thanks.Followhereverymoveanddon’tletheroutofyoursight.Iwillgetbacktoyouwithspecificinstructions.”DeWittereplacedthehandsetslowlyandlookedatMeiLinandthenatCaldwell.Theywerebothleaningforwardintheirseats.
“DianeJoplin,thedeadAmericanprofessor’sdaughter,hasbeentrackeddownbyourassociatesinJapan.Apparentlyherfather’screditchiphaspoppedupinahoteldatabaseinShinjuku,TheKeioPlazaInter-Continental,”DeWitteannounced.
“WebetternotifyFouler,”MeiLinsaidatlength.“Thegirlcouldbeindanger.”
DeWitte’salmostchild-likefingersstartedtypingawayonakeyboard,oneletteratatime.Caldwelllookedaroundtheoffice.Therewasverylittleemphasisonhightechnology.ThisDeWittecharacterwasobviouslysomekindofLuddite.
“FoulerisalreadyonhiswaytoTokyo,”DeWittesaidstaringathisputerscreen.
“IwonderwhatsheisdoinginJapan?”Caldwellasked.Thequestionwasdirectedatnobodyinparticular.
“Probablysomena?veattempttoavengethedeathofherfather.Asuicidemissionifsheactuallytriestogoaheadwithit.Asithappens,IamofftoJapanonalongoverduefamilyvacation.Iamsurewe’llseethatnoharmestoherandtheconsoledoesn’tgetintothewronghands.Bytheway,doyoumindifIseewhatitlookslike?”
Caldwellopenedhisknapsackandpulledouttheblackconsole.HeplaceditonDeWitte’sdeskandwatchedasDeWitte’seyespoppedwideopen.Hishandsemergedfrombelowhisdesktocaresstheconsole.
“Impressive,impressive.Thisisnottechnology.Itisaworkofart.Iamsomewhatofacollectormyself.”
“Yes,stillneedtofigureouthowthehellthethingworks.Definitelystate-of-the-art.Nodoubtaboutthat.Ifigureoncewegetitonthatnetworkitwilldomuchmorethanjustlookpretty.”
“Itsurelooksliketherealdeal,”DeWittesaid,stilleyingtheconsole.
“Well,fromwhatI’veseenthisthingdosofar,wemaybejustchippingawayatthetipoftheicebergwiththisthing.Youseethesesmoothsides?Theyaresosmooththeyarehidingthesereallytinygapswhereallthelayersmeet.Anumberofphysicalconfigurationsmightbepossible.”
“Whymakeaconsolesointricatejusttoaccesssomesecretnetwork.Itdoesn’tmakesense.Theremustbesomethingelse,”DeWittepondered.
“ThisiswhatIthink.Theconsolewasn’tmadespecificallytoaccessthesecretChinanetwork.ItwasbuilttoaccessanynetworkandYamamotogotwindofthisandgothishandsonthem.Thinkofthepowerandhowmuchcertainpeoplewouldpaytogettheirhandsonit.”
“Indeed,”saidDeWitteponderously.“Isuggestyougetcrackingtomorrowonthisnetwork.MeiLinwillgiveyoueverythingyouneed.”
“Excellent.”MeiLinandCaldwellstooduptoleave.
DeWittepressedtheinteronhisdesk.Caldwellhearditsoundinadistantpartofthehouselikefadingmemoriesofanelusivedream.
“Yessir,”asadfemalevoiceanswered.
“ShowMr.Caldwelltohissuiteandhavesomeclothessentuptothehouse.Willsmartcasualdo?”heasked.
“I’vewornworse,”Caldwellsaid.WhiletheywerewaitingDeWittewascuriouslysilent.Caldwellnoticedthathehadexquisitelymanicuredfingernails,whichhewasexamininglikeafussybeautician.Afewsecondslater,thewomanwhohadopenedthedoorwalkedincarryingalargeredleather-bounddiary.
“MeiLin,Itakeityouarestayinginyourusualsuiteinthehouse?”DeWitteasked.
“Yes,”MeiLinsaidsimply,glancingatCaldwell.
“Well,I’llbebackfromJapaninaweek.Hopeyoucanhavesomethingconcretebythen,”DeWittesaid,risingfromhisdesk.Caldwellcouldn’thelpbutthinktheBritwasnotdeliberatelytryingtoannoy.Hewasjustoneofthosepeoplethatcouldn’thelpbutgratethenerves.Caldwellnodded,pickeduptheconsoleandtheknapsackandtheywalkedoutofDeWitte’soffice.JustforthehellofitCaldwelllookedbacktoseewhattheHYDRAmanwasupto.DeWitteseemedraptinthought.Hismilkyblueeyeswerefirmlyfocusedonhisprizedkatanacollection.
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