The Killing Code

by Craig Hurren

  “Thanks a lot!” Alan said.

  “Mr. Alan sexy enough. Mr. Jake not play nice!” With that, the pretty little woman scurried off through the bedroom and out of the complex.

  “Seems she’s adopted you Beach.” Jake smiled.

  “How does she come and go from your…uh…apartment, do you call it?”

  “Apartment, complex, call it what you like; I call it home. There is a secondary security protocol programmed into the system. As long as I have already accessed the main system - which means I’m here – her handprint can also activate the door. I took the liberty of adding your right palm print to the same system while you were asleep but be aware that if I’m not here, it won’t work. The same applies to getting out of the complex.”

  “Thanks – I think? Anyway, did you manage to get fingerprints from the guys in the alley?”

  “I was able to access the bodies at the morgue but their fingerprints had all been removed either by acid or abrasion. It’s quite common among some mercenaries. Sometimes they even make it permanent by having skin grafted from another part of their body onto their finger tips. Obviously, this is done to avoid identification in case they ever have to do a job without gloves.”

  “Damn - so it’s another dead end!”

  “Not necessarily; I was going to take some blood but was interrupted by the sound of high priced lawyers arguing with the Coroner about releasing the bodies so I quickly took some souvenirs.” Jake matter-of-factly pulled a sealed jar from the fridge containing three pinky fingers. “I doubt they’ll help though – any links between these guys and Devlin will be well covered.”

  Alan reeled back at the sight of the fingers but quickly composed himself, realizing that Jake was still giving him shock treatment and he didn’t want to fail any more tests. “I guess they won’t be needing them any more - how do we get the DNA samples?”

  Jake smiled broadly. “Aah, grasshopper…you’re picking it up quickly now, aren’t you. Does the phrase, ‘I have a friend’ sound too cliché?”

  “I would expect nothing less.” Alan managed a half smile while still grimly imagining Jake removing appendages from the hapless mercenaries.

  “I have to take these to my friend in a couple of hours so eat up and let’s get to target practice.”

  The pair ate Tik’s delicious breakfast and Alan couldn’t help commenting, “I can see why you want her around – man can she cook! What is this stuff? Wait – no, don’t tell me…I probably don’t want to know.”

  “Good – I don’t really know myself but it certainly is tasty.”

  They put their empty plates beside the sink and Alan followed Jake back to the gym. As they walked, Alan noticed for the first time, that Jake had a very slight limp and couldn’t help asking, “What happened to your leg?”

  “Straight to the point aren’t you.” Jake retorted.

  “I guess it’s the detective in me.”

  “No problem. I was shot three times and had to have my knee replaced. The whole joint is titanium now. The knee replacement itself doesn’t cause the limp; the device is actually stronger than the natural knee but there was significant damage to the bones above and below so my right leg is very slightly shorter than the left now.”

  “Does it cause you any problems?”

  “Just one – it cost me my position in the military. It’s about ninety percent as good as new but that’s not good enough for the Special Forces.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “No big deal. It was time to move on anyway. Now I’m my own boss.” he said wryly.

  Jake took Alan to the far end of the gym and pressed a button mounted in a box on the wall. A thick, insulated panel big enough for a man to fit through, opened to reveal a single lane shooting range, twenty five yards long, two yards wide, and eight feet high. The walls, ceiling and floor were covered in heavy duty sound insulation and the end wall was piled to the top with sandbags. An automated pulley system held a standard military practice target in front of a solid countertop for resting rifles. Alan was amazed but decided to play it cool, “Not much good for rifle practice.”

  “That depends on the kind of rifle you’re using.” Jake smiled knowingly. “I took the liberty of cleaning your Glock and I’ll use the Para Tacticals.” he smiled, directing Alan to a gun case on the right hand wall.

  Jake pulled the sound-proof door closed behind them and Alan’s ears suddenly felt like he was in a pressurized chamber. The complete lack of any sound other than his own breathing was disconcerting and he wiggled his fingers in his ears trying to equalize.

  “Don’t worry about your ears, they’ll get used to it shortly. Jake handed Alan a pair of silicone earplugs and shoved two into his own ears before they each donned a pair of yellow lens shooting glasses and Jake gestured for Alan to go first.

  The detective armed his Glock, released the safety catch and raised the weapon to aim at the target twenty yards away. He carefully squeezed the trigger and released one shot then another then rapidly fired three more shots and lowered his weapon. Jake pressed the return button and a small electric motor whirred as it brought the target back to the counter.

  “Solid shooting Alan – I guess we don’t need to work on your aim as much as your weapon security skills. Put a few more shots into it to be certain and we’ll move on.”

  Jake sent the target back out and Alan fired five more rounds, earning another welcome pat on the back. Despite never having used his firearm on duty, he knew he was a good marksman and was happy for Jake’s recognition. Jake turned to open the door but Alan stopped him to ask, “Do you mind if I observe the master?”

  “Not at all - just be warned that the Para is a .45 so it’s going to make a bigger bang than your 9mm – keep your earplugs in.”

  Alan nodded and pushed his plugs in deeper then stood back as Jake sent the same target back out, cocked his twin Tactical 45s and fired five rounds from each weapon in rapid, alternating succession. The sound was thunderous and Alan felt the vibrations through his chest from where he stood. Jake turned and removed his earplugs then smiled and asked, “Satisfied?”

  “I might be when I see the target.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry – you can’t see it from here?” Jake smiled mischievously.

  “Just push the button please –let’s see what you’ve got.”

  Jake obliged and watched Alan’s face as the target came into view. The detective’s eyes bulged from their sockets as he surveyed the target. His own 9mm holes all lay close to the center of the target’s head but Jake’s .45s made a perfect circle the size of a nickel that couldn’t have been more centered if he’d used a compass and ruler. Alan caught himself with his mouth agape and slammed it shut before giving Jake a sly grin.

  “How do I know all shots from both guns went through that one hole?” he asked cheekily.

  “I guess you’ll just have to trust me.” Jake winked then turned and walked out of the firing range.

  Alan shook his head mockingly but knew full well what he’d just witnessed. If he was ever in a firefight, he wanted Jake Riley on his side – of that, he was certain.

  Jake returned the weapons to their place in the armory and they met back in the training area to begin Alan’s lessons. The next few hours were a blur of demonstrating, executing, critiquing, practicing, and repeating the four basic but effective Chinese Chin Na techniques. Jake told Alan that these techniques would see him through most situations and he wanted him to focus on the form and function of each one over and over in his mind until they became second nature.

  “I know perfection is a lot to ask in such a short time but they are simple moves and you’re an intelligent man. Just do whatever you have to do to get them completely straight in your mind. I’ll test you from time to time when you don’t expect it and I want to see expert level responses.”

  Alan found the techniques surprisingly simple and effective and was strangely enthusiastic about them. “I thought this would be difficult but
now I’m not so sure. They feel comfortable and I’m pretty confident with…”

  Before Alan could finish his sentence, Jake thrust his right hand out to grasp Alan’s larynx. Alan was caught off guard and it took a few seconds for him to implement one of the techniques Jake had shown him to counter throat grabs and front facing strangles. He did eventually execute the move well but Jake looked at him scornfully.

  “Never get overconfident my friend. It’s not just about knowing the technique; it’s about your reaction time. The second you see it coming, you must respond appropriately before your assailant can firmly establish his position. These four techniques must become second nature. If I’d been serious, you’d be dead now.”

  Alan looked down in shame, “I guess I just got carried away. The technique feels good but I guess I need work on my response time.”

  “I’m just trying to keep it real. This was the first time I tested you without warning and now we know where you need work so this test will be repeated often and unexpectedly to drill your reaction time. You’ll get the hang of it soon enough – and I am impressed with how quickly you’ve learned the techniques. Just remember that if you ever need to use them in real life, you need to mean it. In other words, don’t hesitate and always follow through – you must execute them as though your life depends on it; because it just might. When it comes right down to it though, your gun is your best weapon if it’s available.”

  The two continued to talk and reexamine the techniques and their applications for a time until Jake got a text message from Equilibrium asking for a secure internet conference. Alan followed Jake into the armory room and they signed on using the blue protocol as instructed.

  “I’m afraid I’ve got bad news - I found your weird little man. He was with the South African National Intelligence Service.”

  “Was?” Jake typed.

  “He was killed during an operation twelve years ago.”

  “Are you sure it’s our guy?”

  “His face is an exact match for the picture you sent me. I guess he didn’t like government service and faked his own death so he could move into the private sector.”

  Alan’s frustration bunched his stomach into a tight ball and before he could control his emotions, he blurted, “Great, just great! He was our only lead. Now what the hell are we going to do?! I’m going to jail for something I didn’t do and Devlin’s getting away scot-free!”

  Jake glared at Alan like a teacher at a misbehaving student. Alan immediately knew his meaning and hung his head. “I’m sorry but they’re always two steps ahead of us and I’m getting really sick of it.”

  “So stop belly-aching and do something about it. Get ahead of the game.”

  “I’m glad you think it’s a game Jake. This is my life we’re talking about here.”

  “All the more reason to quit feeling sorry for yourself and get on point. Take a few deep breaths and get your shit together. The last two days should have taught you nothing if not that this kind of behavior is counterproductive. Adapt and overcome Detective, adapt and overcome.”

  Alan knew Jake was right but he couldn’t see any clear direction. He knew he was feeling sorry for himself but couldn’t seem to snap out of it until suddenly, Lieutenant Walker’s words came back to him. “You’ve been in worse spots before and come through. Just stick with it and I’m sure you’ll come up with something.” Walker’s faith in Alan had always been a source of strength for him and he focused hard on those words now to recharge his batteries. Jake watched him intently as he stood in entranced silence for a moment until his eyes opened to display a steely resolve.

  “We need to get into Rothstein’s computer.” he said firmly.

  Jake clenched his jaw then smiled broadly, “Now you’re talking detective.”

  Chapter 15

  Jake and Alan had spent the rest of the day developing a viable plan to access Blue Sky’s well secured headquarters outside Columbus. Equilibrium’s help had been enlisted to provide a way to access the data from Rothstein’s computer system because it was not on line within Blue Sky’s mainframe and therefore not accessible from outside the laboratory. The hacker had promised that a courier would deliver a small package containing a very sophisticated device to Jake’s hangar at Teterboro airport in the morning. If they managed to get past the facility’s tight security, all they needed to do was plug the device into a USB port on Rothstein’s terminal and Equilibrium would then be able to access the data remotely.

  Not long after contacting Equilibrium, they received a secure email with full blueprints of the building, details of its security systems and the guard roster from the human resources department. There was even a technical drawing and outline of the badge that all security staff had to carry. Alan showed Jake the route he had taken to the lab on the blueprints and Jake noted each security device he had passed on the technical drawings. Jake looked up each device’s capabilities in the security data and noted the circumvention methods required. Deep in thought, he then asked Alan, “Do the security guards wear uniforms?”

  “Just a navy blue blazer and business pants. The badge seems to be the only distinguishing feature, aside from their conspicuous size and suspicious glances.”

  “OK, I’m going to have to enlist some outside help. I need one of those badges and I know just the guy to make an exact replica. I’m going to drop the fingers off to my friend, meet my counterfeiter, and buy a navy blazer.

  Alan suddenly started chuckling.

  “Something funny?”

  “It just sounds so absurd – did you hear what you just said? Drop off the fingers, see my counterfeiter…it all just seems so surreal.”

  “I suppose it would sound pretty odd to an outsider but I think we’re beyond that. For one thing, you’re the prime suspect in three killings that I committed.”

  Still chuckling, Alan said, “I’m fully aware of our precarious situation. I guess I’m getting used to it though - now I can see humor in the absurdity instead of just an endless dark tunnel.”

  Jake gave Alan a concerned look. “I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing. I just hope you’re not losing it.”

  “Strangely enough, I’m actually quite fine - just glad we’re moving forward now.”

  “Alright well, try to get some sleep – I’ll need to do the same when I get back. Tik will fix you something to eat and set the sofa-bed up for you.”

  “I will soon but first I’ve got to make a phone call to organize a distraction for us at Blue Sky.”

  “See you bright and early for the flight to Bolton Field.”

  Jake strode off toward the bedroom and Alan walked back to the gym in the comfortable new track suit that Tik had bought for him. He sat down on the bench at the weight training station, took a deep breath and dialed Marissa Wilson’s number.

  The next morning, waking from another strange and vivid dream, it took Alan a moment to reorient as Tik’s grinning face hovered over him from behind the sofa-bed. This was his second night in an unfamiliar bed, in an unfamiliar place and he was groggy from his fitful, dream filled sleep.

  “Mr. Jake want me wake you up. Blekfast leddy now. I make stlong coffee for Mr. Alan wake up.”

  Despite his morning fog, Alan couldn’t help smiling through gluey eyes at Tik’s amusing accent. Jake had explained to him that while the Lao language did have a written equivalent of the ‘R’ consonant, it was only used to spell words from other languages such as Thai. The closest consonant sound to an ‘R’ that Tik could manage was an ‘L’ which caused the mispronunciation of many English words that Alan found rather endearing.

  “What funny?” Tik enquired playfully.

  “Nothing Tik. It’s just nice to wake up to your smiling face and the smell of your wonderful cooking.”

  Tik gave Alan a wise grin. “Mr. Alan think on feet even when he sit on ass.”

  They both laughed as Alan realized she was onto him and knew full well that native English speakers found her
pronunciation somewhat off-putting. Alan pointed a finger at her and shook his head. “You’re very clever.”

  “Yes, Tik velly clever. Make spy for CIA in Lao you know.”

  Alan laughed even louder. “Yes, I know - sneaky girl.”

  “Yes, sneaky - Tik velly sneaky lady. You get up now – Mr. Jake leddy soon.”

  Alan roused himself and walked to the kitchen for some coffee. Jake soon emerged from the bedroom dressed in business pants with a shirt and tie carrying a navy blazer over his shoulder.

  “Well, you already had the size and intimidating looks, now you’re suited up for the job too.”

  “So it passes muster?”

  “If I didn’t know you, I would definitely think you were a guard at Blue Sky. Did you get the badge?”

  Jake handed Alan a perfect copy of the badge that doubled as identification and access card for Blue Sky security staff. Once the counterfeiter had finished his task, Jake had taken the card to an electronics expert who specialized in access systems, to have it programmed according to specifications listed by the biotech company’s security department. Jake would now have access to all areas of the building except for Linus Gelling’s SSCH lab.

  “How will you get into Rothstein’s computer room?”

  Jake produced a small rectangular black box with an LED panel and a multi-cable connector protruding from one end with a swipe card attached.

  “This is a one-of-a-kind. The same guy that programmed the security card designed it with Equilibrium’s help for another job a few months ago. It’s the most advanced electronic security hacking device you can get. Swipe the card once, the device extracts the code from their system and programs it into the card then swipe it again and the door opens. There are some systems it can’t access but they are only employed by government agencies in a few top secret facilities and, of course, here.”

  “Impressive – and scary.”

  Jake smiled and sat down to eat. Tik had made something she called Khao Tom Moo, a delicious Thai soup of rice, fried garlic and herb stock, chunks of ground seasoned pork, chopped spring onions and dried chillies. Alan didn’t speak until he’d scoffed down his entire bowl.