Entanglement

by Michael Brooks

  Virgo felt Katie crumple slightly under his arm. A burst of anger hit him.

  'David, can you tell us what's going to happen now?' He turned to Gupta. 'And you – where did you disappear to?'

  Gupta looked up at Hoch for permission to speak. He put his glass down on the table. 'I got a call summoning me to Cheltenham – to Government Communications Headquarters,' he said. 'They fund my work. And one of the terms is unconditional obedience.'

  'They knew something was going on?'

  Gupta's face was blank. 'I don't know what they knew.'

  'So why are you here?'

  'Because you are. I was flown over to assist with tracking you down.'

  Virgo closed his eyes for a moment. How had all this happened?

  A silence hung in the room.

  'So what now?' he said eventually.

  'You can relax,' Hoch said. 'We're going to fly you home.'

  'Just like that?'

  'Not quite – we need to talk. But the threat is over. You're going to be OK.'

  He felt Katie's body shift. OK? Apart from the hole ripped through their lives.

  'But you're aware what I know? That a senior government figure is responsible for all those planes getting shot down?'

  'Any number of people know it. Think of all the mercenary guards in the hall. We didn't catch all of them, we're fairly sure of that. If we don't make it public, there'll be undeniable rumours on the internet in a few days anyway.'

  'So the whole thing is going to come out?'

  'Your involvement doesn't have to.'

  That would be good.

  Hoch hesitated. 'But the UK intelligence services will know,' he said. 'There'll be a file on you.' He looked at Katie. 'On you both.'

  'Will you cover up my mother's death?' Katie asked, her voice quiet.

  'I would imagine it will go on the record as one of Cuba's few violent crimes against tourists, I'm afraid.' Hoch looked into Katie's eyes. 'I am sorry,' he said. 'No one should have to go through what you've been through.'

  She didn't reply.

  Eventually, Hoch moved his gaze away. He looked at Gupta, then at Virgo.

  'I don't think my troopers left much of value in that hangar, you know. Was there anything worth keeping?'

  How should he know? He shrugged. 'Not that I brought in. My contribution was to bring a wireless internet router that Gierek had fitted inside a plastic computer casing. Not exactly irreplaceable.' Virgo hesitated. The entanglement was a sham, but the activator disk did contain quantum-scale bits. At least, that's what Andy had said. Was that as far as Gierek got? Had he given up? Or had he stalled Marinov? Maybe Gierek had been buying time. Maybe the whole hacking scenario was Marinov's way of sidestepping Gierek's brick wall. He would never know now. There were just too many bodies to make sense of everything.

  And he wasn't going to be involved any more.

  'You know, the irony is Wheelan is going to get his way now,' Hoch said. 'I always stood against investing too much in the quantum stuff, and every time he heard about the NSA attitude, he always went further and further. I leaked the document to Imogen because I wanted the extent of his bullshit to be known. He commissioned a report to give to the President. For the President's eyes only. Wheelan wanted to blind him with science, convince him there was a threat and a solution.' Hoch paused. 'In the end, I suppose the leak just forced his hand.'

  All heads in the room turned as a large figure appeared in the doorway. Hoch rose from his seat.

  'Ah, Delaney,' he said. 'You'd better come in and say your goodbyes.'

  CHAPTER 98

  AN ARMED ESCORT WAITED at the door as Frank Delaney made his way into the room. Katie was the first to her feet.

  'Thank you, Agent Delaney,' she said. She stretched up to kiss him on the cheek.

  'You've nothing to thank me for, Katie Virgo,' he said. 'I'm the one who should be grateful. It's a rare thing to meet someone with so much fire in their belly.'

  Katie smiled. There was a sadness to her smile, though, like she feared the fire might have gone out now.

  Delaney softened his voice. 'I'm sorry about your mother,' he said. 'I hope you get to say a proper goodbye.'

  His eyes shifted to Virgo. He extended a hand. 'I'm sure these people will sort out everything you need, Nathaniel,' he said. 'And I'm sorry –' Virgo cut him off. 'Please, don't apologise. There was nothing you could have done any differently.'

  Delaney nodded at Hoch, then took a last look at Katie before leaving the room.

  'What will happen to him?' Katie asked as the door closed behind Delaney.

  'He'll be debriefed, like everyone,' Hoch said.

  Katie took in the response without speaking.

  'Is he in trouble?' Virgo asked.

  Hoch's mouth formed into a conspiratorial smile. 'We're all in trouble,' he said.

  Something exploded in Virgo's head. He rose to his feet. 'And so you should be. Your leak – Imogen's story – started all this,' he said. He took a breath, looked at the door, wanted to walk. 'My wife is dead.' He could barely control his voice. He looked down at where Katie was sitting, staring at Hoch. 'All those people died because you wanted to expose Wheelan's simple-minded thinking about security?'

  'Calm down, Nathaniel. Come on, sit down.' Hoch waved a hand towards the seat. 'We knew nothing about the planes. I'm just trying to explain. Gierek knew about Wheelan's belief in the power of quantum technology: Marinov was obviously exploiting it. And Gierek knew how far-fetched some of the claims were – after all, he'd been involved in creating the hype when they began fleecing MacIntyre. I think Gierek got worried it was all going to come out. Or maybe he couldn't stomach Wheelan's stunt with the planes. Either way, I think he was going to let Radcliffe know what was going on. That's where it started – not with the leak.'

  'You knew about MacIntyre?'

  'We were closing in on him. We just didn't have the proof we needed.' Hoch smiled. 'If you have any Red Spot stock, I'd sell it now,' he said.

  Virgo didn't smile back.

  'Look, Nathaniel, I'm truly sorry you all got caught up in this. But you have to know that we didn't orchestrate any of it. Rachel died because Thomas Wheelan had her killed. And he will be brought to justice.'

  Virgo took a few breaths, then sat. He turned towards Katie. She looked exhausted.

  'So, what happens now?' he said.

  'We have no choice now. Wheelan made that clear.'

  'You're going to build a quantum computer?' Virgo stared at Hoch, incredulous. 'But it's a sham, you can't possibly think –'

  Hoch shook his head. 'No, believe me, that is not going to happen. But we are going to implement a quantum cryptography network. That's another reason Akshay is still here. No one thought it possible that someone could eavesdrop on the Situation Room's communications. Wheelan proved that assumption wrong. We need to plug that hole.'

  'And quantum cryptography is the answer?'

  Hoch paused, and leaned forward again. 'Do you know how the government ensures that no one listens in on its communications?'

  Virgo shrugged.

  'They created something called SIPRNet. It's known as high-security communications fibre, but really it's just ordinary optical fibre set inside hollow steel tubes that are welded together. The reason it's considered secure is that the pipes and welds are all checked at regular intervals, to make sure no one has tapped into the fibres to listen in. It's top-quality welding, of course, but does that sound like a high-tech security solution to you?'

  Virgo frowned. 'You're not serious – that's not how it is?'

  Hoch's face said he was deadly serious. 'That's exactly how it is. And can you imagine just how embarrassed the NSA will feel about this? We are responsible for secure communications, and we are high-tech freaks. We don't want steel pipes welded by beer-bellied knucklehead contractors. What do we want, Akshay?'

  Gupta had picked up his glass again. 'Quantum cryptography,' he said.

  'Damn right.'
Hoch paused. 'You can't tap into quantum cryptography unnoticed – it's perfectly secure. Do you see where this is leading, Nathaniel? Wheelan was senior enough to know the weak points of the system and intercept the codes. Hell, I could do the same, if I had a mind to. We have to make sure that's not an option.'

  Virgo held up a hand. 'With all due respect, we aren't really that concerned about US security at the moment,' he said. 'What happens to us now?'

  Hoch smiled in a grim self-admonition. 'You're right. I'm sorry.' He leaned back in the chair. 'Let's get you out of here. Come with me.' He stood up. 'Akshay, will you excuse us for a few minutes?'

  They were getting out. Virgo couldn't quite take it in. They were actually going home. He gripped Katie's hand as Hoch led them out of the room.

  They followed him further into the complex, past the rows of computers and into a short corridor that branched off from the main hall. He halted at the last doorway. A framed imprint of a hand was fixed to the doorframe at shoulder height. Hoch pressed his palm into the mould, and Virgo heard the faint click of a lock released.

  The office was spartan, with a desk, a chair and a low black leather sofa.

  'Welcome to my world,' Hoch said, motioning for them to sit down. 'For today, anyway. I just got here yesterday and I'll be out again tomorrow.' He moved to the desk and picked up a sheaf of papers.

  'I need you to sign some things before I can let you go. They're just non-disclosure agreements, but they bind you to silence regarding the affairs of the last few days. I hope you can understand the need for that.'

  'Does that mean I can't tell Rachel's parents what happened to her?' Virgo asked.

  'It does. And it means you can't write about any of this, either.'

  The irony. He'd moved to the quiet beat and found the story of his career. And he was about to sign it away. But what choice did he have?

  He looked across: Katie was staring at Hoch, her eyes concealing a furiously calculating mind.

  'Is it binding on minors?' she said.

  God, he was proud of her.

  'It is. If you don't sign it, I have powers to hold you both. Another irony: Wheelan got those powers signed into law last month.'

  Hoch put the papers back down on the desk. 'I'm sorry, but there's too much at stake. I'm dealing with the aftermath of mass murder by a high-ranking government official. I represent the families of everyone who died. I can't let any of this get out through official channels – at least not until Wheelan is brought properly to justice.' He shrugged. 'I need control of this, Katie. A lot of people died today at the hands of the state.'

  Katie sucked in her cheeks, then let them go again.

  'What do you think, Dad?'

  What did he think? He took a couple of deep breaths.

  'I think we have to sign, sweetheart. We need to leave this in the past.'

  Easy for him to say – he hadn't just watched his mother die. He searched her eyes. Could she get past this?

  She broke her gaze away from his.

  'OK,' she said. 'I'll sign.'

  Hoch nodded, and handed them the papers and two pens. 'They're marked with crosses where you need to sign.'

  So that's what it felt like. Signing the US version of the Official Secrets Act was like renting a car: you had no idea what you were really doing, no idea what you were liable for. But at least it got you on the road. Virgo felt his spirits lift a little.

  Hoch took the papers back. 'I've already sent out word that you were involved as an innocent party. There'll be a clean-up – you might find your house is a bit messed up. And you'll have an exit interview with the security services in the UK – they'll want to talk to you before they close their file.' He paused, then looked at Virgo. 'They'll only close it; they won't burn it. And, as I said, obviously you won't ever be writing anything about this. In fact, your editor and any other staff involved will also be required to sign confidentiality agreements.'

  Virgo said nothing in reply. It was all done.

  The phone chirped. Hoch picked up the receiver.

  'Yes?' Hoch glanced up at them. 'OK, we'll be there in a couple of minutes.' He hung up.

  'Your plane tickets and your permits to travel are ready. There's a car waiting to take you to the airport. Coming?'

  He led them back through the building, out to the car park.

  Within minutes, they were in another sleek Lincoln. Or maybe the same one – maybe government cars all looked the same. Hoch leaned through the rolled-down window.

  'I'll make sure you're both debriefed by the right section, so you don't have to worry about what you can and can't say. Otherwise, I'm sure you realise what the restrictions are going to be. Goodbye, Katie. Goodbye, Nathaniel.' He stepped back, and the car pulled away.

  They were free.

  CHAPTER 99

  THOMAS WHEELAN SAT IN the holding cell, listening to the quiet echo of his lawyer's receding footsteps. The troopers had taken his pills away. He was beginning to shake. He tried to bring his mind to heel, let his thoughts unfold slowly. Sober contemplation, Reverend Lowden called it.

  Let justice roll on like rivers, and righteousness like a mighty stream.

  He had achieved a lot. Not everything, but a lot. And there was a chance he would survive this. Edward said he'd been counsel in similar cases; things often weren't as dark as you'd expect for someone in his position. His was a difficult job that required difficult decisions. No one could expect him to make the right decisions – whatever right meant – all the time. And the White House would be keen to keep as much of a lid on the whole episode as possible. There were a few hundred bodies, but political careers had survived worse than that, Edward said. A lot worse, in point of fact. And the pills might be a mitigating factor.

  But the presidency was out.

  Wheelan knew that anyway. He'd known it from the moment he found out David Hoch was involved. You didn't get fingered by someone that high up in the NSA and still get to run for president.

  Still, Hoch's involvement meant a lot. It meant that the details of this operation had come to the notice of senior decision makers. Even if there was no quantum computer, it was clear that communications security had to be better. The hints to the Los Alamos people had gone some way towards preparing the ground, but Hoch would definitely have to do something now.

  And everyone would benefit. If US government agencies started using quantum security, the criminals would have to work so much harder to launder money, to get drugs into the country, to feed people with the recreational chemicals that were sending this country down the toilet. Whatever the verdict, Thomas Wheelan had served his country well. Between his father and his son, he could hold his head up high.

  And in the end, that was what mattered.

  Edward would get him the pills he needed. One step at a time, sweet Jesus; Reverend Lowden sang that every morning. Reverend Lowden knew what it was to be in recovery. He would help. And then Thomas Wheelan would return to politics – maybe he would run for Congress – and go on to make this country a safer place for every citizen. One step at a time.

  CHAPTER 100

  VIRGO STOOD, DOOR KEY in hand, Katie by his side, looking at the house. The front window had been repaired.

  He put the key in the lock, turned it, and pushed open the door.

  'Bloody hell.'

  The house was in chaos. It had been rifled, turned upside down without care for the contents. He and Katie moved through the tumult of the downstairs rooms together, touching nothing, saying nothing, just looking. Old photos were lying on the floor, spilled from their packets. The kitchen cupboards had been emptied, and plates lay smashed on the slate tiles. Upstairs told the same story. In Katie's bedroom, her TV was lying on its side, the screen cracked. The soft toys on her bed, relics of her infant school days, had been slashed open, their stuffing pulled out. Somebody had been through this place in a frenzy.

  Maybe it was Genovsky. Maybe it was the police or the intelligence services looking for c
lues to explain Gierek's death.

  Genovsky, Gierek. MacIntyre, Born.

  Virgo wondered how long their ghosts would be with him.

  On the flight home it almost seemed they had gone; he and Katie had slept for most of the way, and they arrived feeling almost relaxed. An intelligence officer met them off the plane, and led them somewhere into the bowels of the airport, where he plied them with coffee and questions. But he only seemed interested in establishing their state of mind, ensuring that they would be amenable to an interview at a later date. They were driven home in a black Mercedes.

  To this.

  He and Katie stood, side by side, surveying the wreckage of their home. A thought flitted across his mind: Rachel would hate to see this mess; best clear it up straight away. Then it hit him, like a blow to the stomach. Rachel would never see this mess. Or any mess. This was home to just two people now. His hand found Katie's, and they went back downstairs.

  Katie cleared the debris off the sofa, and they sat down. They stared at the chaos in a troubled silence. He put his arm around her, and she came closer and rested her head on his chest. He leaned down and kissed her soft hair. They were facing a mountain. But they would face it together.

  A NOTE FROM THE

  AUTHOR

  TWO HOURS AGO, AS I write this, I walked out of a meeting at the Bank of England in Threadneedle Street, in the heart of the city of London. The Bank is responsible for maintaining financial stability in the UK; 32 per cent of the UK's gross domestic product relies on the finance sector, the highest percentage of all the industrialised nations. The country really can't afford for anyone to lose confidence in the ability of the banks to keep their money – and their secrets – safe.

  No one in the city will talk about how much money they lose through fraud on every trading day: that's a figure the banks would rather not divulge. What they do say – did say at this meeting – is that they now have to react to the threat of a quantum computer.

  It was back in 1994 that a researcher called Peter Shor came up with the skeleton of a computer program that could break every code on the planet. Almost every code we use is based on the assumption that finding the factors of really large numbers is very, very difficult. But it may not be. No one has ever proved that factorisation on this scale is difficult. Mathematicians know that there could be a kid on the next block who works out how to do it tomorrow. And if that kid was smart enough to place a call to the right people, he or she would soon be very rich indeed.