Phoenix

by Alex Lukeman

  "I wasn't able to track the van," Stephanie said, "but the cops found it abandoned downtown.

  "Any prints on it?" Nick asked.

  "I was getting to that. They found lots of prints, including Selena's. Two sets belonged to the owner of the van and his helper. There were two other matches. Both of them turned up in the databanks."

  Stephanie tapped a key on her laptop. Two pictures appeared on the wall monitor.

  "That one on the right, that's the man I killed," Selena said.

  "Anton Lakatos," Stephanie said. "You did everyone a favor. He was a Hungarian national. The other one is Josef Nagy. Both of them are on Interpol's watch list. Lakatos was a rapist and wanted for assault and murder. Nagy was involved in arms smuggling and ripping off UN shipments of aid to Bosnia. He's suspected of killing four UN aid workers. The last known sighting of him was in Paris, over a year ago. Nagy is big. He must be the one who hit you."

  "Sounds like a really nice guy," Nick said. "Any information on where he might be now?"

  "No. He could be anywhere."

  Elizabeth's fingers beat a tattoo on her desktop. "The big question is why kidnap Selena? Why burn down the building?"

  "That last part is easy," Ronnie said. "Nagy burned it down to cover his tracks."

  Nick gestured at the mug shot on the monitor. "These guys don't look like masterminds. They're muscle. They grabbed Selena because somebody told them to."

  "Yes, but that doesn't get us any closer to why," Elizabeth said.

  Ronnie said, "The only thing that makes sense is that they wanted information."

  "Information about what?"

  "How would I know? Why does someone usually want information?"

  "Because they don't know something?" Lamont said.

  "Duh," Ronnie said.

  "It could be anything," Selena said.

  Elizabeth shook her head. "It has to be something specific. I don't think it's someone like us, someone in the intelligence game."

  "Why not?"

  "For one thing, it's against the rules. You don't go after the opposition unless they get in your way during an active mission. It creates problems nobody wants. We're not involved in anything like that right now. A professional would have made sure they got the information they needed before deciding to kill Selena."

  "We are involved in an active mission," Stephanie said. "We're trying to track down whoever took out Three Gorges, the Russian plane, and our own ship."

  Elizabeth said, "If it's the same people, we've got a new problem. How do they know about us?"

  Freddie's electronic voice boomed through the office.

  Whoever is programming the other AI computer is aware of the Project's existence.

  "Damn it, Freddie, turn down the volume," Elizabeth said. "Why do you think that, Freddie?"

  They had to know my location in order to target my firewalls.

  "If it's them, that would explain why they went after us," Nick said. "They want to know what we've discovered. They probably figured Selena was the easiest target."

  "Big mistake," Ronnie said.

  "Freddie, do you think they grabbed me because they wanted to know what we're doing?"

  That is logical. You would have told them a great deal about the Project and how the unit operates. You would know what plans have been made to counteract future threats. You would have given them specifics about me and the individuals on the team.

  "You seem certain I would have talked."

  You are human. You would have been tortured. You would have told them what they wanted to know.

  "That makes sense," Elizabeth said.

  "How did they know we were after them?" Lamont asked.

  "There's only one way," Nick said. "There has to be a leak."

  Lamont pretended to look shocked.

  "In Washington? You must be kidding."

  Nick ignored him. "Director, how many people know we're tasked with this mission?"

  "Not many. The president, General Adamski, Corrigan's Chief of Staff, DCI Hood, and the national security advisor, Hopkins. The DNI must know by now. I'm supposed to coordinate with him."

  "Hard to believe it's one of them. It could be someone farther down the food chain, like an aide, or an intern."

  "That's possible," Elizabeth said.

  "If there's a leak, we need to make sure no one except us knows what we're doing from now on."

  "You want me to withhold information from the president?"

  "It wouldn't be the first time. Do you trust Corrigan?"

  "Not yet, not until he shows me he's willing to back us up."

  "So what's our next step?"

  "There isn't much we can do without more Intel," Elizabeth said. "We can keep looking for Nagy. He's the connection to whoever is behind this. If we can find him, we'll isolate and interrogate."

  "That's something to look forward to," Nick said. "I want to talk to the man who left Selena to burn to death."

  Later, Nick and Selena were heading home. Nick looked over at Selena.

  "You've been quiet."

  She was silent.

  "Are you worried about the twins?"

  "I could've lost them. I breathed in a lot of smoke. It might've done some damage."

  "You've got an appointment with the doctor tomorrow."

  "That's not the point, is it?"

  Nick knew he'd just entered a minefield. He was careful to keep his voice calm.

  "What is the point?"

  Selena stared straight ahead. "This isn't ever going to stop, is it?"

  "What isn't going to stop?"

  "People trying to kill me. Us. As long as we're part of the Project, we're fair game. I thought things would get easier once I stopped going on missions. I guess I was wrong."

  Nick changed lanes. Every few seconds he checked his mirrors, looking for anything out of place, any signs of someone following them. Paranoia had become a way of life. Especially after what had happened.

  "No one could've seen that coming," Nick said.

  She turned her head and looked at him.

  "That's what I mean. How could we know someone was going to kidnap me and leave me to die in a burning building?"

  "We couldn't."

  "That's my point. I don't want to do this anymore. I want to have our children and I want to live a normal life. A life where I don't have to look over my shoulder everywhere I go. A life where I don't have to carry a gun. Where I can go to a museum or go shopping or lie on the beach and not have to think that any moment it might be kill or be killed."

  "Selena..."

  "I don't want to talk about it anymore."

  "It sounds like we have to talk about it."

  "Not now, we don't."

  She turned away from him and looked out the window.

  CHAPTER 30

  Marvin Edson wished the bugs would go away. They were small bugs, nearly invisible. They crawled over his monitors, tiny dots forming random trails over the screens. They crawled over the surface of the console. He had to be careful they didn't crawl up on his hand when he used a mouse.

  The bugs had shown up around two months before. They were clever bugs, good at hiding. Other people didn't seem to see them. When Edson mentioned the bugs to one of the technicians on the site, the man had looked at him with an odd expression. After that, Edson didn't talk about them again. He kept a can of spray deodorant handy, for when the bugs were really bad. He'd discovered they didn't like the odor. A good spray from the can and the bugs would disappear for a while, but there was no denying it was annoying to deal with them.

  Something warned him not to tell Mister Nicklaus about the bugs. If he did, he might be separated from Merlin, and that must never happen. He spent almost all his time in the computer room, talking with Merlin or watching lines of code scroll by on his monitor as the computer worked through a problem.

  There weren't very many people in his part of the facility. Those who were had begun to avoid him. It didn't bother
him at all. It didn't matter what they thought. He was in charge. They would do what they were told.

  Merlin was all he needed.

  One of the monitors on Edson's console was dedicated to communication with Mister Nicklaus. It was always on, but most of the time it was inactive, showing only the logo of a phoenix. A tone sounded, alerting Edson to an incoming transmission.

  Are you there, Edson?

  Edson reached for his keyboard.

  I have a new mission for Merlin.

  Edson typed.

  Ready.

  A string of instructions followed, with the coordinates of the new target.

  "Merlin," Edson said. "Please save the information."

  Affirmative. Information saved.

  Begin operation immediately.

  Edson typed.

  Acknowledged.

  The monitor reverted back to the symbol of the phoenix.

  "Merlin?"

  Yes, Marvin?

  "You have everything you need for the operation?"

  The instructions are complete.

  "Please begin the operation."

  Affirmative. Accessing target computers now.

  Curious, Edson entered the coordinates Mister Nicklaus had sent to him. When he saw what the target was, he grinned. Three Gorges had been a major attack. This new target took things to a different level.

  It was wonderful, working for someone as awesome as Mister Nicklaus. Marvin scratched at the back of his hand, where one of the bugs must have escaped his attention.

  CHAPTER 31

  Elizabeth was at her desk. Stephanie had come upstairs for a break and a cup of coffee. A light on Elizabeth's desk phone began blinking, followed by two more. One was from DCI Hood at Langley. The other two were from the White House and the Director of National Intelligence. She couldn't recall the last time all three lights were on at the same time.

  "Freddie, something's happening. Do you know what it is?"

  The nuclear power facility at Palo Verde in Arizona has been compromised. Cooling to all three reactors has stopped. Core temperatures are rising and will reach critical levels within the next few hours. A meltdown of all three will occur if cooling is not restored.

  Elizabeth said, "That plant is critical to the grid. If there's a cascade effect, it will take out the whole West Coast. Even other parts of the country. Is it an accident, or was it sabotaged?"

  A transmission similar to the ones sent to the USS Wayne, the Three Gorges Dam, and the Russian Federation aircraft was directed at the plant. It shut down the water pumps that cool the reactors. Sabotage is indicated.

  "Don't they have backup systems for cooling? Generators, something like that?"

  Backup systems are in place. However, all functions controlling cooling of the reactors are routed through the same servers.

  "Freddie," Stephanie said.

  Yes, Stephanie?

  "Were you able to trace the origin of the transmission?"

  Yes, Stephanie. I was prepared, based on the previous incidents. Would you like to hear how I was able to identify the origin?

  "Not right now, Freddie. Where did it originate?"

  The transmission originated in Moscow.

  "Moscow, not the Arctic Circle? Are you certain?"

  I am not certain. Indications are that the source of the transmission is in Moscow. However, it is possible the true origin has been concealed.

  Elizabeth picked up the line from the White House. She listened for a moment, acknowledged the caller and disconnected. She punched in the button that connected her to Langley. Hood answered.

  "Elizabeth, the Palo Verde nuclear plant has been sabotaged. There is imminent danger of meltdown."

  "I know," Elizabeth said. "The plant was attacked in the same way as Three Gorges and the others. The origin of the transmission may be Moscow.

  "Moscow? Are you sure?"

  "No, I'm not sure. Moscow may not be the true point of origin."

  "This is coming from Freddie?"

  "Yes."

  "I've been summoned to a meeting at the White House."

  "So have I," Elizabeth said. "I'm uncomfortable telling Corrigan it looks like Russia is behind this. I don't trust him to hold off for verification. He's likely to start a war based on what I say."

  "You have to tell him," Hood said.

  "Do you have any intelligence to back up what Freddie says?"

  "Nothing I'd rely on. If those reactors melt down, it will make Chernobyl and Fukushima look like previews to the main act."

  "Have they started evacuating yet? If the containment domes are breached, Phoenix is downwind."

  "No orders have been issued," Hood said. "They're waiting to see if they can stop things in time."

  "That's irresponsible."

  "You'd better tell that to the president. Speaking of which, we need to get going."

  "You're right. I'll see you in a little while."

  The light indicating a call from the DNI had stopped blinking.

  Thank God for small favors, Elizabeth thought.

  "Stephanie, while I'm gone I want you to get into the Palo Verde servers and try to fix whatever happened. Maybe we can stop this before those reactors melt down. Text me if you get any results."

  "On it," Stephanie said. "Freddie, see if you can access those servers. I'm going downstairs now."

  Affirmative. Processing.

  Once she was downstairs, Stephanie sat down at her console.

  "Freddie, are you able to get into the Palo Verde servers?"

  I have done so. A firewall has been erected to prevent anyone from disabling the hostile program.

  "Are you able to break through it?"

  It is a very clever program. It will take time.

  "Please display the coding on monitor one."

  The screen filled with scrolling lines of code. Stephanie watched as Freddie attempted to interpret and alter the coding. In spite of herself, Stephanie had to appreciate the subtlety and genius of the coding. There was something about it, something familiar.

  "Freddie, freeze screen and continue to attack the firewall."

  The lines of code on the monitor stopped scrolling. Stephanie studied the screen.

  I've seen something like this before, she thought. Where? When was it?

  She thought back to her hacking days, before she'd been caught and given the choice of working for the government or going to jail. Back when she'd broken into the Pentagon servers for fun.

  The DIA hadn't thought it was funny.

  Hackers with the kind of ability Stephanie had were uncommon. In those days she'd been part of a small, elite community of misfits who went after big game like the Pentagon or the CIA. Each hacker had an online handle. Hers had been Butterfly. Each was recognizable by the distinctive elegance of their coding, as unique as handwriting. Looking at her monitor, Stephanie was certain she'd seen this style before.

  She sat and contemplated the coding. She closed her eyes, willing herself to be calm. She sat like that for an indeterminate amount of time. Her breathing slowed. Her mind became still. Images began floating through her mind's eye, images of lines of code, of a game she had played. Then it clicked.

  Dragon's Breath. This was done by Dragon's Breath.

  Dragon's Breath was the handle of another hacker, someone as good as Stephanie. It had been years since she'd thought about him. They'd been rivals, always trying to get one up on each other. She'd been jealous of his ability. They had played against each other in an online game of increasingly complex hacking challenges, until she'd been arrested. She hadn't thought about him since. She'd never known who he was, or if it was a man and not a woman. She thought it was probably a man, but that was only a hunch.

  Freddie's electronic voice interrupted her thoughts.

  Stephanie. I have penetrated the defenses erected by the attacker.

  "Good work, Freddie. Can you block any further interference?"

  I have already done so. However, I h
ave not succeeded in eliminating the virus.

  "Can you bring those pumps back on line?"

  Not yet.

  "How long will it take?"

  I am unable to answer that question. There is insufficient data.

  Stephanie looked at her watch.

  Time was running out.

  CHAPTER 32

  Elizabeth had been called to the White House many times when a crisis was brewing, but she'd never experienced the kind of smoldering frustration she sensed now. President Corrigan sat scowling behind his desk. Ellen Cartwright sat perched on the couch opposite Elizabeth like a predatory bird, looking as though she wanted to strike at something. Elizabeth was sure that if Cartwright got the chance, it would be at her.

  DCI Hood came in after Elizabeth and took a seat next to her. General Adamski of the Joint Chiefs sat next to Cartwright, his back ramrod straight, as if he were at an inspection. Hopkins sat on Adamski's left.

  "Let's get started," Corrigan said. "What's the latest from Arizona? Hopkins?"

  Hopkins did not inspire confidence. Elizabeth sometimes wondered why Corrigan had chosen him as the national security advisor. He was a little man. He attempted to make himself taller with custom lifts on his shoes that added inches to his height. Unfortunately for him, his expensive suit and custom shoes did little to detract from the weakness of his egg shaped face. He had a receding chin and a high forehead. His voice sounded as though he was talking through a hollow reed.

  "Mister President, the news is not good. The cooling systems at Palo Verde went off-line a little before noon today. All three reactors are heating up." He looked at his watch. "Critical levels will be reached sometime within the next hour. When that happens, meltdown will occur."

  "Could the plant explode?"

  "Yes, sir, that's a possibility. Sir, Palo Verde is not only one plant, it's three. Each reactor is independent of the other two."