“Siever, you idiot!” Rutland said angrily. “What are you doing with Wells?”
“I had him brought back to Washington, just as you wanted,” Siever replied defensively.
“I didn’t want him arrested, you imbecile. He is the only person who can make the system work. Do you think he’ll be productive if you alienate him?”
“I’ve got the girl too,” Siever said confidently.“He’ll give me the codes.”
“And just what will you do with them? Put Rhinehart onto programming the system? You really are an idiot, Siever. You get Wells over here immediately, and I want the girl brought here too. Where is she?”
“She’s still out in Sacramento,” Siever said. He was trying to find a way to salvage his pride, but he kept remembering how he had been treated earlier. The fear rose like bile in his throat. “I’ll get him out right away,” he said contritely as he hung up the phone and walked back to the agent who had brought Wells in. “Let him go,” Siever said in a defeated tone. “He’s to be taken directly to the White House.”
As soon as Rutland hung up, he placed another call to the head of the White House secret service.“He’s at Andrews,”Rutland said coldly.“Do it!”
The director of the internal secret police force then placed a call to one of his agents at Andrews. “It’s a go,” he said. “Implement immediately.”
A small cylinder was attached to the rear compartment air conditioning system of Siever’s limousine. On the way back from Andrews the cylinder released a small amount of odorless gas into the passenger compartment, and Russell Siever suffered what would be diagnosed as a fatal brain hemorrhage. The driver didn’t notice that his passenger had a problem until he reached the White House entrance. In the chaos of a country gone mad, hardly anyone would notice that the secretary of the treasury had died of natural causes, or that his wife, Elisa, had been appointed the interim secretary—until Congress reconvened.
Five minutes after Siever had left the room, one of the agents answered the call and removed Jeff’s handcuffs. He was told there was a limousine waiting to take him to the White House. No one said another word. When Jeff asked the driver a question, he simply responded, “I don’t know, sir. I was just told to take you to Mr. Rutland’s office.”
Upon arriving at the White House, Jeff was met by one of the president’s security guards.“Mr. Rutland’s waiting for you, sir,” the guard said politely. Jeff had the feeling he wasn’t free to refuse the offer.
“Come in,” Rutland said in a surprisingly pleasant manner. Pointing to a chair beside his desk, Rutland got up and walked around the desk, extending his hand to Wells.
Jeff reluctantly shook Rutland’s hand and realized that it was the first time the other man had ever offered his hand. He was still a little confused about his release, but he assumed Rutland must have engineered it.
“I’m really sorry about what happened, Jeff,” Rutland said in what seemed to be a genuinely concerned tone.
“Where is Karen?” Jeff asked brusquely.
“She’s on her way here now. That idiot Siever just overreacted,” Rutland said as he sat down in the chair beside Jeff. “He thought you spiked the system and then ran. So he called out the FBI.”
Jeff thought to himself, Those guys weren’t FBI. More like CIA or something. Or KGB. “What now?” Jeff asked.
“We want you back on Data-Net. I promise you, you won’t have Siever breathing down your neck again.”
“I’ve got some questions,” Jeff said stubbornly, “and I won’t work on the system again until I get some answers.” Jeff thought he saw a flash of anger in Rutland’s eyes, and then nothing. He knew he was playing a very dangerous game by confronting Rutland. He didn’t know exactly what was going on in the White House, but with the country in economic and political chaos, three Supreme Court justices dead, and the president assassinated, he had no illusions that this was a game to them.
“Ask away,”Rutland said calmly. “If I can answer your questions, I will.”
“Why did someone attempt to put a patch in the Data-Net to keep twenty million people from using the system?”
“Well, first, the patch was attempted by one of Siever’s cronies—a Dr. Rhinehart.”
“Jack Rhinehart of Cal Tech?” Jeff asked in surprise.
“Yes. Siever hired him as a consultant, then tried to use him to change the system.”
“Why?” Jeff asked, now very curious. He knew Rhinehart had no love for him. He also knew he was not astute enough to modify the system, at least not until Jeff developed the database manager he was working on. Then just about any competent programmer would be able to make the system changes.
“We need a large potential base of users that can be excluded when we go worldwide,” Rutland lied. “These will be the citizens of nations that refuse to eliminate all their currency. We can’t operate with some half in and half out. It would undermine the integrity of the system.”
Immediately, Jeff knew that Rutland was lying. He had dumped the DVD-II files and printed out some of the names and addresses. They were all American citizens, widely scattered, and certainly not from any nonconforming countries. He also realized that Rutland didn’t know that he knew.
“That sounds logical,” Jeff agreed. “I changed the access code to the system so no one could mess with it while I was gone. I took Karen to see her father in California. I felt like we needed to get away for a little while. The next thing I knew, we were under arrest.”
“Like I said, it was that idiot Siever. He’s caught up in cloak and dagger stuff. It’s probably a side effect of all the riots and killings. Try to understand, Jeff,” Rutland said as he tried his big brother act. “We have billions invested in the Data-Net system now. We can’t afford to have any glitches at this point. I promise you that no one else will try to modify the system until you say it’s fully operational. I have already sent Dr. Rhinehart back to Cal Tech. But we would like to have you train an assistant. After all, what would happen if you got hit by a truck?” Rutland tried his best to chuckle, but it came out more like a grunt.
“I’ll fix the system,” Jeff said as politely as he could muster. “I just wanted to be sure that it wasn’t being used as a political weapon. A cash-less system like the Data-Net could make life pretty difficult for a lot of people. Do you have anyone in mind as an assistant?”
“We have contacted Dr. Kim Loathe has agreed to work with you. In fact, he is excited about the prospect.”
“Dr. Loo!” Jeff said with genuine respect.“He is a great computer scientist.” Then he suddenly felt a pang of fear inside. He had assumed he would be able to delay and stall the changes, but not with Dr. Loo. He was the one scientist who could grasp the concept of Jeff’s Data-Net system. Is Loo a part of whatever is going on? Jeff wondered. He knew he would have to install the files and the people involved would just have to take their chances. At least he had given them a few days respite. Maybe he could stall for a few more days. Perhaps, he thought with a spark of an idea brewing, I can even give them a warning.
It was nearly two days before Jeff completed the necessary changes to the system. All that was lacking was his system code to be input. But Karen still had not shown up, so he called Rutland to check on her arrival.
“I’m sorry, Jeff,” Rutland said in response to his question. “We’ve had some difficulty in arranging her transportation back to Washington. Have you made the changes to the system?”
Jeff knew Rutland was stalling. He was making his point very clear without saying so: Karen would return only when the changes had been made. He answered, “Yes, I have, but the suggestion by Dr. Loo has not been easy to implement. I wonder if it is really necessary?”
Dr. Loo had instructed Jeff to write a subroutine accessing an external data file where the names would be supplied later. It was clear that they did not want Jeff to know who, what, or how many were in that file. He didn’t object too strenuously since he had copied the original file earlier
.
“It’s absolutely essential that you follow Dr. Loo’s instructions to the letter,” Rutland said coldly. “He is operating under the direct orders of the president.”
“I thought I was the Data-Net director,” Jeff said in a voice meant to convey a bruised ego.
“Yes, you are,” Rutland said hurriedly. “You are in charge of the system, but Dr. Loo is in charge of operations. Once the system is fully functional, your genius will be needed on other projects.”
Jeff smiled at the strain he detected in Rutland’s voice. It must kill him to offer a compliment, he mused. “The system will be operational shortly. I’d like to talk with Karen first, though. Her help would be invaluable to me. We have worked together on this project from the beginning.”
Rutland’s temper flared. Was Wells threatening to halt the system unless his girlfriend appeared? He wasn’t sure. Wells was an enigma to Rutland. He was difficult to read but also essential at this point, so he decided to give in a little. “I’m glad to say that she will be here this evening, Jeff. I just wanted it to be a surprise.” Rutland had decided that since the system was operating again, Dr. Loo knew the codes, and the master laptop was under daily lock and key, Karen Eison was no longer needed as a hostage.
For the past three days Karen had been kept in a room at Vanderberg Air Force Base. They had told her she was not under arrest, but it was also clear she wasn’t free to leave either. She asked to call her father several times, but the impersonal security man responded,“Miss Eison, my orders are that you are not to have contact with anyone.”
“And just who gave those orders?” she demanded.
“I just follow instructions,” the guard said unemotionally.
Karen had little doubt that his attitude would have changed abruptly, and unpleasantly, if she had attempted to leave the room. Then suddenly that morning she was whisked out of the room, hustled into a waiting Air Force van, and put aboard an Air Force plane.
“Where are we going?” she asked the guard.
“To Washington,” he responded without further elaboration.
“D.C., I hope,” she said sarcastically. The guard didn’t respond.
When she had been pulled from the car at Livermore, she had envisioned being beaten or tortured, but not only had she not been abused, she had not even been questioned. In a way, that infuriated her even more. It was as if she was of no importance, except as a detainee.
First they kidnap me, then hold me illegally, she thought angrily as they prepared to take off. Except for Jeff, no one in the world even knows I’m here. What can be going on? Is it the file Jeff discovered?
And what about Daddy? she wondered. Panic struck again as she considered what he must be going through. If they wouldn’t tell her anything, she knew they wouldn’t let her father in on their plans either. For all his bravado, she knew he was a sensitive, devoted father. She was all the family he had left. Don’t let Daddy worry, she prayed—something she hadn’t done in a long while.
As the military jet—the equivalent of a commercial DC-12, twin turbo-fan passenger line—took off from Vandenberg, she felt the plane jink first to one side and then to the other. The moves, almost neck wrenching in intensity, were standard military maneuvers designed to confuse a ground-launched, surface-to-air missile. White phosphorus flares were launched from a tube in the rear of the plane every thirty seconds to deflect heat-seeking missiles. Normally this procedure would have been limited to combat conditions, but since the terrorists had easy access to some of the older SAMs sold by the government to third-world countries to raise cash, California was considered a combat zone. Twelve military and two commercial aircraft had been lost or damaged over the last two years, clearly demonstrating the willingness of the terrorists to use missiles. Commercial airliners flying into Southern California had also been equipped with flares, although the violent jinking had to be tempered greatly on commercial flights because of the panic it caused among the passengers.
By the time the plane reached its cruising altitude of forty thousand feet, Karen was violently ill. As she lifted the air sickness bag to her mouth again, she thought, After all that, I don’t care if we are shot down. In spite of her churning stomach, she felt satisfaction watching her guard of the last few days heaving into his bag too.
Upon arriving at Andrews, she was whisked into a waiting limousine and within minutes was speeding toward Washington. Not surprisingly, she was secreted into the White House long before the normal contingent of White House watchers appeared. What did surprise her was who awaited her: Kathy Alton, president of the United States.
The setting in the president’s breakfast room was very informal. Only two places were set, and the president already occupied one. Karen was overwhelmed by it all. She had often read about Kathy Alton and admired what she stood for, but the events of the last few days had made her very cautious.
“Sit down, Karen,” the president said politely.“You don’t mind if I call you Karen, do you?”
“No, not at all, Madam President,” Karen replied hesitantly.
“Please, call me Kathy,” the president said warmly. “Actually I’m not used to the presidential title yet. Things have changed so suddenly these last few days.”
“That’s for sure,” Karen said as she shook out her napkin.
“I understand that you and Mr. Wells have been put through some difficulties,” the president said as the maid began serving their breakfast of assorted fruits. “I hope you like fruit for breakfast, Karen. I enjoy fresh fruit.”
“Yes, this is fine,” Karen replied, somewhat amazed. Grapefruit was virtually all she ever ate in the mornings, but somehow she knew the president knew that also.
“I sincerely apologize for what has happened during the last few days, dear. With all the chaos in this city and around the country, I’m afraid some of our bureaucrats got carried away. Dr. Siever was acting in what he thought to be the best interest of the country, but nothing justifies violating the rights of our citizens. We are a nation that protects individual rights, and I will allow no one to usurp them from even one person.”
The words and the demeanor of the new president totally disarmed Karen, just as they were planned to do. Kathy Alton had been selected for her position long before the ill-fated flight to Mars thrust her into the public’s eye. She had an amazing ability to make even large groups of people feel at ease. Karen found her previous anger and caution beginning to fade.
“What about Jeff?” Karen asked cautiously.
“He has been working diligently on the Data-Net for several days now,” the president replied smoothly. “Obviously, he has also been concerned about you. I had some difficulty in determining your location,” she lied. “Since Dr. Siever’s death, things have been a little hec—”
Karen interrupted, “Dr. Siever is dead?”
“Yes. I’m sorry; I guess you haven’t heard. The strain of the last few days was apparently too much for him. He died of a stroke. I appointed his wife, Elisa, to serve in his position until Congress reconvenes.”
All of Karen’s resolve melted as she heard the president describe how her administrative assistant, Cal Rutland, had confronted Dr. Siever and his blatant disregard for civil law in having Jeff and Karen arrested. “Actually, I think Dr. Siever had the best interests of the nation at heart. He just allowed his zeal to overwhelm his judgment.”
“These are trying times, Karen,” she said as she got up from her chair. Karen immediately stood and the president put her arm around Karen’s shoulder. “I need people like you and Jeff to help me put this nation back on the right track. Data-Net is essential to our long-term prosperity if we are again to become the leader in the world’s economy.”
Karen’s mind was reeling in confusion. She had been so certain that the government was corrupt. Now she was unsure.
“I want you to go back to work, Karen,” the president said as the maid reappeared to clear the table. “You and Jeff keep an eye on thing
s. If you see anything that you even think is wrong, please bring it to my attention immediately. If you have any difficulty from anyone on my staff, let me know. I’ll tell Cal that you are to have access to me anytime you need. Okay?”
“Sure . . . okay,” Karen said hesitantly.
“Karen, I represent more than just the first woman president,” Kathy Alton said as small tears formed in her eyes. “I represent all the people who feel like they have no voice in their government. I need your help. Will you help me?”
“Yes,” Karen blurted out. “I will.” She suddenly felt like a schoolkid who had been asked to erase the board for the teacher. Her face turned a slight pink.
“Great!” the president exclaimed enthusiastically. “Now let’s both get back to work.”
16
FLEE TO THE MOUNTAINS
“Karen!” Jeff exclaimed, as he looked up and saw her entering the room. He rushed over and wrapped his arms around her, his big frame dwarfing her. “Tell me what happened,” he said, seeing the tears in her eyes.
“Nothing, really,” she responded as she hugged him. Karen knew that she was in love with Jeff. She wondered if he felt the same way or was simply responding as a concerned colleague. “I was kept in confinement for several days and then suddenly flown back to Washington late last night.”
“Did they uh . . . were you hurt in any way?” Jeff asked hesitantly, his natural shyness causing him to blush.
“No, I’m fine,” she replied, as her eyes swept around the room. Nothing had changed, except that the master laptop was missing.
“What happened to you?” she asked.
“About the same, I guess, except that they flew me back the same day. I met with Rutland, and he gave me a song and dance about Siever being the heavy and going beyond his authority.”
“I met with the president this morning. She told me the same thing.”
“The president?” Jeff exclaimed with surprise.
The Illuminati Page 18
