Binary

by Michael Crichton

Page 8

  `What sort of calls?

  `I dont know. They were long distance.

  `Did you hear any of them?

  `No.

  `Are you sure?s

  Well, I heard him ask the operator for area code 801. Thats Washington, isnt it?

  `Yes, Graves said. He knew that it wasnt, but he could check it later.

  `He was very upset. And then later, he mentioned China. He doesnt like the President about China, you know. She sighed. `He thinks its very wrong.

  `I see. You say youve seen my picture -

  `Only last night, she said. `That was the first time. I thought you were related to him or something. Because he has your picture up all over the place.

  `This happened last night?

  `Yes. But he was strange last night, anyway. Nervous. `I see. What about?

  `I dont know. Hes worried about business things. He said something about a shipment hes expecting.

  `What else was strange, last night?

  She hesitated, apparently embarrassed.

  `Go on, Graves said gently.

  `Well, it was different last night. He was very. vigorous. He did it three times.

  `I see, Graves said.

  Outside the ballroom Lewis was in a phone booth, checking the area code. He came out and fell into step with Graves. `Eight oh one, he said, `is Utah.

  `Any particular place?

  `No. The whole state is one area code.

  `Shit, Graves said. `I wish we had a tap on his phone. `Well, we did our best to get it, Lewis reminded him. `Yeah, Graves said. He sighed. `I never thought Id hear myself complaining because we hadnt tapped a phone.

  `Things are different now, Lewis said.

  `They sure are.

  They went outside into the bright hot morning sun and climbed into the car. Lewis started the engine. `Where to?

  `Miss Lembecks new apartment. The one Wright just rented.

  `Okay, Lewis said.

  When they arrived at the apartment building, they saw Wrights limousine parked in front. Behind the wheel George was reading a newspaper.

  `Are we fully set up across the street? Graves said.

  `We should be, Lewis said.

  Graves nodded. `Wait here. Ill go see what theyve found.

  The day before, they had set up a surveillance unit in the apartment building facing Wrights. Graves rode to the nineteenth floor, got out, and walked to Room 1905. He knocked once.

  `Who is it?

  `Graves.

  The door was opened for him. He entered the room. It was small and bare except for equipment clustered around the windows. There were two sets of binoculars on tripods and three sets of cameras; four chairs; a directional microphone, also on a tripod; recording equipment; film canisters; heaped ashtrays. And a television set.

  On the TV Walter Cronkite was saying, `- are trying to get a vote from the Alabama delegation, which is apparently still in caucus. In the background a booming, echoing mechanical voice was saying, `Alabama

  Alabama. . . Alabama. . .

  Graves ignored the TV. `Whatve you got? he asked.

  One of the three men in the room stepped away from the binoculars. `Have a look, he said.

  Graves looked.

  From this vantage point he could see directly into one window of Wrights apartment on the nineteenth floor of the opposite building. There were no drapes on the window, which made it easy to see in. The room was bare except for four peculiar wooden structures standing in the centre of the floor.

  `They had drapes on that window too, the man said, `but they took them off half an hour ago.

  `From all the windows?

  `No. Just this one.

  Graves frowned. Why? Did they know they were being observed? Did they want to make it easier? Because that was what they had done. He could see Wright striding around the room, directing two other people. Wright was working in shirtsleeves.

  `The windows open, Graves said. `It must be hot as hell in there.

  `Thats right, the man said. `The window has been open ever since Wright showed up. An hour ago.

  `Whatre those wooden things on the floor?

  `Sawhorses, the man said. `We figure they had paperhangers in there. Paperhangers use sawhorses. But theres something funny going on.

  `How do you mean?

  `Well, look at the sawhorses closely. They have indentations cut in them.

  Graves looked. He could see a broadly curved, U-shaped cut in each sawhorse.

  Why?

  `Beats me. They just cut them a while back.

  `You mean, specially?

  `Thats right. Theyve been doing a lot of unusual things in there. Every so often Wright sticks his hand out the window, and hes got this whirling thing, like a kids whirling top. . . He sticks his hand out there for a minute, then pulls it back.

  Graves looked away from the window. `Describe it exactly.

  `It has four arms, the man said, `and at the end of each is a cup, to catch the wind. Sort of a weathervane. But there isnt much wind today.

  `Anemometer, Graves said.

  `A what?

  `It measures wind velocity. Why should Wright want to know the wind velocity outside the window of his girl friends apartment?,

  `Why does he care about that? the man said.

  Graves shook his head and turned back to the window, examining the sawhorses through the binoculars. Each sawhorse with its single indentation in the crossbar.

  Four sawhorses.

  Two tanks. Of course! The crossbars would have indentations so that the tank wouldnt roll off. `You seen any tanks in there?

  `Nothing like that, the man said. `All weve seen is a lot of mechanical equipment.

  `What kind of mechanical equipment? Graves peered through the binoculars. He didnt see any equipment at all.

  `It looks like pumps and stuff, the man said. `It was right in the middle of the floor. He glanced through the binoculars, then shook his head. `They must have moved it to another room. They had some electronic equipment, too.

  `What kind?

  `Looked like a hi-fi, maybe.

  Graves thought of several nasty remarks, but said nothing. A hi-fi, for Christs sake.

  `That guy in there must be pretty weird, the man said.

  Graves turned on him. `He is not weird. He is a brilliant and a dedicated man. He is engaged in a complicated plot and he is daring - He broke off. The man was staring. `Hes not weird, Graves finished, and returned to the binoculars.

  As he watched, John Wright stepped to the window and extended his hand. He held an anemometer; the cups spun lazily. After a moment Wright withdrew the instrument and returned to directing the other men in the room.

  Graves turned away from the window and made some calls.

  `Department of Defence.

  `Public Information, please.

  `Just a minute, please. There was a clicking.

  `Public Information, Miss,Conover speaking.

  `Id like to talk to Lieutenant Morrison, please.

  `One minute, please. More clicking.

  `Lieutenant Morrisons office.

  `John Graves calling for Lieutenant Morrison.

  `Just a minute, Ill see if hes in. Still more clicking. Morrison here. What is it? As usual, Morrison sounded harried.

  `Pete, this is John Graves at State. Im in San Diego, and I need some information.

  `Shoot.

  `Pete, I need to know what a code word represents. The code word is Binary 75 slash 76.

  Morrison coughed in surprise. `Whered you hear that?

  `Pete, just tell me what it means.

  `Jesus, this is an open line.

  `I know its an open line. Tell me what it means.

  `Where are you calling from?

  `San Diego.

  `Jesus, you must be out of your mind.

  `I need the information, Pete. And I need it now.

  `Look, Mor
rison said, `if you dont mind me saying so, this is pretty irregular. Youve just popped a - He broke off again. `Honestly, he said, in his most honest, public-information officers voice, `Id have to obtain clearances and confirmation of need-to-know from your department, and then Id have to pass it on to the Army, and then -

  `Okay, fine. Do it.

  `You have to supply the clearances.

  `I havent got time.

  `Youre asking me on an open line to define a hot new weapons system and break its code and you havent got

  `Look, Graves said. `If I call Phelps, can he call you and requisition this information?

  Verbal requisition? Morrison seemed shocked. `This is pretty heavy stuff for a verbal. You sure you dont want specifications on the ABM sites while youre at it, and maybe Polaris submarine coordinates? Any other minor details?

  Graves suppressed his anger. Morrison was such a bureaucratic ass. `I need the information, he repeated. `I need it now.

  `Sounds like this may be a matter for Defence to look into, Morrison said. `Wed be curious to know how you got that coding in the first place. Why dont you forward us a complete report along with a requisition AB-212; thats the green form. I may be able to release the data to you in a day or so, and -

  Graves hung up.

  `This is Graves.

  `I know who it is, Phelps said. `What do you have to say for yourself?

  Binary 75 slash 76, Graves said. `Its a coding - I need to know what it means.

  `Binary 75 slash 76, Phelps said. There was a long pause; faintly, Graves could hear him writing it down. Finally he said, `Are you going to tell me where you came across it?

  `Its what Drew tapped from the system, Graves said

  Oh, Phelps said.

  `But Drew doesnt know what it means, either.

  `How did he happen to tap in?

  Wright told him to.

  `Well, did you ask Wright why?

  `No.

  `Why not?

  `I havent picked him up yet, Graves said.

  `You havent picked him up yet.

  `Thats right.

  `What are you waiting for, a divine edict?

  `I thought I already had that, Graves said. `But the situation is complicated. You see, Wright asked for more information from the data banks.

  `More information?

  `About a State Department Intelligence officer named John Graves. He pulled my file.

  `Dont be an ass, Phelps said. `Pick him up immediately. Hes on to you, thats clear.

  `Not only is he on to me, Graves said, `hes showing me a puzzle and daring me to work it out.

  `This is not a fucking poker game, Phelps said. `We can convict Wright on the basis of evidence we already have, and -

  `You cant touch him, Graves said. `When he cools down, Drew wont testify against him. You havent got a prayer of making a case against Wright. Our only chance is to wait - and to get me my own file contents.

  `Youre joking.

  `Im not.

  `Its out of the question.

  `I want to know what he knows.

  `About yourself?

  `Yes. Especially psychological test scores.

  `Out of the question. Unheard of.

  `Youve got to do this for me, Graves said. `Youve got to get me that file.

  `I cant requisition it, Phelps said, `without higher

  authority. You know that. Youre much better off picking Wright up.

  `Not yet.

  `I have to go to lunch, Phelps said. `Call me later. I think youre acting like a fool.

  And Phelps hung up.

  `State Department. A singsong voice.

  Office of the Secretary, please.

  `Thank you. Lilting.

  `Secretary of State, can we help you?

  `Mr Burnett, please. Burnett was one of the Secretarys advisers. Although young, he had worked himself up from a speech writer to a close and influential position. Graves knew him slightly.

  `Mr Burnett has gone to lunch and is not back yet. He is expected shortly.

  `Did he leave a number?

  `No, Im sorry - just a moment, hes coming through the door. Whom shall I say is calling?

  `John Graves. State Intelligence.

  `One moment please, Mr Graves.

  There was a very long wait, and a humming sound as Graves was put on `hold. Then a click.

  Burnett here.

  `Tom, this is John Graves calling.

  `How are you, John? Its been a long time. When was it? Senator Evans party, I think. You had a very cute -

  `Listen, Tom. I have a problem. I need your help.

  `Ill do what I can. Said very smoothly, in the manner that all those people adopted sooner or later. No promises, but very smooth.

  Graves paused. `I need my file.

  `Your file?

  `Yes. My Department file.

  `I dont think - just a minute - no, please hold that, Ill call him right back - John?

  `Im here.

  `Ill have to call him right back. Yes, in a few minutes. Absolutely. Five minutes, tell him five minutes. John?

  `Im here, Graves said again.

  `Now what was it? Your file?

  `Yes. I need my own file.

  `Ive never heard of anyone needing their own file, Burnett chuckled. `Curiosity, yes, but -

  `Tom. Stop being polite. This is Department business and its very important.

  `Perhaps you could stop by the office and -

  `I cant stop by the office. Im not in Washington. Im in San Diego.

  `Oh? There was hesitation now, the smoothness gone. `San Diego?

  `Im doing an SS here. A guy named John Wright. I need my own -

  Who?

  `John Wright.

  `Well why didnt you say so before? Ill get it to you right away. The Secretary has directed everyone to cooperate fully with the San Diego operation.

  Graves sighed. That was refreshing. He had an enormous sense of relief. What was that joke? It felt so good when he stopped.

  `Lets see, Burnett said. `Ill have to get an authorization. I can do that with the Undersecretary; I dont have to bother the boss. Then we have to get it to you. You dont have access to a photoprinter?

  `No.

  `Well, lets see. . . I dont know what sort of facilities are available in San Diego. Look. Theres one sure bet. The police department. They have a printer for sure. I can transmit the file contents to you over that. But itll take time to do the whole thing.

  `I dont want the whole thing. I just want the psychological test scores.

  `You do?

  Thats right, Graves said.

  `Well, Burnett said, `I can have that for you right away. Theyll transmit in fifteen or twenty minutes. Okay?

  `Okay, Graves said. `And thanks.

  `For Christs sake, dont mention it, Burnett said.

  Graves hung up.

  Downstairs in the car, Lewis said, `You look like youve gargled with Drano.

  `I have, Graves said. He got into the car. `Were going to the police station.

  Lewis pulled out into traffic. `Anything interesting happening upstairs?

  `Theyve found that Wright is preoccupied with weather today.

  `Weather?

  `Yes.

  `I dont get it, Lewis said.

  `Neither do I, Graves said.