The Metaverse: Virtual Life-Real Death
Page 42
“That may be the case, but I am not in the office, and I cannot teleport either so it could be Metaverse wide. Still, to be on the safe side, you should eject and move to another physical location. I can finish off the two victims. That way we don’t lose face if it was an attack trying to save them. We can say that effort failed and the crash was from the record number of streaming videos.”
MD thought for a moment. He hated the idea that those two employees might live when it was so important that they suffer more and die. Most importantly die. Otherwise, he could look weak himself. Alex was right. But how? All his equipment here was dead.
“Alex, I agree. We need to finish them, but I’m still offline here.”
“I have a tablet that I am currently interfacing with the BMM system. But I don’t have the encryption key to retake control. When I re-booted, I got locked out.”
MD considered what Alex said. It made sense since he was on a remote device.
“Very well. Are you ready to copy? Once you get it, you will have maybe a minute to input it. It is a rotating code based on the Julian Date, to the minute off Zulu Time plus my birth date, minus four-one-seven-two.” After Alex acknowledged the code, MD then gave Alex his birth date.
Julian Time is a non-stop calendar. Every new day adds a one to the number. It can be further broken down into hours-minutes-seconds. Alex had to add MD’s birthdate to the current Julian date to the minute off Zulu time, the current time in Greenwich England minus the four-one-seven-two number. A further input to aid in security. The encryption code would only work within sixty seconds of that number which continually increased by the factor of time that elapsed. Any forced encryption-breaking program would not be able to find it randomly. Not in the sixty seconds before the code would roll over.
“Very well. I have it now. Thank you, shit for brains!”
***
“What did he just call me?” MD wondered if he had heard him correctly.
That wonder was suddenly interrupted as the office erupted in a blue haze. MD was trying by voice command to bring up his dashboard when he felt the SecondSkin hood yanked from his head.
MD sought to comprehend what was happening as he felt strong arms pull him from the pod. He looked up to see the Asian FBI agent that merged with him at the DLS offices, giving him the red tint. The man was holding him as if he weighed nothing and spun him down onto the floor before roughly moving his arms behind his back handcuffing him. His right arm suddenly was hurting a great deal. The Asian agent then lifted him up to his feet as if he were nothing more than a small handbag.
MD looked around and saw another agent he recognized from the DLS offices walking towards him with another man he didn’t know. Suddenly everything became clear. He had been under hypo-narcotic influence enhanced by virtual reality.
He remembered this animal, whom everyone called commander, dressed now in a black suit.
“My lawyer is going to have a field day with you Argosi. I don’t know what you think you are trying to get me to admit to but none of it is admissible. I’m not even a lawyer, and I am sure that I know more about my rights than you do, you small-brained ape!”
Argosi winked. “Well I’m not a lawyer either, but he is.” Argosi nodded to the man next to him also wearing a dark suit.
MD looked at the man. “Are you here to represent me? Tell these buffoons to let me go and maybe minimize the damages when I sue.” MD watched the man who never smiled and took his time, studying him back before answering.
“I am a lawyer. The people’s lawyer, as a matter of fact.” The man’s southern accent dripped off his lips like molasses.
“Shit for brains, meet the Attorney General of the United States,” Argosi said to the now visibly seething Maddox.
“You are correct, sir. Information obtained through hypnotic-narco methods cannot be used against you in a court of law.” The attorney general added.
“Told you so! You stupid imbecile, now release me and I’ll put a good word in with the judge when I sue you to your last penny. Which I am sure is not much given the market value of your skill set.” MD sneered.
“The thing is, Mr. Maddox.” The attorney general laced his fingers together. “We are not using any of this information for trial against you. No sir. We already have a solid case without the aforementioned methods. Murder, extortion, money laundering, attempted murder, and terrorist activities against the United States of America.
“On that last charge sir, we can use extraordinary methods, already approved by a Federal judge, to obtain information to safeguard the security of the nation. You don’t remember, but this is the sixth time that we put you under in a pod for interrogation. We now believe that we have all that we need.
“You should further be advised that if and when you should be released, both the United Kingdom and Russia have requested extradition of you to their soil to stand trial. In short, Mr. Maddox, you are not going anywhere.” The AG spun on his heeds, nodded to Argosi and left.
MD screamed at both the AG and Argosi.
“Do you know who I am? Do you know how valuable I am?
Argosi edged closer to the smaller man, who tried to back up but was held steadfast by Wu.
“Yes, shit for brains.” Argosi began. “I think that you are so valuable I am going to keep you under lock and key in a small space. Just so you don’t hurt yourself, there will be nothing in that space except you. No digital devices, no creature comforts save a mattress. You’ll get three squares a day, none of it vegan. Now and then I’ll let you out, display you like a piece of art, if one thinks of human excrement as art. Then I’ll put you back.”
“Fuck you, Argosi! You’ll pay for this!” MD screamed as Wu dragged him away.
Argosi adjusted his tie. “Get in line shit-head, get in line.”
The Beginning
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About the Author
A career Law Enforcement Officer who over a thirty-year period held positions as a Police Officer, K-9 Officer, Hostage Negotiator, Police Supervisor, Command Level Officer, Federal and Military Trainer and a Police Chief. William Kurth is a recognized expert in police policy, tactics, and small arms. He has participated in, supervised or commanded over five-hundred tactical operations, including high-risk warrant services, barricaded subjects, hostage rescues and other critical incidents.
Following other passions, William instructs skiing full time in the winter and writes during the warmer months. A Board Member of the Practical Defensive Arts Association William works with instructors and students in implementing self-defense courses both for the individual and corporations. William lives in "The Land of Enchantment," known as the State of New Mexico with his wife and daughters and two Maltese-Shitzu's, Phineas and Ferb.
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