KEY WEST, FL. – Yvonne poured through the maliciously functioning server while
Colin slept the night?s activities off. It was tough working with a
hangover, but nothing she hadn?t done before?just a little harder to
focus was all. The pounding, claustrophobic sensation left over by
her partying made her imagine the server as a cave, with its dark
secrets hidden at the bottom of some impossibly obscure passage.
Cyber spelunker, she thought, and started to laugh, but laughter was
painful this early. A Bloody Mary might not solve the computer
mystery, but it would take the edge off her discomfort.
Colin, still naked, met her at the bar. He grabbed her wrist and
pulled her towards him, and tried to slip his other hand under her tshirt,
but an elbow to his Adam?s apple put a stop to that.
?Hey, honey, what?s the matter??
?Sorry, Col. But duty calls. I?ve got a renegade chip in that server
and Stokes is waiting for an answer.?
?You sure?? He turned towards her and flexed his pecs. That
wasn?t where she was looking, however. ?You know you want to,? he
said.
Yes, she did. But the last thing she needed was another suitor,
another hanger-on, calling her when she was working, interrupting
when she relaxed with someone else. Her life alone was as good as it
could be?apart from her responsibilities to CyberCom she made
the decisions about where she went and with whom. She made the
kind of money most people could only dream of, had the kind of
talent and respect others could never even imagine. She wasn?t going
to let that be tied down in a relationship, no matter how good looking
or important the man was. She wouldn?t do it for Colin, and she
certainly wouldn?t do it for Stokes. If only he were here so she could
throw an elbow his way.
?Get dressed, Colin. Bring me a Bloody Mary and then you can
make us some breakfast. There?s eggs and bacon in the fridge. And
don?t forget the Tabasco.?
He did as he was told. At least dating younger men meant they
listened occasionally. But that only reminded her of her age. She
didn?t want to be anyone?s mommy, either. Maybe that?s why she?d let
Lillian go off to live with her family all those years ago?considering
how she?d been treated by the relatives as a child it might not have
been the best decision, but then a life spent ignored while mommy
glued her gaze to a monitor wouldn?t have been good for Lillian
either. Yvonne had sent enough money back to Moscow to make sure
Lillian received the best education and never wanted for material
needs, but she wondered often about her daughter?s emotional state.
The letters between them were rare, now that Lillian was almost
eighteen. God, she was old enough now to date Colin too.
While he rummaged for pans and plates she turned her attention
back to the server. How engrossing, this work. In a sense it was
liberating too, because it demanded a level of concentration that
made life?s problems recede into the subconscious. Never mind the
dysfunction of her relatives. Never mind the boys and their neverending
games to impress her. This was the chess match. Someone
had placed this chip on the motherboard, right under the noses of the
Network Systems techs, and hid it and its functions well enough that
they never suspected until it turned on and ceded control to a remote
commander. And the programming! She hooked the board to her
system to read the code embedded within. Layers and layers of
commands and parameters, perfectly designed to isolate sub stations
and controllers, and avoid detection by feeding dummy readings to
the CalTrans sensors. Whoever designed this had to know not only
the workings of the server, but those of the entire traffic grid and its
stations, in order to know how to shut them down. And the chip made
it all easy. It acted as a back door through which the attackers could
access at any time, as though they had made a skeleton key that
unlocked the traffic control program.
Exquisite.
And as she scanned through thousands of lines of code written
in redundant languages?even C and C++?and saw the
programmable logic controller rootkit, she knew this was an offspring
of Stuxnet, not nearly as involved, but still capable of incredible
damage. There was root kit, there the replacement DLLs for the
network interfaces. There was the privilege escalation that made it
possible to override any attempt by the authorized user to wrest
control by changing the root passwords. Since changing the default
passwords would disable the server software completely, Network
Systems protocols dictated they remain unchanged, giving the worm
the opportunity to proliferate exponentially, throughout the system,
into any connected device. A single rogue chip might produce access
to dozens of critical functions. In any server that had been
compromised, infiltration was made ridiculously easy, and could clear
the way for additional breeches and takeovers, like falling
dominoes?perhaps even some that the chip?s designers hadn?t even
imagined. Who knew what other control systems might be on the
verge of failure?
Stuxnet had needed a team of the best engineers to program it?
a team at a government level?and not just any government. Even
this new variant required a level of understanding and capability at
the top of the programming food chain. Could another country be
backing this effort to infiltrate critical systems? Stuxnet had helped
delay Iran?s effort to achieve nuclear power and weapons. Now
maybe someone was trying to turn the tables and damage America?s
infrastructure, and as she and hundreds of experts knew, many of
the country?s various infrastructure components were already in
danger of failing even without the push from Stuxnet. This kind of
worm, with some additional engineering, could potentially give
control of vital systems to a hostile force. Instead of mere failure,
these systems could be made to cause damage?both physical and
economic.With crucial systems in someone else?s control, the nation
could be essentially powerless to protect itself.
She texted Stokes and told him she needed to speak with Rita
Sanchez and whoever headed logistics at Network Systems. A few
seconds later, he was signaling on the Scan-U, and his 3-D image
appeared in front of the monitor.
?You?re up early, Rohan.?
?Frankly, I?ve been up for hours waiting for you to tell me
something that I can relay to theWhite House.What have you got??
?This.? She held up the evil chip. ?Somebody got a little crazy
with the soldering gun.?
His electronic head turned to look at it. ?Yvonne, did I ever
mention you have a gift for understatement??
?Whoever?s behind this plopped this chip right into the middle of
the motherboard. And it?s so small and so well programmed even I
might not have noticed its presence. So of course it had no trouble
getting past the Network Systems team.?
?I?d better get Rita on the line with us.?
?Hmmm,? Yvonne said. ?Already on a first-name basis?
Something going on there??
?Don?t make jokes. You know I don?t go for the super bitch type.
I like a woman who likes to have fun. Someone with a sense of
adventure.?
?Too bad you?re not very adventurous yourself.?
?What? What do you mean??
It was just a line, but she had touched a nerve.
?Oh come on, Rohan. You sit at a desk all day and push paper
and buttons. Once in a while you run off to a meeting. That?s not
exactly my idea of adventurous.?
?Is that why you broke it off with me??
?Sure, sure, darling. The last time you did field work was when
you were with the CIA and arrested me.?
?That was a pretty exciting time.?
?And I was impressed. I?d been able to keep my activities a secret
from the government and the mob. You were the only one who
figured me out.?
?Yvonne, I?m still trying to figure you out.? Stokes paused, then
added, ?You know, I could get back out there anytime I want.?
?Oh yes, Rohan. You just tell the Assistant for Homeland Security
and Counterterrorism his top man is taking some time off to chase
the bad guys. I?m sure he?ll understand.?
Colin called to her as he brought two steaming plates from the
kitchen. ?I have your order, madame. Would you care for another
Bloody Mary??
Stokes?s holograph pivoted left, as though by doing so it could see
into the kitchen. ?Who is that??
?Oh, just a house guest.?
?But he?s not wearing a shirt.?
Yvonne laughed. ?You?re lucky he?s wearing pants. Colin, say
hello to the nice man.?
Colin stopped and smiled. ?Hello, Rohan.? He waved into the
screen, and then went back to the bar. She imagined Colin?s
projection appearing in Stokes?s office, shaking a slightly transparent
hand in his face.
?He doesn?t get to call me Rohan,? Stokes said.
?I?ll remind him next time he?s here.?
Stokes puffed his cheeks as though he?d conceded this round of
banter. ?All right, Ms. Tran, what else can you tell me about this
chip??
?Not much yet. That?s why I need the Network Systems people.
They may be able to help at last.?
?Did you ping the chip?s C and C yet??
?I?ll do that while you?re getting Ms. Sanchez out of bed?oops!
I mean, while you?re getting her on the Scan-U.?
?Goodbye, Yvonne. I?ll signal you in a few minutes.?
She put the Scan-U to sleep and brought her breakfast back into
the kitchen to join Colin. She found him instead in the living room,
hooked up to the huge flat screen Stokes had sent her when they were
having their affair. He?d accessed an online community of
Armageddon Squadron.
?I?m kicking some serious butt,? he said. ?Commando style.?
?Didn?t you get enough of that when you flew drones??
?There?s never enough when you can smell the kill.?
If the search for the origin of the chip meant physically tracking
down the source, his flying skills, both real and virtual, might be an
asset. But he was so young; in many ways still a boy.Maybe she would
boot him back to the northern Keys instead.
Yvonne watched as he manipulated a computer generated
aircraft while shoveling his scrambled eggs. He had the coordination
of an athlete, able to accomplish difficult maneuvers without
conscious thought, and she could see how he?d been able to fly the Air
Force?s drones past enemy defenses and over moon-like terrain to
drop ordnance on suspected terrorists. He loved it, practically
breathed it. But like her, he found out quickly he could make more
money in the private sector. His game really was a game?online
flight simulator tournaments, which had made him financially
independent. She wasn?t unhappy working for the government?and
there was even some time to pick up occasional work from cash-rich
corporate clients, not to mention the odd gig siphoning tens of
thousands from illegal offshore casinos or other scam artists who
managed to stay out of the authorities? reach (and at which Stokes
looked the other way). It made a nice balance, even if it wasn?t as
lucrative as a pure black hat existence. At times it made her feel
patriotic, that she was returning the favor America had given her by
letting her stay and go to MIT. Maybe he would someday see it the
same way, too.
She set to tracing the IP address the chip was programmed to
send to. But as expected the trail ran cold short of the final
destination. She was able to reach back to Hong Kong, but no further.
It reached the headquarters of Cathay Computer Works, but from
there she could not trace route past the firewall doing the network
address translation for their private network.
A half hour later Stokes signaled that he had the NetSys
executives on the Scan-U. Yvonne logged in to see his image scanning
her bungalow, as if looking for Colin again. Two more holographs
began to resolve, and Yvonne called up her Cyber Styletto image.
Rita Sanchez and another man appeared.
?Ms. Sanchez. Good to see you again.?
?Good to not see you again,? Sanchez said.
?Ah, yes. Sorry about that. But you know the regulations
regarding my identity.? She studied the face of the man who
materialized along with Sanchez. ?And Liang Runnan,? Yvonne said.
?Who is that? How do you know me?? he said.
?I know of you. CEO at Pebble Computer in Beijing. Put the
company on the map. Then you disappeared in 1997. Rumor has it
certain Chinese government officials wanted kickbacks for
introductions to foreign investors and you couldn?t pay.?
?I assure you my departure from that company was a personal
decision. I only wished to spend more time with my family.?
?It didn?t make sense, considering the system of extortion over
there. Everybody knows to put something away for when the
government comes calling. Unless it?s already been extorted, so to
speak.?
?What are you insinuating?? Liang asked. ?Who is this, please??
Stokes cut in. ?Our agent knows better than to spread unfounded
gossip, doesn?t she??
?So, now you?re working for Network Systems.? Yvonne
continued as if Stokes hadn?t said a word.
?I am Senior Vice President and Director of Logistics and
Manufacturing for the Pacific Rim Region,? Liang said.
?Wow,? Yvonne said. ?That must be a big business card.?
?What can we do for you, Miss??? Liang said.
?Actually, it?s what I can do for you. The source of your
infiltration was a microchip, planted on the motherboard of your
compromised server. The chip is controlled by an entity somewhere
in China, but I haven?t been able to pinpoint it yet. The signal stops
in Hong Kong, just a stone?s throw from Guangzhou.?
?That is where the server is manufactured,? Liang said. ?A
microchip? Are you sure??
?All I have is the serial number. Can you tell me who made it??
She read the number to him, and Liang searched his database,
but he reported no returns. ?I will launch a full investigation,? he
said.
?There isn?t time for that,? Yvonne said. ?Stokes, I?m going to
have to track this down the old fashioned way. I?m going to put
together a team and go to Hong Kong. The only way we can take it
further is to go to the data center at Cathay.? She smiled over the
possibility of doing the field work herself, getting out of the dark
computer labs she haunted and out of reach of Stokes and the other
government stiffs who?d cramped her style since the arrest and
subsequent arrangement.
?Finally,? Sanchez said. ?Some progress.?
?Of course there will be a few expenses not covered in the
original agreement,? Yvonne said.
?Expenses? With what we?re paying you? Out of the question.?
?Nothing major,? Yvonne went on. ?First-class airfare, luxury
hotel accommodations, expense account??
?She?s only kidding,? Stokes said. ?And if there are any extra
costs, the government will cover them.?
?Oh, Rohan. Shame on you,? Yvonne said. ?Adding to the
national debt. What would the president say??
?Just keep the expenses to a minimum,? he said.
When Sanchez and Runnan signed off, Yvonne shed her avatar
to finish up with Stokes. ?I will need a team, Rohan. You know I?m
still a suspect for hacking the W88 caper in China, so I need some
people I trust to help me. It?ll be easier to remain undercover if I
have the right people to work with.?
?You?re really willing to go back there, Yvonne? If they catch you
they might put you on trial anyway, with or without proof.?
?Well, you can?t blame them. If I hadn?t caught them with their
pants down over those nuclear warhead designs, they might have
invaded Taiwan. I can see why they?d be a little upset.?
?Speaking of having someone?s pants down, is that person I saw
at your place earlier still hanging around??
?You mean Colin? I?ll be bringing him along, if that?s what you
want to know.?
Colin called from the living room, ?Road trip!?
Yes, he was a boy at heart. ?Separate bedrooms, I promise,? she
said.
?Bring me the receipts or I won?t cover the hotel.?
?Rohan, darling. Jealous to the end. Listen, I?m going to call an
old friend, Buck Ryan. I want him and his crew in on this.?
?Ryan Repo? If he?s still kicking I think it?s a good idea. Get some
experience involved.?
?Still kicking? Buck will never retire,? she said. ?He has too much
fun screwing with deadbeats. You ever the see the face of a corporate
exec when his airplane is repossessed??
?Can?t say that I have. Buck still headquartered in San
Francisco??
?As soon as I confirm with him I?ll fly there to plan how we?re
going to proceed. I?ll call you as soon as we have it together.?
Yvonne?s next call was to Ryan?s cell.
?Perfect timing,? Buck said. ?I?ve got a triple seven in Shenzhen
that I?m snatching on the twenty-fifth. Provincial official got over his
head with an Aussie bank, and we?re going to give him a reverse
Christmas present.?
?Don?t forget to leave a lump of coal in his stocking,? Yvonne
said.
?Ha! You know I?ve missed that sense of humor of yours. It?ll be
great to work with you again. What have you got cooking this time??
?Buck, you?re going to need to call in your muscle for this job,?
she said. ?We?re talking cyber war.?
END Chapter Four
