Blood Money by K. J. Janssen Page B

him. He was at home with Dixieland Jazz, the Beatles, the Stones and even some Hawaiian music. Today he chose
We Like to Party
by the Vengaboys. Just as the CD ended, he received an answer from the NRBA. Unfortunately, they did not use the “reply” function.
    Now he was certain that he was going to need Sue and her “LEECH” program, as well as any other tricks she had up her sleeve. He erased the message and shut down his e-mail. In a way, he was actually relieved that it hadn’t worked.

CHAPTER 8
    As a Special Agent in Intelligence and Analysis, Susan Harrigan operated a data network that was the envy of many federal agencies. The FBI gave her carte blanche to act on their behalf. The assignments she was given were broad-brush so as not to limit her creatively. Many originated in the White House and from high-level people in the Defense Department. In public, she operated Cybernetic Solutions of Ohio, Inc. However, nestled behind the facade of her basic business office, which has several offices, a dozen cubicles and standard computer equipment, lies a high-tech computer center where the government’s work is done. It was constructed prior to the business office. Entrance is through an unmarked door. Security was high. Motion detectors were installed in every corner of the room. Entry was only secured via a fingerprint scanner and a ten-digit code pad, both of which were hidden behind a fake panel in the door jamb. The pad had to be activated within ten seconds of the print scan. Two code misses in a row set off a silent alarm in the main data center. A message was also sent to Susan’s cell phone. As added security, Sue changed the digital code whenever she exited the room. The door was reinforced with steel plates. The management staff at Cybernetic Solutions was aware of the “private office,” but they were not permitted access. The space that her center occupies is small, especially when considering the potential power harnessed within. The walls, floor and ceiling are shielded to prevent any accidental broadcasting of signals from keypads. Sue requested and received the latest Wharton descrambler, a Norton encryption machine and access to IBM’s Blue Gene/L system supercomputer at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. All communications into and out of the center were coded by a new encryption system developed by the Quantum Institute at the Los Alamos National Laboratory. The new code was the first release of an experimental Quantum Cryptography. Leading scientists believe it to be unbreakable. Sue is only one of eighty-two people in the world to have access to this new code. The projects Sue works on for the FBI, and the technical equipment and software at her disposal are so secret that she alone is permitted to use the center.
    However good she may be, a one-man shop is considered a big risk for the Cleveland office of the FBI. Recently on orders from the Director, her boss, Dennis Peterson, began a nationwide search for a backup agent. Although it was unknown to Mark, his name headed the list, which was another reason for his involvement.

CHAPTER 9
    Dr. G. Mason Cartwright was about to have a bad day. Peter Thurston issued his order to his secretary, “Get Dr. Cartwright on the phone and set up a meeting in my office for two this afternoon.”
    â€œRight away, sir.” Denise Barth was used to Thurston communicating without the amenities. She hit the number eight button on her console. The phone rang twice before Dr. Cartwright answered.
    â€œDr. Cartwright here!”
    â€œDr. Cartwright, Mister Thurston needs you at a meeting in his office at two this afternoon.”
    â€œThat’s kind of short notice,” he replied in an obviously annoyed tone. He hesitated for a few moments and added, “Well, okay, I’ll be there. Did he give you an idea what the meeting would be about?”
    â€œNo Doctor, he did not. We’ll see you this