Kill Code by Joseph Collins Page B

ex-hacker after all, and had
made it as difficult as humanly possible to access. Every once in a
while, for fun, she'd post a challenge on one of the hacker web
boards offering a reward to anyone able to crack her security. So
far, she'd never been beat.
    From there, she checked her e-mail. As she scrolled
through it, she realized that after all that had happened today,
how inconsequential the concerns of running a business were.
    She almost missed it, an e-mail from Patrick Lackey,
her accountant. Jackie skipped through the accounting speak
wondering why he was pestering her. Then she saw he'd found a trail
as to where all the money from the company went. She went to the
top of the e-mail and forced herself to read every word. Why the
man couldn't write a sentence less with than forty words was beyond
her.
    The e-mail didn't give her many more details than
she already knew from her quick scan. The final word was that
Patrick had stashed copies of his findings on his computer. Of
course, it was the only computer in the entire company that she
couldn't access remotely. Sometimes, the best security was
isolation. If no one could gain access without violating physical
locks, and the computer wasn't connected to the Internet or the
Internet connected company network, you could probably assure the
computer was reasonably secure. But it did mean that she would have
to go back to the office to find the information. Why couldn't
Patrick have just attached it to the e-mail?
    Of course, she knew that he didn't realize his
attempt at security, or lack of technological know-how, might get
her killed.

Chapter 7
    Tyrannicide completed its daily analysis of
obituaries and death notices. So far, none of the expected targets
appeared. Unexpected. Though an unidentified body had appeared in
the area of a coin store of one of the subjects. Was this the body
of the messenger or of the subject? It sent another message to the
messenger's Blackberry asking for an immediate response.
    Hard coded within itself, there was a list of
targets. Tyrannicide was to expend all available resources until
those targets had been assassinated, taking out others, meeting its
criteria as it could.
    Checking its operational funds, it selected the next
target and sent a text message. The Black Hand being interconnected
via the Internet made everything so much easier—to kill.
    ###
    Matthew Tudor easily cracked the security on the
Cadillac, gaining entry and popping open the driver's side door.
The computer systems on modern cars made his job that much easier.
He accessed the OBD-II connector underneath the steering wheel,
connecting it to his Blackberry. The software hadn't been that
difficult to write, but the damn connector had set him back a
couple of hundred dollars. He always found it annoying that auto
companies couldn't use an industry standard connector that was
cheap, easy to find and wired up in a way that anyone could
access.
    Ironically, reprogramming the car's computer was a
breeze, made easier due to the industry's standardized format.
First the locks would seal the car, and then a short circuit would
start the car on fire. Getting a car to do this wasn't easy, but
his talent hadn't come cheap. Making sure he had the right target
would be verified by the personalized key fob that the target used.
If someone else got into the car, it would revert to its original
programming and he'd have to do this all again. Yes, it was risky,
but for the extra money due to be wired into his account when this
was all over, it was worth it.
    He verified the program had been installed correctly
and removed the connector. Putting the cover back on the connector,
he carefully closed the car door. His flesh colored latex gloves
precluded leaving any fingerprints, but he still made sure that no
trace of his presence would be found.
    There was a small smear on the chrome trim. He wiped
it away with a cloth he'd brought for that purpose. Yes, it was a
hot looking car. If