THE HIT BACK SERIES (Order From Chaos)

Chapter Sixteen

(Caleb’s P.O.V)

It’s been ten straight hours of seating from across computer screens, trying my best to bypass the symmetric Algorithm encryption key of data in transit intercepted from ‘Uthman’s cell. And as it stands, I’m far cry from cracking the super-encrypted data with its 2048 bits’ keys having an awing ad infinitum possible combinations. Which in any news meant the twelve hours’ cycle mandated by Yakeen was still a long shot. More sadly, the data had been backed with a fail-gracefully malware that eats up every bit of data at a failed attempt.

They had set up a workstation for me in our suite immediately after the little chat with Yakeen, and had expected me to come through before the cycle eventually lapses. But lacking the mainframes and wideband I once had at my disposal at my ‘Pad’. And with a ‘Brute force attack’ rendered useless by recent modern encryption keys. And a shot at quantum computing; with its superpositioning and its exceeding sheer power to process exponentially more data off the table, due to its unavailability here. I was at a loss, and time’s running out.

Wedged in the thick of it, a promising idea lit up in my conscience. What if I could use the ciphertext length to my good and get to look in on some sensitive information about the data, supposing the data wasn’t padded. It was a big ‘If’, yet I was willing to take a crack at it.

So, I dove right into it, using ciphertext length—a special form of metadata to gain access to sensitive information on the data.

Lucky enough for me, the data wasn’t padded. And that one move proved to be a huge headstart at arriving at the citadel. Now with the outer wall down, I was left with finding a walk around the moat, which I did with par finesse.

Another ten minutes of tweaking things around passed before I eventually gained access to the core of the data. And voila! I had the actual deciphered text across from me in a block typeface. 

This brought so much relief, but it was no lasting effect nonetheless, as I was faced with the last hurdle of the task. I took a go at it in no time, trying to pinpoint the receiver’s actual location through the cellphone’s ping from the nearest cell tower.

I had to triangulate some between the axis of three French neighboring cities; Nantes, Rouen, and Calais before I can get the actual fix on the ping. And here I have it; a landmark right at the neck of the modern part of Calais.

Once I did, I shouted in ecstatic joy, hence, courting the attention of my new-found friends, whom came to my side in all smile and patted on my back and shoulders.
    {Nur’s P.O.V}

I guess Moawad who I now identify as Afatallah was speaking for me when he came out bluntly and said: ‘We want in on some real action, and not just some greet and meet lame handshake deal’. ‘cause for one, having to sit around in a freaking worn-down apartment and going through the same damn routines each day was worrying me sick. And more so, despite my person, I love to get my hands dirty. Get in the heat of the moment. But here I am, salivating for such a moment to come.

The last window to such moment was long shut. But still, it was a huge leap at success. Now I can say for sure that we must have earned a corpuscle of Yakeen’s respect. And that was a piece of good news.

The bad news was, he did some background check on us. Digging into such was something I for one will do. And now, that I was at the receiving end of such gestures, I couldn’t feel any less hurt. Which results in the million-dollar question, if we’ve won ourselves some points before now, how much have we left with the background check shite?

I’ve done the math in my head a thousand times already, and the figures are not quite encouraging on our ends. And even though it saddens me to be a hitch to the mission, I knew bone-deep it wasn’t my fault that I’m an onion with several layers to me. For it was something I have pride myself in for far too long. And my only way to get back at the cruel world I found myself in.

So, when Caleb halloaed in joy after successfully deciphering the intercepted data from ‘Uthman’s cell, I could feel my spirit lifted the same way.

In a fitful show of whim, I patted down on his shoulder, grateful that we had ourselves another last-ditch attempt to regain Alamal Yakeen’s trust and respect.
   {Afattalah’s P.O.V}

I’ve had my suspicions of him ever since I stumbled upon him in the hallway couple days back. And if my years as a G.I had taught me anything, that has got to be to trust my gut. It had proven to save me than any talisman would. But with sparse proofs as at then, it was a long shot to nail him as a snitch to his face.

From then on, every moment had rolled by fast. And I for one was knee-deep in the core courses of fitting well into the ranks and earning Yakeen’s respect. And as fate would engineer, it paid off pretty well at sundown yesterday, when he gave us the free tickets to a showdown, meant to go down at Seine Saint Dennis.

That piece of news had given me a thrill despite myself. But yes, in the final acts, I’ve come to know not to put such high hopes in the man’s words. For, in the end, the tickets had been a free pass to a dumbshow rather than an actual showdown. It was some bland handshake deal, for which a tram enclosure of all places was picked as a rendezvous. And I was part of the delivery team.

However, he had me a little pepped up when he confronted me with his background check facts. But that even wasn’t worth a candle, because I’ve kept a weather eye out for such chess move all along. And from where I stand, all I could think of was, who had carried it out for him. And how much longer till he figured out my confederates’ real identity.

Well, since Caleb’s discovery confirmed it all, it didn’t take all the knowledge in the world for me to connect the dots. And for my prior suspicions to turned into facts, looking me straight in the eye. It was him all along—the good, unwavering stooge and computer guy. And now, in a sudden change of tides, he was a renegade bastard.

And I’d bet my life, there’s no backing out for him this time. No redeeming chance. No saving grace. He’s so screwed and there’s no way in hell he’ll come through.

Since fate had yet sided with us, it was evident someone had to fetch Yakeen. Needing no clap in the back, I got a move on.