Code 47 to BREV Force Cracko

CHAPTER 17

CHAPTER 17

Now, sitting at his desk in the Cottage, Martin stared at that same notebook and couldn't shut out the flood of memories of Dr. Marcel and their work together. He picked up the notebook and flipped through the pages of code until he reached the back.

Martin hesitated and then began to write in the same code the information he had memorized from his encounter in the high school parking lot meeting that morning. When he finished coding the last few lines, he put the notebook down.

Rosie called out, "Mrs. Dr. K."

Martin put everything back in the box, locked it, returned the keys to their respective hiding places and said, "On V-Screen."

"Martin, please direct your monitors to what I'm working on."

Hearing the tenseness in his wife's voice Martin instituted a network link and brought up Vivian's data on his screen. He calmly asked, "Viv, do you know how this message got into our private files?"

"No," she replied. There was a weepy quality to her voice that Martin had never heard before.

"When I logged into our I.A.S. account a little while ago, there it was," she took a deep breath, "all our work has somehow disappeared. . . and all that remained was this message, 'Controller was here.'" Vivian, stopped to take another breath and then added, "Martin there's more. I double checked our archived files in their main data bank and this same message was there." Vivian hoped her husband would ease her fears and pleaded, "Martin, what's going on? These are supposed to be the most secure files anywhere in the world."

"Viv, did you retrieve today's password?"

"Yes, all the log-in procedures were correct."

Martin knew he had to say something, anything that would calm her, "Viv, I'm not sure yet but bear with me; we'll find out what's going on!" He made sure his voice sounded confident and then said, "I'll get Rosie working on it immediately, and, if anyone can solve this -- she can! Just hold on while I instruct her to start."

Martin put Vivian on silent mode so she wouldn't hear his instructions to Rosie. "Rosie, network with the files on my screen and evaluate their source immediately. Give this matter your highest priority and code seal 'confidential', then coordinate this breach with the home h-mail breach and our compound security system. Something is going on and I need an explanation and a planned course of action within the hour...oh and remind me when I get off with Vivian to update you on some other new information."

"Will do, Dr. K. Should I also increase Personal Security around your house?"

"Yes, I guess maybe that's a good idea. Thanks. Get back to me, A.S.A.P."

Martin returned to the communication with Vivian and tried to ease her fears, "Rosie, super investigator, is on it Viv and as soon as I hear from Donatez I'll come home. Don't be frightened, together we'll get to the bottom of this."

"Martin, isn't it awfully strange that Dr. Donatez gave us the 'neutralize Controller' assignment and the very next day, Controller invades our files?"

"Okay, so we both had the same feeling but if the I.A.S. knew about the break in of our files, they might think that would make us even more eager to work with them."

"Yes, but either way Martin, it seems we now have a personal reason to get involved!"

"I have to agree! So, try not to worry," he teased, "besides, I told you, I'd tell you when to worry!"