I Saw a Man Who Wasn't There...
Part Seventeen
by Cory

    "Bingo."  Unger sat back as the screen flashed with information.  "Their security was tough, but I've managed to access their computer database."
    Jack squinted at the screen.  A menu had come up.  He read the names of different files slowly.  "Mission Database, Personnel Files, Arsenal Inventory ... what the hell is all this?"
    Unger shrugged.  "I don't know," he said.
    Jack thought for a moment.  "Do you have any way of telling if there is anyone using the computer right now?"
    Unger nodded.  He leaned forward, and tapped a few keys on the keyboard.  A screen labelled "Remote Computer Screen View" appeared.  "There's someone online," said Unger.  "This should give us a view of what they're seeing on the screen."
    It was a long moment before the images appeared.  Unger's eyes widened.  "Jesus," said Unger.  "What the hell are they doing?"
    The words "New York Stock Exchange Database" flashed across the screen.  Other menus began popping up, and data was being entered.  To Jack, it made no sense.  "What are they doing?" he asked, frowning.
    Unger was mesmerized.  "I ... I don't believe it.  They're hacking into the N.Y. Exchange computer!"  He watched.  "Somehow," he said, awe creeping into his voice, "they have the codes to access that computer mainframe! ... We have to alert the Stock Exchange computer people now!"
    "No!" exclaimed Jack.  "We can't let the people on the other computer know we're onto them!"
    Unger shook his head.  "I have to," he said.  "These people could do some real damage playing around in the Stock Exchange system."
    "At least give me a pinpoint," said Jack, "so I can find where this other computer is located."
    Unger bit his lip.  "Easier said than done."  He hit a few keys.  A trace program opened, and began working.
    Jack was tense.  "How long will this take?"
    "It depends," said Unger.  "We have to trace back through multiple phone lines, relays, you know ... "  Jack had no idea what Unger meant, but kept quiet.  "It should be just a few minutes," Unger continued, "as long as they don't cut the connection."
    Jack sat back, and tried to relax.  With time as a luxury, he wasn't comfortable.  He felt antsy.  He stood up.  "I'll be back."
 
    Angie laid back.  She'd cracked eight different computer mainframes in the past few hours, undetected.  She knew it was a record, unmatched by anyone in the world.  Of course, she could only have done it with Torrens's codes.  But she still felt a sense of pride, even in the situation she was in now.
    They'd brought her and Rollie to a small room to rest.  There was a single bed, and a chair.  A door opened into a tiny washroom, barely big enough for one person.  The ceiling was high, and mounted in one corner was a small video camera.  Angie had no doubts that someone in the main room was monitoring them, making sure they didn't try anything.
    Rollie had been silent since they'd first been put in the room.  Laying down, Angie realized how exhausted she was.  She put her head on the pillow, but, tired as she was, she didn't feel like sleeping.  She closed her eyes almost all the way, watching Rollie through tiny slits.
    He sat in the chair, his shoulders hunched slightly.  He glanced up at the camera, and his gaze held there for a long moment.  Then he looked up at the light in the ceiling, a single incandescent bulb, hanging out of reach.  His gaze wandered to a small air shaft, not big enough to escape through.  He stared at it for a for long time.  Finally, he realized there was no escape.  He closed his eyes and leaned forward, holding his head in his hands.
    Angie knew how Rollie felt.  He has us this time, she thought.  This time, there's no escape.
    She prayed that Vanduren had gotten her message.
 
    Unger looked up as Jack returned, a styrofoam cup of coffee in his hand.  "Well," Jack asked, "what did you find?"
    "I got you an area," said Unger.  He pointed at a map on the screen.  "Two blocks, near the lakeshore."  The area was highlighted in red.
    "What's there?" asked Jack.
    "A few warehouses," said Unger.  "I checked the records of the company that owns them.  They've been sitting unused for years."
    "Are you sure you've got the right place then?"
    "Damn sure," said Unger.  "They must be there."
    Jack nodded, clapping him on the shoulder.  "Thanks," he said.  He left his half-finished cup of coffee on the desk as hurried to tell Vanduren.
    Unger called over his shoulder, "Let me know how it goes!"
    Jack nodded solemnly, then left.
 
    Angie opened her eyes, feeling the waves of sleep fall away.  The room came into focus, and she groaned softly, sitting up.
    One of the Loubars was standing over her.  Rollie was on his feet, by the door.  He stared at the floor.  The Loubar poked her with his gun, and she jumped.  "Get up," he ordered.
    Angie quickly swung her feet off the end of the bed and stood up.  "What's going on?" she exclaimed, fearfully.
    Loubar pushed her in front of him, guiding her and Rollie out into the hallway.  "Someone wants to see you."
    "Who?" Rollie said, quietly.
    "A very old friend," said the Loubar.
    Angie and Rollie exchanged glances.
    "You may think of him as Loubar Zero," said the Loubar.  "Or, as we call him, 'McCoy.' "
 
 
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