Total pages in book: 133
Estimated words: 125700 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 629(@200wpm)___ 503(@250wpm)___ 419(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 125700 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 629(@200wpm)___ 503(@250wpm)___ 419(@300wpm)
“What do you think he’s planning?” Kyle asked. “I know you wouldn’t be out here if you didn’t have some kind of idea.”
Drake went quiet, and for a moment Deke worried he wasn’t going to talk. “Have you heard of Havana Syndrome?”
“Of course.” Years before there had been complaints from members of the US Embassy of a mysterious attack. They’d been woken by terrible sounds that brought on bouts of nausea and vertigo. Over the years more and more of these attacks had been reported, and the long-term neurological problems had been documented and called Havana Syndrome. “I thought they’d determined it was likely microwaves.”
“Attacks like these have been happening for far longer than the incident at the embassy in Havana,” Drake explained. “The Agency has records of similar incidents going back decades. Those were single spies, usually working in remote places. We believe that the attack on the embassy is proof that the technology has evolved. Since then there have been several more mysterious attacks. None of which we can prove.”
“I don’t understand what this has to do with our satellite,” Maddie said. “We obviously don’t have microwaves on board.”
“Would you know?” Drake asked. “I’m not talking about something that blatantly looks like a laser beam. We know so little about this technology that it’s impossible to say what it is we’re looking for. Most of the people I’ve talked to think I’m crazy.”
“I don’t.” Deke was with him on this point. “We’ve been tracking a woman we believe is working with a group called The Consortium. She has tech we’ve never seen before and can’t explain. It’s far beyond anything that’s on the market today or even close to being released.”
“She was involved in a case we worked with Hutch’s wife,” MaeBe offered. “That case was about high tech, too. We believe the group she works for was paying to slow down technological advances so they could profit for longer off contemporary tech.”
Drake’s jaw had gone tight. “I would like anything you have on this woman. Do you believe she’s been meeting with Byrne?”
“I know someone is.” Maddie put her glass on the bar. “A woman comes to meet him. She’s never on his calendar, and she doesn’t talk to anyone else. According to his secretary, Nolan books the appointment himself and simply tells her to block off the time.”
“One of our goals is to get a decent picture of this woman so we can ID her,” Deke admitted. “So what do microwaves have to do with the attacks on the power plants?” He wasn’t sure he understood the connection.
“Adam’s been talking. I should have known he would. I would have only dealt with Chelsea if that had been possible, but we were out of time. The attack was controlled by an artificial intelligence that resembles Madeline’s prior work. I think this was a test of the system.” Drake walked up and grabbed a glass, pouring his own wine. “As to your question, Madeline, I believe the two are going to be used in conjunction, with the AI controlling the microwave weapon, taking over the systems of whoever they want to target before they attack. Taking control of smart systems in homes or businesses could let the AI know if the targets are actually in the building. This is all conjecture, of course, combined with some of the intel I’ve put together. Since you were working on the AI, I had to make sure you weren’t the one in control of the weapon.”
“I haven’t seen anything like that, not in the plans, not on what we’ve put together so far.” Madeline had paled, probably at the thought of her work being used in such a potentially violent way.
“They likely won’t change anything until right before launch,” Deke explained. “I suspect you’ll turn in your finished work, and then I assume there’s a launch team.”
“Yeah, but the heads of the departments should all be on that team,” Maddie argued.
“Has he named the team? Announced who’s on it?” He didn’t like to shake her illusions, but she had to be less naïve.
“No.” Her face fell. “He’s really doing this, isn’t he?”
“I think he’s doing something, and it’s not going to be for the good of our country. Whether Drake is right or not is the question. And the only way we’re going to find out is to get into Byrne’s personal system.” It was exactly what he was here to do, but now he wasn’t sure he wanted Maddie to be the one to do it. Luckily there was a real live spy here, and he could do the dangerous stuff.
“I need to get into his personal office. The one at his home.” Drake seemed to be on the same page. “And that’s why it’s best if I’m the one dating Maddie. She can introduce me as her boyfriend, and I’ll work on the man. I’ve studied him. I can talk to him, get him to trust me, and then get on that system. MaeBe can work tech for me, and I’ll get what we need to put this guy away and make sure a dangerous weapon doesn’t go into orbit around the planet.”