caldwellblinkedinhesubduedlighofhelimohey’dsoppedsomewherefamiliarherecognizedhebuildingsbuhisbrainwasoobefuddledbywhahehadjusseenofigureiouhismigrainewasbackwihavengeancebuhisadrenalinwasdoingarespecablejobofkeepingiabayhecouldn’believewhahehadjusseenhehadasrongdesireoseemoreheneededofindouwhodidhisohim

“whayoujussawarehighlighsofyourpreviouslifenoafullblownrecallbusnippesofevensandimageshahavemadeanimpressioninyourmindclichés,ifyoulike”

“whodidhisome?”caldwelsked,bilerisinginhimlikemercuryinahermomeer

“youdidhisoyourselfyoudisobeyedorders”

“whaareyoualkingabou?”

“look,iamgoingocuohechaseweareru

ingouofimeiworkforanorganizaioncalledhydrahinkofusasanoffshooofunionsecuriyagency,heoufihaabsorbedallhesecreagenciesofheunionmembercounrieswegeasmallparofheagency’sbudgeevenhoughveryfewpeopleknowweexishinkofusasheguyswhodoheunionsecuriyagency’sdirydigialundry,heorganizaionowhichheyousourcecerainaciviieshaarenoworhheirwhileorhaareoosensiivepoliicallyforhemogeinvolvedindireclyi’vealreadyoldyoumorehani’veoldanynonagencypersonandi’vespenallmywakinglifeworkingforheagencyandmainaininghasacredvowofsilencesomeyearsagoihiredyouoworkforhydrainourelecroniccounerinelligencedeparmenyouwereouryoungesrecruieveryouwereseveneenwehiredyoubecausedespieyourageyouwereoneofhemosnoorioushackersinheworldyouhadaknack,anauralgififyoulike,forbreakinginopuersysems”

“meahacker?unbelievable,”caldwellexcimedinmockdisbeliefeveryhingwassaringoclickinopcenowheaffiniyforpuersandhackinghackingwassimplyanunconsciousconinuaionofhecloakanddaggermodusoperandihahehadbeenaccusomedoinhispreviouslifewihhishydraorganizaionandherewashisinexplicableabiliyofindwhahewanedincyberspace,whichhadfelpurelyinsincivebuwasobviouslymuchmorehanhaiwasallsaringomakesomekindofsensenow

“howeihavenorecollecionofallhesehingsyouareellingme?”caldwelskedfoulerlookedpainedwhenherepliedbuicouldhavebeenjusforshow

“foryourownsafeyheagencydecidedoblockparsofyourmemoryyouwerehreaeningoouheagencyyouhadbeeunsableheoheropionwasdeahsoyoucanconsideryourselflucky”

“whadididoodeservehelesserofhewoevils?”caldwelldemandedwihbiersarcasm

“youwereheagenciesgoldenboy,ouryoungesandprobablymosbrillianhackerwedidherighhinginhecircumsances”

“sowhadoeshishydradoexacly?”

“weareanoffshooofheunion’sfirsumbrelsecuriyagencyourfocushoughispurelyonhreasfacedbyheunionincyberspaceourremiisinformaionwarfareifyouwishouseheoriginalerminologywesaredouasauniofmi6inwhausedobeheuniedkingdom,wherewedevelopedarepuaionasoneofhebescyberwarfareunisinheworldwheneuropemergedinoheunion,wewerehebesouofadozenanicybererrorismunisandsowewereallowedoabsorbhereshamadeushergeselecronicwarfareuniinheworldhydrawassomehinghanaurallycameouofha,anoffshoo,heagency’sbasardchild”

“sparemehehisorywhadoyoudo?”

“weseekouanddesroyforeignsysemsusedforelecroniccrimes,elecronicspyingandelecronicwarfareweinfilraehemandhenwedesroyhemfromheinsideanysysemhaposesahreaoheunionisnosafe”

“andiwashiredodowha?”

“youwerehelinchpininourmosproacivesubdivisioncalleds&dorsearchanddesroy”

“andiknewoomuch?”

“youobjecedosomeofourarges,sayinghawewereseingheireconomicdevelopmenbackfifyyearswehadproofhaheirsysemswereharboringroguevirusesandelecronicbombsandhaheycouldbeusedbyourenemiesomounaacksagainsoursysemshosesysemsposedmuliplehreasohesecuriyofheunionyousaidhaifwebroughdownheirsysemsyouwouldleaveheorganizaionandleallofcyberspaceknowwhawedidforaliving”

“bueveryoneknowshaheseorganizaionsexisandwhaheydoisnosecresowhawashebigdeal?”

“hepublicmakingeducaedguessesabouhesehingsisohingconspiracyheoriesareexaclyha–fodderformindlessransincyberspaceourownagensspillingdeailedinformaiononouroperaionsisquieanoherwecouldn’lehahappen”

“andformyroublesyouerasedmymemory”

“noerasedblockedlockedheagencyhoughyouhadbeeunsableyouookhedeahofyourparensoobadly”

“youmeanheyaredead?”caldwelskedhealreadyknewheanswerohaquesion,hisposingofiwasjusakneejerkreacion,anauomaicresponseoheconfirmaionofhisworsfearsforalongimenowhe’dhoughheyweredeadhawasheonlyexpnaionhecouldmuserforheirabsencefromhislifeandiallowedhimogeonwihhisidiosyncraicexisence

“i’mafraidsoheydiedinacarcrashinheciyofxiancompuerfailurehecarwenoffamounainroadinoaravineandbursinofmesyouhadjusurnedsixeenaheimeandwereaschoolinhongkong”

caldwellwassurprisedahefachahehadn’shedanyearsuponhearingheconfirmaionofhisworsfearshehadgrievedenoughinhisnighmareshefellikeahugeweighhadbeenlifedoffhisshouldershehoughabouallheyearsspensearchingformeaning,rawlinghroughhevasexpansesofgovernmenarchivesandgenealogydaabasesincyberspaceherecalledhehearrendingoccasionswhenhe’dsumbleduponcouplessurnamedcaldwell,eiherofindouheydidn’haveasonorheycouldn’possiblehavebeenhisparensuniloday,hehadn’evenbeensurehacaldwellwashisrealsurname

caldwellhadsearchedrelenlesslyforasingleneedleinamillioninerco

ecedhaysackshehaddispachedhundredsofsofwarerobosonhousandsofruns,acrossmillionsofsies,parsedbillionsoflinesofexandhesillhadn’goenanycloserolocainghisparensiwasasifallraceofhemhadevaporaedjuslikehehadriedodisappearfromheunion’sfarreachingradarhisonlyco

ecionohemonolihicsysemwashisidchipwihawoyearalmosnonexisenelecronicrailheironywashahehadhadseveralsuccessfulrunssniffinghefooprinsoherslefincyberspace

“soellmefouler,iscadcaldwellmyrealname?”

“absoluelyheagencywanedoleaveyouwihouidenificaionheyremovedyoursubdermalidimpnsimadesureyougoyourbasicidchiphoughsohayoucouldmakeafreshsaronheouside”

“anidchipwihmosofhedaaerased?ihadicheckedherearedaaghoss”

“well,iwouldhavedefeaedheobjecifyouknewyourpceofbirh,uirsaxnumberandsoonyouwouldhavejusgohereandaempedoraceyourparensoryourlifeandohingwouldhaveleadoanoherbuyourbirhdaeiscorrecinfac,iisodayifiamnomisaken”

“sowherewasibornhen?iguessfromhosefshbackshaiwasinhefareassomewhere”

“yes,inwhawashenhongkonghongkongisnowparofhehugeswahofasiaheycallnewchinaiguessheyacceleraedhe‘onecounry,wosysems’policyoverhereanyway,iurnedouobeaboonforhesarheeconomywenfromfoacuallychuggingalongwihheresofnewchina”

“haexpinswhyicouldn’findmyparensiwaslookinginhewrongpceallheimedidyouknowmyparens?”caldwelsked

“yesheywerebohinhebusinessha’swhyyouingoworkforhydrawassosraighforward,aneasysellohesuperiorsyourfaherwashalfenglish,onhisfaher’sside,andhalfegypianyourpaernalgrandfaherwascolonelcaldwellwhomarriedadisanmemberofheegypianroyalfamilyyourfaherbuilnguageprocessingsofwareforgchqbasedonalgorihmsdevelopedinchinahisdayjoborcoverwasasavisiingprofessorininformaionsysemsaxianuniversiyyourmoherwasflueninchinese,beinghalfchineseherselfherfaher,yourmaernalgrandfaher,wasjapanese,awrierandsinophilewhospenmosofhisadullifeinnewchinayourmoherseemedohavefollowedinhisfoosepsshewroebooksabounewchinaandworkedparimeasaresearchanalysforheunionsecuriyagencyihinkheoldwordheyusedouseforhemisheywerespiesjusasyouwereawellpaidelecronicspybeforeyoucockedhingsupheircoverwasneverblownyouonheoherhandhreaenedoblowyourowncoverandheorganizaionigoalooffckforbeingabadjudgeofcharacer”

“whydidyougefck?”

“inhindsighishouldhaveseeniingyouwereonlyseveneen;yourparenshadjusdiedlesshanayearpreviouslyyouhadbarelysaredrecoveringfromhaandwehrewyourighinahedeependbecauseofyourageandhespecialnaureofwhayouweredoing,webypassedaloofherainingandpsychologicalprofiling,excepforabiofselfdefense,ammuniionsrainingandsoonyoualreadyhadabckbelinkaraeandknewwushufromayoungageinhongkongiookabeonyouandiwaswrong”

“nowyouareellingmehaicanusegunsandknowmariars?”caldwelskedwihgenuinedisbelief

“beerbelieveiyourfahermadesureofihewasparanoidohepoinofschizophreniabuobviouslyaferwelockedupyourmemoryyoucouldnoaccessanyofhosecapabiliieswecangivehosebackoyoubuiwillakealongimeogeohelevelyouwerebefore,especiallyinlighofhefachayouwereonlyaeenagerbackhen”

“andwhadoineedodoogemymemoryback?allofi”

“compleeamission,”foulersaidmaeroffaclycaldwelllookedahimsuspiciously

“whamission?”

“reedowhayouarecarryinginhabagyouarewhieknucklingaswespeakweknowwhyhoseyakuzawanyoukilledwe’vebeenrackingkenzoyamamooforalongimeweweresurprisedwhenhesaredworkingwihyouandoherhackersinheunionmosofhemaredeadyouwereluckyheoherrecipienofaconsole,americanprofessorami,isdeadoo”

“really?”

“goaheadandfakeignoranceallyouwanweknoweveryhingyouneedoknowweknowwhyyamamoosenyouheconsoleandwealsoknowhayoudon’knowha”

whafoulerwassayingwassoscaryhaiookcaldwelwhileodigesiallfoulerheldhekeyoyeanoherperinenquesionwhyhadkenzoyamamoosenhimhepuerconsole?

“youseemoknowahellofalo”

“ha’sourjobinhisbusiness,whayoudon’knowcanhuryouwealsoknowhayoudon’reallyknowwhaiisyouarecarryinghaisnoordinarypuerheyakuzawanibacki’soneofonlywoinexisenceouranalyssbelieveheyopenhedoorosomehingmuchbigger”

“sowhereisheoheronerighnow?”caldwelsked,asmuchoeshebreadhofhydra’sknowledgeasoreassurehimselfhaifhisonewasosomehowgomissing,herewasanoherouheresomewhere

“wedon’knowweonlyneedonerighnowwewanyououseiodowhaiwasinendedodofindhisworkfindouwhaiisforfindislocaionsowecaninfilraeiwhywouldyamamoosendyou,anordinaryhacker,suchanexpensivecusomconsole?andwhywouldhesendanoheroanamericanarificialinelligenceprofessoramikenzowasonosomehingbigandhewaswillingomakeasubsanialinvesmenogeibohheandheamericanprofessoraredeadyouareheonlyonealivewhohaseinconacwihhisconsoleousideofjapanifyoudon’helpusfindandinfilraeheworkhakenzowasafer,youcan’bmemeifhydraca

ohelpyou”

“surelywihallyoureavesdroppingcapabiliiesyoumushavesomeclues”

“unforunaelynohewasverycrypicinhismunicaionswihbohyouandprofessorjoplinofcoursewecapuredhoseasfarasweknow,youareheonlywowhoweresenconsolesjoplin’sdaugherismissingheirhousewassearchedwhenhefbigohere,heydiscoveredhasomeonehadgohroughiwihafioohbouranalyssbelieve,fromheexenofhedamageheycausedohehouse,whoeverwasinhehousedidnofindwhaheywearelookingforhisledhescenarioanalysisoonlyoneconclusionjoplin’sdaugherhasheconsolewearerackingherdownaswespeakasiamsureareheyakuzaheyarekeenogeoheboomofhisi’samaeroffaceforhem,damageconrolhefbialsoranananalysisondnasamplescollecedinhehousehefreshessamplesindicaedheinruderswereofjapaneseexracionhaconfirmedsomeofouroherfearsandspurredusoakehiscasemuchmoreseriously”

“whafears?”

foulerleanbackinheleaherseaandpursedhishincolorlesslipscaldwellcouldseehimshifbeweenhishoughsandhesensaionscreaedbyheprobeofheshiasumassagerwihinheleaherofheseascaldwell’swereacivaedaswelndhebelievedfoulerhadremoelyacivaedhemassagerinabidogehimorex

“ok,”hesaidalengh“webelieveheconsoleisagaewayosomesecrechinesework,somehinghausesproocolsoallydifferenfromworldsandardshisiniselfisnoheproblemasmanyjurisdicionshaveheirownsecureworksbasedonpropriearyproocolshismakeshemimpossibleohackbyallbuhemoseconomicallyandechnicallygifedhackingoufisouranalysissuggesshasomehowyamamoogowindofhis,hroughsomeofhisconacsinhechineseunderworld,andhiscalcuingmindquicklyfiguredhahecouldsellhisinformaionohehighesbidderhemoslikelycusomersarehegovernmenofheuniedsaes,heunionorsomemegacorpbenonconrollinghosegovernmenswehinkinformaiononsuchasysem,wereioexis,couldbeworhbillionsofeuros”

“soheprobablysecrelyboughheblueprinsocusomconsolesusedoaccesshischinesesysem,hadwomadeandsenoohisprofessorandoome?whywouldhedoha?”

“webelievehahisguysriedpreviouslyobreakheworkbudidnosucceedoverhesyearherehavebeenseveralsoriesabouhackersfounddeadinokyoundermyseriouscircumsanceshosedeahsareprobablyreeddireclyoaempsocrackinohechinesesysemhedecidedoryhishandabroadwihexpersinhefieldhischoosingdrjoplin,aworldrenownedexperinarificialinelligenisinsrucivehischineseworkisprobablyproecedbyaringofproacivesecuriyaisdeecionbyheaisresulsindeahasourhackerfriendsinokyofoundouevenually,heyracedialloyamamooandwipedhimouyamamooprobablyfiguredhahesecuriyandcouneraackaisonheworkmighnobeaseffeciveasrackinginrudersousideofasiahechinesemaynoyeknowabouheconsoleshawouldexpinwhyherehasbee

oaciviyinharegardbui’sjusamaerofimehenyouhaveanoherproblemodealwih”

“andyouwanmeofindheworksohydracandesroyi?whyme?”

“newchinaisapoliicallysensiivearearighnowi’sapowerfulcounryheunionca

oriskanypoliicaldisagreemenswihnewchinayourjobisolocaeheworkandinfilraeiseuprojans,backdoors,whaeveryoulikeocalliwe’llgoinandakealookifiisagainsourineresswe’llshuidown”

“andyouhinkicandoallhiswihkenzo’sconsole?”

“affirmaive”

“asfarasicansee,heconsoleisjusajazzedupversionofanyofhemoreexpensivecusomdecksouherewihsomeaddiionalvrcapabiliies”

“iismuchmorehanha,believemeheseconsoleswerebuilbyamasercrafsmanwhois,convenienly,inamainacloselyguardedhospialinokyoyouseehebuilderofhesemachinesisoneofheleadingnanoechnologyprocessordesignersinheworldmuchoyamamoo’schagrin,heoldmanwenandhadasrokejusaferpleinghesecondoneeveryhing,poinsohissysemusingreprogrammablelogicarraysandheurisicsofwarehaisreconfiguredonheflyoemueanyworkonlychinahasbeenableosuccessfullybuildonewihlongeviysofarandhaisrumormosprooypeselsewherereprogramhemselvesinodeadlocksoonerorerwihconvolueddesignshaheengineersca

olongerfigureou”

“ok,buheaisonhisworkcan’beallhagreasowhyme?whynosendyourbiggesandbrighesouhere?”

“hechinesehaveheirworkslockeduppreyighheyhaveinsalledsomeofhebessecuriyaisouhererusmewe’vehadasniffasomeofheirmoscndesinesysems,anonymouslyofcourse,andi’snopreyhissuggesshahissysemissomehinghagiveshemahugepeiiveadvanagegloballynohaheyneediheplicaionishahissysemisalmoscerainlygoingobecodedenirelyinchinesehavingsomebodywhospeakschineseandusedobeoneofhebeshackersinheworldisabigadvanagesomeonewhohasaninsincualfeelforpromisingsysemsbesides,youalreadyhavearepuaionasahackerifhingsgobadiwouldseemashoughyouwereworkingonyourownhydraandheunionwon’beimplicaed”caldwellignoredheco

oaionsoffouler’sssenence

“whyareyoulookingamelikeha?idon’speakchineseican’evencurseinhenguageandha’ssayingsomehing”

“youdoandyoucanbelievemeiwasahereceivingendofimanyyearsagoyouspoke,readandwroemandarinandcanonesefluenlywhenyouwereahongkonginernaionalschoolnoomenionheprivaeuorsinhongkongandyourayi’sanhuidialecwecanisoeandreopenhosememoriesveryeasilyi’sallinoursysem”

“nowayyouaregoingomesswihmyheadyou’vedoneenoughofhaalreadyijuswanmymemoryback”

“wehaveoagyouforheripohongkonganywaywhileweareinhere,whynoreopensomeofwha’sinhereanyway?”

“hongkong?andififindhissysemigeeveryhingback”

“yes,andmaybeevenajobwihhydraifyouwaniihinkifyoudohis,youwouldhavemorehanprovenyourselfwemighbewillingoforgiveandforge”

“andififail”

“we’llgiveyouspecificparsofyourmemorybackonheflighohongkongifyoufaindreurnoheunionwihouhesupporsysemopuyourpasinconex,aproperjob,afullideniy,yourmemorieswillsimplydriveyouinsaneyou’llendupmorefuckeduphanyouarenowbesides,parialmemoryrecallisnoanexacscienceandoverhelongerm,wihouoalrecall,whoknowswhawillhappen”

“i’llakemychances”

“upoyou”

“howdoiknowyouarenojusbullshiingaboubeingableoresoremymemory?”

“i’llgiveyoubackjusenoughopuhisconversaionwe’vehadinconex,henweneedogebackobusinesswearesendingyououohongkongomorrow”

foulersifedhroughhisdeckofcardsagaincaldwellbracedhimselfforheingmaelsrom

compuercodemillionsoflinesofpuercodeechedinpixelsscrolleddownabckerminalscreenheimagewascrysalclearandburnedinenselyincaldwell’smindhefelasharpwingebolhroughhisheadheclosedhiseyesandopenedhemagain,ryingdesperaelyogeridofhepainheaempedorecallwhahadpreviouslybeenbnkmemorieshedarkrecessesofhismindfilledupwihluminescencolorandanimagescaledacrosshisreinalikeailedbackgroundherecalledahugegrayfacelessbuildingandleaningouofanauomaedcarohavehiseyessca

edherememberedvividlyapuerizedvoicesaying:

“morning,mrcaldwell”

fasforwardhugebanksofpuersysemsfilledanenireroomwiressackedroundhebacklikesnakeswrihinginaviperpihundredsofconsoles,servers,parallelprocessingserverbdesblinkedandpurredfromheirmealrackscaldwellwassiinginhemiddleofallhesepuers,heconducorguidinghisorchesraofbisandbyeshecaughhisreflecioninoneofhescreenshewasmuchyoungerhenpimples

awelldressedmiddleagedwomancameinandberaedhiminasernvoiceshemueredsomehingabouiallbeingforhegoodofheunioncaldwellcouldn’helpbunoicehavaricoseveinsburnedfluoresceninheryellowingcalveshowdidigeowaerloobridge?

hewasbackinhepuerroomuploadingbogusdaaoaheavilyencrypedsecorofcyberspacehelookedangryinhebcknessofoneofhemoniorscreensinfronofhim,hecaughhereflecionofwomenapproachinghimfrombehindiwashewoheaviesinfouler’slimoheylookedexaclyhesameasheydidnowheydraggedhimdowncounlessnondescripcorridors,hesoundofhisscreamsbouncingempilyoffhewhiebrickwallscaldwelldraggedhisfeeandwrihedlikeawildbushhogcaughinaforesrapbuhemenighenedheirgripspullinghiminohedephsofhydra,heparsofhebuildingowhichhedidn’haveclearance

hewasdraggedhroughawhiedoorwihheword“ou”wrieniniinbckpainhewonderedwhehersomewherealonghesemyriadcorridorsherewasan“in”helighinheroomwassowhieiburnedhiseyeshewassrappedinoawhieleaherchaireveryhinginherewassowhiehefloor,hewallsandheceilingwereablindingwhiehareflecednohinghewasshackledwihleahersrapsapreyyounggirlinwhieuniform,wearingplimsolls,framelessgssesperchedmaronlikeonapernose,leanedinowardshiwasanacridfragranceharemindedhimofhospialdisinfecanasyringecameupinawidearc,spiingminuejesofransparenliquidinhesilir

caldwelgreedofouler’sfausianbargainhehydramaninformedhimhaallhenecessaryproceduresogivehimheblocksofmemoryheneededwouldbeakencareofonheflighohongkonghefollowingdayhealsooldcaldwellhaheywouldaghimoagpssysemsohewouldn’doaru

erheagreedoiall,hispulsionoregainhismemoryovershadowinganydoubshewasharboringiwasn’likehehadachoice

caldwelskedfoulerodrophimoffnearwaerloobridgesohecouldsaygoodbyeoka

“ibeyouknowabouheroo?”caldwelskedwihsomebierness

“surewehadyouwachedaferyouwerereinseredinohesysemwecanpuyouupinahoelonighifyouwishgeyourselfcleanedup,gesomegoodfoodinyou,”fouleroffered

heagencymanseemedobehavingsecondhoughsabouleingcaldwellouofhissighbuhenhefiguredhacaldwell’sdesireoregainhismemorywouldgehebeerofanyideaomakearunforiorsearchforhischinesesysembyhimselfheagencymanwasrighbesides,foulerhadherunofheccvgridandwhoknewwhaelsehecouldrackhimdownaanyime

“nohanks,”caldwelldeclined

hebcklimousinecruisedoasandsilljusousidewaerloosaioniwasalmosashoughfoulerknewheywouldbedroppinghimoffherehey’dbeencruisinginheviciniycaldwellseppedouinoabckpuddleandlondonrainhedampairasedofheriverhames,indusrialpolluionanddeah