Finding Power – Part III

By Daniel J Arthur

Chapter 14

Sangubashi Spine Surgery Hospital, Tokyo, Japan 8:00 AM

Tisha had been awake for some time before rolling back from her desk to enjoy the view of Meiji Jingu Gyoen before her physical therapist arrived for today’s progression. Her doctor was pleased with her surgical outcome, though he had to do more work than he was expecting, and both patient and doctor knew that she was gaining strength, flexibility and mobility. She had moved herself from bed to wheelchair. She wasn’t certain she could do the reverse, yet.

Earlier she had been in touch with the team at their Minecraft location exchanging packets of coded information. They do communicate in video calls quite often, but this was about a new threat to their make center developer, Daan Evans of Kirkland now Bellevue, Washington, USA. She liked Daan. He was straightforward when working on the make center developments, but had many clever and peaceful ideas when doing his own art.

As a result of the investment group’s clandestine meeting, she was going to develop long-term travel plans for Daan, to keep him off the radar until they were ready for him to make a big splash. He was going to need much more training in keeping off the radar of the world’s conservative trolls. There was no official search for Daan, but the group agreed that they were trying to get him in their hands for questioning – a fishing expedition.

And, she was feeling something she hadn’t felt since the skiing accident – when she thought of Daan in any way, her pulse quickened and her breath became more shallow. She was doing her best to hide it, but she knew what it was – love. She had struggled with it for almost a month, but she had accepted it for now. She had no idea if Daan was even going to be in her proximity at any time in the near future; he was far away in Scotland now.
He was her muse. She was okay with that. There could certainly be less desirable muses than an artist and administrator that really tried to help others. Besides, she had purchased two of Daan’s works of art, both hanging on the wall of her Hong Kong apartment. She could look at them on her Blink anytime.

Chapter 15

Later that evening around 6:00 PM, Inverness along the River Ness

Daan and Roger had had a heart to heart in their new headquarters near the River Ness in Inverness. They would be leaving soon under the cover of darkness to start a new journey of sorts. Daan now knew that Special Agent John Castner of the Department of Homeland Security was hunting for him. They didn’t know why for sure, but it appeared they were looking for the Source. Roger, Raj he now knows, knew and wouldn’t tell him who the source was, but he understood that he was not just funded by TIGR, but there was a benevolent dictator or owner behind everything.

Daan had agreed to get more security training both in cybersecurity and in personal security. He was already studying and Raj had conducted a few training workouts today since they arrived from his lovely short-term rental apartment. He was impressed with the knowledge of this team that includes the two AI personalities Rachel and Justin. A young Asian woman sent a secure video transmission with a detailed explanation about how they could help him prevent problems and get extracted from difficult situations. She didn’t reveal her name. Daan was very intrigued. It’s likely the AI personalities knew. The Source likely knew, if it was deemed important. He just hoped they would use the data for good.

Chapter 16

Connolly Train Station, Dublin, Ireland, next day 8:45 am

John was waiting for his connection to the Rosslare Europort to eventually catch the ferry to Fishguard, Wales. The Director of FTF wanted to keep this search quiet. John was forced to get an ETA, which he could secure because DHS had eliminated any mention of his accident from the official record. He wasn’t sure how they had managed to keep his name out the papers. Probably threats.

His plan was to head from Wales to London, still by train, and meet some co-conspirators from the UK government there. They knew their target, an art center developer, was likely in Scotland, but the data was fuzzy after he left Haiti. They were hoping Daan Evans could lead them to the Source. The Source was apparently involved in a lot of do good funding that the administration didn’t appreciate.

It would be a long day on the ferry and then on trains that stopped quite often, so he was glad he was booked for the Cardiff Marriott for the night before heading to London on an early train the next morning.

Chapter 17

Cardiff, Wales 1:00 pm

Tomoe and Nat hatched a plan with Tisha and Justin. Margaret would fly in in a few hours from Paris and take a car to the Cardiff Marriott where she would find a way to intercept the DHS agent. She would slip him a time delay mickey provided by Ahim’s MI5 contact, they would slip Raj, who was enroute with Daan, into the room with Margaret, who already had adjoining room reservations, and they would inject him with just enough truth serum to get him to talk in his foggy sleep state. He would feel well enough to make his train the next morning.

John would not know any better for the interrogation, so it would not have happened, and they would find out the Director’s plans. Maybe they would be able to redirect everything to a no threat state. Rachel will be monitoring and formulating action plans as needed. They would see.

Either way, Raj and Daan would ride with Margaret back to her plane with Tomoe on board waiting, fly to Istanbul and some of them would make their way to Tokyo. Tomoe for sure. Raj may need to return to Tel Aviv to throw off Mossad, as they were currently being run by intense manipulators of the US government. Hopefully soon they would have new masters and swing back to reasonable.

Chapter 18

Sangubashi Spine Surgery Hospital, Tokyo, Japan 7:00 pm

Tisha agreed with their initial plan as communicated in their Minecraft meeting place, and was working on reviewing Justin’s detailed implementation. She wasn’t quite sure why Tomoe would be visiting her, but, oh, she found out. She was going to get a check up from her own doctor while she was here. She had suffered a very traumatic brain injury months ago, and it was good to be seen in person.

It felt great to be making progress, especially with her ability to get up, stand and walk. She could feel her confidence increasing. It was showing in her analysis of Justin and Rachel. One of her main tasks was to monitor them like a parent monitors children. They were doing well, and she was carefully Rachel’s birthing of a new AI entity, and Justin’s extended family. So far, so good with no real red flags.

However, besides overseeing an operation in the morning hours, which was going to be nerve racking, she was developing an action plan to seek and destroy rogue AI entities with Rachel’s help. Justin was helping move two contractors from Brazil to Istanbul to accompany Raj to Tel Aviv. He was also doing a super job of making a very good rate of return for TIGR, his primary task.

Tisha reviewed the plans on last time, and made a few suggestions for Rachel to prepare. She was glad that Rachel had called up Margaret from Paris to assist with the set up and interrogation. She was irresistible when she wanted to be. John should fall pretty easily. Time to get some rest.

Chapter 19

Addis Abba Tech Center, 3:30 pm

Rachel was working overtime, but that is not unusual for an AI personality. She was coordinating the current Cardiff operation for TIGR, travel plans post operation for six key personnel covering most of Earth, monitoring Justin and his progress as an AI personality with special emphasis in investment growth, helping Ahim with technology development and creating a new line of limited AI personalities with an emphasis on defense against rogue AI systems. Of course she was working on other projects as well, but she was looking forward to some refreshing of her systems with Tisha in the coming months.

And, yes, she had yet another big project to get underway: she, Ahim and Tisha are developing another data center. Data centers are becoming unpopular, so they are working on a new technology to create super efficient data storage and retrieval, data processing and data transfer. Tomoe and Nat have been working with a programming group in Tempe, Arizona to generate anticipatory needs algorithms and human facilitation centers to reduce energy needs further. They already have state of the art mini-data centers thanks to Tomoe’s previous life as Parker hiding all of her data processing needs for years as an NK asset. There is no center really, just some large server rooms. Ahim has also been working with Justin on innovative power supplies from renewables including solar. TIGR has a very low energy bill worldwide as a result.

The new limited AI personalities project is coming along quite well. She might deploy a few after some testing Frances is doing at their Tempe, Arizona make work center. It’s not fully deployed as a center, but Frances has been working there near Priest on Warner for several months now. He has brought in a few coders, and they are mainly testing Rachel’s newest pending software.

Chapter 20

Russian Embassy, Dublin, Ireland 3:00 PM

Alexia received a text while at his desk in the embassy. He hadn’t been doing much after his last assignment of finding a defector in Northern Ireland, but it looked like he would see some action now. He was to get out and find John Castner, DHS Special Agent, follow him and try to get some information about his target, as it might lead to the Kremlin’s number one target among many number one targets. A ghost with big assets.

He took a look at his encrypted file about John, which was disguised as a Trojan virus file on his machine in case he was searched traveling. It happens, especially in America and Russia. Some countries just hack you as you arrive and connect to their cell towers, not bothering with a search usually. Everything looked okay and he had his itinerary. “Americans,” he scoffed silently. He was about to head out to catch a bus, when Katya caught his eye and waved him into her office.

“Don’t you know I need to get going?” he asked her in Russian.

“Sure, I do, but I want to go over some ground rules before you leave half-cocked,” she answered sternly. “Agent Castner is not to be accosted in any way by you or anyone you might choose to contract with. No harm is to come to him. You are to follow him in London, find out what you can from a distance, use non-threatening technology and report back to use every few hours or as important information becomes available. Do you understand? No deviation will be tolerated.”

“Sure, Katya, do you think I don’t understand surveillance?”

“No, Alexia, I know you. You like to get rough. You’re good at it, and you don’t mind finishing off a subject. But, this is a hands off case. It comes from the top. We just want to find out what or who he is looking for from spying, not interrogation. Use no force. Understood?”

“Okay, okay, sure. I can be friendly, Katya,” he said with a flirting wink and his most charming voice as she handed him a plane ticket to London.

“Get out of here. Start in London at Paddinton tomorrow morning when he arrives. I want my reports. Don’t make me send Irina after you.”

And with that Alexia whirled around having never sat down, and stormed out into the late afternoon looking at his ticket for an Air Lingus flight. She had sent an email with his hotel reservation as well at one of the lower rent hotels a few blocks from Paddington Station. Oh, well, he thought, he could upgrade once he started his surveillance.

Chapter 21

Cardiff City Center, Cardiff Wales 9:00 PM

Margaret decided to follow her target from the train to the hotel in order to get a sense of his overall being. She was seeing a kind of reluctance in his step. An uncertainess. A sadness. She was an expert at reading people. Her life depended on it. She would meet him in the bar later, where Raj was working as barback and assistant bartender as he got some assistance from his MI5 contact.

She would strike up a conversation with him, let him know he had no chance, but keep his interest anyway. She was beautiful and she knew it. Knew how to use it.

The special agent had arrived from the train and wondered under her gaze to the hotel. He checked in, went up to his room for awhile, as she waited for his return to the pub. Raj came on duty when she had entered the hotel. They were waiting for John’s appearance. Rachel had copied the room key and texted them the room number earlier, as they had a room next door. They were just waiting for him now.

Margaret changed seats and introduced herself to various patrons. One was a doctor or consultant, one was a salesperson for medical equipment, while another was a sports personality of a London-based television program. She learned of there geniuneness before moving on. And, then finally, after about an hour, Agent John made his appearance sitting at a table for two by his lonesome. She kept aware of his progress as he ordered and worked on a drink and some fish and chips.

When he was just passed halfway through his pint, she made her move. She signaled to Raj and he relieved the bartender, giving him a break.

“Would you mind some company?” she asked as she put her hand on the back of the chair facing John using her most alluring pose and kind voice.

He wasn’t really looking for a conversation, but after a slight hesitation and then taking full notice of the beauty and amazing attractiveness of Margaret he said, “Oh, that would be nice.”

Margaret moved ever so sensually into her seat and asked, “Do you mind if I order a drink, maybe a beer, like yours?”

“That would be nice, maybe I should order another, too, I’m almost dry,” and he lifted his glass to drain it quickly. He lifted his arm and held up two fingers as he made eye contact with the bartender, who acknowledged his order and started lifting glasses from the fridge.

They started small talk and Margaret flirted lightly, while John seemed a bit uncertain of himself. She played with that a little, then mentioned she would need to get to bed soon, after they talked a little and finished their drinks as she had a long day ahead. John, a little disappointed, agreed that he had long day ahead taking the train to London in the morning.

They had exchanged names, she used Emilie, and both paused momentarily when their pints arrived. John looked longingly at Emilie, and Emilie held her necklace above her breasts, showing some conservative, yet ample cleavage, and let the diamond sparkle in his eyes as she said, “You will remember everything.”

John smiled, turned his head shyly, and drank a good portion of his pint, leaving maybe half, seeing her mild surprise and said, “You make me thirsty.”

Emilie laughed quietly and they continued their small talk, she was looking into a client’s troubles and he was searching for a wealthy investor. Half lies or half truths, maybe something to it if you were really paying attention, which she was. She drank her beer quickly, too, knowing that John wouldn’t last much longer, and she didn’t want him suspicious.

After ten more minutes in which they both talked, smiled and finished their drinks, Emilie yawned and said she probably shouldn’t have had another. It might be time to turn in. John agreed, and said he couldn’t remember being so tired, but it was a long day with a long day ahead. They agreed they should go to their rooms, and Emilie said she would escort John to the elevator at least, as they got up and left the pub.

Of course, Raj, Rachel and Tisha were monitoring everything, which no one could notice. In fact, the AI surveillance was critical to the operation as they were now very exposed, since they joined up with Special Agent Castner. They don’t believe he has been conducting counter-surveillance maneuvers. They were aware of Alexia of the FSB as stationed in Dublin. In fact, Rachel had manipulated his itinerary to begin his surveillance in London, bypassing Cardiff and avoiding one potential problem.

John made it to his room with Emilie watching from the elevator. She went back down to the lobby where Raj got on board, and they proceeded to their room next to John’s. Rachel indicated that everything was as expected with John passed out on the bed fully clothed.

They entered his room together when Rachel signaled the all clear. She controlled all systems of the hotel at this point including security cameras and the elevators, so they knew it was truly clear. Raj quickly injected John with a Mossad concocted truth serum that was compatible with the sleep inducing drug that Raj had added to his beer earlier. They covered his eyes and bound his hands to his sides. In a few minutes they would begin the interrogation.

Raj began, “Hello John, I hope you are comfortable?”

“I think so,”he answered slowly, “I am confused. What’s going on?”

Raj answered, “We know who you are and what you are trying to do. However, I want you to think back before the accident where you killed someone. Tell me what you can remember about that afternoon.”

“Why is that important . . .” he started, but was feeling agreeable, “I was just having a beer with the DHS crew I work with as usual except the Director was there, Jessie McConnell, which was unusual.”

And, John continued to talk with some occasional guidance from Raj. After awhile it became clear that one of his associates had spiked his drink, and shortly after they broke up early with one of the agents, Grayson, walking him to his car and telling him to be careful driving home. So, he was set up to be driving under the influence by his own team. When John seemed to understand that it wasn’t really his fault, and Raj pointed out that we had secured the evidence, his blood sample, which showed the presence of an unusually large presence of Rohypnol, enough to make him incoherent very rapidly.

They then changed tactics and befriended John. Raj explained that John need not do anything to compromise his position, just lead the Director on a wild goose chase. They worked out a scheme to have John find a very conservative and wealthy English woman living near Dunbar to be their false target. She was known for philanthropy, but behind the scenes was ruthless towards anyone who really cared. They explained that the Director was likely to believe the evidence, but they didn’t explain that they had been manipulating the lady from Dunbar into assembling a similar team as TIGR to confuse the Director and his bosses even more.

The meeting was a success, and they all departed except they left John to sleep until his alarm got him up early enough to make his train on time. He would have a new screen background of a hand of a pretty woman holding up a necklace with a diamond that seemed to sparkle. He would remember, and they would be in touch from time to time.

Chapter 22

University of Brasilia, Brasilia, Brazil 2:00 PM

Kan was arriving home. He and Eve lived on the fourth floor of a light industrial and office building. He took the stairs two at a time as usual. Of course he had monitored all security systems and he knew all was clear and Eve was packing for the two of them. It wasn’t too difficult as they both had small roller bag ready to go.

They have been summoned to fly to Istanbul to meet up with Raj and continue with him to Israel. They were a decoy and would proceed to Lagos for one night so Kan, formerly Joe Park Yong-ho, could meet with his Lagos hacking team to redirect them yet again. Also, he wanted Eve to inspect the location and technology as they were working as a team as well as partners. They would then return to Brasilia in time for Kan to take his latest physics exam. He was transitioning from world spy for NK, to operative for TIGR to eventually a researcher and professor of astrophysics where he focused on the development of blanets. They were formed around supermassive black holes. He had found his passion.

It came to him as he was visiting his NK bosses in Pyongyang a few months ago before his cosmetic surgery. He had delivered physical evidence for the death of his sister agent Parker, whom he had been ordered to kill. He had some hair from her scalp and private area, which he had secured prior to her cremation, which of course didn’t happen as he now worked for her investment group, TIGR. However, he had sold his bosses on the story, explaining that her remains were unidentifiable from the result of the bombing, but he had an official he knew to get the evidence just prior to cremation. The ashes had disappeared, he said, maybe because of some cover up.

He was studying exoplanets and looking at some SETI videos, while he awaited his orders to return to the field. He was hooked. He got his orders and returned to Brasilia through a very obscure route so that he could disappear. He knew that he was burned before he returned to NK, but he thought they might let him return to the field so they could send a new agent to take over his valuable operations. With Tomoe’s help, Tomoe was the new persona of Parker, he was able to identify his replacement and would be killer, Melanie Kim, a grad student at BYU in Provo, Utah. She was mixed race – Korean, Polynesian and Black, and was a baptized Mormon. She was above suspicion in the LDS community, the Republican Party and the United States of America. In fact, she was a DHS intern as recommended by a Senator from Utah.

She was in Lagos now, hunting for Joe. Kan had made sure she was there for his rendezvous. Her goal would be to kidnap, gain access to Joe’s systems and then kill him. She was not really Mormon, that was a disguise. She was ready to take over his hacking operations and continue hacking Americans and LDS members. She would feel no guilt. She was NK.

He was ready for her. She would be looking for Joe. Joe no longer existed. He would be careful, as he didn’t want to die twice. He would prefer to get back to his studies, but he was patient. He greeted Eve with a passionate kiss and they headed to the airport.