Leviathan

Niles sat at one of the desks in the upper tier of the amphitheaterlike computer center. He watched as Pete Golding on the floor far below instructed his department on how he wanted Europa's every transaction of the day before tracked. He called it bleeding her system. He likened it to the old ways of physicians bleeding a person to assist in healing. They were about to break down the most powerful computing system in the world and siphon her information out, one program and one line of code at a time.

Niles placed his glasses back on, gathered the latest communique from the president that listed the threat to the nation and the world, and was about to rise when suddenly every light in the computer center flickered, went out, came back on, flickered again, and then steadied.

"What in the hell is going on around here?" Pete asked as bells started to chime.

"Dr. Golding, my internal messaging system has been compromised," Europa said electronically and in print on the main screen.

Pete glanced up at Niles, who was now standing and peering at the glowing green type on the thirty-foot-wide and twenty-foot-high main viewing screen at the front of the center. He then walked over to his desk situated at the center of the technician stations lining the floor. He leaned into his microphone. Before he could say anything, Carl Everett walked in; he had been in the hallway outside when the computer alarm sounded. He exchanged a look with Niles, who shrugged his shoulders.

"Europa, query; compromised by whom?"

" Unknown source, Dr. Golding. I have instructions."

"Europa, initiate your security protocols," Pete ordered as if he were scolding a child.

" I am unable to comply at this time, Dr. Golding. Security override Alpha-Tango-Seven is in effect."

"I have not authorized an AT-seven override. Shut down outside access."

"What in the hell is an AT-seven security override?" Carl asked Niles, who was now looking very concerned.

"Alpha-Tango-Seven is an override that can be initiated from a terminal other than Europa. Even our Group cell phones, laptops, and home PCs are Europa secured. This message is not from an internal source--someone from an unauthorized computer has used one of Pete's most secure overrides to get a message to us," Niles explained.

The double doors of the center opened and Alice joined Carl and Niles.

"What in the hell is happening?" Alice asked. "Every computer terminal in the complex went offline!"

Niles didn't answer her; he was looking at the main screen.

"Jack Collins used this security override last month during the Atlantis operation, when he accessed Europa from an unsecured location."

Everett remembered that indeed they had, from a cybercafe.

" Shut down complete--"

"Thank you, Europa, now begin a trace as to--"

" Alpha-Tango override reestablished. Incoming message being received," Europa said, cutting Pete off.

"Goddamn it, shut down the outside source. Authorization, Golding--"

"Pete, allow the message through," Niles called from his elevated position.

"Niles, this could be a virus!"

"Allow it through; we may be getting something from our mysterious saboteur. Besides, if they wanted only to send Europa a virus, they could have done it without us knowing, since they seem to know our systems as well as we do. Let the message through."

Pete shook his head in exasperation, but leaned over the microphone to comply with his orders.

"Europa, content of message?" Pete asked.

The main viewing screen went dark as Europa complied. As they watched, bright red letters started appearing, and scrolled with incredible speed.

DEPARTMENT 5656, DR. NILES COMPTON, GREETINGS FROM A FRIEND. UNDOUBTEDLY, BEING AN AGENT FOR THE UNITED STATES FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, YOU ARE IN POSSESSION OF THE DOCUMENT DELIVERED TO THE UNITED NATIONS AND TO YOUR PRESIDENT.

Niles passed the message he had received earlier from the president over to Alice and Everett. He noticed Virginia's absence for the first time.

AS A SCIENTIFIC AND HISTORICAL BODY, YOU MUST APPRECIATE THE GRAVE SITUATION PRESENTED BY THE LOSS OF SEA LIFE IN THE WORLD'S OCEANS DUE TO THE CORRUPT MEASURES TAKEN BY GOVERNMENTS AND INDIVIDUALS AROUND THE WORLD. THE DEFENSELESS NOW HAVE A DEFENDER. THE THREAT OF FORCE ISSUED IN THE UNITED NATIONS COMMUNIQUe IS GENUINE, AND ITS PARAMETERS CAN AND WILL BE ENFORCED. THEREFORE, WE CALL UPON YOU, DR. COMPTON, AND YOUR DEPARTMENT TO ASSIST ME IN MAKING YOUR GOVERNMENT, AND THUS THE WORLD, UNDERSTAND THEIR DIRE POSITION IN REGARD TO THIS MATTER. FAILURE WILL RESULT IN THE TOTAL DESTRUCTION OF EVERY MAJOR SEAPORT IN THE WORLD BY A NUCLEAR RESPONSE.