Point of Contact

After he and Jack knocked down a couple shots of Bushmills, Paul limped back upstairs with a broom and dustpan and got to work. He didn’t bother trying to save the OTC drugs scattered everywhere, but he bagged them all and tied off the bag, wondering where he could dispose of them. He didn’t want to dump them in the toilet or in the trash — there were already hundreds of millions of pounds of pharmaceuticals getting flushed into public water supplies every year and probably even more contaminating the soil. He didn’t know how he managed to gather such random facts, but they were always there, and when the facts demanded certain moral actions, he tried to act accordingly.

It took him another two hours to finally get everything back in order just the way he preferred. The repair guy would need to fix one broken drawer, and one of his polyester suit coats had a big black boot print on the sleeve. He’d have to ask Bai for a dry cleaner recommendation tomorrow.

Paul wondered if Jack believed him about the USB drive. He had to assume he didn’t. He liked Jack well enough, but he didn’t really know him, and he was definitely the curious type. Instead of putting the USB back into the shower curtain rod, Paul retrieved one of his shoes and wedged the small device in the toe with a dress sock to keep it in place.

Finally settled down, Paul decided to take a shower.

* * *

He found his phone on the nightstand and saw he’d missed a call from Gavin. He listened to the voice mail and swore softly, cursing Gavin’s childish behavior but grateful he had access to him as a resource.

“Paul Brown, you’re not downtown. But I just uploaded a zip file in your Dropbox with the program you requested, and a README file with instructions, but it’s all pretty straightforward. I’m still not exactly sure how the program is going to help you catch your Chinese spy, but so long as you’re keeping an eye on Jack Junior, I’m in your corner and I’m still keeping my mouth shut, at least for now. Let me know if you have a problem — I mean besides the obvious one staring at you in the mirror. And yes, you’re welcome. Ciao.”

Paul powered up his laptop, opened his Dropbox account, and found the two files Gavin had promised. He double-clicked on the README file and read Gavin’s instructions:

1. Download the unmarked SNATCHWARE file onto your laptop.

2. Install the target USB into your laptop.

3. The SNATCHWARE will automatically find and capture the encryption code on the target USB. You don’t have to do anything. It will create a file called BigDaddyG.

4. Remove the target USB and install your personal USB.

5. Transfer the BigDaddyG file to your personal USB.

5. Install your personal USB into your target computer.

7. Enter the target two-factor authentication password when prompted.

8. You’re in.

9. Buy two steak dinners for Gavin Biery and one special lady friend at Mastro’s.

Paul shook his head. “BigDaddyG?” Give me a break. Mastro’s would set him back a few bucks, but the price was well worth it.

He opened up the unmarked snatchware file. Paul was no coder, for sure, but he could read it well enough. It was tight, elegant, and powerful. The proof of the pudding would be in the eating of it, he told himself, or at least the downloading and execution of it.

He downloaded it without a problem. Now his computer was ready to capture the encryption software on the Dalfan USB tomorrow. Then we’ll see how smart your smart-ass really is, Paul thought.

Once he captured the encryption program located on the Dalfan USB — which couldn’t leave the Dalfan HQ premises — he would transfer it to the USB drive Rhodes gave him, and then all he would have to do is load it into a Dalfan computer, type in his personal passcode, and let it work its magic.

Easy as pie, so long as everything worked exactly as planned and he wasn’t caught red-handed in an act of international and corporate espionage.

The thought elevated his blood pressure. He put on his slippers and limped downstairs for another two fingers of whiskey to quiet his nerves.

39

The next morning Jack and Paul arrived at the security desk on the first floor and were handed a note asking them to head straight for Yong’s office.

Yong was seated behind his computer when Jack knocked on the door frame. Yong motioned them toward the two open chairs in front of his desk.