True Faith and Allegiance

Still, it was less important to Dalca that his coworkers were confused by his actions and more important that the scary guys on the opposite side of the table didn’t suspect him of implicating the People’s Republic of China in violent attacks on one of the most powerful nations on earth, the United States.

Those four guys would kill him if they thought for a second he had stolen the files to stuff his own bank account.

For the next ten minutes the Chinese asked more questions about the data, how it was extracted, and how it was turned into intelligence product. They were genuinely impressed with the use of open-source intelligence to derive the identities of America’s spies and agents, Dalca saw.

But the focus was no longer on Dalca, and this pleased him. Every time he would explain something about how “his staff” came to their conclusions about the American spies and agents working in China, the Chinese would listen and then direct their next question to Dragomir.

Dalca understood what was going on. These guys were Chinese intelligence, but they were just like most Chinese corporate types Dalca had dealt with in his career. They would respect titles, authority. While Alex Dalca was the only man in the room who truly knew what the hell was going on with the Seychelles Group’s contract, he was a senior researcher, whereas Vasilescu was the CEO of the company. All their attention and respect would go to him.

And that was just fine with Alexandru Dalca.

Finally, Dragomir said what both he and Albert had been wondering for the length of the conversation. “I am sorry, gentlemen. How can we help you?”

Mr. Peng and his men talked a moment, then he said, “We see the items you have given to us, and we watch with great concern some actions that have taken place of late involving American intelligence. Our concern is that perhaps some of the mass data you extracted for us has, instead, fallen into other hands. This puts our… our company, at great risk of being implicated in actions we played no part in.”

Vasilescu said, “Honestly, I haven’t been keeping up with the news in America, I’ve just seen a little about what’s happened. But I can assure you that only people who have been authorized to view the files have done so, and that will continue to be the case.”

Vasilescu held his hands up flat on the table. “I can guarantee that your data is yours alone. No one else has gained access to it.”

Peng said, “You misinterpret my concern. I will speak with more clarity. I am not worried that you have been hacked, Mr. Vasilescu, I am worried you are double-crossing us and using this material for your own profit.”

Vasilescu sat back in his chair. “Now… wait a moment. That is an outrageous charge.”

Peng asked, “How did those men on camels in the deserts of Iraq track down these American spies inside of America?”

Dalca butted in again. “You are talking about the attacks by the Muslim terrorists in America?” After nodding thoughtfully, as if considering the validity of the connection the Seychelles Group men had made, he said, “I see your concern, although I can assure you the source used by these jihadists is completely different from the source at our disposal. I was watching news of the attacks just the other day, wasn’t I, Mr. Vasilescu? As a specialist in research and investigations, I have a personal interest in how people obtain and use information, no matter what the reason. From what I have seen of what’s going on in America, someone has absolute, up-to-the-minute intelligence they are leveraging against these soldiers.” He smiled. “The information I have been using is many years old, as you know.”

Peng said, “But yet your company somehow managed to take this old information and tell us exactly where a person in China is now, and what their position is.”

Dalca made a pained face, as if he hated to argue with a client. “Well… we provide only where they are in general. We might tell you that Mr. X is working in the American consulate in Shanghai as a commerce specialist in the durable-goods sector, and living in an apartment on a specific street. But the intelligence from America that the Islamic State possesses is sending terrorists to particular coffee shops, to specific rented vehicles driving to known locations, at certain times.” Dalca shrugged apologetically now. “Not in our abilities with the data we are using. Somehow these Muslim terrorists must have people inside the American government.”

Peng and his men conferred again. Finally he said, “We remain concerned. Were it to come to the attention of the Americans that this breach took place, regardless of whether or not this breach was responsible for the recent actions, the authorities would look carefully at you… and at us. This we cannot allow to happen.”

Dragomir Vasilescu said, “How can we prove your information is secure?”