Terminal Compromise, Winn Schwartau [sight word books txt] 📗

probably rerouted by call

forwarding to another location, also connected by cellular phone.

Untraceable. Damn sneaky. And legal. Technology For The Peo-

ple.

<<<<<>>>>>

Scott listened to the small speaker on his internal modem card as

it dialed the tones in rapid sequence. A click, a buzz and then

in the background, Scott heard the faintest of tones. Was that

crosstalk from another line or was another secret number being

dialed?

<<<<<< CONNECTION 4800 BAUD>>>>>>

The screen hesitated for few seconds then prompted . . .

IDENTIFY YOURSELF:

Scott wondered what to enter. His real name? Or the handle

Kirk’s hackers gave him.

Scott Mason aka Repo Man

Again the computer display paused, seemingly pondering Scott’s

response.

I SUPPOSE ASKING FOR FURTHER IDENTIFICATION WOULD OFFEND YOU.

I’m getting used to it. Paranoia runs rampant in your line of

work.

LET’S SAVE THE EDITORIALIZING FOR NOW. GIVE ME THE WARM AND

FUZZIES. PROVE YOU’RE SCOTT MASON.

You can’t keep your eyes off of Sonja’s chest as I recall.

GOOD START. NICE TITS.

So you’re Miles Foster.

THERE ARE GROUNDRULES. FIRST. MY NAME IS THE SPOOK. MR. SPOOK.

DR. SPOOK. PROFESSOR SPOOK. KING SPOOK. I DON’T CARE WHAT, BUT

I AM THE SPOOK AND ONLY THE SPOOK. MY IDENTITY, IF I HAVE ONE,

IS TO REMAIN MY LITTLE SECRET. UNLESS YOU ACCEPT THAT, WE WILL

GET NOWHERE FAST.

Like I said, you’re Miles Foster.

NO. AND IF I WAS, IT WOULDN’T MATTER. I AM THE SPOOK. I AM YOUR

PERSONAL DEEP THROAT. YOUR BEST FRIEND.

Let me see if I understand this right. You will tell all, the

whole story on the record, as long as you stay the Spook? Use

your name, Spook, in everything?

THAT’S IT.

The paper has given me procedures. I have to record everything.

Save it to disk, and give a copy to the lawyers.

ARE YOU SAVING THIS YET?

No. Not until we agree. Then we outline the terms and go.

I’M IMPRESSED. YOU ARE THE FIRST REPORTER I’VE HEARD OF TO USE

COMPUTERS AS A SOURCE. WHO DEVELOPED THE RULES?

The lawyers, who else?

FIGURES.

So. Do we have a deal?

LET ME SEE THE CONTRACT.

Scott and the Spook exchanged notes over their modems and comput-

ers until they arrived at terms they both could live with. After

Kirk, the rules Higgins had established were clear, easy to

follow and fair. Scott set his computer to Save the conversa-

tion.

This is Scott Mason, speaking to a person who identifies himself

only as the Spook. I do not know the sex of this person, nor his

appearance as all conversations are occurring over computer modem

and telephone lines. The Spook contacted me today, through my

office computer. This is his amazing story.

Spook. Why did you call me?

I DESIGNED THE COMPUTER INVASION OF THE UNITED STATES FOR TAKI

HOMOSOTO. WOULD YOU LIKE TO KNOW HOW I DID IT?

Wednesday, January 20 National Security Agency

Marvin Jacobs had a busy day and evening. And night, preparing

for his meeting with the President. He would have a chance to

make his point, and win it, with an audience in attendance. The

high level bureaucrat craved to aspire within the echelons of the

government hierarchy, but his inate competence prevented his

goals from being realized.

During Korea Lt. Marvin Jacobs served his country as 90 day

wonder straight out of ROTC. A business major with a minor in

civic administration did not prepare him for the tasks the Army

had in store for him. Army Intelligence was in desperate need of

quality analysts, people with minds more than marshmallows for

brain. The Army Intelligence Division G-2 personnel staff poured

through new recruit files in hopes of recruiting them into the

voluntary program. But the catch phrase, ‘Military-

Intelligence,’ a contradiction in terms’ made their job doubly

difficult. So they resorted to other tactics to recruit quali-

fied people for an unpopular and often despised branch of the

military: they made deals, and they made Lt. Marvin Jacobs a

deal he couldn’t refuse.

Young Captain Jacobs returned to the United States at the end of

the conflict as a highly skilled and experienced communications

manager for the evolving communications technology; as antiquated

as it appears today. His abilities were widely needed by emerg-

ing factions of the government as McCarthyism and the fear of the

Red Menace were substituted for Hot War.

The super secret NSA, whose existence was unknown to a vast

majority of Congress at that time, made him the best offer from

all the Federal Agencies. The payscales were the same, but the

working conditions promised were far superior at the Agency.

Marvin Jacobs had studied to serve as a civil servant, but he

imagined himself in Tecumseh, Michigan politics, not confronting

the Communist Threat.

He was rewarded for his efforts, handsomely. In the sports

world, they call it a signing bonus. In the deep dark untrace-

able world of the National Security Agency they call it All Paid

Reconnaissance. APR, for short. Travel when and where you like,

ostensibly on behalf of your government. If worse comes to

worst, attend a half day seminar and make yourself seen.

By the time he was thirty-five, Marvin Jacobs, now a well re-

spected management fixture at the NSA, had seen the world twice

over. Occasionally he traveled on business. For the first ten

years with the Agency he traveled with his wife, college sweet-

heart Sarah Bell, and then less so as their three children ma-

tured. Still, although he now travels alone more often than not,

he was on a plane going somewhere at least twice a month, if only

for a weekend.

The Directorship of the NSA landed in his lap unexpectedly in

1985, when the schism between the Pentagon and the Fort became an

unsurvivable political nightmare for his predecessor. Marvin

Jacobs, on the other hand, found the job the deserved cherry on a

career dedicated to his country. It was largely a political job,

and managing the competing factions of his huge secret empire

occupied most of his time.

The prestige, the power, the control and the responsibility alone

wasn’t enough for Marvin Jacobs. He wanted more. He wanted to

make a difference. A very dangerous combination.

*

“It is so good to hear your voice, Ahmed Shah,” Beni Rafjani

said in Farsi over an open clear overseas line.

“And you. I am but Allah’s servant,” replied Ahmed, bowing his

head slightly as he spoke.

“As we all are. But today I call to say you can come home.”

“Home? Iran?” The excitement in Ahmed’s voice was more due to

the call than the news. “Why?”

“I thought you would be pleased, now that the Red Sun has set.”

The cryptic reference to the death of Homosoto wouldn’t fool

anybody listening, but inuendo was non-admissible.

“Yes, my work is going well, and I have learned much, as have

hundreds of students that attend my classes. However, with all

due respect, I think we may accomplish more by continuing the

work that our esteemed leader began. Why should we stop now? It

goes very well – in our favor.”

“I understand,” Rafjani said with respect. “You are honored for

your sacrifice, living among the infidels.”

“It must be done. I mean no disrespect.”

“You do not speak disrepectfully, Ahmed Shah. Your work is

important to your people. If that is your wish, continue, for

you do it well.”

“Thank you, thank you. Even though one grain of sand has blown

away, the rest of the desert retains great power.”

“Ahmed Shah, may Allah be with you.”

Chapter 27 Thursday, January 21 The White House, Washington, D.C.

He wanted to make them wait.

The President decided to walk into the breakfast room for their

early morning meeting a few minutes late. Even with intimates,

the awe of the Presidency was still intact. His tardiness added

to the tension that they all felt as a result of the recent

revelations. Perhaps the tension would further hone their atten-

tion and dialogue.

He had not slept well the night before; he was prepared for

anything he understood, but computers were not on his roster of

acquired fluencies. A President has to make decisions, tough

decisions, life and death decisions, but decisions of the type

that have a history to study and a lesson to learn. And like

most of those before him, he was well equipped to make tough

decisions, right or wrong. Presidents have to have the self

confidence and internal resolve