more commands. A large, single-story building emerged, its structure spread across barren land. He narrowed the picture until they could read the company’s sign-Millennium Technologies, Inc.
Willy laughed. “I guess this company thinks they are going to be around for a while.”
“Actually, I think they are a bit arrogant using that name,” Alena said. “Remember, we are searching for evidence of Project Megiddo. For the unenlightened, Megiddo is the Hebrew word for the site where the forces of good and evil converge during end times. In fact, I could take you to that site today, if anyone’s interested.” No one responded, so she continued. “After that battle, Christ will set up His kingdom here on earth where He will reign for a millennium. Somehow, I don’t think Millennium Technologies will still be around when that happens.”
Gerrit pointed at the screen, trying to ignore Alena’s lecture. “Willy, can you zoom in on the building’s features?”
“Can a cop find a donut shop?” Willy glanced up with a challenging smirk. “Oh, sorry, Detective. Just joking.” He shifted his gaze back to the screen. “Here you go.”
Gerrit whistled as the image cleared. “This place looks like Fort Knox.” A high cyclone fence, crowned with thorny concertina wire, stretched the perimeter of the complex. It looked like a prison. Only one break in the wire where a single roadway led past a guard shack, the road broadening to create a small parking lot. All vehicular traffic could easily be searched coming and going from the only access point.
“There,” Gerrit said. “Show me the area between the guard shack and what appears to be the front entryway.” He pointed to the front of the complex.
Again, Willy’s fingers worked the keyboard. The view shifted to reveal a small parking lot in front of the entryway, with an interior cyclone fence standing between the parking lot and the rest of the complex. It appeared passengers must leave their vehicles and pass through a second sentry gate before reaching the building.
“Man, that is tight security.” Redneck leaned over Willy for a better look.
“Do you mind moving back, Hillbilly?” Willy glared up at him. “Your breath smells like a garlic factory.”
Redneck moved in closer. “Oh, come on, Mr. Geek. Let me plant one on you.”
Willy pushed him back. “I’m serious, No Neck. Give me some space.”
Gerrit grimaced. “Come on, guys. Let’s focus on the target. You two lovebirds can take this up some other time.”
Irritated, Willy peered at the scene and entered more code commands. “Okay, I’ll scan the perimeter so we can see what we’re up against.” He drew the image back so they could see the area between the inner fence and the building’s exterior.
Gerrit pointed at the upper right of the screen. “Get me a clear view of that pole. They’ve ringed the building with a series of concrete poles. I need to see what’s on them.”
Like adjusting binoculars for a closer look, the computer image expanded as a single pole emerged. A floodlight could be seen attached to the very tip of the pole. Just below the light, strapped to the pole, surveillance cameras could be seen on either side.
Gerrit drew closer, smelling a hint of garlic. “Willy’s right, R. D. You need to brush.” Willy chuckled as Gerrit peered at the surveillance equipment near the lab. “Those cameras are giving them a 360 of the area around that pole. The next pole’s cameras must pick up any dead spots the first ones missed.”
“Do you want to see what they can see?” Willy smirked at him.
“You can get into their system?”
“Does a bear-”
“Skip the jokes, Willy. Can you get me a look inside?”
“Can a-?” Willy stopped midsentence when he saw Gerrit’s expression. “Sure thing, Mr. G.”
A few minutes later, Willy handed the laptop to Gerrit. “Here ya go. Search away. See the camera stations listed along the top? Just point and click. If you hover over the site number, a window will appear to show you what you will be looking at and the location of the camera.”
“Say I want to go to the plant manager’s office.”
Willy reached over and moved the mouse to a midpoint. “Looks like they’re divided between interior and exterior locations. The interior are placed in geographical order. Here, start at this point.”
Gerrit watched as the first web cam popped up on the screen. It was a hallway in which he could rotate the view as needed. He manipulated the controls until the lens rested on a door identified as leading to the office of Security Management.
“While I poke around on this screen, I have a job for you and Redneck.” Gerrit crawled back to where the two men sat. “Alena, take the driver’s seat. Start looking for a car rental agency. There should be one near the airport.”
He turned to the guys. “We need to pick up two chase cars to go with this van. Alena can stay here with me, and you two split up after renting the cars and go solo. Willy, you have the handhelds handy? Everybody pick one up and stay in contact.”
Alena slid over and started the engine.
Gerrit continued. “Now, while she’s looking for a rental place, Willy, you help search this plant for weaknesses we can exploit.”
They began scanning the entire structure, searching each office before continuing to the next. Gerrit turned to Willy. “How can you do this? I mean some people have a problem just getting online while they’re traveling. Here, you’re accessing the plant’s interior security.”
Willy gave him a sly smile. “I can get inside just about any security system while miles away.” He motioned to a portable server he’d stashed in back. “That is J amp; W Enterprises’ own special creation. A mobile server that only needs a power source and provides wireless access to any nearby network. Once we’re hooked up, I target any place anywhere in the world. Cool, huh?”
“Yeah. But how do you gain access to this plant, for example? Their system must be self-contained. No hard wires to the outside.”
“It’s the beauty of wireless, baby.” Willy seemed to jump around in place with enthusiasm. “Mr. J. and I figured out how to piggyback on any wireless connections, even though they’re only transmitted to on-site locations. With our special contacts, we can have a satellite listening station zero in on a specific location, amplify the wireless signals, and transmit those signals back to us. We scan them until we lock into their system network, feeding back whatever we want to see. Just like now.”
Gerrit smiled. “Amazing. And you can do this from any location in the world?”
“As long as we connect with the satellite as it is rotating above the target. Impossible if the satellite is on the other side of the globe. Then we need to shift to another eye-in-the-sky orbiting in direct range to the target.”
“And who are these sources?”
Willy shook his head. “You’re gonna have to ask Mr. J for those. He just gives me the coordinates to access when needed. He keeps all the contacts to himself in case one of us gets captured.”
“What if Mr…Joe gets snatched?”
“Then we’re up a creek without a paddle.”
Gerrit turned back to the screen. He thought of Joe on his way to England. He realized the weakness in their network. If something happened to his uncle, he and the others would be left without any contacts. More important, they would not know who to trust. Joe only left him one name. Beck Malloy.
Gerrit focused on the target, trying to shake the thought from his mind.
Chapter 40
A white-coated lab rat kept sneaking glimpses of Collette as she moved around the room, a man who could only dream of getting close to a woman like her-under any circumstances. She smiled to herself as she eyed him in the glass of one of the blank screens. Men are so weak. She learned early to use their weaknesses to her advantage. It had served her well.
“Now, you’re sure there is no way outsiders can invade this room with surveillance equipment. I don’t want them to catch me visiting this plant and I need to monitor whether we have any electronic intrusions here.”
