‘Definitely having a talk about manners later,’ Syler reiterated. “Status report.”
“Pinned down in the northwest corner of the basement parking garage. This place is crawling with armed guards.” Syler hummed, examining the encryption on their database.
“Seems a bit disproportional for a company focused on hardware and electronics exports.”
“Just a bit,” Arthur returned, voice terse but starting to ease. “Don’t suppose you could work your magic and get me to the CEOs office without detection?”
Syler continued to examine the encryption. Unlike Oliveria, the exports company was as thorough with their physical security as they were with digital records. “No, everything is housed internally on a closed system. I can see where the cameras are in comparison to the blueprints of the building, but I can’t complete the fob pairing without triggering a full alert, let alone hack it manually. Seems they put more effort into their security than our banker.” Syler pulled open a new window, accessing a separate link, a thought occurring to him as a pattern emerged in the code he was examining.
Arthur swore. “Fine, next guard passes by in two minutes. They have three pairs on this floor alone, opposite directions, full overlap. I can possibly—”
“No,” Syler interrupted, reviewing the encryption from a new angle, comparing. “You don’t need to. Withdraw to the extraction point.” Miranda glanced up at him, dark eyes inquisitive.
“Why?” His tone was curious, not argumentative. Something of a first for the man, honestly.
“Their security system is a closed circuit network, entirely hardwired, but that’s not interesting. Well,” he amended, “it’s not as interesting as what their computer systems have in common with Oliveria’s and that’s my primary concern.”
“Please do share with the class, darling.”
“The worm I had you install on Oliveria’s computer network. I’ve been monitoring the files on his account, as well as the incoming and outgoing correspondence. Unsurprisingly, his computer log shows ongoing emails with the others. Nothing out of place about them—purchase orders, financial accounts, funds transfers—butnothing stands out except that they’re all on behalf of Pyrona. Nothing at all.”
“And nothing to go on means throw the intel gathering mission why?” Arthur’s frustrated tone was coming back out to play.
“Besides the astonishingly small possibility of you managing to stay undetected? Because we’re not going to find anything useful. The records aren’t interesting beyond all referencing the same shell company. It’s that they’re all using the same encryption system. Oliveria’s computer, these security cameras, the manufacturing plant’s digital firewalls, the automaker’s assembly line code—all the same unique signature.”
Arthur finally caught Syler’s train of thought. “These are all middle men benefiting from the security of the shell corporation concealing the main player.”
“Seems so. I’ll work on expanding the worm to see if I can piggyback into the other systems on the off chance there’s something useful, but I’d prefer to leave that until you’re not in the building if it’s all the same to you.” Arthur had already begun making his way back out to the main entrance, unmanned despite the active guards patrolling the garage itself, hugging tight to the shadows of the wall.
“Careful sweetheart. It almost sounds like you care,” he teased, slipping behind a vehicle as the footsteps of a patrol echoed closer.
“Perish the thought.” Syler remained silent until Arthur was clear of the building, simultaneously noting potential exploits of the link between Oliveria’s computer and the export company’s security system and cross referencing the security of the automaker and manufacturing plants as he did. “Extraction point is six blocks east of your current location. You’ll find an unlocked blue Hyundai in front of the corner market. Code D0723F for the lock box with the keys.” Syler passed his notes to Miranda and Jason for further examination, preparing to hand Dufault off.
“Mm, don’t suppose you’ll move my flight up too, sweetheart?”
Syler pursed his lips, considering. “No, you can wile away the evening at Sophia International and then the remaining hours flying in coach.” He paused as Arthur sputtered, intent on making a point. “Hopefully, you’ll have time to work on strategies for improving your manners with my staff. Handing off to Benson. Pleasant flight!”
Arthur continued sputtering; Miranda grinned unabashedly. Syler just looked dispassionately at the clock, setting the whole affair aside for the time being as he collected the expense reports for the inter-departmental meeting he was now late to.
Ten
“If I’m understanding you correctly, Mr. Perrin, we’re at a dead end.” Director Boothman was deeply displeased. After two weeks of digging, Syler shared her frustrations.
“Until they give us something more to work from, yes,” Beside him, the Colonel retrieved a file, passing copies to each of the four. Syler considered if now was a poor time to make another request to digitize. Knowing his luck, Dufault would turn it into an innuendo.
“We’ve uncovered more instances of funds theft, not all of them isolated to the United States, and an additional three corporations involved in them. All different countries, all utilizing the same security encryption, but not a single one appears to be the main player behind Pyrona Inc,.” Thompson noted.
“Well, you could always send me to conduct an in person interrogation of Oliveria and the other company heads,” Arthur began, tone considering. “After all, historically, it’s never a good sign when a shadow organization starts amassing a small army of middle men for unknown reasons. Generally best to put a stop to it quickly.”
Boothman nodded, adding the dossier to her collection of other files on the case. “Generally, yes, but I get the feeling you don’t want to do that.”
He shook his head. “Based on what we’ve found thus far, whoever is responsible for the funds thefts and hacks are only using Oliveria as a cash manager and the companies receiving payments from Pyrona aren’t directly communicating with the shell in a way we can track. None of them have finished production or listed a delivery
