need to encase the conduit in a junction box."
"So the incoming wire was never cut," Trey said.
"No, but because it's only 600 volts, the thickness of the wire should be manageable."
It took almost an hour for Petr to determine that he had located the right conduit. He flagged several of the wires with bits of fluorescent tape and closed the box. He noted the exact location by jotting GPS coordinates on a pad of paper, which he then carefully tucked back in his shirt pocket. He replaced the cover on the box and tightened the screws.
"Why did you use two different colors of tape to mark the wires?" Trey asked.
"We need to activate the contactors remotely, but the wireless technology doesn't exist to turn off circuits greater than twenty amps. These ones are three hundred. So what I'm going to do is hardwire in the switch activator and use a remote to turn on its power. I used red tape to identify the power source into the stadium and green for the line that will run between the remote and the contactor. It's complicated, but it'll work."
"I hope so."
Petr put away his tools and said, "Okay, we only need to find five more of these and a backdoor line for Maelle so she can tap into the city computers," he said.
"When are you going to splice in the contactors?" Trey asked.
"Probably two or three days before the concert. Any sooner is too early and I don't want to shut down the power to the stadium while the roadies are setting up U2's stage."
"Yes, of course. Good thinking."
"We're in a bit of a race," Petr said, motioning for Trey to turn around and start moving back toward the main tunnel.
Trey did the simple math as they trudged back through the water. They were eleven days from the concert, so if Petr wanted to cut into the systems three days in advance, that only gave them eight days to do the groundwork. The odds of succeeding were still in their favor, but he was aware that the closer they got to the concert without locating all the junction boxes, the greater the chances of failure. He envisioned the meeting with Fleming , telling the billionaire that the million dollars he had spent on the team was wasted. That they had failed to cut the power and disgrace Dimitri Volstov . That was one meeting he did not want to have.
But Trey wasn't sure Fleming 's wrath was his biggest problem. The hack into his file on the CIA computer three days ago was front and center on his mind. Who had risked getting caught and possibly going to jail in order to see his history with the agency? He was fortunate Anne Sommer had taken the time to call and inform him of the situation. There was nothing deadlier than getting blindsided by something you never expected.
He wracked his brain, asking himself again why the intrusion had happened, but came up with nothing more than it being tied in somehow with Bill Fleming and the U2 job. Something was brewing - somewhere. He needed to find out what, but he was at a horrible disadvantage. He was out of his element in Moscow, without any support network. As a foreigner, his actions were already under a certain degree of scrutiny by the authorities. He couldn't get to the right people and start asking questions. Not without risking someone listening in on unsecured phone lines or e-mails.
Fleming was aware of the problem. He was watching things from New York. Maybe he would solve the problem and that would be that. Maybe. Then again, maybe not. It might blow up in his face and people might die. That would be unfortunate, but such was the nature of his work.
Click here to go beyond the story, experience and learn more about characters, events and places in One Child and join the discussion online.
Chapter
43
Day 23 - 8.18.10 - Morning News
Kandahar, Afghanistan
"I'll be in school soon," Halima said to her friend.
Safa slid into the small alcove that set the doorway back from the street. In stark contrast to the rough stone under her feet and the prickly mud her shoulder rested on, the
"So the incoming wire was never cut," Trey said.
"No, but because it's only 600 volts, the thickness of the wire should be manageable."
It took almost an hour for Petr to determine that he had located the right conduit. He flagged several of the wires with bits of fluorescent tape and closed the box. He noted the exact location by jotting GPS coordinates on a pad of paper, which he then carefully tucked back in his shirt pocket. He replaced the cover on the box and tightened the screws.
"Why did you use two different colors of tape to mark the wires?" Trey asked.
"We need to activate the contactors remotely, but the wireless technology doesn't exist to turn off circuits greater than twenty amps. These ones are three hundred. So what I'm going to do is hardwire in the switch activator and use a remote to turn on its power. I used red tape to identify the power source into the stadium and green for the line that will run between the remote and the contactor. It's complicated, but it'll work."
"I hope so."
Petr put away his tools and said, "Okay, we only need to find five more of these and a backdoor line for Maelle so she can tap into the city computers," he said.
"When are you going to splice in the contactors?" Trey asked.
"Probably two or three days before the concert. Any sooner is too early and I don't want to shut down the power to the stadium while the roadies are setting up U2's stage."
"Yes, of course. Good thinking."
"We're in a bit of a race," Petr said, motioning for Trey to turn around and start moving back toward the main tunnel.
Trey did the simple math as they trudged back through the water. They were eleven days from the concert, so if Petr wanted to cut into the systems three days in advance, that only gave them eight days to do the groundwork. The odds of succeeding were still in their favor, but he was aware that the closer they got to the concert without locating all the junction boxes, the greater the chances of failure. He envisioned the meeting with Fleming , telling the billionaire that the million dollars he had spent on the team was wasted. That they had failed to cut the power and disgrace Dimitri Volstov . That was one meeting he did not want to have.
But Trey wasn't sure Fleming 's wrath was his biggest problem. The hack into his file on the CIA computer three days ago was front and center on his mind. Who had risked getting caught and possibly going to jail in order to see his history with the agency? He was fortunate Anne Sommer had taken the time to call and inform him of the situation. There was nothing deadlier than getting blindsided by something you never expected.
He wracked his brain, asking himself again why the intrusion had happened, but came up with nothing more than it being tied in somehow with Bill Fleming and the U2 job. Something was brewing - somewhere. He needed to find out what, but he was at a horrible disadvantage. He was out of his element in Moscow, without any support network. As a foreigner, his actions were already under a certain degree of scrutiny by the authorities. He couldn't get to the right people and start asking questions. Not without risking someone listening in on unsecured phone lines or e-mails.
Fleming was aware of the problem. He was watching things from New York. Maybe he would solve the problem and that would be that. Maybe. Then again, maybe not. It might blow up in his face and people might die. That would be unfortunate, but such was the nature of his work.
Click here to go beyond the story, experience and learn more about characters, events and places in One Child and join the discussion online.
Chapter
43
Day 23 - 8.18.10 - Morning News
Kandahar, Afghanistan
"I'll be in school soon," Halima said to her friend.
Safa slid into the small alcove that set the doorway back from the street. In stark contrast to the rough stone under her feet and the prickly mud her shoulder rested on, the
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