cube.
Central Intelligence Agency
Langley, Virginia
Gwen stared at her screen in the security monitoring station. In the dim light of the room, the Sector Monitoring Chief could not tell that the employee who’d just returned from the Ladies Room was not Dorothy Meyers.
Think, Gwen told herself. You’ve got limited time, so use it. You’re at a computer station, one situated in a security station. You can gain access to almost anything.
Gwen began to type on the black keyboard in front of her. She entered the name of Grady McManus and his password, chesternimitz.
She was able to access the Senex file with no trouble, which again requested a clearance code, or CLEEK number.
She clicked on CAN’T ACCESS FILE, which brought her to a security question: WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE FRIEND?
Gwen hoped that the Sector Monitoring Chief wouldn’t notice that she was perspiring.
Favorite Friend? Maybe his dog, Nimitz.
It worked, and she was taken to a second security question: WHO IS THE LOVE OF YOUR LIFE?
Gwen hadn’t the slightest idea about McManus’ love life.
Or did she?
Think, Gwen. You know the answer.
Of course she did. The Admiral had a mad crush on her.
She typed in “Gwendolyn Moss.”
The entire Senex File began scrolling down the screen, but the Sector Monitoring Chief, wandering among the stations, was headed in her direction.
There was no time to copy the file to a jump drive or disk.
Keep going. Trust yourself.
Gwen clicked on SELECT ALL and hit COPY. She then brought up a document page and hit PASTE.
The Chief was only fifteen feet away.
Her fingers hit the keys faster than she thought humanly possible as she brought up the screen for her personal ISP. She addressed a blank email to herself and attached the Senex file.
“My dear Gwen,” came a familiar voice behind her. “I must congratulate you on your ingenuity. You should be in the field in our covert European operations. Your Titan training was obviously quite thorough. But surely you knew that you’d be caught since all cameras in the halls saw your every move.”
It was the voice of Grady McManus.
Gwen hit SEND LATER and exited all screens. She then stood and turned to face McManus.
“Can’t blame a girl for trying, can you?” she said innocently.
“Chief,” said McManus, “bring Ms. Moss with me.”
McManus exited the security monitoring station, followed by Gwen and the Sector Monitoring Chief. They stepped onto an elevator and rode down twelve levels.
I had no idea the facility went this deep.
Exiting, they passed through a maze of tunnels, each darker and mustier than the previous one, before coming to a rusty panel the size of a garage door. McManus dusted off a keypad and entered a code. The door rose with an awful creak that made Gwen’s blood run cold.
Beyond the entrance was a high-tech corridor with cool blue lights recessed in the walls.
“I have some things to share with you, Gwen,” said McManus gravely. “Very important things.”
Titan Four
SURP Station 872
“I feel like I’ve been hit by a sledgehammer,” Eagle Eye said, rising to his feet slowly.
“Those little metal guys knocked us out,” Demon said, rubbing his temples and forehead.
“The one hundred soldiers!” Jet cried. “They’re gone.”
Blade and Tomahawk walked back into the clearing next to the monorail and maglev guideway.
“No trace of ‘em,” Blade said.
“They’re inside,” Touchdown informed the team.
“Stand by,” said Caine. “Touchdown is tweaking your BioMEMS to help you shake off the cobwebs. After that, be prepared to enter the cube on my command.”
“Understood,” said Blade.
The Titan Four leader suddenly realized something was very wrong. He turned slowly and surveyed the vault that was SURP Station 872.
“Mrs. Caine,” Blade said, “The tracks are empty. All maglev and monorail cars are gone. There’s no way back to the Ops
Central Intelligence Agency
Langley, Virginia
Gwen stared at her screen in the security monitoring station. In the dim light of the room, the Sector Monitoring Chief could not tell that the employee who’d just returned from the Ladies Room was not Dorothy Meyers.
Think, Gwen told herself. You’ve got limited time, so use it. You’re at a computer station, one situated in a security station. You can gain access to almost anything.
Gwen began to type on the black keyboard in front of her. She entered the name of Grady McManus and his password, chesternimitz.
She was able to access the Senex file with no trouble, which again requested a clearance code, or CLEEK number.
She clicked on CAN’T ACCESS FILE, which brought her to a security question: WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE FRIEND?
Gwen hoped that the Sector Monitoring Chief wouldn’t notice that she was perspiring.
Favorite Friend? Maybe his dog, Nimitz.
It worked, and she was taken to a second security question: WHO IS THE LOVE OF YOUR LIFE?
Gwen hadn’t the slightest idea about McManus’ love life.
Or did she?
Think, Gwen. You know the answer.
Of course she did. The Admiral had a mad crush on her.
She typed in “Gwendolyn Moss.”
The entire Senex File began scrolling down the screen, but the Sector Monitoring Chief, wandering among the stations, was headed in her direction.
There was no time to copy the file to a jump drive or disk.
Keep going. Trust yourself.
Gwen clicked on SELECT ALL and hit COPY. She then brought up a document page and hit PASTE.
The Chief was only fifteen feet away.
Her fingers hit the keys faster than she thought humanly possible as she brought up the screen for her personal ISP. She addressed a blank email to herself and attached the Senex file.
“My dear Gwen,” came a familiar voice behind her. “I must congratulate you on your ingenuity. You should be in the field in our covert European operations. Your Titan training was obviously quite thorough. But surely you knew that you’d be caught since all cameras in the halls saw your every move.”
It was the voice of Grady McManus.
Gwen hit SEND LATER and exited all screens. She then stood and turned to face McManus.
“Can’t blame a girl for trying, can you?” she said innocently.
“Chief,” said McManus, “bring Ms. Moss with me.”
McManus exited the security monitoring station, followed by Gwen and the Sector Monitoring Chief. They stepped onto an elevator and rode down twelve levels.
I had no idea the facility went this deep.
Exiting, they passed through a maze of tunnels, each darker and mustier than the previous one, before coming to a rusty panel the size of a garage door. McManus dusted off a keypad and entered a code. The door rose with an awful creak that made Gwen’s blood run cold.
Beyond the entrance was a high-tech corridor with cool blue lights recessed in the walls.
“I have some things to share with you, Gwen,” said McManus gravely. “Very important things.”
Titan Four
SURP Station 872
“I feel like I’ve been hit by a sledgehammer,” Eagle Eye said, rising to his feet slowly.
“Those little metal guys knocked us out,” Demon said, rubbing his temples and forehead.
“The one hundred soldiers!” Jet cried. “They’re gone.”
Blade and Tomahawk walked back into the clearing next to the monorail and maglev guideway.
“No trace of ‘em,” Blade said.
“They’re inside,” Touchdown informed the team.
“Stand by,” said Caine. “Touchdown is tweaking your BioMEMS to help you shake off the cobwebs. After that, be prepared to enter the cube on my command.”
“Understood,” said Blade.
The Titan Four leader suddenly realized something was very wrong. He turned slowly and surveyed the vault that was SURP Station 872.
“Mrs. Caine,” Blade said, “The tracks are empty. All maglev and monorail cars are gone. There’s no way back to the Ops
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