Wilson's War: Tales From the Athena Lee Universe by T S Paul Page B

room was the ultimate for the tech conscious. Its employee's were treated like super spies. Identities hidden and faces covered as they entered a private entrance. Only the select few ever came through those doors. Gaming agents, casino owners, select pit bosses, and special guest were all that were allowed to enter. The room was stripped of all but the necessities. Computer terminals and vid screens filled every available corner. It was the ultimate in spy-vision! Selecting a camera that watches the watchers Wilson 'sat' and waited. This was going to be epic! As he watched, a countdown was starting inside the gaming system computers. When the clock hit zero, the fun would begin!
     
    At 11:59 Cole's program was supposed to activate starting the skim. The Gaming system was the first system on the planet that actually had firewalls. Wilson was impressed how strong they really were. Were being the right word. Wilson had broken through them days ago. The program that was to start the skim? It now did something a bit different. At exactly twelve midnight every slot machine, video poker, keno, or electronic game of chance paid off at the same time. Inside the surveillance room it was now chaos central. Bells, whistles, and loud voices drowned out any real communications. Everyone was screaming at everyone else. Out on the gaming floor the machines were paying out and paying out big. Computer error or not everyone was getting something. As a huge group, the vets headed for the cashiers. This lines were crazy long with everyone wanting their credits and wanting them now! Casino owners were screaming and tried to shut down the tellers. Law enforcement was called along with the casino lawyers. The law was on the side of the players not the bosses. How could they prove that the credits came from the massive payout and not an earlier win? Somehow the records of all previous wins had gotten scrambled while trying to stop the massive payouts. Casino bosses and owners were in near tears as the thousands of customers all cashed out at once and left the casino. Now the finger pointing and internal forensics investigating would begin.
     
     
     
    Cole waited a few moments then checked his bank accounts. No deposit. Frantic, he checked the Governor's special accounts. Empty. No deposits. He called the governor, they had a serious problem.
     
    "What? What about the special program? Can it be traced back to us? They better not trace it, you idiot! This is what I get trusting you! You realize that the wardens may kill the both of us for this? We have no choice now. Activate plan B, give the clans a call and tell our agents on the local ships to take over. Stupid me for trusting that you could do something correct!"
     
    This failure would have long reaching consequences. Cole braced himself for more screaming, but the Governor had already retired for the night. Locating his hidden codebook Cole entered the Governor's office. Finding the right book he activated the hidden door. This was going to be a long night. Those idiot pirates never answered the 'phone.'
     
    Forensic investigators and private investigators hired by the casinos themselves all found evidence that it was a plot by the gaming and housing commissioners. The computer specialists all agreed that the hacker the two hired had screwed up and cause the jackpots rather than skimming anything. The PPVA made enough money that they could help to change many a military vet or families lives for the better.
     
    Wilson was a little disappointed that Cole didn't get fired or something. Oh, Athena would like the fact that I helped someone rather than the opposite. Nice piece of code from that hacker too. He'd have to watch out for him. Something was off about Cole and the Governor. Maybe he should check into that. He needed a long term project. Time to go back to the really boring hydroponics lab and watch the grass grow. Maybe he could find out if it was greener over the waste disposal