The Origin Point: A Future Tech Cyber Novella

  *

  Apex repositioned her back against a tree in a park across the street from the Horizon building, and tried her access program again. After the fourth timeout message, she cursed the limitations of mobile technology, and began slowly walking back towards the shopping mall parking lot where she had left her car. Her phone buzzed. Glancing at the displayed name, she stated, "finally" as she answered.

  "You shouldn't keep calling me," Carter Harden, the founder, president and CEO of technology industry giant Initium immediately chastised her.

  "We have a problem."

  "You have to deal with problems. You know I can't, I run a public company."

  "Don't be so rude. If you want to keep running your precious company you'll listen to me."

  Carter took a deep breath. "Okay?"

  "Dallas Winter."

  "Who?"

  "Dallas Winter, the journalist who picked up the files."

  "And?"

  "I don't think she easily scares."

  "Find another way to intimidate her."

  "She knows she has a story because your buddy Marco Manuel basically told her she had correctly guessed the source for the files."

  "You've got to be kidding me?" Carter looked up and rolled his eyes. "How do you know?"

  "She recorded the conversation and I had a listen. I'll send the file to you. Manuel did not directly tell her, but he's also not very good at denial."

  "But why would he give up the information?"

  "They're old friends and he thinks he can control her."

  "Seriously? Okay, any guesses on her next move?"

  "Nothing yet, but who knows what's she's thinking. I have not yet developed mind-reading applications."

  "Too bad, you'll have to pursue her the old-fashioned way. Be a stalker."

  "Fun. And how are you going to handle your friends?"

  "I'll see if I can rein in those Washington dopes. Like I need more complications. Stock is flat-lining, I've got a thousand interview requests, and I have to deal with incompetents who do not understand a straight-forward mandate to implement the technology foundation for the next hundred years."

  "Not everyone has your cold calculating brainpower, some people care about their friends."

  "Their friends will get us killed, literally and figuratively. If the press learns of our plans the publicity will set us back decades."

  "But my work will be done."

  "No, your work will re-double. The U.S. is going to go forward with an integrated surveillance system in one form or another. The idea is too tempting. Imagine the ability to not only track every single human being on earth, but also to use the information gathered about them to provide daily life instructions tied directly to government and business objectives. Most people are complacent, risk-averse and followers. The idea would work perfectly if the project were fully rolled out. Your work will not end because you will have to stay on top of governments and make sure the system never comes online."

  "You have to make sure too. You're the guy with the technology they need."

  "They'll never fully get my technology...my real capabilities. They might not understand that right now, but I'm not giving up my brainpower to governments."

  "They still believe you're one of them?"

  "Yes, of course. And believe me, a lot of guys like me will align with them. Most guys will not be able to resist those lucrative government contracts."

  "The work goes on regardless of the information Winter is able to uncover?"

  "Absolutely. We have a duty to humankind to prevent this project, we have to stick to our objectives."

  "Okay I'll follow Winter and let you know if I learn anything."

  "Good, let's see if she can't be the catalyst that forces FedSec to reveal its weaknesses."