11
Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe
27 February
Tuesday, 8:15 a.m. local time
Vance paced around his hotel room, checking his watch every thirty seconds. Right before Aidan had left last night, he’d suggested that Vance take his time leaving for Nano this morning.
Gut instinct and experience made Aidan certain that enough time had passed. The kidnappers wouldn’t wait another twenty-four hours. They’d contact Vance first thing today with their next set of demands. Aidan had assured Vance that he could still follow his routine of heading into the office for a half day. But sleeping in an extra hour—even for a VP—wasn’t unusual during a family vacation.
Vance had argued that he shouldn’t alter his routine even an iota, that he had his red phone at work for any incoming texts. Aidan had countered with the fact that, at this point, the kidnappers might choose another method of communication—a more tangible one like a package, and that the uber-secure NanoUSA would preclude any form of delivery. Vance had to be physically as well as electronically accessible.
Ultimately, Vance had gritted his teeth but agreed. To keep up the image that he was, in fact, making himself available to contact from the kidnappers—and that he was doing so without involving anyone else—he’d followed Aidan’s advice and sent Susan out with Jessica and Andrew to have breakfast and hit the ski slopes.
Now he was losing his mind.
He was half-tempted to toss Aidan’s advice to the wind and head out to the airport when a short, loud knock sounded at the hotel room door.
Vance strode over and yanked open the door.
The hall was deserted. But lying on the carpeted floor was a padded envelope with Vance’s name typed on it.
Reflexively, he started down the hall to apprehend whomever had left it. Just as abruptly, he stopped. He was wasting time. Whoever had dropped off this package was a pro. He would have gotten in quickly and anonymously and left the same way. More importantly, if Vance stepped out of line and incited the kidnappers, the results could be fatal.
Amateurish reactions were bullshit. Lauren’s life was all that mattered.
After retracing his steps, Vance shut his hotel room door and, with shaking hands, tore open the package.
Inside was a printed page, along with an empty, crumpled crossbody handbag and a Ziploc containing a lock of soft, wavy brown hair.
Lauren’s handbag. Lauren’s hair.
Tears gathered in Vance’s eyes as he turned his attention to the letter.
Time for a show of faith, the words read. We want a sample of the new technology—specifically a drawing showing one page of the specifications. Should you hesitate, please inspect the enclosed personal items that we’ve taken from your daughter so far. She has much left to be taken—including her well-being and her life. Get the data to us via a Tor browser. Type the following link in the address bar: https://mwt4wkynpe3f82ab.onion and log in using the code name baba. You will then be able to send messages and files to a secure drop box that we will be monitoring regularly. Use a public Wi-Fi hotspot. We will be watching every move you make. We expect the file by the end of the business day today and we will acknowledge receipt in a message you’ll find by logging in. Your daughter has four days left…
Vance’s hand was shaking so badly that he could barely hold the page, much less absorb the details of what he was reading. Sweat dripped down his spine. Almost in a daze, he put all the items back in the envelope, picked up his secure cell phone, and pressed Aidan’s number.
“Yes?” Aidan’s voice was already on high alert.
“You were right—it came,” Vance heard himself say. “A package from the kidnappers.” He proceeded to tell Aidan what the contents of the envelope were and then read him the note.
“This is nothing unexpected, Vance.” Aidan sounded calm, reassuring. “What I need you to do is to get yourself to the Starbucks on Northstar Drive. It’s about ten minutes away. You’ll respond to them from your laptop. You’ll be using Starbucks’ public Wi-Fi, and I’ll talk you through the Tor browser process as soon as you’re settled and ready.”
“Anonymity. Right.” Vance felt like he was drowning. “The drawing—they expect this to happen instantly.”
“You’ll buy us a day. They’ll accept that condition, since they’re aware of the high level of security at Nano.”
Vance swallowed, asking the same question he’d asked Aidan a dozen times already. “What I’m demanding of them in return—the daily video communications with Lauren—what if they say no? Worse, what if they take it out on her?”
“They won’t. Just take me at my word.”
“You still haven’t told me how we’re going to get a copy of the specifications out of Nano and into the kidnappers’ hands.”
“It’s being handled. We’ll have the tool we need in place and ready to implement within hours. It will be delivered to me along with a specialized computer I’ll need you to use in your talks with Lauren.”
Vance’s panic was inciting a barrage of questions. “I thought this whole Deep Web thing makes it impossible to trace?”
“In most situations, that’s true. But the special computer we’re providing you with is enhanced in ways that will allow us to monitor your activity and also penetrate some of the anonymous layers of the Deep Web without raising red flags. In short, we have the tools and skills of the NSA. The kidnappers have no clue who they’re dealing with.”
“How—”
“We’re losing precious time.” Aidan cut off Vance’s next question. “Explanations on how you’re going to accomplish what they’re asking can wait until I fly up to Tahoe tonight. Right now we need to worry about contacting the kidnappers and orchestrating your first videoconference with Lauren. So grab a taxi and get to Starbucks. Call me when you’re in front of a computer.”
* * *
Aidan disconnected the call and pressed Terri’s number.
“Yes.”
“It’s me,” Aidan replied.
“One sec.” She said a muffled “Make it ten” into what was obviously another phone call and then ended it. “Sorry,” she said to Aidan.
“Was that Ryan?”
“He’s on his way here with his gizmo.”
“Good.” Aidan gave Terri a three-sentence update on where things stood at his end. “Did the two of you program the computer?”
“It’s done,” she replied. “Ryan did most of the work. He really is quite brilliant. He prepared the laptop specifically for Vance’s needs. He started with a standard HP laptop and then replaced the entire operating system with a highly secure and customized version of Linux. The user—in this case Vance—will be presented with a Windows login, but behind the scenes, every keystroke will be logged and forwarded to me. All audio and video signals will be mirrored and streamed to the Zermatt servers.”
“So for all intents and purposes our team will be watching everything Vance does with that laptop in real time. He can concentrate on his communications with the kidnappers and we can pick up on any pertinent data he might miss. We’ll get all content, body language, visual surroundings, nearby voices—the works. If there are any clues to lead us to Lauren, we’ll get them.”
“Precisely. Our courier service will be arriving here right on Ryan’s heels. I’ll have everything airborne within two hours—including a few other electronic items for you that might come in handy at some point.”
Aidan made a quick mental calculation. “That means the package will arrive here after we’ve held our team videoconference, I’m guessing around midnight. Have it delivered to my room at the Tahoe Ritz-Carlton. I’ll be there, tutoring Vance and keeping all the Penningtons in check. I’ll break for the team meeting. Once the package arrives, I’ll talk to Vance alone—no wife, no kids. I’ll give him a bare-bones explanation of the computer. Immediately thereafter, I’ll hop on our plane and get back to the Four Seasons so I can pass along the ring to Simone.”
“Simone? But it’s a man’s ring. I thought that Vance…”
“Change in plans. Just talked to him—Vance is too much of a nervous wreck for me to trust him to successfully pull this off, especially since all eyes are on him. He briefed Simone on where she’ll find what she needs, but she’ll be the one taking those photos. I’m not too thrilled about putting her in that position, but she’ll come through for us.” A pause. “As soon as I’m in Simone’s room, I’ll want an immediate videoconference with Ryan. Simone and I will both require a verbal instruction manual from him on the usage of the ring so that she can get those photos. Tell Ryan to be available.”
“Already taken care of,” Terri replied. “Ryan will be accessible all night. He knows what’s expected of him.” A pause. “As I said, he’s really good, Aidan. Even I’m impressed. And he was amazed by my Wheel of Fortune app. It’s gratifying to meet someone as young and savvy as Ryan—and someone who actually calls this work fun. I might have been dubious at first, but you were right to bring him on board. He’s a strong asset.”
Aidan bit back a smile. No surprise that Ryan’s exuberance over Terri’s app had won him major Brownie points. “I know he is. And I’m glad he’s following your lead, since Ryan tends to like running the show.” A quick glance at his watch. “Are we good? Because Vance should be calling me back any minute.”
“We’re good.”
Starbucks
Northstar Drive, Lake Tahoe
27 February
Tuesday, 8:55 a.m. local time
Vance was a complete wreck when he called Aidan back. Discussing a procedure like this and actually carrying it out—with your child’s life on the line—were two different things entirely.
“I hope you got yourself something to drink,” Aidan began, hearing the familiar Starbucks sounds of complex beverages being ordered and customers arguing over who was first in the queue. “You have to look like everyone else. The Starbucks manager won’t take kindly to freeloading their Wi-Fi with no purchase made. Not during prime breakfast hours.”
“I got decaf,” Vance replied. “I despise the stuff, but I don’t need caffeine to rev me up even more.”
“Smart.” Aidan didn’t waste time with small talk. He quickly and succinctly talked Vance through getting to where he needed to be using the Tor browser. Vance followed his instructions to a tee, which made the process go as painlessly as possible.
“Okay, I’m looking at a blinking cursor,” Vance reported, having logged in and used his requisite password. “Why baba?”
“It’s the phonetic translation for the Albanian word for father. The powers-that-be probably found it amusing.”
“Well, I’m not amused. Nor do I know how to phrase this. Based on the note I received, I’m assuming these people speak English.”
“Fluently. Despite the Albanian password, the communication you received, as well as all future communications, will be sent by whoever intends to steal Nano’s technology, most likely the Chinese. The Albanians are just their muscle. So while the kidnappers’ English may be broken, the head honchos will speak perfect English. No worries there.”
“Right. No worries.” Vance sucked in his breath. “Tell me what to say—verbatim.”
Aidan dictated a response in succinct, straightforward terms— explaining the need for an extra day to get the drawing and to find a way to penetrate NanoUSA’s ironclad walls to send it. The only time Aidan added some emotion was when, as Vance, he spoke of the need to see and hear his daughter daily, to ensure himself that she was indeed alive and well.
“That’s it?” Vance asked.
“That’s it.”
“How long will it be before I hear from them?”
“Given their sense of urgency, I’d hang around Starbucks. You should hear back within an hour. Now read our response back to me.” Aidan listened, nodding as he did. “Good. Post it.”
“God help me,” Vance murmured and pressed the Enter key.
* * *
The reply came forty-five minutes later, and Vance called Aidan back immediately.
“They agreed to our terms.” He sounded shell-shocked.
“Read me their response,” Aidan instructed.
Vance cleared his throat, and Aidan could hear him take a long gulp of his coffee. “We recognize your dilemma,” he read. “You have until noon tomorrow, your time zone, to deliver the file. We assume you value your daughter’s life enough to meet that demand. Therefore, your request has been approved and is being arranged. Return to your current location daily, beginning tomorrow morning, at seven ten a.m. Log in. We will be publishing a random Cyph link and you will have ten minutes to access it. You will be able to see and talk with Lauren. Five minutes per day. She will be watched at all times. If anything inflammatory is said, she’ll be killed before your eyes.”
Vance’s voice broke on that last sentence.
“This is good news, Vance,” Aidan told him. “They’re willing to negotiate. They want that technology badly. They’re not going to hurt Lauren—not when that would eliminate their only bargaining chip. You’re going to talk to her and see her tomorrow morning. That gives us tonight to choreograph the entire conversation from your end and to reiterate the do’s and don’ts that you’ll adhere to. The computer you’ll be using and the tool that’s needed to get them the photo of that drawing should be arriving at the hotel around midnight, delivered to my hotel room. I’ll explain the technical aspects of the computer to you and then head back to Silicon Valley to meet with Simone and pass the tool along to her. With the proper guidance from you, she’ll be accessing and sending them what they want well before the noon deadline.”
“And what do I do until then?” Vance asked.
“Exactly what you’ve been doing. Leave for Nano now. Check in with Simone. She’s conducting interviews of your staff, supposedly to better your department. Have a quick catch-up meeting with Robert Maxwell. Get updates from Ethan.”
“Business as usual? I’m not sure I can do this anymore.”
“Yes you can. For Lauren. Now head out. You’ll be back for lunch. Spend the afternoon with your family—calmly and in vacation mode—on the slopes or in front of a fire. I’ll be flying to Tahoe tonight, probably by eight. I have a ten o’clock videoconference with my team, so I’ll have to interrupt for that. You and I will have ample time to educate and orchestrate.”
Silicon Valley, CA
27 February
Tuesday, 10:05 a.m. local time
Jia li Sung picked up her burner phone and punched in the country code eight-six, followed by the memorized number.
Several rings later, a man’s voice answered in Mandarin. “Xu.”
“I’m calling on behalf of my colleague,” she replied, also in Mandarin. “I was told to inform you that waiting is no longer an option. Several months ago, when we all met in California, it was explained to you that we have a narrow window of time in which to accomplish our goal. That window is coming to an end and you have nothing to show for your efforts. My colleague is beginning to think that you are the wrong partner for this venture.”
She paused, listening to the livid reply, punctuated by some unpleasant swearing.
“There is no reason to use that kind of language,” she responded calmly. She’d been warned to expect this reaction. “Results are what we require here, not excuses or expletives.”
The CEO at the other end of the phone sucked in his breath, clearly striving for calm. His reply, when it came, was terse. “Tell your colleague that in a week this will be done. Further, a sample of the data you’re waiting for will be transmitted to you within two days—as a show of good faith.”
“That’s good news,” Jia li said. “I will relay that information. But I was asked to remind you that your company was selected for this opportunity because of your resources and reputation. You are known as a man of your word and a force to be reckoned with. However, my colleague is a person of similar abilities and character. If you do not deliver on your part of the deal, your failure to do so will be made well known.”
Her words were greeted by silence. Jia li could read the man’s mind. The significance of a threat to be dishonored would be unthinkable.
“I will meet the deadline I just described,” he said at last. “One week. You will have all you require.”
“That would be wise. I’ll pass your promise along.”
Jia li disconnected the phone with a smile on her face.
Grand Californian Hotel and Spa
Disneyland, Anaheim, CA
27 February
Tuesday, 10:10 a.m. local time
Emma had just carried in the enormous stuffed Belle that she’d won for Abby in Mickey’s Toontown when her cell phone rang. She glanced down, saw the private number Aidan had given her—along with instructions to always answer in private, out of Abby’s keen earshot—and gestured to Joyce, silently asking her to take over with their exuberant charge.
Joyce nodded, managing to coax Abby to sit beside her on the sofa so they could look at the Disney map and plan out the next part of their day.
Scooting into her and Abby’s bedroom suite, Emma answered her still trilling phone.
“Hello?” Again, no mention of names. That was an additional instruction on Aidan’s part.
“Hello back.” Aidan’s tone was filled with dry humor. “You sound like you just lost a boxing match. I wonder why.”
“Not why,” Emma corrected. “Who. I have a knockout challenger.” She smiled. “But she’s worth it. It’s so cool to be visiting Disneyland for the first time with Abby. I feel like I’m four again—except for my aching body. That needs some comedown time. I don’t think that’s on the menu though. We just got back to the suite with this morning’s stash, and she’s already planning out our next batch of rides and where we’ll be eating.” A pause as she listened to the background noises at Aidan’s end. “You’re at an airport. I won’t keep you. I’ll go get Abby.”
“No, don’t,” Aidan replied quickly. “I don’t even want her to know it’s me on the phone. And you will be getting that comedown time. I should be there in an hour and a half. Abby’s mine for the afternoon. We’ll hit Fantasyland and do It’s a Small World ride and the King Arthur Carrousel. After that, we have reservations at two o’clock for the Lunch with Ariel and Disney Princesses.”
“Get out.” Emma was duly impressed. “That character lunch is booked for six months or more.”
“I’m resourceful. Especially since I know how much my little princess loves Disney princesses. Keep Abby at the hotel. Go to the Redwood Pool—that’s where the Mickey Mouse kiddie pool is. That should keep her busy for a while.”
“You’re kidding.” Emma stared at the phone, stupefied by Aidan’s naivety. “She’s been at that pool four times already and all she wants is to go to the big pool and ride the ninety-foot water slide.”
“The… what?” Aidan sounded ill. “You didn’t let her—”
“Of course not. But that’s not going to stop her from asking. I think I’ll convince her to eat a little something—maybe a few Mickey Mouse pancakes, and then tell her that since her tummy is full all she can do is wade in the kiddie pool. She won’t like it, but once she sees her daddy, all will be forgotten and forgiven.”
“Thanks, Emma.”
“Thank you right back. I’ll have four hours to work on my tan and sleep at the poolside. Joyce will probably go crash in the suite. We’ll both be refreshed and ready to go by the time you take off.”
“Who are you talking to, Emma?” Abby’s voice emanated from the other room. “Is that Daddy?”
“Nope, just a friend of mine,” Emma called back. “I’m hanging up now.” She turned her mouth back to the receiver. “Bye, boss,” she hissed.
“Hang in there, champ. Reinforcements are on the way.”