Marcel leaned back in his chair, wondering whom he was talking to. “That’s right. What can I do for you?”
“I remember seeing your name in the newspaper when Jace Granger was kidnapped. I need someone to talk to, to tell them what I know. I’ve got journals, and I’ve made audio recordings. I’ve got names. But my life is in danger, and the lives of those I care most about have been threatened if I don’t do what they want. I have a feeling these people are about to get rid of someone who’s working to expose what they are doing and—”
“Who is this?”
“I can’t tell you now.”
“Can we meet and talk? If someone’s life is in danger, I need to know.”
The caller paused and then said, “I can’t come to your office. They will know.”
Marcel knew of a place he used whenever he met with informants. It was late but he could have his men in place to make sure no craziness happened. “Are you familiar with the Wiltshire area?”
“Yes.”
“There’s an abandoned warehouse in the center of the complex. Can you meet me there in half an hour?” Marcel asked, already out of the chair and sliding into his jacket.
“Yes.”
And then there was a click, and the caller was gone.
*
“Okay, Bruce,” Jules said, sitting down in her office chair while Dalton took the sofa. “Based on information I’ve obtained this week, this is what I believe.” She then told Bruce her idea about Y2K, the same thoughts she had shared with Manning.
“Funny you should think that about Y2K. I got a painting off the wall in Dalton’s office a few days ago. It was the one Brandy seemed interested in those times she searched his office. I discovered the artist, Jeb Peters, was one of those who helped promote the Y2K scare back then.”
“Why?” Dalton asked.
“He was one of those people who refused to use or acknowledge technology. He thought Y2K was real and would be God’s punishment to a world too dependent on technology. Which is why he also believed it was a passing fad.”
Dalton shook his head. “Boy, was he wrong.”
“Based on what I found out about that painting, I checked with a contact I have in DC and what I was told pretty much backs up what you’re thinking, Jules. Homeland Security believes there was a group of computer-savvy individuals who got together during the Y2K scare and decided to take advantage,” Bruce added.
“How could they do that?” Dalton asked.
“Like Jules said, during the Y2K scare, it was believed that with the arrival of the new millennium, the entire computer system would crash and cause chaos. People’s fears were out of control because most people didn’t know enough about computers, and they would believe almost anything. I can see how someone savvy could take advantage of the situation. In fact, it would have been fairly easy to do.”
“I agree,” Jules added. “All they would have to do is install their own software onto another computer or computers. Software they could command and update without ever worrying about it being detected.”
“And you believe that actually happened?” Dalton asked, rubbing his chin.
Jules met his gaze. “Yes, and to be completely honest, I have a hunch that’s what happened at Granger Aeronautics, which would explain the ability to wipe out those hard drives. And I believe those headphones were a way to update the software or transfer it to a new computer, which would need to be done every so often.”
“I totally agree,” Bruce said, rubbing the back of his neck. “I tried calling Marcel on the way here but he had just left his office, so I couldn’t reach him. I will have to fill him in on everything later.”
“Damn,” Dalton muttered. “A network of people?”