below The Fund’s headquarters, Eliza pushed herself away from the computer screen and picked up an internal phone line.
‘It’s all done.’
‘On both?’
‘Yes.’
‘We’ll be down.’
While she waited, Eliza began tidying up the piles of Beta video tapes which littered the underground office. Initially, she had placed them in the order that they appeared in Jade Green’s listings. However, when copying the contents of each video into the computer she had given each recording a file name that included date and subject’s name, thereby negating the need for a separate journal listing. Now all that would be required to locate a particular item was to know who was in it, or the date when the video was recorded.
As she worked, Eliza kept an eye on the second computer, as it copied the contents of the first. When that second copy was done, she switched off the computer and unplugged it from the power point, before unscrewing the side panel and removing the hard drive completely. Taking a new hard drive from her desk drawer she inserted it and screwed the computer closed.
As she was doing so the office door opened and the members of the board entered.
‘All done?’ asked Justine.
‘Just finished.’
‘Well what now?’ asked Suzie.
‘The computer stays locked away in a special safe here in the basement,’ explained Eliza. ‘Normal security won’t apply. Three of us have to use their passes on the door’s pad before it will open and the same three have to enter their security code into the computer before it will work.’
‘What if someone without authorisation breaks into the room and tries to access the computer?’ asked Nori.
Eliza looked at the directors with a grim expression. ‘If that happens the computer is programmed to immediately radiate an electro-magnetic current which will instantly destroy whatever information is on the hard drive. It’s not like a regular programme where you get three chances to insert the right password, this is once only, and instantaneous if you get it wrong.’
‘What then?’ asked Lana.
Eliza picked up the second hard drive which lay on the desk. ‘This is the only back-up. We need to agree on where to store it.’
‘Nowhere around here,’ said Brian. ‘It needs to be as far away as possible.’
‘How about we send it overseas,’ said Toby. ‘We could ask Jade’s friend Trudy in New York to look after it.’
‘A good idea, but I’m afraid she’s getting a little too old for us to have to rely on her. I think we should put it in the vault in Jersey.’
‘But The Fund owns the bank there. Wouldn’t that make it a target for someone looking for it?’ asked Ali.
‘Don’t worry.’ said Eliza. ‘This drive has to be inserted in exactly the same model of computer as the one it came out of. It’s programmed to wipe itself if it’s placed in anything different.’
‘But how will we know what sort of computer that is?’ asked Toby.
‘We have one here,’ she pointed to the second machine on the table. ‘I suggest it be taken apart and its components stored in the vault below our London office. Then the body will be in one place and the brain another.’
The idea was simple enough to appeal to them all and a chorus of agreement greeted her suggestion.
‘Another thing,’ continued Eliza. ‘The computers are to be left turned off and disconnected from it’s power source at all times, and never, I repeat never, are they to be networked with any other computer and especially not connected to the internet. They are only to be turned on for one use and one use only and that is to review and possibly download the contents of the hard drive. Do I make myself absolutely clear on that?’
The directors nodded.
‘Well then, let’s make plans to get me back to my people in Namola.’
10
Fit and tan after their months in Singapore, Bree Lake and Sam Tait arrived at Heathrow Airport and passed quickly through Customs. They emerged to find their supervisor Rodney Taylor waiting to escort them to the waiting helicopter and on to Walton Village.
‘No luggage?’ asked Rod.
‘Our houseboy is packing it up and will send it later.’ said Sam in a deliberately offhand manner. ‘Singapore clothes don’t exactly match the London climate anyway.’
‘Well it’s good to know that The Fund’s money isn’t being wasted out there,’ grinned Rod.
Bree laughed, ‘You should have seen the fight the two of them put up trying to pack. There was six-foot-two am having it out with a skinny little five-foot Chinese grandfather. Sam lost by the way and had to stand aside while the houseboy did all the work.’
‘You both look in the peak of condition,’ said Rod as they lifted off.
‘Helping Wendy Chung to set up the office was hardly the most difficult assignment that we’ve ever been given,’ said Bree, ‘We’ve had plenty of spare time for sightseeing and keeping in shape. In fact, the hardest thing we’ve had to do was to keep up with Wendy in the gym. She’s an absolute dynamo.’
‘And she’s been teaching us some of her martial arts techniques,’ added Sam. ‘Bree is becoming quite adept at sword play.’
‘I’ll keep that in mind the next time we want chips for tea,’ joked Rod.
‘Very funny!’ said Bree, ‘It’s an ancient discipline.’
‘Sorry!’ apologised Rod, ‘but I can’t imagine what use swordplay is to the modern intelligence agent.’
‘Ask me again after I’ve removed your head from your body with a flick of my wrist,’ smiled Bree sweetly.
Rod swallowed hard and decided to change the subject. He brought them up to date on the refugee camp, and the latest events in Namola. At the mention of Joseph Lattua’s name the agents both let out a loud laugh.
Surprised at their reaction, he asked, ‘You know him?’
‘It is a small world,’ said Bree, ‘Lattua was our first assignment together when we joined Inland Security.’
‘So you have background information on him?’
‘Well it was a few years ago, so it’s not completely up to date, but we do know quite a lot about President for Life Joseph Lattua.’
‘We’ll still need to get our hands on the latest information,’ said Rod. ‘Do you think you’ll be able to use your contacts at Inland Security to help us?’
Bree and Sam looked at one another. Their continued involvement with Inland Security was supposed to be a secret between themselves and their
