Operation Mockingbird (25 page)

“How do I know this isn’t some kind of trick? Because I seem to recall you’re working for the bad guys.”

“Actually, I work for both.”

“Explain.”

She hesitated and Matt pushed the gun hard against her chin. She winced.

“Working for the bad guys got me in here,” Alex began. “Working for the good guys will, hopefully, get both of us out alive.”

“What does that mean?”

“I don’t have time to explain, Matt. The bottom line is that we are both on the same side and we need to get the hell out of here.”

“Maybe I’d be better off taking my chances with Rabin.”

She smirked. “You really think Rabin is going to let you out of here alive? With everything you know.”

Matt’s grip on the gun loosened.

“Do you really want to take your chances with him?” Her eyes looked toward the door. “You’d better decide soon, Matt, because we haven’t got much time.”

Alex was right. He wasn’t sure what to believe, but waiting for Rabin to return didn’t seem like a very good plan.

“Okay,” he finally said, lowering the gun slowly. “Let’s go.”

Alex nodded and turned toward the door. Matt headed the other way, toward the back of the computer room.

“Wait. Where are you going?” She said gesturing toward the door and the exit.

“I don’t know about you, but I came here for a reason,” he said over his shoulder as he continued toward the computer servers. “I’m going to finish this.” Matt unbuckled his belt and began to pull it off as he walked.

“Matt,” Alex said. “We don’t have time for this.”

Matt ignored her as he disassembled his belt buckle and removed the flash drive he had hidden there. It was the one Patrick had given him. Patrick’s greatest hits.

“Matt, we need to get the hell out of here,” Alex said again from behind him.

“Go if you want.”

Matt turned his attention to the computer monitor connected to the server. He found the switch on the CPU, pressed it and waited for the computer to boot up.

From behind he heard a heavy sigh, a thud and then something splintering. He turned to see Alex standing at
the main entrance. The keypad on the wall was in shreds. Pieces of the keypad were scattered on the floor and the light next to the keypad was dark, instead of the green it had previously been. Alex was tucking her gun into the holster on her hip.

She shrugged. “That should slow them down.”

Matt turned his attention back to the desktop in front of him.

“What are you doing?” Alex asked as she came up behind Matt and leaned over his shoulder.

“I’m going to load the virus I got from Patrick into the main server.” He inserted the flash drive into the computer hard drive. “It’s the only way to shut these bastards down and expose them for what they are.”

Matt heard footsteps from outside the door, a brief pause and then the sound of someone trying to open the door. This was immediately followed by cursing, yelling and then pounding against the double doors.

“That was quick.” Alex muttered, darting a look over her shoulder before turning her attention back to Matt and the computer.

“I can’t get in,” Matt said. “I need a user name and a password.”

“Let’s try mine.” Alex reached and quickly began typing. The barrage of pounding at the door gained intensity.

They both watched the monitor, but the computer quickly responded with the message “User not authorized.”

“Damn,” Alex said even as she tried again. “Looks like Patty wasn’t lying about the security around this system.”

Alex tried again and again her credentials were rejected.

“What now?” Alex asked.

The pounding at the door stopped but was quickly replaced by a rapid succession of gunshots.

The assault on the door renewed with vigor and, unfortunately for Matt and Alex, with better results. As the doors began to swell inward, Matt looked over at Alex.

“Looks like we’re out of time,” Matt said.

They both jumped when the doors suddenly came crashing open.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

TWO MEN BARRELLED THROUGH the door. With their guns drawn, they quickly scanned the room. It didn’t take them long to focus their sights on Alex and Matt, who both started for their weapons but didn’t make it in time.

One man barked, “Don’t do it!” He turned slightly and pointed his gun directly at Alex’s head.

Alex and Matt froze.

After a moment, the other man shouted, “Clear!” and Rabin and Harrison strode into the room.

“Alex, I must say I’m disappointed in you, not altogether surprised but nonetheless disappointed,” Rabin said as he walked toward them.

He gestured to the two guards. They rushed forward with expert precision and relieved Matt and Alex of their weapons.

“So what were you two up to?” Rabin asked as he approached them.

Neither responded.

Rabin removed his gun from his holster. He raised it slowly, surveyed both their faces and then slowly pointed the gun in the direction of Alex. “I’ll ask you again, Matt. What were you two up to?”

“You’re too late, Rabin,” Matt responded. “We just inserted a computer virus into the server.”

“A virus,” Rabin sneered. “The most sophisticated computer system in the world and you think you can just drop in the ‘My Doom’ virus to shut it down.” He shook his head as he chuckled. “Nice try, but I don’t think so.”

“Actually, this is a Patrick Mullarky original.”

With that name, Matt saw the confident smile on Rabin’s face dim slightly. Matt counted on the fact that Rabin couldn’t be involved this deep, couldn’t have known he needed to neutralize the computer programmer and not know the man’s level of proficiency with computers and viruses in particular.

“You’re bluffing.” Rabin said. He was still smiling but his eyes narrowed as he studied Matt.

“I wouldn’t be so sure,” Matt said with more bravado than he felt.

Rabin didn’t respond.

“Go ahead.” Matt gestured to the workstation even as he stepped aside. “Check for yourself.”

Rabin and Matt stared at each other, neither blinking or willing to look away. Rabin broke first. He roughly pushed Matt aside as he strode toward the computer. He was looking at a blank screen. Matt had turned off the computer monitor just as the men had broken into the room. Rabin scowled and reached for the power switch on the monitor but stopped midway. His hand hung in the air, his finger extended. He was clearly unsure as to whether or not he should touch anything.

“Get one of those computer geeks in here,” Rabin finally barked to no one in particular. “And you,” he pointed to Matt and then to Alex, “sit the fuck down.”

Alex lowered herself into the chair behind her and Matt took the seat next to her. He stared at Rabin and was even able to produce a smug smile.

“You know, Matt, after we’ve finished checking your lame attempt at avoiding the inevitable,” Rabin said in measured tones, “I’m going to enjoy killing you.”

Matt knew from the look on Rabin’s face he meant it.

“I wouldn’t plan your fun so quickly,” Matt said with more confidence than he felt. “This is far from over.”

“I wouldn’t be so cocky, Matt,” Rabin said, turning his attention away from the computer and toward Matt.

“See, Matt, I’ve already planned your death. Do you want to hear how things end for you?”

Matt didn’t respond and Rabin continued. “The police will receive an anonymous tip about the whereabouts of a man who is wanted in the murder of two men. The caller will mention that the man seemed agitated and was carrying a weapon. You will be holed up in some cheap motel that will soon be surrounded by police. After several entreaties for you to surrender peacefully, the police will break in. They will find a man who, faced with the prospect of spending the rest of his life in prison, has committed suicide. Of course, they will also find the weapons used in the Keg South murders, thereby neatly cleaning up any loose ends.”

“No one will ever believe that I did any of that,” Matt replied.

“Really, Matt?” Rabin asked. “After all you’ve been through? Post-traumatic stress disorder is the excuse du jour. I think that, after everything that happened in the Middle East, you would easily be regarded as the victim of it.”

“No way, Rabin,” Matt said. “There is no way you can pin that on me.”

Rabin ignored him and approached Alex slowly.

“But for you, Alex, I’m going to plan something very special. I haven’t made up my mind yet, but I have several options in mind.” He regarded her with a leer as he took
out a knife that was strapped to his belt. “Do you want to hear them?”

Alex didn’t say a word, but Matt saw the knife and began to rise.

“Don’t do anything stupid, Matt,” Rabin said without taking his eyes off Alex.

Harrison and another man moved in and pressed Matt down with one hand on each shoulder.

He leaned down and pressed the knife against Alex’s right cheek. “You see, I don’t take betrayal lightly.”

Alex looked up, the defiance in her eyes slowly melting away.

“You may find yourself the victim of one of the many car accidents that happen on the crowded roads of South Florida,” Rabin continued smoothly, while staring intently at Alex. “This time, the driver isn’t thrown from the vehicle. She was a good girl and wore her seatbelt. You do wear your seatbelt, don’t you, Alex?”

Alex’s lips were firmly pressed together. She stared at Rabin and still said nothing.

“Of course, you do,” Rabin said nodding.

“So, this time,” Rabin continued, “the beautiful young woman driving is trapped inside the wreckage. You,” Rabin emphasized, “are trapped inside. The car will become engulfed in flames.” Rabin moved closer to Alex. “You may finally get the seatbelt unbuckled, but you won’t be able to open the door. The temperature will begin to climb. Rubberneckers, unable to help you, will watch in horror as you struggle frantically to escape from the inside of the car. But it will too hot for any good Samaritans to get anywhere near you. You will be able to see them, though, standing by helplessly.” Alex turned her face away from Rabin. He leaned down, grabbed her by the chin and forced her face toward his.

“Leave her alone,” Matt shouted.

Rabin ignored him and continued. “They will see you screaming at the top of your lungs and pounding on the window. But the people around will only be able to watch as the paint begins to bubble on your car. And as you hear the sounds of Fire Rescue trucks in the distance, you will start to feel the flames licking your skin.”

Alex was sitting tall in her chair and staring unblinkingly at Rabin. Despite her best efforts, her body betrayed her. Matt could see beads of sweat on her brow. Her knuckles were white as her hands clenched the sides of the chair. Rabin looked at her and smiled. He could see right through her tough façade.

“Rabin, stop this,” Matt shouted as he struggled with the two men holding him down.

Rabin ignored him. With the blade of the knife, he traced the outline of Alex’s face. She squeezed her eyes shut. Matt saw her jaw tighten. Rabin drew the blade down her neck until he reached her collarbone. There, he pressed the knife down until he drew a drop of blood.

“Take your hands off her, you fucking freak!” Matt yelled.

Rabin whirled, stepped toward Matt and plunged his left fist deep into Matt’s stomach. Matt fell forward and landed on his knees, gasping and clutching his belly. He struggled to inhale. Rabin struck him in the back of the head with a blow that took him the rest of the way down. Face pressed against the floor, he anticipated the attack, but there was nothing he could do about it. The man above him coiled his leg and kicked him. Through the ringing in his ears, he could hear Alex scream. The barrage of kicks continued.

The assault abruptly ended. There was nothing. No sound except the ringing in his ears. He was afraid to move, afraid to breath. Matt flinched when he felt a warm breath on the back of his neck.

“Not yet, Matt,” Rabin whispered. “But soon. Very soon.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

“IT’S ABOUT TIME YOU got here,” Matt heard Rabin say from above him.

With the arrival of the computer technician, Matt was temporarily forgotten. Not to be forgotten anytime soon was the beating he had just suffered. His ears continued to ring from the blow to his head. Matt tentatively unwrapped his arms from around his midsection. He started to reach up to his head to see if he was bleeding. Sharp pains in his chest made him quickly reconsider that move. He stifled a groan as he continued to uncurl his body, the process excruciatingly slow and painful.

With his face still pressed against the floor, he slowly opened his eyes. With his eyes only half-opened, he noticed something on the floor. He opened his eyes wider, and the room came into focus. Something shiny. A knife. The knife Rabin had been holding when he struck the first blow to Matt’s head. Despite the resistance from his body, Matt rolled over and onto the knife. He fumbled for it, then slipped it up the sleeve of his shirt. Just then, he was picked up and thrown roughly back into the chair.

The technician was short and thin. He wore rectangular-shaped glasses, and his eyes darted around the room as he walked toward Rabin. He seemed confused by the activity going on, yet he made no comment about the men occupying what would otherwise be his domain.

“You need to confirm that this computer has not been tampered with,” Rabin commanded, gesturing to the computer at the work station directly in front of them.

The computer technician smiled confidently and raised himself up an inch or two. “We have a state of the art security system. No one could have gotten into the computer.”

Rabin turned to look smugly at Matt. “Just check it so we can be done with this matter.”

The technician shrugged and sat down at the computer connected to the server.

“For the server computer, we have a separate password that we change every two days,” he explained as he typed in a string of characters. “Only a limited number of people have access to that password. So, anyone accessing the server would have to input his identification code, his personal password and the server password.” The technician punched in a few more characters. He then gestured proudly to the computer screen which now displayed a menu of options.