John worked late with his Annie that night following a hunch. He went to bed with a pretty good idea of how the incidents were happening although he still didn't know who was behind them.
“All right,” said Daniel Keys the next morning. “Let me get this straight. You don't think anyone on Mars is responsible for these incidents. Is that right?”
“That's right Daniel,” said John. “I suspect and I have some proof of my suspicions that these incidents were caused by a distant source. How distant I'm not sure, but the network trace I did last night leads me to believe that the source is not on this planet.”
“That would explain why we haven't been able to find someone with the expertise and motive. You believe someone could break into our net?”
“It would be a challenge, but it wouldn't be impossible. The moment we tie one net to another we have a possible security breach. The only way to have perfect security is not to have inter-network operation.”
“That would explain how someone could have the varied expertise and the necessary resources and remain unknown to us,” said Abel who had accompanied John to see the sheriff.
“As a matter of fact,” said Abel. “We can't be certain if we are dealing with just a person, an entity like a non-governmental organization or maybe a government itself. If it's a person, they are rich. If it's an NGO it would have to be a clandestine, backroom operation to protect their general interests. If it's a government, well that could be provocation for conflict with the Mars Republic. We really need to find out. This has suddenly become much more than a local criminal investigation Daniel. We are going to need some planet-wide resources to find the answer.”
“John,” said Abel. “Work up a report on the incidents and what you have learned. You to Daniel. We will go to Bradbury to the Attorney General and present our findings. Can you both be ready by tomorrow?”
John and Daniel nodded yes.
John and Abel met Daniel at the tube station the next morning. John and Daniel were a little bleary-eyed. This was Abel’s first time on the Bradbury Express so he intended to stay awake and take in the full experience, but John and Daniel were dozing soon after leaving Candor Station.
Abel had visited Bradbury when there was no tube link. The journey then had taken two twenty-four hour days, now it would be only an hour and was the only way anyone would even consider traveling between the two settlements. The tubes were built underground where they were protected from dust and surface weather. Evacuated of even the tenuous atmosphere of Mars the tube provided an excellent right of way, straight or only slightly curving, for the speeding cars that carried passengers and freight. Each car could carry up to fifty passengers. The car carrying Abel, John and Daniel was full, the hour of travel time gave Abel a chance to think.
Politics. A power struggle over the future of Mars even after some twenty-odd years of independence. Someone or some group on Earth has never accepted the independence declaration. The Republic’s foes are getting old now, maybe this was their last chance to change the power balance.
But what were they after exactly? And why was my settlement in Candor targeted? I've never been particularly political. No, there are no Jackson’s on Mars that would make clear targets. But what about Earth? Uncle Ephraim and his family are still there. I wonder if he has been up to something without informing the rest of the family? Certainly, Ephraim is prone to do exactly as he wishes, whatever the consequences. I will have to get in touch with him and find out.
He got a message from Candor on his Annie. Lauren had regained consciousness. The internal damage was extensive, but the doctors believed that the gene therapy she was receiving would correct it. She would be in the hospital for some time but should be back home eventually.
Abel stared at the message.
That was it he thought. It was too dangerous not to pursue; he would do all he could to find out who was behind Lauren's injuries. He had to, there was no guarantee that a further threat to life was not forthcoming.
Abel closed his eyes to pray.
The presentation to the Attorney General went well. He promised to refer the matter to the head of the investigative division. They would cooperate with tracing network activity into the Jackson's settlement.
After the meeting, John pointed out that it was all well and good that the government agreed to monitor the network but to trace the next intrusion meant that there would have to be a next intrusion. And who knew what the target would be this time.
Abel said, “Yes, I agree with you John but it is good that the government is involved even if we are going to have to do most of the work. Eventually, when we find the people responsible we will need government authority to bring them to justice.”
“You're right dad. What are we going to do now?”
“Well, Daniel is going to continue to focus on the who of the matter. I want you, John, to find a way to monitor our network and discover any intrusion before it has a chance to interfere with operations. And I am going to try to find out who off-world might have a reason to cause these intrusions and why.”
Daniel said goodbye and headed back to Candor. Abel and John spent the day in Bradbury visiting the Academy and some of Abel's old friends that he hadn't seen for years.
They were both quiet on the ride back. John was working with his Annie, trying to find a way to monitor all the network traffic into the settlement.
Abel spent the time drafting a message to his uncle Ephraim on Earth. Trying in a non-demanding way to find out what he had been up to. Abel wouldn't be surprised if the source of their problems began with his uncle's activism.
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