Page 159 of The Texas Sterling Collection
“May I offer you coffee? Water? Soft Drink?”
Rod shook his head. “Nothing for me, thank you, general.”
“Nothing for me either, sir,” Wyl said.
General Steinburg nodded. “Then I’ll get right to the point. First, we know you are married and that Dr. Bonner has taken the last name of Sterling. I am okay with that, and in fact, I applaud you two for having the guts to follow your hearts. This country would be in a much better shape if there were less paranoia and misinformation. I want you both to understand your relationship is not an issue. In fact, it is the reason you are here, Dr. Bonner. Please forgive me for addressing you in this manner, but your doctorate is in the name of Bonner. For this discussion, we need your credentials and your relationship with Major Sterling.”
“General, if I may, I am comfortable with either title,” Rod said.
“Good to know.” General Steinburg made a note on his pad. “May I call you Rod?”
“Yes, sir.”
“And may I call you Wyl?”
“Yes, sir,” Wyl nodded.
“Gentlemen, we have a situation, and we need your help. Each of you plays an important role in this mission.”
Tentacles of worry wrapped around Wyl’s gut atthis mission. He and Rod were in for something complicated and probably dangerous.
The general eyed them both. “The top-ranking official of An Garda Siochána, the Irish national police force, was notified that someone had hacked Ireland’s banking system. The government entity overseeing the Irish financial system noted that an account query occurred simultaneously in all banks. It is unlikely that individual account holders of separate banks would simultaneously seek a balance inquiry. Although they could find no evidence of fund withdrawal, the breach proved to the hackers that the system was vulnerable. The Irish government hesitated to block bank access because doing so would lead to major disruptions for banks and their customers. They have not identified the source but have narrowed the list of potential suspects to one individual. Obtaining concrete evidence connecting him to the crime or uncovering the code he used to hack the system is challenging. They need an expert in cryptography, and Wyl, you are the best in the world.”
“I am, sir?” Wyl shook his head. “General, I did my job, but surely many cryptographers are better qualified than I.”
The general leaned forward, arms on the table. “Major Sterling, do you remember Italy?”
The memory flooded Wyl’s mind, and he shook his head to dispel the added panic that gripped his chest. Rod’s hand grabbed his shoulder and massaged it. He took a deep, calming breath. “General, I’ll never forget Italy.”
“Do you know how those men found you?”
“I have no idea, General. All I know is they wanted me to break into the government database.”
“Major Sterling—Wyl—the Italian underworld discovered your identity at some point. Your skills are unparalleled, so the U.S. Armed Forces has worked hard to keep your identity highly classified for that very reason. Upon your rescue, we worked with Italian authorities to be sure your identity was not released publicly. Based on the information you provided last year, we suspect a leak originated within our own ranks and are following up on that information. We have no evidence that it went further than the Italian mobsters who kidnapped you. Any general knowledge of your skills beyond that would put you in jeopardy even today, and I wouldn’t have asked you to meet.”
Wyl shifted in his chair. He had always known not to reveal his skills or occupation to anyone. He had cautioned Rod to keep that information close to his chest. He gazed at his clasped, white-knuckle hands. This new mission was not only putting him in danger. That danger included Rod.
“General, I don’t know what to say.” Wyl shook his head, still struggling to grasp the seriousness of their visit to the Pentagon. “If I may, sir, how dangerous is this mission?”
“The Irish government contacted us for assistance. They are not familiar withyou, your skills, or your talents, Wyl, but due tothe specifics of their request, your name came to the top of our list. Should the culprit succeed, this could have global financial implications. There are 574 cities worldwide with a population of one million or more. That’s 574 million people minimum. If 33% of those people have a bank account, and the suspect takes one dollar from each, that’s almost two billion in currency. We concur with their assessment. I will personally discuss your particular background and skill set with the Garda’s top official, who will be under oath to keep the information confidential. Below him, nobody will know anything except that you’re an expert.”
Rod pulled Wyl’s hands apart and took one, giving it a gentle, reassuring squeeze. “Relax, babe. Let’s find out more before we react.” He leaned over and kissed Wyl. To hell with protocol.
The general chuckled. “I can see why it is so important for you two to go together.”
Wyl turned to the general. “Please excuse our impertinence, General. Tell us more.”
“Your close attention to each other is an asset, Wyl. I’m glad to see such a strong relationship. As for the mission, the world needs your expertise to help stop this cyber-terrorist. The financial security of civilized nations may be at stake. We cannot let this individual succeed or allow others to learn of his plan. He must be stopped.”
The general alternated focus between Wyl and Rod, looking for a reaction and hoping for questions.
“General, sir, we understand the urgency of this mission,” Wyl said. “But we must understand our roles and how the mission will unfold.”
“Let’s move over to the conference table.” The general motioned toward the opposite end of his expansive office. “I will provide the details we have and discuss your roles.”
They moved to the conference table, sitting in soft leather chairs with a clear view of the 60” monitor.
“I’ll ask Corporal Duggins to bring coffee. You both look like you could use a shot of whiskey, but we need clear heads, so coffee, water, or soft drinks are all I can offer.”
