July 15, 2058: A world not that far from out own …
There are times when I really hate the career I've chosen for myself … and this is one of them.
The image projected into my brain by my ASP unit was (unlike my own) a true image of the person on the other side of the connection. This allowed me see all the pain, all the anguish, all the hurt and fear on the old man's face. Oh don't get me wrong, I'm not an overflowing sink of human compassion, but no one could hear his request and not feel at least a little moved. I was amazed to see a tear slide down the old man's cheek. Considering his reputation I figured he had no tears to shed.
I signaled my ASP to do a quick covert scan of my "visitor", and it confirmed that the tears were real, not just an artificial projection of his own ASP. I gave a heavy sigh: there are times when a reputation can actually work against you … even a good reputation.
My real name isn't important. To be honest with you, I've changed identities so many times that I'm not 100% sure of what my real name is anymore. The name that people who run in my circle know me by is Javelin the Dataspike. It's a fancy name, but all it really means is that I'm a thief … though I am a damn good thief.
What do I steal? Anything that is of value in the world computer communication net, better know to people as "The Dataway." The Dataway is the great, great, grandchild of the old Internet. A true "Virtual Reality" environment, where computer code has been translated into full sensory perception inputs. Rather than type into a board, or use a mouse (whatever the hell a "mouse" was) you simply plug your mind directly into the Dataway. With the proper training you can "think" your way to any computer in the world that is hooked up to the Dataway, and with the proper skills, you can take or destroy just about anything on that computer.
Oh there is still tons of hardware and software involved, but all it does is translate your mental commands and your thoughts into instructions for your system to carry out. Then that same system translates the input from the Dataway into a sensory experience so that you can relate to it in terms the human mind can understand.
Anybody can plug into the Dataway and just go looking, but those of us with the skills and inborn talents can actual change things there. Make a computer carry out the commands you want it to, or alter the very codes of the system you break into. Not everyone can do that … in fact most can't.
That's just about the only good thing the corps see in our existence … there are not very many of us. A few thousand in the entire worlds population. Of course, that's more than enough to give any corp security chief or government spook nightmares. No computer system can ever truly be called safe with us around. We can carry out "electronic sabotage" literally at the speed of thought. For all the power and sophistication of computers systems in the mid 21st Century, they still cannot "out think" a living mind.
We are the ultimate virus, the ultimate threat to computer security.
And obviously we are also just about the most sought out asset of every nation and corporation on the planet.
For one thing, having a stealthjack (don't blame me … I didn't come up that nickname) on the payroll is an incredible leg up on a competitor that doesn't have one. You want to know what your rival in "market X" is up to? Your stealthjack can find that out for you faster than you can ask him to go looking … almost literally.
The other is that the only real security that can truly stop a determined and experienced stealthjack is another stealthjack. Mind on mind, in virtual hand-to-hand combat, is just about the only sure way to stop a stealthjack.
There is tons of software out there for security … some of it very good and very, very dangerous. But if you really have something worth protecting, then the only sure way is to use those security programs in combination with your own stealthjack. Because no matter how hard to crack, how hard to break into, and how dangerous your security software is, if it's worth enough money to risk his/her life, somewhere out there is a stealthjack. A stealthjack who is good enough to break into your system and do something very nasty to your data.
And that doesn't always mean taking it, copying it, or selling it off to one of your competitors either. As often as not a good stealthjack is hired to literally sabotage computer systems. A few commands in the right place could have any number of nasty effects. Anything from sending a prototype aircraft spiraling to a fiery death in a high profile neighborhood on the evening news, to erasing 5 years of research data, to causing random swear words to appear on the labels of children's candy. If it can somehow physically or financially harm a rival, you can bet a stealthjack somewhere, some time, has taken a run at it.
And, all modesty aside, I am one of the best. I used to work for the government, the FBI to be precise. I was part of the "them" that conspiracy theorists thrive on. I did runs on foreign countries suspected of spying on the US, on corporations for a staggering number of crimes, and on private citizens by the hundreds.
The work didn't bug me … if you're a stealthjack you soon learn to stuff your conscience in a back pocket and only take it out when you want to. I didn't have any illusions about being "a good guy", and I don't have them now. It was a job, a job I enjoyed doing, and that I was very very good at. If people got hurt in the process … tough shit for them. I did what I was ordered to … simple as that.
I do what I do because I'm good at it, and I can give one back to the system and the corps that fucked me over. If you're looking for "a white knight", go someplace else.
I left the Feds after a run that went very bad. Not every computer in the world is hooked up to the Dataway, so sometimes you physically have to sneak into a place and then hook up your gear and get what you need. That's where the "stealth" in stealthjack comes from. I did a run on one of the new mega-conglomerates, Quantatech Power. They were a merger of over 25 power companies across the US and Canada … and that made the Feds on both sides of the border very nervous. Quantatech controlled 54% of all the power generation systems in North America.
Both governments wanted hard data to say that the merger was illegal, or forced. But to do that, I would have to break into the California H.Q. and download all the "real" contracts and financial information. That was cool with me … a real job and for once I could see some real benefits coming out of this for everybody.
But over my objections they sent a team with me that was supposed to get me in and out. It's not like I hadn't done it before. Okay, it was the most secure facility I'd ever busted into, but I could have done it. We made it in, but while I was off surfing the Dataway, my senses lost to the real world, the "expert" team fucked up and tripped an alarm.
The bastards left me there to get nabbed by the Quantatech security goons. I can still feel some of what they did to me when it rains … you got any idea how much rain the Northwest gets in a year? The Quantatech board of directors kicked up a huge fuss, and the Bureau abandoned me, saying I was a rogue asset who had been looking for things to blackmail the corp with.
It was all kept very hush-hush, and I had nobody on the outside to help me anyway. The corp was going to be allowed to "deal" with me in whatever way they saw fit. Thus is the power of corporations today.
Luckily for me they didn't figure on me having any skills beyond being a data thief. I managed to sucker one of my guards into the cell, broke his neck, and got the keys and pass card to get the hell out of there. A few electronic tricks later and I managed to get outside the security building they were holding me in, and then swim across the harbor to safety.
But that brought and end to my legitimate career … and started me on the one I'm on now. I'm a Freelancer now … if you have the money, and I like what you want me to do, then you can higher yourself a government trained stealthjack … one with a lot of experience under the belt.
I still will do just about anything for money … but I do have my own set of ethics now. I won't fuck over the common man, and I won't hurt people just for the hell of it. But if it's a run against government or corporation assets, living or otherwise, then I'm pretty much up for it.
Last I heard, between the Corporate Alliance, and 15 or so national governments, the reward for my capture (alive and kicking) is up to 5.4 million Pounds Sterling. I'm hoping to hit 10 mil before I either retire or run into somebody better than I am and get myself killed.
Which brings me back to the case in point … the poor fellow meeting me in my virtual office. All that reward money, and the fact I'm known for taking runs at the corps has given me a street reputation. Not only does it say I'm good, but that I've got a special hate on for the corps.
This is what I meant by a good reputation working against you. It would be a lot easier to blow off this guy by telling him that I don't have the ability to take on the job he wants. But not only does he know that I've taken runs at these guys before … he also knows I've got a serious grudge on for Quantatech.
All right, all right … I'll also admit his plight actually does move me. So I've still got a smidgen of a conscience … sue me.
The man before me is making a show of trying to appear strong, but he's failing miserably. It's a sign of how desperate he is that he's not using a "cover" … having his ASP give me a false representation of who and what he is. He really doesn't care about keeping his little secret … he's far more concerned with the plight of his granddaughter.
His name is Pierre Le Grannoit, the CEO of James Bay Incorporated. After Quebec separated from Canada in early 2026 its economy went straight to hell … go figure. In an effort to raise desperately needed hard cash, and to lower its own expenditures, the Republic of Quebec sold off the James Bay power project.
Le Grannoit was the point man of a group of European investors who knew that under private enterprise, the massive hydroelectric project could be a cash cow. His being from France only made it all the sweeter for the Quebec government. In a little over 20 years under his leadership James Bay Inc. has risen to be a real rival for Quantatech Power. They built a third system of dams and generators. Pierre also bought out all the other investors … making him sole owner of the whole project. This one project supplies 60% of the power for the North Eastern part of the continent. As such, J.B. Inc has proven to be a real thorn in the side of Quantatech, who has tried to "acquire" James Bay several times … both legally and illegally.
I know more than one stealthjack who got their brains burned to a crisp trying to crack James Bay's system. Rumor had it that J.B. had its own stealthjack … one who had also done more than one run on Quantatech to figure out its next move.
Turns out those rumors were true. The "in-house" stealthjack for James Bay Inc. was Stephanie Le Grannoit … Pierre's granddaughter. And she is in deep trouble.
Charles Le Grannoit was Pierre's only child, and Stephanie in turn is Charlie's one and only. I shouldn't have been as surprised as I was to find out that the heir to one of the largest private fortunes in the world is a "runner", and a stealthjack at that. Both her father and grandfather are world class engineers … or were that should be.
Charlie was killed when the hypersonic flight he was taking to Paris suddenly developed a "unexplained malfunction" and plunged straight into the Atlantic at better than mach 4. "Unexplained malfunction" my ass … I know the stealthjack who did that job. Quantatech killed
230 innocent people just to get one man. That should give you an idea of the kind of people they are.
Oh … in case you're wondering … it wasn't me. Like I said … even I have my limits.
Well it appears little Stephanie inherited those techie genes, but instead of becoming an engineer, she became fascinated with computers, and soon found out she had the skills to be a stealthjack. Apparently she never told either dad or grandpa about her abilities until Quantatech began its campaign to take James Bay away from her family.
While old Pierre knew that stealtjacking is damn dangerous, he couldn't pass up the asset fate had dropped in his lap. I'm sure also that both of them wanted revenge on the corp they were sure had killed Charles.
Just how she managed to learn all the tricks she pulled on Quantatech is a mystery. Normally you need a tutor … seems she was completely self taught. And as "amateurs" go she was good … damn good. She pulled of 6 or 7 major runs on a corp system that is used to keeping people of my level out. She was good … but she wasn't good enough.
Her last run she had to physically patch her ASP rig into Quantatechs' main frame in Chicago … and either she was ratted out or she screwed up. Quantatech had the bag on her before she even opened her tool kit.
The apprehension of a stealthjack is big news … but Quantatech kept it totally quite. The underground community heard about it of course, but not who had gotten nabbed. Even my contacts inside the corp didn't know anything.
So I was caught more than a little off guard when my "manager" sent me a message telling me that Pierre Le Grannoit himself was looking to meet with Javelin. I was more than a little wary of a trap … 5.4 mil sure brings a lot of scum out from under their rocks to go hunting for me. But there was an up front fee of 100,000 … just for meeting with the old boy. The money turned out to be legit … transferred into my Swiss accounts. I checked myself … not even a hint of a trace or bug on the wire transfer.
So I agreed to meet him … in my "office." One of the first things I learned is how to construct data holding areas right on the Dataway itself … and how to hide them from any prying eyes. These can make for totally secure meeting places. Even if the "room" is traced, I can be long gone and back to my real location long before a second trace could ever be run.
Old Pierre is good … obviously he's done more than one illegal act himself. He knew all the maps and codes to bring, all the datafiles and specs that I would need to judge how risky this job would be. He also did something almost unheard of … he told me the truth.
He told about his granddaughter getting nabbed … and what Quantatech wanted. They wanted the stocks … all of them, to turn her loose. If the old man transferred all his stock into Quantatechs' name, then they would release her unharmed. If not … she would get a ride in The Chair.
As used to I am to the dirty slimy things a corp can get up to, the idea of anybody having to "Ride The Chair" still makes my stomach queasy.
"I'll pay anything you want … any price you want. You know as well as I do they'll just do it anyway for sport even if I turn over James Bay to them!" I'd seen Pierre several times on the vid and he always looked like a dignified old man. The man here is disheveled and looks like his heart has been pulled out through his chest. "You know what that things does … from what I've been told you were nearly a victim of it once yourself. Surely you have some sympathy for her?"
His voice cracked on the last few words. The Chair has become a legend in the circles I run in and by the time he got to me poor Pierre must have gotten an earful about just how his granddaughter was going to die.
"I'm told you're the best stealthjack there is … if you can't help me … please … please tell me you can help me."
Finally, I looked up from the data he's brought me, and for the first time since he arrived and we introduced ourselves, I spoke.
"It can't be done," I say … because that's the truth. I'm not going to lie to the old guy … at least not under these circumstances.
My voice goes along with the persona I use when meeting people on the Dataway. Deep and powerful, yet rather quite, it matches the tall and muscular body I use. I small jaw line beard, short blonde hair and deep set blue eyes complete the "totally macho" image that most people have of Javelin.
I'm also good enough that his own scanning programs tell him that this is my real image, and not some projection. When you're wanted like I am, it really helps to have people looking for the wrong image.
"I could never shut down all the systems without setting off an alarm … nobody is that good. And even if I could shut down the whole facility, I couldn't get her off The Island with all the physical security. I'm sorry Mr. Le Grannoit … but there is not a single chance I could rescue her."
He looked up at me with stricken eyes, tears beginning to form again. "I know that … I know she can't be rescued. I tried to hire mercenaries, but they took on look at The Island and said they couldn't do it … not unless they had a whole army and she'd just wind up dead anyway."
He ran one sweaty hand through his thinning hair. "I tried to pay off some government spooks to try it … but they said the same thing. They said there is no way to break into the place and get her out." Tears began to spill down his cheeks. "I've been to everyone I could think of … everyone. But they all said the same thing as you … that it can't be done."
"I don't understand … why are you here then? I'm a stealthjack … I wouldn't stand a chance in a million of getting her out." Obviously this old fellow had some sort of plan. All he'd told and shown me was to prove to me, not to himself, that it was impossible to rescue the girl.
With tears in his eyes he turned away from me. "I'm here because there is one thing you can do for me … and for her." His next words were hardly a whisper … even my ASP had to go to max input to hear him.
"You can kill her … you can kill her clean."
I felt an icicle go down my back at his words. He was desperate enough to resort to this final solution. He truly did understand that there was no saving her from death. He was praying that I could at least save her from what The Chair would do to her.
I thought about it for several minutes … or at least that what he thought I was doing. I was actually running the schematics for Quantatechs' island research station through my mind as fast as I could, and reviewing my own files on the security that is present there. It probably seemed an eternity to him, but to read through several hundred gigs of documents only took me about 5 minutes using my custom designed ASP and the software I've written.
Told you I was good.
It could be done. It's damn risky, but it could be done. There is one thing that worried me though.
"I don't have any specs for The Chair Mr. Le Grannoit. I don't know how it works for sure … the only thing I do know is that is uses ASP technology to do what it does. I could get all the way into their system, only to find I can't alter how it works."
He walked close to me, and I quickly had my ASP scan him again for any "weapons", but he's clean.
"But it could be tried couldn't it?" It was strange to see such a powerful corp type with so desperate a look. I guess every man has his weakness … his granddaughter was Pierre's. "I'll pay you double your normal rate just to try. Please … it's hard enough to know she's going to die and I can't save her. But to know that she will die slowly … howling her lungs out in agony! It's too much … please! You've GOT TO HELP ME!!"
He reached out to grab me, and one of my defensive programs went off and suddenly he found himself strapped into a heavy chair. One second he is ranting at me, and the next he's all tied down. It's more than a little disorienting, which is enough to shock him out of his hysterics and calm him down a little.
"Please," he said quietly after a few minutes, "please … you must be able to do something … anything."
"It's going to cost you. I'll be risking my brain here … even the best anti-feedback system can't stand up to the stuff Quantatech uses. And I'm not promising you anything. I want the full fee in advance. If I can't stop what they're going to do, I'll refund half your money … but that's it."
"Anything … name your price. I'd have given the bastards the company if I thought even for a second that they would let her go. You can have it all … just please … save my grandchild from that hideous thing."
I stood quietly for a few minutes … running it all through my mind. There was a lot in this for me … money, prestige if I pull it off, and what's more … I could really stick it the corp I still owe big time.
But the risks are incredible. The Island is Quantatechs' maximum security research lab … this would be one of the hardest jobs I've ever pulled. The security programs alone will have enough power to fry my brain to a nice golden brown … let alone any other stealthjacks I might run into.
Was it really worth it? I asked myself.
Then I made the mistake of looking into the old man's eyes … and that little bit of conscious that the government didn't weed out of me went off. Damn it … there are times I really hate this job.
"Transfer the money to this account," I said, handing him a piece of paper. Out in the real world, his ASP records the code written on the paper. " Tell them your going to pay them off … that will stall them for bit and give me the time I need to prepare. I'll make the run in 2 days, after I write some new code and do some checks on my ASP."
The old man's eyes lit up with hope, and then fell back into tears as he realized that his only hope is that I can kill the girl quickly and cleanly. He merely nodded and, unable to meet my eyes again, he disconnected from the Dataway, and his image faded away to random dots of light that slowly fade.
I deconstructed my office, and then taking a long route to avoid being followed I returned to my own login point, and disconnected from the Dataway.
I blinked a few times, and then give a long stretch. Then I removed the ASP helmet from my head, and got up from my "couch". It really is an old dentist's chair … very comfortable for lying in for hours on end while my mind is lost in the Dataway.
I gave another long stretch, rubbing feeling back into my butt with both hands, and straightening my clothes. I head into my bedroom and the bath there for a nice long soak … I'm going to need to try to relax before I start writing the code and inspecting the ASP that my life is going to depend on.
In my mirror I looked at my real body as I striped. Small and fairly compact, my breasts are firm if not big, and my legs look longer than they are, giving me a long lean look that I've managed to keep, even after 37 years. Unlike most stealthjacks, I wear my black hair fairly long. All in all, I'm still a good-looking woman. As good as when I broke into Quantatech all those years ago.
Of course there are still the scars that Quantatechs' goons left on me … and the mental scars are still not fully healed.
For 11 years Quantatech and all the others have been hunting a man called Javelin. In all that time, Quantatech never once suspected that Javelin was the woman who was the only one ever to escape The Island. Even my old bosses at the Bureau thought I'd drown while trying to swim the freezing waters of San Francisco bay.
And for those same 11 years, I've not had the courage to face what they did to me in that place … maybe it's finally time to face The Chair again.
"Oh yes Pierre … you'd be surprised I think to learn just how much sympathy I have for your granddaughter."
I sink back into my bath … and begin my plan.