"Whew," said Brianna. "When you said 'point-and-click', I thought you were going to teach me how to shoot."
Phil sat Xyber's e-mail down on the computer desk. He and Brianna were at Grissom's place. "Yeah, right. You still flinch every time you can hear Dirty Harry playing in another room. Heaven help Vanguard if we ever need your trigger finger."
Brianna picked up the address. "So, why aren't we just calling this Xyber woman? Wouldn't that be a little more...secure...than an e-mail?"
"Because Xyber's not a woman. She's a computer program, just like Glitch. She's self-aware." Brianna lifted an eyebrow. "She's trustworthy, if the pay is good. She can hack into the databases and pull up the information we need." Phil stood up and assumed an instructory voice. "Now, the computer's already on, right?"
Brianna beamed. "Yes. I started it up right before you came."
"Right. Open up Outlook Express."
"How?"
Phil rolled his eyes. "Pick up the mouse pointer and click on the little mail icon at the bottom left-hand screen."
Brianna took a hard look at the computer screen, and then looked back at Phil. "There's no icon."
"What? Let me see." Phil shuffled Brianna off the computer chair and looked at the screen. He let out a soft groan. The screen was completely blank, with the words Fatal Error on the screen. "Brianna...I think you wiped out Grissom's harddrive." Jeez, he's not going to like this...
Brianna shook her head. "It was like this when I turned it on! I didn't press a thing! I swear!" Her wings had gone ridged, and her feathers had bristled up, like a cat's back that had just been frightened.
Phil looked at the computer. There was little he could here. "I know Grissom has a laptop around here somewhere." He looked at Brianna. "Where is it?"
Brianna told him that it was in the top drawer of Grissom's dresser. "But he never lets anyone else touch it. He's got some special new stonewalls --"
"-- firewalls, Bree."
"Whatever. He doens't let me go on it."
Phil laughed. "I can see why! Look, stay out here." He picked up the e-mail address. "I'll contact Xyber myself. Aw, don't look hurt, Bree! It's only a harddrive."
"I didn't break it." But Phil was already out of the room. Brianna rolled her eyes and looked back at the computer screen. "If Grissom finds out, I'm never going to hear the end of this..."
*** *** ***
Phil opened up the laptop and sat it down on the dresser. Getting past Grissom's security wasn't a walk in the park, but nothing a telepath and computer expert couldn't handle. "Good...loading up the OS...oh shit."
No wonder Brianna wasn't allowed on the computer. The 19-inch screen had a very scandelous background for the desktop. It was Brianna, with silk sheets barely covering 'the essentials'. She was alseep, and probably had no clue the picture was taken.
"If Bree finds out, Grissom's never going to hear the end of this..."
Suddenly, the screen went blank and Phil's heart skipped a beat. He was worried that all the computers at Montag's had been attacked. But a bluish-purple screen appeared, and pink text appeared. Phil's replys were in blue.
It's about time you were online again, Mr. Montag. Noticed your fortress is under attack?
Actually, this is Phil Smith. And by 'fortress' are you refering to his office desktop?
Ah. Good morning, Mr. Smith. At 0753 this morning a virus entered one of Montag's computer and wiped out his hard drive. The computer was turned on at 0804. I took note of the situation, and figured he would be contacting me soon. Don't be too surprised. I make a point of watching allies and adversaries extra closely.
"So. It's not Brianna's fault." Anything you can do about the computer? Xyber listed a price. You aren't cheap. But go ahead and fix it. Actually, Grissom wanted me to contact you. One of our team memebers is a robot created by a man named Dr. Sharpe. We need to find as much information as possible.
"Phil?" shouted Brianna. "The computer's back to normal again! Windows is starting up!"
"I'll be there in a few minutes."
Robo Squirrel? I read the story this morning. Shall I take my service fee from your Swiss bank account, or from one of your American institutions? Phil rolled his eyes. But he knew that Xyber was just as quick with the task at hand as she was with taking her money. You're in luck. I'm pulling up the database information and loading it up on the laptop for you. But here's the meat of the articles.
Several articles rejected for publishing by Dr. Sharpe mention purchases of materials from an Austrailian metalworks called 'Intrepid'. They have main offices in Sydney and plants farther away from the coast. Apparently, that's where the components for your Squirrel were made.
Now here's the juicy part. Those purchases were made about seven years ago. A new set of purchases, identical to the older reciept, were made about six months ago. That company is located in Zerich, Switzerland.
And now, for the twist. Want to know where the virus that hacked Montag's computer came from? I traced it back to Switzerland. Now, I'm only a heartless computer program, but I think you've been 'punk'd'.
Is that a technical computer term? But really, you think it's likely that someone's trying to make it hard for us to get to the bottom of this?
I don't believe in coincidences. So yes, I think the two events are connected. Keep me posted on the situation. I can get into Montag's PDA or your Palm if my services are needed again for this case. Oh, and will you tell that saucy Jym that if he wants to look under my motherboard, all he has to do is ask?
