Perfect Dark: Second Front Page 24

Catered Dinner and Open Bar (accredited guests only). Menu to include a selection of French, Greek, and Northern Italian dishes, cooked to order by celebrity media chef André Legrande and Grande Catering.

  30 JANUARY

  12:00 AM

  Midnight Screening of director Stephen Ross’s science-fiction extravaganza Farthest Stars (starring Rick Swift and Julie Jewel).

  2:30 AM

  Afterparty, hosted in the dataDyne Corporate Banquet Facility.

  8:00 AM

  Directors’ Champagne Breakfast. Don’t miss product demonstrations and upcoming releases from several dataDyne subsidiaries, including Royce-Chamberlain/Bowman Motors, ServAuto Robotics, and Frontline Military Technologies.

  12:00 PM

  The Presentation Ceremony and Activation of AirFlow.Net 2.0 by dataDyne CEO CASSANDRA DEVRIES.

  SOURCE:

  FROM THE OFFICE OF GABRIELLE SHEPHARD,

  DIRECTOR OF MEDIA RELATIONS AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS

  DATADYNE CORPORATION

  * * *

  *All visitors must present ID at all times and are subject to invasive and noninvasive security screenings. Presentation of this invitation indicates compliance with all dataDyne corporate security procedures and a waiver of dataDyne liability.

  **All times are Paris local and are subject to change without notice.

  Information contained within this release is © 2021 dataDyne Corporation and subsidiaries and may not be released except through approved distribution channels, per International Corporate Copyright laws. For more information contact the office of the Director of Media Relations and Public Affairs/dataDyne Corporation at gshephard@dataDyne.mediarel.node.public.

  * * *

  DataFlow Corporate Headquarters

  Office of dataDyne Chief Executive

  Officer Mlle. Cassandra DeVries

  17 Rue de la Baume

  Paris, France

  January 28th, 2021

  The video was gritty, battlefield quality, colors oversaturated and slightly off. It had been shot from the harness camera worn by one of the Hawks under Colonel Shaw’s command, and even computer stabilization didn’t help much to keep the image leveled or centered on its subject. But it showed enough, and it showed Cassandra DeVries what she believed she had wanted to see.

  “This was outside of Ankara, just prior to midnight last night, Madame Director,” Colonel Shaw told her. “Acting on intelligence from sources in the Turkish military, we were able to locate the target leaving central Ankara. Based on the information we gathered, I ordered an ambush of the target at the location you can see here, a private airstrip just east of the city.”

  Cassandra nodded her understanding, then wiped at the sleep still in the corners of her eyes, not looking away from the small monitor the colonel had set on her desk. She felt sore, mostly in the lower back, a result of the two hours of sleep she’d managed to steal on her office couch. Someone—Velez, probably—had brought her coffee, and she took a sip from the mug while watching the video.

  On the screen, dressed in black, with a pistol in each hand, Joanna Dark rolled and rose, firing each weapon. The camera skewed, as if its wearer was moving to avoid fire, and Cassandra was looking at a wall, then the ground, her view panning quickly over a dead Hawk lying in his own blood, clutching at his privates. Then the picture steadied, and she saw the barrel of an assault rifle being aimed by the Hawk wearing the camera, saw him sighting Joanna Dark as the woman spun and dove again, her mouth open. Cassandra imagined she was shouting invective and obscenities. The cameraman fired, missing her barely, and Dark spun away again, toward the end of the vehicle she had been using for cover.

  The image jumped, bobbing crazily, and Cassandra assumed that the Hawk wearing the camera was scurrying for a new position. When he found the young woman again, it was in time to see Colonel Shaw shooting her in the chest at extremely close range. Dark staggered, falling back, and Shaw dropped to his knees on top of her, and Cassandra could see that he had rammed his pistol squarely into the woman’s torso. Dark’s body jerked once, then a second time, her mouth opening again, and despite herself, Cassandra found herself imagining the agony of having round after round tearing through her thorax, bursting organs and rending veins.

  She’s so young, Cassandra thought. She’s just a girl.

  The camera steadied, moved closer to where Dark now lay motionless on the ground. Shaw was getting to his feet, and at the edges of the frame, other Hawks were moving in, the barrels of their weapons canted down at the body on the ground. Shaw moved half out of panel, and Cassandra saw the colonel’s hand appear in the shot, a glint of light off the barrel of his pistol. He fired once more into the woman’s head, and her body spasmed with the impact of the round, and as Cassandra watched, a pool of too-bright blood rolled out from beneath the girl’s broken head.

  Then the screen went dark.

  “Mission complete,” Colonel Shaw said.

  Cassandra nodded, forced herself to look away from the dead screen to where Shaw was standing in front of her, at the desk. The man looked crisp and clean, his uniform fresh, and his expression somber. Behind her, she heard Velez move from where she had stood to watch the video with her, coming along the side of the desk.

  “How did you dispose of the body?” Velez asked Colonel Shaw.

  “Standard procedure,” Shaw said. He kept his eyes on Cassandra as he answered. “We loaded the corpse into the vehicle visible in the video, then sanitized the location with incendiaries.”

  “Her weapons, they weren’t Carrington issue.”

  “Core-Mantis OmniGlobal,” Shaw said.

  “What happened to the audio?”

  “A malfunction on the recording track.”

  Cassandra looked at Velez, curious, then at Shaw. “Did she say anything? Before she died?”

  “Nothing worth repeating, no, ma’am,” Shaw told her. “Certainly not in polite company.”

  Cassandra nodded again, took a sip of her coffee, and found she couldn’t taste it at all. Velez was watching her, now, and her expression was clearly troubled, but why, Cassandra couldn’t tell.

  “Why was she at the airfield?” Velez asked Shaw, suddenly. “Where was she heading?”

  Shaw reached into his uniform, pulling a long plastic envelope from an inside pocket. He held it out for Cassandra, and she saw Velez’s frown deepen to a positive scowl for a moment before the other woman regained control of her expression. Cassandra took the envelope. Blood had soaked one edge of it, now dried to a reddish brown.

  “We found that on the body,” Shaw told Cassandra. “If I may say so, ma’am, I think we neutralized her just in time.”

  Velez moved back to the desk, watching as Cassandra unfastened the clasp on the envelope and emptied the contents onto her desk. There were four sheets of paper, all of them neatly folded, and Cassandra laid them out side-by-side, examining them. She was surprised to see that one of the sheets was a photograph of herself, a copy of the standard publicity headshot that had been taken just after she’d been named CEO and that was widely used in print and electronic media. The second and third sheets were maps: one of the Paris neighborhood surrounding DataFlow, and the other the floor plan of Presentation Hall A and the area immediately surrounding it. Notations had been made on both in black ink, lines drawn with arrows and other symbols. The floor plan had additional notations, as well, numbers that, to Cassandra, made no sense at all.

  The fourth sheet was a copy of the event schedule for the thirtieth, with the noon unveiling of AirFlow 2 underlined.

  “What do these numbers mean?” Cassandra asked quietly, indicating the figures on the floor plan.

  Shaw answered before Velez could, saying, “It’s a firing solution, ma’am.”

  “A firing solution?”

  “Snipers prepare them if given the opportunity. It saves them time when they’re in the field. She probably prepared them using the floor plan.”

  “This is classified,” Cassandra s
aid, looking to Velez. “The floor plan is a classified document, it has never been released to the public. How did she come to have it in her possession?”

  Velez had been staring at Shaw, her expression as tight and disapproving as ever, and she took a moment before responding to the question.

  “It’s a very good question, Madame Director,” Velez said. “I’ll look into it at once.”

  “I didn’t ask if you would look into it, Anita, I asked how it happened.”

  Velez’s jaw tightened, and Cassandra supposed that was because she didn’t care for being scolded in front of Colonel Shaw.

  “I don’t know, Madame Director.”

  “Obviously not.” Cassandra looked at the four pages on the desk in front of her, then pushed her chair back from the desk and got to her feet. “Colonel Shaw?”

  “Ma’am?”

  “How many Hawks do you have with you here in Paris?”

  “Seventeen, ma’am. I can have another twelve here within three hours.”

  “Please do so. I’d like you to assume security oversight for the AirFlow 2 rollout, effective immediately. That gives you very little time—the event begins tomorrow morning. Liaise with Director Shephard, please. You will, of course, be compensated.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Shaw said, and leaving the display monitor and the envelope on her desk, he pivoted on a toe and quickly covered the distance to the door, exiting briskly.

  Velez was staring at her, her expression caught between outrage and humiliation. Cassandra met the look without sympathy. After a second, Velez looked away.

  “Say it,” Cassandra ordered.

  Velez shook her head slightly, her brow furrowing.

  “Say what you want to say, Anita.”

  “Very well.” Velez met her gaze again, keeping her voice level. “I am the Director of Corporate Security, not Colonel Shaw. By giving him authority over the rollout, you compromise me and my position, and you create a situation within CORPSEC that could lead to further confusion and even greater danger.”

  Cassandra slammed her palm down onto the pages still resting on her desk, hard enough to topple the portable video display Shaw had used. “They were going to kill me! Carrington was preparing to send that little bitch here to put a bullet through my head at the unveiling, Anita! In front of the press, in front of the world, they were going to blow my brains out! And you think I’m making a mistake?”

  “Shaw has an agenda—”

  “Of course he does, you think I don’t know that? I know his financials, I know he’s looking for a permanent position with dataDyne! And frankly, as far as I’m concerned, he just passed his audition with flying colors! He just stopped a plot to end my life, Anita, and that’s more than you’ve managed to do in the last week!”

  “How did he find her?” Velez demanded, raising her voice in anger for the first time that Cassandra could remember. “We’d been searching for Dark ever since she escaped us in Veracruz, a priority target, but he suddenly finds her in Ankara after less than two days of searching?”

  “I don’t care how he did it, he did it, and that’s what matters!”

  “But it doesn’t make sense!”

  Cassandra picked up the copy of the event schedule, crumpling it in her fist as she showed it to Velez. “Where did she get this? Where did she get the floor plan, Anita?”

  Velez hesitated, then shook her head.

  “You can’t tell me, can you?” Cassandra said. “You don’t know. It could have been leaked, it could have been pulled off a server, it could have been delivered by a spy. You don’t know.”

  “No, Madame Director.”

  She threw the paper back down on her desk, glaring at Velez. The other woman said nothing.

  Cassandra drew a breath, steeling herself, saw Velez react, the momentary widening of her eyes. She was a smart woman, Cassandra knew. There was no doubt she hadn’t seen this coming.

  “Madame Director,” Velez said softly. “You cannot trust Leland Shaw.”

  “We’re not talking about Colonel Shaw any longer,” Cassandra said, matching her tone to Velez’s. “Now we’re talking about you, Anita. I think you’ll agree, you haven’t distinguished yourself over the past week.”

  Velez hesitated, then shook her head ever-so-slightly, forced to concede the point.

  “You’re correct about the situation within CORPSEC,” Cassandra said. “Putting Shaw in charge of the event security does compromise your position.”

  Velez met her eyes, waiting for the rest.

  “I’d like your resignation on my desk before lunch,” Cassandra said.

  “You don’t want to do this.” Velez’s voice remained soft.

  “I don’t see as I have much choice. Either you give me your resignation, or I fire you.”

  “This is a mistake.” Velez moved closer. “You’re making a terrible mistake, Madame Director.”

  “I rather think I’m correcting one.”

  “There’s something going on, I don’t know what it is, but the signs are everywhere. Veracruz, Ankara, Zentek, Beck-Yama, Core-Mantis, Carrington, even Shaw, I’m sure they’re part of it, all of them.”

  “I need your d-PAL and your ID. Your sidearm, I believe, you own yourself.”

  “Cassandra, please!”

  “We’re done, Anita. DataDyne and I both thank you for your service.”

  Then she held out her hand, and waited for Anita Velez, who had been her friend, to tender her resignation.

  >>COM NODE: 128.2981.9291 >> FLASH ENCRYPT

  >>TRANSMISSION, INCOMING_SATELLITE: AERIE-914

  >>TRANSCRIPT BEGINS . . .

  COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER :HAWK NEST TO HAWK LEADER. COLONEL, I HAVE A CALL FOR YOU ON THE SECURE NET, IT’S ON THE SCRAMBLER.

  SHAW : MACKENZIE? WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? THERE’S NOTHING RUNNING RIGHT NOW.

  CO: I CAN’T EXPLAIN IT, SIR. BUT IT’S GOT YOUR PASS CODE AND WAVE SIGNAL. SHALL I PATCH IT THROUGH?

  SHAW: . . . AFFIRMATIVE, LIEUTENANT.

  CO: HAWK NEst To SIGNAL DELTA DELTA ZERO THREE FIVE, YOU ARE SECURE WITH HAWK LEADER, GO AHEAD.

  X: COLONEL ! HOW’D THE VIDEO WORK OUT ?

  SHAW: . . . WHY ARE YOU CALLING ME?

  X: A COUPLE OF REASONS, ACTUALLY. THE FIRST IS TO THANK YOU—AGAIN—FOR THE SPLENDID JOB YOU DID IN DELIVERING THE PACKAGE. A LITTLE BROKEN, BUT ENTIRELY SERVICEABLE. JUST AS I’D HOPED.

  SHAW: YOU’RE WELCOME.

  X: SECOND, OF COURSE, IS TO CONGRATULATE YOU ON YOUR NEW JOB. I LIKE TO THINK THAT I HAD A SMALL PART IN MAKING THAT HAPPEN FOR YOU, OF COURSE, WITH THE VIDEO AND ALL, BUT IT’S YOUR TRIUMPH AND YOU SHOULD BE PROUD. THINGS ARE WORKING OUT JUST AS I SAID THEY WOULD, AREN’T THEY?

  SHAW: YES. YES, THEY ARE.

  X: WHICH BRINGS ME TO THE REASON I’M CALLING. ARE YOU STILL ABOARD WITH WHAT WE DISCUSSED?

  SHAW: WE ARE.

  X: I’M GLAD TO HEAR YOU SAY THAT. I’M ASSUMING YOU ’RE SAYING IT BECAUSE YOU’RE HAPPY WITH THE ARRANGEMENT, RATHER THAN, SAY, BECAUSE YOU’RE AFRAID WE MIGHT TELL A CERTAIN SOMEONE THAT THE WOMAN SHE THINKS YOU KILLED YOU DIDN’T KILL AT ALL. I’D HATE TO THINK THAT WAS WHY YOU WERE BEING SO ACCOMMODATING AND EVERYTHING.

  SHAW: I’M AWARE OF THE POSITION I’M IN. YOU CAN RELY ON ME FOR MY CONTINUED SUPPORT.

  X: [LAUGHS] OH, I AM SO GLAD YOU SAID THAT, COLONEL ! YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW GLAD I AM! I KNEW I WAS RIGHT ABOUT YOU! DIDN’T I SAY THAT WHEN WE FIRST MET? AND IWAS RIGHT, I KNEW YOU WOULD BE PERFECT. WE’RE GOING TO HAVE A GREAT FUTURE TOGETHER!

  SHAW: IHOPE SO.

  X: THERE’S ONLY ONE MORE THING I NEED YOU TO DO TO MAKE SURE THAT FUTURE COMES ABOUT, NOW. WE HAVE TO REMOVE THE WOMAN WHO IS SITTING IN MY CHAIR, SO TO SPEAK, YOU FOLLOW ME?

  SHAW: . . .

  X: COLONEL? COLONEL, DON’T GO ALL SQUEAMISH ON ME.

  SHAW: WE DIDN’T DISCUSS THIS.

  X: WELL, ACTUALLY, COLONEL, YES, WE DID. NOT IN SO MANY WORDS, BUT WHEN I TOLD YOU THAT I WOULD BE TAKING OVER, THAT IMP
LICITLY ASSUMED THE REMOVAL OF THE CURRENT CEO, DON’T YOU THINK? WORDS, BUT WHEN I TOLD YOU THAT I WOULD BE TAKING OVER, THAT IMPLICITLY ASSUMED THE REMOVAL OF THE CURRENT CEO, DON’T YOU THINK?

  SHAW: . . .

  X: [SIGHS] YOU DON’T WANT TO BACK OUT ON ME NOW, COLONEL. YOU REALLY DON’T.

  SHAW: I’M NOT THINKING ABOUT BACKING OUT, I’M THINKING ABOUT HOW TO DO IT.

  X: DON’T BOTHER, I’VE ALREADY WORKED IT OUT FOR YOU. YOU’RE MOVING YOUR HAWKS IN AS SECURITY FOR THE EVENT TOMORROW, YES ?

  SHAW: THAT’S RIGHT. BUT IF YOU’RE THINKING OF DOING IT THERE, I’LL TELL YOU RIGHT NOW IT’S A BAD IDEA. THERE ARE GOING TO BE A LOT OF PEOPLE ATTENDING, A LOT OF WITNESS

  X: NO, NO, NO, HUSH, NOW. IT’S NOT GOING TO WORK LIKE THAT.

  SHAW: THEN HOW IS IT GOING TO WORK?

  X: YOU’RE TAKING OVER FOR VELEZ, THAT MEANS YOU’RE HER PERSONAL PROTECTION. CORRECT?

  SHAW: YES.

  X: WHEN SHE TAKES THE STAGE ON THE THIRTIETH, FOR THE UNVEILING, YOU’RE GOING TO BE THERE, AREN’T YOU?

  SHAW: YES.

  X: THEN THAT’LL BE ALL IT TAKES. ONCE SHE TURNS THE MACHINE ON, EVERYTHING ELSE WILL TAKE CARE OF ITSELF. IT’LL LOOK LIKE AN ACCIDENT, YOU DON’T EVEN HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IT.

  SHAW: IN FRONT OF THE AUDIENCE?

  X: IT’S ABOUT THE MACHINE, COLONEL. SHE HAS TO TURN IT ON.

  SHAW: I DON’T UNDERSTAND.

  X: YOU DON’T NEED TO. ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS MAKE SURE SHE ACTIVATES AIRFLOW 2, ON TIME, ON SCHEDULE, AND ALL ACCORDING TO HER PLAN. THAT’S ALL. THAT’S IT.

  SHAW: THAT’S ALL ?

  X: THAT’S ALL, COLONEL. BUT—AND THIS IS IMPORTANT—SHE MUST ACTIVATE THE SYSTEM. IF SHE DOESN’T, ALL OF THIS IS FOR NOTHING. I END UP WITH NOTHING, WHICH MEANS YOU END UP WITH NOTHING. BECAUSE—AND I DON’T WANT YOU TO THINK THIS IS A THREAT, BECAUSE, REALLY, IT ISN’T, IT’S JUST THE TRUTH—IF THIS FALLS APART, I SWEAR TO YOU THAT I WILL MAKE SURE YOUR CURRENT BOSS FINDS OUT HOW YOU LIED TO HER. I’VE GOT THE ORIGINAL FOOTAGE, COLONEL, BEFORE WE DOCTORED IT FOR YOU, DON’T FORGET THAT.

  SHAW: TRUST ME, I HAVEN’T.

  X: THEN WE HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING?