Incarna

69 - Al Latiff

Day 12: Lubeck - North Germany

“Abd al-Latif ibn Yusuf al-Baghdadi, salam alaikum!” The tall slender man dressed impeccably in a well cut grey suit turned and smiled. He gave a slight bow and touched a hand to his forehead his lips then his chest.

“Alaikum salam, Herr Berg!”

Florian smiled, “An Austrian accent, interesting. I thought with your studies yours would have been more of a Rhinelander but obviously Professor Noordung was a great influence!”

It was Latif’s turn to smile, “Your reputation is but a shadow of your true intellect Herr Berg, it is indeed and honour to be welcomed into your inner sanctum!” Al-Latif indicated the building they were in with a subtle but precise roll and lift of his right hand. Florian gave him a nod of of thanks in return.

“I have only read the palfrey gleanings of our service on the capabilities of this building,” he paused letting each word carry the import he implied. “You have created a true masterpiece with the blending of the 15th century building renovation and this truly 21st century masterpiece. All the rumours come to nought as the saying goes!”

Florian gave him another nod of recognition for his praise. Time now to find out what you really want. “Ah yes your security service runs frequent observation exercises on us here. I believe that is their building across the Trave there,” and Florian indicated through the exterior glass wall across the garden and lawn that led down to the waters of the Trave and across to the other side of the estuary.

“The one on the corner I believe,” as he indicated the buildings facing the street that ran the length of the river bank. “Then across there,” and Florian indicated further along to his left, “we have the Russians, and then the Chinese just along a little further.”

He turned back into the room, “Thorsten, if you would, window screen bitter.” Thorsten nodded and tapped in the commands. Florian could have just used voice control of even the remote on the desk nearby but one doesn’t show all ones secrets to strangers especially on the first date!

The glass wall came alive with data displays. Three icons lay in approximate positions with the operations already named, while just on the other side of the Russians was another icon. “Ah I see the Americans are scanning us again, and with new methods. Good on them, I’ll have a chat to them later and send them our response. Analysis please Thorsten.”

New displays came up next to the icons listing the scanning frequencies detected and then analysis of these with predictions of the equipment used. Florian watched Al-Latif blink a few extra times but otherwise kept his composure. “The Chinese are particularly resilient and try everything on a regular basis. One of their lasers was not tuned properly and shorted out every boat passing between us on that occasion. The compensation bill was quite extraordinary.”

Al- Latif turned to Florian with a raised right eyebrow. “Your people are polite but not very subtle I’m afraid. We’ve blocked and scrambled everyones attempts of course. Your people tend to act as if nothing has happened. The Russians send us hampers, though we found nano tracers in the Caviar of the last one, such a waste really. They could have put the tracers in the fake caviar and not the real Beluga! So anyway, I’ve something different for your visit!”

“Thorsten if you would please!” Thorsten grinned and tapped one key. There were no flashes or sounds or explosions, only an increasing change in the data being displayed until all the readings dropped to zero. Another data table appeared labelled Cloud and it also dropped to zero, then Core. The reading for the Russians and Chinese Core rapidly reduced to zero, but that of Al-Latif’s associates reduced some 30% then stabilised.

“Ah, phone call for you, if you go through that door over there you’ll have reception,” and Florian indicated with his left hand to a door near the left side wall junction with the glass wall. Frowning Al-Latif strode to it and stepped in but didn’t bother closing the door behind him. He knew there was no privacy anywhere here. He nodded and frowned then tapped off.

“My tech people are very distressed. Will they retrieve anything?” “No sorry, except in your core data base in Riyadh but all new data there has been scrambled, irrevocably. It’ll put you back 6-12 months. Whereas our Russian and Chinese friends have lost everything including all records and data on building the original system. It will be another 2 years of work for them.”

“This challenge you and Max Parrish conduct, does indeed keep you two ahead of all of us!” Florian nodded again then pursed his lips. “Yes, well Max did hack us recently and it took us 6 weeks to reverse engineer what he’d done. So, he is well and truly in the lead at present!”

Florian turned to al-Latif, “Now what can I actually do for you?”

Abd al-Latif ibn Yusuf al-Baghdad suddenly looked nervous and Florian turned to Sigi, “All good?” She nodded while looking concerned. “My dear Abd, no one can record anything of what happens in here!”

Latif nodded and let out a long slow breath. “The Saud family is in disarray. With these Incarna interventions, another power has arrived on the scene, greater in every way than anything the Wahabist apologists can explain away.” He swallowed slowly, whatever it was this was very difficult for him. “I am not very high up in the echelons of the Saud family so I do what I am told and I lead a very, very comfortable existence and my family has everything. Since the intervention against the ordered execution of the second cousin of my eldest brothers third niece, there are many of us trying to break connections as quickly as possible with the Saud Regime in Riyadh!”

“Florian …” said Sieglinde quietly. He nodded to her. “What can we do for you Abd, without causing an international incident?”

“I want my family safe and to work with you!” Florian gave him a puzzled look, “Does Berlin know anything of this, because this is tantamount to political asylum you are asking for!”

“No, this is a private request of the only people I think I would be of any use to and secure the safety my family needs!”

How many of you,” asked Sigi from her desk. “Eleven of us, including six children. I will need to secure our investments and properties and of course our safety. If the Saud Regime collapses there will be recriminations and murders and I do not wish to be around when that happens!”

Florian had briefed himself on al-Latif and his academic achievements. A degree in astrophysics, honours then his PhD in Quantum State analysis. His research since had always been in the direction of room temperature Quantum Computing but no one had got that far yet and for al-Latif it was a fundamental before sentient AI could be achieved.

“I’m familiar with your academic work, but,” and he shrugged and lifted his hands palm up toward the ceiling, “what will you bring to us that others can’t?”

Abd’s mind raced. This was the question. What could he offer them that Florian didn’t already know or have access to somehow. What sort of answer did Florian need to make him interested in a new team member. What did his question, actually imply?

“Honesty,” said Abd! Florian smiled and put out his hand to make the contract.