Cloud to Cloud

Episode 40: Pinpointing the Batcave for Batman of Cloud Connections

Linus paused at a storefront to watch the latest news on an array of televisions displayed in a sidewalk storefront window.

The reporter rambled in practiced tones: "Breaking news. More updates on the mysterious NetNostradamus. In the past few hours the unknown hacker broke into several international weather and crisis organizations in order to send several emergency alert notifications concerning a potential earthquake and tsunami predicted to hit coastlines in the East China Sea. Notifications were sent to tens of thousands of local organizations who immediately activated emergency evacuations. Hours after the initial organizations still struggled to discover the source of the intrusion, an earthquake and tsunami struck exactly as the initial alert stated. Authoritative sources are stating the hacker, dubbed NetNostradamus, was precisely correct on location and magnitude of the earthquake hours before it occurred.

Linus's face contorted as he considered the report. "NetNostradamus?"

He turned from the televisions and rushed along the street, eyes narrowed in contemplation.

Linus entered the GlobeNet command center. The facility had been vacant since the crash of GlobeNet. For ITower, it was too far from the centers of commerce to bother reconnecting to the core network.

He faced the elevator with eyes wide as he approached. The biometrics scanners emitted a pleasant ding as the green light flashed. The door opened. Despite global network instability his organization managed to use the technology at their disposal.

Gazing lazily around the carriage, he rode the several floors above the city.

The doors opened to the bustling command center. A handful of workers, some in jackets similar to Linus's, were seated at clusters of computers arrayed in front of a wall of screens. He glanced at one large screen on the left depicting yet another similarly arranged command centerspace with more, uniformed attendants.

Linus closed on the nearest worker. "You. Pull up the news station. All Channels." He waved his hand at the remaining screens on the front wall.

"Yessir." The worker keyed in names for local, national, and international news stations.

After a moment, the screens in front flickered and cascaded to the requested news sites.

"What do we know about this NetNostradamus?" Linus barked. "Anyone?"

His eyes narrowed as he scanned the silent room. Confused faces were on him, yet none offered an answer.

"I want information. Start the searches." Linus paced the room. "Is he one of us? Where did he log in from? How did he access global crisis center systems and push alerts out?" Linus pivoted on his heel to stare down the seated workers. "I thought we pulled in the best. You guys built GlobeNet. Now get control of it."

Linus turned his attention once more to the giant screen. "Someone is on our network. Find him. There shouldn't be any deviations from our directive."

Linus stormed through the side door into the adjoining conference room. He slammed the door, leaving the workers to their task.

He opened another screen on the wall of the room. At the center of the image, the shadowed figure appeared.

"Do you have an update from your sector?" The shadowed figure's voice was as obscured as his face.

"Our former GlobeNet techs have regained much of the previous access to the network again. No news on the damage that might remain from the lock out. They could have planted traps, honeypots, tracers. We just do not know yet."

"Are we keeping the other networks subdued?" The figure pressed.

"All other firewall blocking rules are functional. We are substantively in control," Linus assured the figure.

After a moment, he cleared his throat. "Though..." Linus struggled for the words. "There is a new concern. An individual the media is calling NetNostradamus."

"We are aware." The figure's tone darkened. "Is he one of your sector's agents or technicians?"

"I cannot confirm, but he must be someone on the inside." Linus swallowed. "I have no reason to suspect anyone in this sector. He may be a GlobeNet employee, or some ITower code monkey."

"Or the architect." The figure growled.

"I am aware of the possibility," Linus conceded. "At least we know its not the work of a civilian. Our firewalls would have kept them out. Though, if it is the architect, he seems to have a bit of a hero complex."

The shadowed figure remained silent.

Linus took this as permission to continue. "He accessed the networks capable of traversing time. We've seen this phenomena, too, and are trying to stabilize it. This hero used the information to pre-warn of this tsunami disaster and save lives. He could have easily used this information for personal gains."

"Is this your way of speaking on behalf of this hacker and against the directives of our organization?"

"Not at all," Linus assured the shadow. Though to some degree he struggled to assure himself. "I have always been loyal to our research and the goals of our predecessors."

"Considering how much Wave7 has funded your research and how much knowledge we have conveyed to you, your loyalty should be unwavering." the shadow intoned.

"Of course." Linus nodded.

A secondary window popped open in the corner of the screen. One of the former GlobeNet techs seated in the other room appeared onscreen.

"Sir. My apologies for the interruption," the young woman stammered. "You need to see this. It's about the NetNostradamus."

The window closed as she concluded her transmission, leaving the silhouette to command the screen once again.

"Go, go." the silhouette dismissed Linus. "We want updates as soon as you have anything of substance."

Linus nodded and remained in the office a moment more as the silhouette signed off. He rushed to the main floor of the command center once the anxiety from the encounter ebbed. He was met by the young tech, tablet in hand.

"We traced the IP address, sir," she informed him. "It's a location here in the city."

Linus snatched the tablet from her hand. "How close?" He scowled as he zoomed in on the pinpoint on the map.

"She is close. The address led us here."

The name "Conscious Connections" appeared on the blue flag beside the pinpoint.

He shoved the device back into the woman's hands. "She? Search the Cloud. Find out everything you can."