Cyber Witch

Chapter 6.2 - Hard-Arse High-Level Corporate Executive

With a fit, lean body and buzz haircut, the security director looked ex-military, but also vaguely familiar. Then I remembered — he was a marine officer during my Cyber Assault Force years, although our paths only rarely crossed. I held my breath and turned away as his eyes snapped my way and narrowed. I was just a girl then, but if he recognized me, well, that would be bad, really bad...

Standing, Gideon leaned with both hands on the table and focused on Zach. "I can assure you, Mr. Green, all fragments of the cyber attack have been removed. It caused only minimal damage to the computer systems. There was no need for you to have come here."

"Darius Welde in not so convinced, Mr. Lief," Zach spat back, glaring. "But it is in both our interests that we wrap this up quickly." He tipped his head toward me. "My assistant Avia Brown is here to perform a data system security audit. I expect full cooperation on your part. In the meantime, I would like to review your physical security processes."

Gideon narrowed his eyes and frowned. An angry retort formed on his tongue, but the station director responded first. "Of course, Mr. Green." She motioned the young woman forward. "Zoe, please show Ms. Brown to the core room and provide her with whatever she requires."

"Yes, ma'am," Zoe said. "If you would follow me, Ms. Brown?"

As I turned, Zach left a parting instruction, scowling, "Oh, Ms. Brown, I expect regular updates. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir," I responded with a tremble, bowing my head. He played the demanding boss almost too well.

As we passed back through the plaza, Zoe asked, "Would you care for a refreshment, Ms. Brown?"

Actually, I could use something sugary to power my cybernetic implants for the task ahead. "Perhaps some fruit juice? And please call me Avia."

When Zoe returned with a plastic bottle containing a fruity dark red-liquid, I smiled and said, "Thanks, Zoe. Sorry about Mr. Green. He can be such a prick sometimes."

Zoe's face visibly relaxed, and she smiled in return. "He was intense."

I rolled my eyes up. "I think they all learn hardassery in corporate executive school."

Zoe put a hand to her mouth, but could not stifle a giggle. "Let's get to it, shall we?"

The core room, as they called their primary computer system access point, was a cyber-nerd's playground. Soft overhead lighting illuminated a semi-circle of computer terminals with colorful holographic displays floating above. Beyond those, four meshed enclosures protected the quantum-core processors that ran the station and held its secrets. And if Arthur's information was right, there were also secondary and tertiary data backup systems located elsewhere on the station. I had to erase them all.

To get here within the Coronis Station bowels, Zoe had taken me through two levels of security guarded by blue-uniformed security personnel with scary-looking black shock-batons at their waists — I've witnessed those things turn a buff marine commando into a quivering deck heap. Not something I wanted to experience.

"So, Zoe, how did you end up at a secret research station in this remote corner of the galaxy?" I asked. We settled into the core room and I cracked open my juice bottle.

"Well, long story short, I grew up on Earth, one of the few left on that wasted planet. We sure weren't Elites, but between what my parents could scrape together and a few scholarships, I went to university on Mars." A smile grew on her face as she recalled her past. "Wrote code to make ends meet, and did it well enough that Omni-Corp noticed. They offered me a job here as a data engineer and I jumped on it. Except for the usual corporate politics, it's been good." She turned to me and lifted an eyebrow. "What about you Avia?"

"My life's not very exciting," I replied with a shrug. I hadn't created a backstory and thought it best not to improvise, so I made a diversion by making my station-issued com-viewer beep as if I received a message. "Oh great, Mr. Green wants an update already. Better report in or he will throw a tantrum. It's not pretty..."

I typed the message: At the core. Beginning audit. Met Gideon Lief many years ago when I was in the service. Not sure if he remembers me.

I was unsure about telling Zach about Gideon, but he should know. I had hacked our com-viewers so the station could not monitor them, but there was always the risk someone else might view the message as Zach did.

A curt response came: Carry on.

Sitting before the center terminal, I activated the virtual keyboard, connected my tablet-viewer, and secretly linked my cybernetics. "I'll be at this for a while, Zoe," I said. "If you have somewhere else to be, I'm okay here." I liked Zoe, but also hoped she would leave.

"The rules require that I stay and monitor your actions," Zoe responded, biting her lower lip. "I hope you understand."

"That's okay. I'll mirror my work on another terminal so you can follow along." A twinge of guilt rose in my gut. With what I was about to do, Zoe may lose her job. Or worse.