Terminal Compromise - Winn Schwartau (fiction book recommendations TXT) 📗
- Author: Winn Schwartau
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Scott saw the galley for the afternoon paper. The headline, in 3
inch letters shocked him:
RICKFIELD RESIGNSHe immediately called Senator Nancy Deere.
“I was going to call you,” she said. “I guess you’ve heard.”
“Yes, what happened?” He shouted excitedly over the rumble of the
high speed train.
“I guess I should take the blame,” Nancy said. “When I confront-
ed the Senator this morning, he just stared at me. Never said a
word. I begged him for an explanation, but he sat there, expres-
sionless. He finally got up and left.”
“That’s it? What happens now?”
“I see the President,” she said.
“May I ask why?”
“Off the record,” she insisted.
“Sure.” Scott agreed. What’s one more source I can’t name.
“I heard about the resignation from the White House. Phil Mus-
grave. He said the President was very concerned and wanted a
briefing from my perspective. He’s beginning to feel some heat
on the computer crimes and doesn’t have a clue. I figure they
need to get up to speed real fast.”
“It’s about time,” Scott said out loud. “They’ve been ignoring
this forever.”
“And,” Senator Deere added, “they want you there, too. Tomorrow,
9A.M.”
The hair on Scott’s neck stood on end. A command performance
from the White House?
“Why, why me?
“You seem to know more than they do. They think you’re wired
into the hackers and Homosoto.”
“I’ll be there,” Scott managed to get out. “What do I do . . .?”
“Call Musgrave’s office at the White House.”
“I bet the paper’s going nuts. I didn’t tell them I had left or
where I was going,” Scott laughed.
Scott called Doug who had half of the paper looking high and low
for him. “You made the big time, huh kid?” Doug said feigning
snobbery. “What world shattering events precipitated this mag-
nanimous call?” In fact he was proud. Very proud of Scott.
Scott explained to Doug that he would call after the White House
meeting, and he wasn’t quite sure why he was going, and that
Nancy was taking over the hearings and he would stay in DC for a
few days. And no, he wouldn’t tell more than was in print, not
without calling Doug or Higgins – at any hour.
Doug sounded relieved when Scott volunteered that there would be
no hotel bills. Phew. Forever the cheap skate. The story of the
year and he’s counting pennies. God, Doug was a good editor.
Scott’s stories on computer crime and specifically the dGraph
situation aroused national attention. Time, Newsweek and dozens
of periodicals began following the story, but Scott, at Doug’s
suggestion, had wisely held back enough information that would
guarantee the privacy and quality of his sources.
He was right in the middle of it, perhaps making news as much as
reporting it, but with Doug’s and the Times’ guidance, Scott and
the paper were receiving accolades on their fair yet direct
treatment of the issues.
Doug thought that Scott was perhaps working on the story of the
year, or maybe the decade, but he never told him so. However,
Scott was warned that as the story became major national news,
the exclusivity that he and the Times had enjoyed would be in
jeopardy. Get it while the getting is hot.
No problem.
It just so happened Scott knew Miles Foster personally.
“Sonja? I’m coming down. Tonight. Can you recommend a good
hotel?” He jibed at her while packing away his laptop computer
for the trip to Washington. He called her and was going to leave
a message, but instead he was rewarded with her answering the
phone.
“Chez Lindstrom is nice, but the rates are kind of high.”
“King or twin beds? Room with a view? Room service?”
“E, all of the above,” she laughed. “Want me to pick you up at
National?”
“Naw, I’ll take the train from work. I may need to buy a few
things when I get there, like a suitcase and a wardrobe. It’s
kind of last minute.”
“I gather I wasn’t the prime reason for your sudden trip,” Sonja
said in fun.
“No, it was, I wanted to come, but I had to do some . . .and then
I found out about . . .well I have to be there tomorrow, but I am
leaving a day early.” He pleaded for understanding, not realiz-
ing she was kidding him. He couldn’t tell her why he was being
so circumspect. Nothing about the meeting.
“Well,” she said dejectedly, “I guess it’s O.K. If.”
“If what?” Scott brightened.
“If we can have a couple of friends over for dinner. There’s
someone I’d like you to meet.”
*“Holy shit,” Scott said as Sonja opened her apartment door and
admitted Miles and the stunning Stephanie.
Miles stopped in his tracks and stared at Scott. Then at Stepha-
nie. “What’s the deal?” he said accusingly.
“This is Sonja Lindstrom and her friend Scott Mason,” Stephanie
said. “What’s wrong, hon?” She still had her arm wrapped around
Miles’ arm.
“It’s just that, well, we’ve met, and I was just kind of sur-
prised, that’s all.” He extended a hand at Scott. “Good to see
you again.” Scott warmly reciprocated. This was going to be an
interesting evening.
“Yeah, ditto,” Scott said, confused. “What happened to you? I
thought you were coming back?” He was speaking of Amsterdam.
“Well, I was a little occupied, if you recall,” Miles said refer-
ring to the triplets in Amsterdam. “And business forced me to
depart earlier than I had anticipated.”
“Where? To Japan?” Scott awaited a reaction by Miles, but was
disappointed when there was none.
Stephanie and Sonja wondered how the two had already met; it was
their job to report such things to Alex, but it really didn’t
matter any more. They were quitting.
The first round of drinks was downed quickly and the tension in
the room abated slightly. The four spoke casually, albeit some-
what guardedly. The harmless small talk was only a prelude to
Scott’s question when the girls stepped into the kitchen. Per-
haps they left the room on purpose.
“Listen,” Scott whispered urgently to Miles. “I know who you
are, and that you’re tied up with Homosoto and the computer
nutsiness that’s going on everywhere. You have a lot of people
looking for you and we only have a few seconds,” Scott said
glancing up at the kitchen door. “I see the situation as fol-
lows. You get to tell your side of the story to the authorities
in private, or you can tell me first and I put it in tomorrow’s
paper. This may be your only chance to get your side of the
story out. All of sudden, you’re big news. What’ll it be?”
Scott spoke confidently and waited for Miles’ answer.
Miles intently scanned every inch of Scott’s face in minute
detail. “That fucking gook. You’re damn right I’ll talk. First
of all, it’s a lie,” Miles hissed. “If they’re coming after
me, I have to protect myself. Can’t trust a fucking slant eye,
can you?”
The girls returned with fresh drinks and sat down on the white
leather couch. Miles and Scott continued their discussion.
“What happened?” Scott asked. Miles looked over at the stunning
Sonja, stripping her naked with his stare and then at Stephanie
who had caught his stare.
“It’s very simple,” Miles said after a while. His dimples deep-
ened while he forced a smile. “Homosoto’s fucked us all.” He
nodded his head as he looked at his three companions. “Me.
Royally. How the hell can I defend myself against accusations
from the grave.” He shrugged his shoulders. “And you,” he point-
ed at Scott. “You’ve kept the fear going. Haven’t you. You
picked up the scent and you’ve been writing about it for months.
Setting his stage for him. Like a puppet. And then? After you
sensitize the public, he commits suicide. He used you.”
“And then, you two,” Miles said to Stephanie and Sonja. “You
could be out in the cold in days. Bet you didn’t know you were
in on it. Am I right?”
“In on what?” Scott asked Miles and Sonja.
“Tell him,” Miles said to Sonja. “I’ve never met you, but I can
guess what you do for a living.”
“She’s a PR person,” interjected Scott.
“Go on, tell him, or I will,” Miles said again.
Sonja’s eyes pleaded with Miles to stop it. Please, stop. I’ll
do it in my own way, in time. Please, stop. Scott glowered at
Miles’ words and awaited a response from Sonja. How could he
distrust her? But what did Miles mean?
The front door bell rang and broke the intense silence. It rang
again as Sonja went to answer.
“Yes, he’s here,” she whispered.
The door opened and Tyrone Duncan came into the room while anoth-
er man stood at the door. Tyrone walked up to Miles. Scott was
in absolute awe. How the hell? Ty had said
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