Daemon

is going to pay.’
    ‘I know you’re upset.’ Ross gestured to encompass the scene. ‘Where are we going?’
    ‘To find Agent Decker. He needs to hear your theory about how Sobol’s doing this. Maybe they can use the information to contain this thing.’
    ‘Sergeant, the Daemon probably spread to the four corners of the world in minutes. It’s too late for containment. What you have to do is understand what it’s trying to accomplish and prevent it from accomplishing it.’
    ‘It’s trying to
kill
people – wake up.’
    Ross spoke calmly. ‘Pete, think about it: If all it wanted to do was kill people, why did it phone you to find out if you were present? Why didn’t it kill you in the courtyard when it had the chance? We all saw that Hummer stop and turn away from you. The Daemon has plans for you, and I’m sure it has plans for others as well.’
    Sebeck fumed for a bit, but then what Ross said began to sink in. ‘We’ve got to find Decker.’ Sebeck pointed at the county sheriff’s mobile command trailer a couple of hundred yards away. ‘That’s probably where he’ll be.’ He started walking toward it.
    Ross grabbed Sebeck’s sleeve.
    ‘What?’
    ‘Why are police massing around the estate?’
    Sebeck gave Ross a quizzical look. ‘What do you suggest they do?’
    ‘The house is not important, Pete. It won’t contain any useful information.’
    ‘The hell it won’t.’
    ‘Let’s not replay this map. We’re wasting time.’
    Sebeck raised his eyebrows. ‘So you think this is that much of a game to Sobol?’
    ‘I think
life
was a game to Sobol.’
    Sebeck sighed, truly lost. ‘Why would Sobol issue a press release forbidding the Feds from entering the property if there wasn’t anything important inside?’
    ‘Will the Feds defy the demand?’
    ‘
I
would. Who the fuck does this guy think he is?’
    Ross pointed. ‘
That’s
why Sobol did it.’
    ‘You think he’s just pushing the FBI’s buttons?’
    ‘More than that. He publicly drew a line in the sand against authority. They’ll have little choice but to cross it, and people will die. He’s manipulating them – to keep public attention focused on this location.’
    ‘But why? If Sobol killed the two programmers to protect the secrets of the Daemon’s design, then what’s the purpose behind the Hummer? Isn’t it also to protect the Daemon?’
    ‘I don’t think so.’
    ‘Then why in the hell would he go through so much trouble?’
    Ross thought for a moment, then looked back up at Sebeck. ‘What do you think will be the number one news story in the world tonight?’
    Sebeck didn’t hesitate. ‘This.’
    ‘Right. And
that’s
what we have to worry about: what is the Daemon about to do that requires the attention of the whole world?’
    Sebeck glared at him again. ‘Oh, come on, Jon. My head hurts just from talking to you.’
    ‘This didn’t happen by accident. Manipulation was Sobol’s specialty. These physical killings were to attract publicity. He’s issuing press releases.’
    ‘Look, I know you feel you’re a Sobol expert, but what I need is a technology expert.’
    ‘You’ll need both.’
    ‘You’re biased, Jon.’
    ‘Biased? How am I biased?’
    ‘You’re too big a fan of this guy. Listen to yourself; you make Sobol out to be twenty feet tall.’
    ‘Pete—’
    ‘Sobol had brain cancer. You should see how thick his medical file is. Did it ever occur to you that he was just fucking crazy?’
    ‘Does that make him less or more dangerous? I’m telling you, it doesn’t end here at his house. I’m sure of it.’
    ‘Do you suggest we just let the Hummer prowl the neighborhood?’
    ‘No, I’m saying the main investigation should branch off and try to discover Sobol’s master plan. We’re wasting time here. The master plan is everything.’
    Sebeck pointed toward the sheriff’s mobile command center. ‘C’mon. Tell your theory to the Feds.’
    In the mobile command trailer, Agent Decker sat motionless while a paramedic prepared a bandage for his recently stitched head wound. Decker was docile – perhaps sedated. Next to him stood another agent – taller, leaner, younger, and with an air of self-confidence. This was Steven Trear, the special agent in charge of the Los Angeles Division of the FBI, and he was carefully considering the expectant face of Peter Sebeck.
    ‘Are you sure it was Sobol?’
    Sebeck nodded. ‘I think it was the same voice from the computer video this morning, and