Freedom TM

collar.
    Johnston was leading Philips along. “Now that you’re part of the team, we want to get your input on the overall direction of the effort.”
    They moved into a sitting room warmly furnished with more human-scale sofas and chairs and wall-to-wall carpet. The securityman closed the door and stood, hands clasped in front of him. Paperwork was everywhere on the coffee tables, and several suited men were tapping furiously on laptop keyboards. A bank of towering windows filled the far wall and bathed the room in diffuse light. The frames were arched into gothic points but the glass was smoked—keeping out much of the daytime heat. Beyond the windows lay vast grasslands dotted with horses.
    “It’s something, isn’t it? Our group owns it all as far as the eye can see.”
    Philips nodded at the view. “Including the sky, apparently.”
    He didn’t seem to notice. “It’s a rare joy on horseback—especially at dawn.”
    Johnston patted a large upholstered chair. Philips bristled at this potential display of social rank and sexism combined—but realized she was being childish and sat where invited. Johnston sat on the arm of a nearby sofa. Someone shoved a bone china cup and saucer into her hand, and a servant in a dinner jacket and white gloves poured steaming coffee from a silver pot.
    Johnston gestured toward three other men sitting nearby—lots of symmetrically graying temples and impeccable tailoring on display. “Dr. Philips, this is Greg Lawson, Adam Elsberg, Martin Sylpannic.”
    They nodded in turn as people came and went from various doors in the background.
    “Are you gentlemen with Weyburn Labs?”
    Johnston laughed. “No, no, Doctor. They’re with one of our Houston-based firms. They’re here to represent the interests of key partners.”
    Philips placed the coffee cup on a nearby table. “Gentlemen, why am I sitting here? I need to speak with the Weyburn Labs team. Events are unfolding in the streets right now. Action needs to be taken.”
    “Understood, understood.” Johnston nodded, while the other men looked questioningly toward him. “But first we want to hear your thoughts, Doctor. Did you have a chance to read the briefing paper on the way in from the airfield?”
    “Yes.”
    “What do you think?”
    “I think there are weaknesses. First, this Daemon-blocker mentioned in the report—I don’t see how you can insinuate it into all infected networks. Especially in the timeframe indicated. Not to mention the risk of storming all these data centers simultaneously around the globe.”
    One of the trio of Johnston’s aides was furiously tapping at a keyboard as she spoke.
    Philips stopped for a moment. “Look, I’ve had more than a few difficulties working with private industry against the Daemon in the past. I need to know who is—”
    Johnston nodded genially. “Yes, I know there was some unpleasantness—that some of our representatives might have taken wrongful actions.”
    “
Wrongful actions?
My DOD liaison shot key group members, and destroyed our task force headquarters with demolition charges—killing everyone and destroying all our work. That’s more than a little unpleasant.”
    “I understand, Doctor. But this is a war. And in war mistakes are made. It’s whether we learn from those mistakes that spells the difference between victory and defeat. We’ve tightened up the chain of command. You weren’t aware of it at the time, but the Daemon Task Force was just a pilot project. A proof of concept. And thanks to you, a successful one. Operation Exorcist is the result—a multibillion-dollar effort. It will take all of government and private industry resources to defeat the Daemon. We truly need your help.”
    Philips still eyed Johnston. She figured acquiescing too quickly would seem suspect. “What about The Major?”
    “He’s no longer on the project.”
    “But neither is he in Leavenworth.”
    “The Major needs to be kept on a short leash, but we need all hands right now, Doctor.”
    “He murdered special agent Roy Merritt.”
    “Understood, but nothing about this situation is personal. This is national security, and Deputy Director Fulbright assures me that you’re familiar with making leadership decisions. We think you have a bright future in the private sector, Dr. Philips. We see leadership potential in you.”
    She paused as long as she thought necessary to make it appear that she was wrestling with her conscience. In actuality she was