Welcome to my online cyber thriller, The Phisherman. To learn more about the story and meet the three main characters, click HERE. If you'd prefer to start at Chapter 1, click HERE. To select another chapter, click HERE.
Nick was frustrated. His hacker had escaped their pursuit by a few minutes, causing him to blow his stack and say things he shouldn’t have. Then, Alison rebuffed his dinner offer, though he knew he’d wanted it to turn into more than a meal. And now, he was stuck in a tiny hotel room, answering pointless emails from insignificant busybodies asking why he’d been stood down.
The only important message was from Dave, the IT guru, asking if Nick had his flash drive with the corrupted file. He’d also requested Nick to hand in his SAC-issued laptop before going on leave.
Nick typed a short reply.
I don’t have your USB drive, Dave. Good luck finding it. I’ll return the laptop when I’m at Langley next week. Nick.
He couldn’t help smiling. He hadn’t lied. Technically, the USB device was in Alison’s office.
And Dave will need plenty of luck to find that!
Nick had just hit ‘send’ when an email arrived from the hotel detailing their various services.
Opening the attached brochure, Nick’s eye was instantly drawn to the young and exceptionally pretty redheaded masseuse with green eyes that sparkled and luscious red lips parted just enough to be inviting. And she provided in-room therapy for the hotel’s guests.
I wonder if that includes special services? I might give her a call later.
Putting those thoughts aside, Nick focused on clearing the accumulated pile of meaningless messages that always filled his inbox too swiftly. After deleting most of them, Nick decided he would not stay cooped up in the hotel.
Sure, it’s five-star. But there are better places to be on a Tuesday night.
Unsurprisingly, Nick found his way to the nearby Grosvenor Casino.
Like all Grosvenors, it was not an overly modern or lavish casino. However, a separate side room existed for the slot machines, restricting their noisy clamor to the musty confine of their allocated reserve. It allowed the open area with table-based games to fill with the atmosphere Nick thrived on as a menagerie of gamblers in various states of inebriation yelled, cheered and groaned with each roll of the dice or draw from the deck.
Nick felt a kick in his step when he joined the smallish crowd of fifty or so in the room. By the time he’d acquired a large pile of chips from the young and over-friendly cashier, his mood had become jovial. Caught up in an atmosphere he hadn’t enjoyed for too long, Nick happily played Blackjack and Punto Banco as the hours slipped past midnight.
He was rapt the document at the root of all his problems was not a complete waste. Despite its hidden poison, it gave him an edge, enabling him to walk away with regular wins that kept him ahead, though he was careful with how he played each hand. He didn’t want anyone to suspect that he was more than an American tourist out for a thrill.
Looking at a large golden analog clock on the wall, Nick saw it was almost one in the morning.
Five more plays — time to go out with a bang and make some serious cash.
It was after two am by the time Nick staggered upstairs to his room. After swiping his key and walking through the door, all he wanted to do was climb onto that comfortable king-size mattress and fall asleep. However, it was impossible to miss the flashing purple light from his phone on the small table next to the bed.
Purple meant an urgent message from the Agency.
When he checked his phone, the culpable message from his C-SOG boss Garry meant he wasn’t sleeping yet.
Nick, you need to read and respond to my email as soon as you get thisAccordingly, Nick opened his laptop and logged into his Agency email account.
A few more emails were waiting for his attention. The one from Garry was marked urgent.
Once Nick read it, he sobered up considerably.
Hi Nick
I’ve organized a disciplinary hearing for nine am Monday at Langley. I need you to confirm asap that you will be there to discuss your personal activities on the Agency laptop.
And you need to be aware that you-know-who is after your ass. She wants to know what the hell you are doing in London.
Regards
Garry
Nick sent a brief reply.
Thanks for the heads up, Garry.
I’m in London to thank the team who patched me up in the hospital up after Baghdadi. However, I’ll be back for the hearing on Monday as I also need to return my SAC laptop to IT.
Regards
Nick
Of course, it was complete fabrication.
However, it’s better than telling the truth.
It reminded Nick of his hacker problem. Unfortunately, the SOB had the night to further his escape, though Alison was convinced it wouldn’t matter.
‘Alan Jones or whoever he is will merely bury himself deeper underground,’ she’d told him when she dropped him off at his hotel. ‘We’ll get him soon enough, Nick.’
‘I’m not sure if you’re right on this, Ali. I’ve spent my life tracking bad guys. Once I have them on the run, they rarely go to ground immediately. They’re fight or flight people – they seldom freeze.’
However, Alison brusquely insisted, ‘I know what I’m doing, Nick. You may have tracked people who inflict carnage in the real world. But I catch hackers. That’s why you asked for my help, remember. And these people live in the digital universe.’
‘After seeing Alan Jones’ den in Redbridge, I can assure you he is scared of the real world. He’s stumbling around, uncertain of anything – he’s like a deer caught in headlights. So, you need to relax a little. Enjoy a nice dinner, then watch a movie or two at your hotel. We’ll get onto your hacker first thing in the morning. I’m sure we’ll have him before the week is out.’
Nick hoped she was right.
However, I’ve never been good at waiting.
He suspected losing his temper had cost him more than Alison’s immediate support in setting a net for his target. Nick was sure Alison had declined his dinner offer because of what he’d blurted out in the hacker’s den.
He needed to find a way back into Alison’s good books to win her onside. From experience, he suspected the best way to accomplish that would be by being more transparent with her.
Accordingly, he decided to tell her it was his laptop that had been hacked.
Though I won’t tell her about the gambling – she doesn’t need to know about that.
He was sure her learning about his culpability would appease her.
Hopefully, my apparent honesty will also gain me a few points on the personal front.
However, that still left his biggest problem unresolved.
His hacker was on the run.
And Alison’s decision to wait until morning had provided Alan Jones with a window of opportunity. Despite Alison’s conviction otherwise, Nick suspected his slippery hacker might disappear in the night.
I think the phisherman is the one who’s getting away this time.
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