BOOK 3: DISCLOSURE / CH. 4:SECURITY CONCERNS

THURSDAY, 28TH SEPTEMBER, 3PM

“So, Bob's report has already been watched by a large proportion of the population, and even more will watch it tonight.

Nature has distributed its copies, news reports are filled with the shocking revelation, people all over the place know about the Institute but would-be protesters don't know how to get here? And that’s because there are hardly any maps on the net showing our true location and there are some fakes?” Ed asked. It was a special staff meeting, and Kate had just given a status report.

“Yes,” Kate confirmed. “The fake map fixes were Ivan's idea, but Security approved and got them out there. People who live near here know where we are, of course, and someone was bound to put something on the net if there was nothing. So there are now about thirty different sites marked on the different map services as being here. According to them, we're at such places as the city water treatment works, in the middle of the park or the river, and my personal favourite, the monkey house at the old city zoo. There seem to be copycat actions from other people too. Someone's given directions to find us: 'From Atlantis, take the dragon two stops towards Shangri-la.' The real location or valid directions of course are covered by the reporting restrictions. Security have checked that all the providers give the relevant warning if people try to put anything new about the IHM on the net, so no one can say they weren't warned. There haven't been any infractions so far. So everyone’s hoping that all this means that I don't need to call up ‘UN’ forces.”

“What happens about transports?” Horrace asked. “I've had them

bring me here by name. Couldn't

any would-be protesters use them to get here?”

“They have an accurate address, of course. But if someone not on Security's list asks to come here then they'll get asked if they want to be patched through to us for approval.”

“Ah. So if they want to come and look at your famous gardens...?” Bob asked.

“Then we tell them that unfortunately the security barrier is up at the moment, but that they can come for the guided tour at 6pm if they wish.”

“Who's doing the guided tours?”

“We've got the local school involved. That was Pete's idea. The gardening team poured knowledge, wisdom and the odd joke into the kids’ receptive ears and they lapped it up. Some of the kids are really interested in helping out in the gardens regularly, especially since I mentioned that they'd get paid for their work.”

“That's great. And what does Fred think of all this extra help?”

“I think his exact words were, ‘They'll last as long as a flash in the pan, they'll never last, and probably fertilise the weeds and dig up the flowers. Be good to get some young blood involved of course. I'll try and teach them a thing or two, make sure they don't mix up the fertiliser with the coffee.’ So I think we'll call that overwhelming enthusiasm from him.”

Fred, the head gardener and only full time member of the gardening team had a bit of a reputation as a grumpy old man, which he worked hard to maintain. It was hard work for him, since he was really very enthusiastic about his work and wasn't that old either.

“So, as far as any protesting mobs go, it's most likely to start out as a parade starting from a big meeting somewhere with a guide or be locally organised by word of mouth?”

“We expect so. Of course word of mouth just means someone telling their friends, ‘I've just found something interesting,’ and attaching their location. But the computer is on higher than normal alert for unusual outside activity and the barriers are up during normal work hours. Karen is going to tell us all about making it safer for us to go home now.”

“You've probably heard at least some of this all before, but please don't turn off. We're more exposed now, and because of the extra publicity threat levels are going to be higher for a while. We know there are bad guys around, some of them have the power, others have contacts, employees or employers with it. We've just upset them. They might try something crude like a direct attack on anyone working here, or they could try something a little more creative, like grabbing someone and finding out who they should really be upset with. Now, those of us most involved in the publication are happy to say that this was all because of God. He got us here, all at the same time, He gave us the gift, and so on. So if someone asks me whose bright idea it was to spoil their game, I'll tell them it was God. Some people might react badly to that, so our plan is to make sure they don't get me or you. I hope you've all got panic buttons, and that you don't leave them behind, ever. Over to Sarah for a bit.”

“Just in case you think a panic button is a big and clumsy thing with a siren or torch or both attached, they're not. The big clumsy aspect is to make them easier for mum to notice when her kids left it somewhere. In fact they're tiny. Mine was surgically implanted when I was a child, Kate's ring has one in it, and I've brought one along here, in this little bag. Here's a magnifying glass to go with it, please pass it round carefully, it is live and we don't want to call out the police, do we? The circuit is in the little black bead, the big grey bit is the switch, and the silver cylinder is a ten year battery. As you see, it's not exactly big and it can theoretically be built into practically anything. The biggest problem is finding the trigger when you're in a panic and not triggering it by accident. That's the other reason for the big plastic shell. Ladies, if you want a ring with one behind the stone, I'll give you the address of a jeweller who'll give you a discount if you say I sent you. Men, I'm guessing that you don't want a ring with a stone in it, but my jeweller friend also does cuff-links and pens. You can also find plenty of suppliers on the Net for other things like umbrellas or wrist units with them built in. These are all going to cost more than the plastic things that are mass produced, of course. Kate has authorised me to get a pile of the plastic sort for use until you get your own, assuming you want to, or in case you leave yours at home. Until further notice it's going to be policy that you don't leave here without one. The computer will check you've got one as you leave, and moan if you haven't. Any questions?” There weren't any. “So, back to Karen, who'll tell you how to avoid needing to use your button, we hope.”

“Obviously, we don't want to be grabbed or shot as we leave here, and the simplest way of doing that is to not go out just as the bad guys go past in a van. In fact that's so simple that you can't. The computer won't open the gate for you if there's a risk of that. That's to say an approaching or waiting vehicle or pedestrian, with the exception of an empty transport from the pool. So, the next risk is that someone sees you leave and follows you. If you're walking, that could lead to you being attacked anywhere on your journey, or them following you home. If you leave by transport, then of course they can't get you en-route as easily, but they can follow you wherever you're going. So, go somewhere crowded, mix with the crowd and then leave after a random time. Also, don't follow a pattern. A pattern will let them plan where to attack at their leisure, and for obvious reasons you don't want them to find your home.

So, I don't recommend walking near the Institute. I do recommend thinking of three or four places you wouldn't mind going to on your way home, where you can quickly disappear in the crowd. Ten would be better, and vary them. Don't let them all be in walking distance of your home. It's probably best to have them centred on somewhere else, with your home outside of the circle.

If you can, change your clothing in some way between when you go into the crowded area and when you go out. If you go in with a red cap on, then go out with a blue one, and so on. Hope they don't have a video feed to a decent person tracking computer, because those things can recognise you by the way you walk and move, no matter what you're wearing.”

“Are they common?”

“Most above-average licensed private detectives would have one. Police of course could deploy one, but not every officer would have one. Security too of course. But they're not exactly available on every street market. License holders only, officially, not much of a black market trade, and instant arrest without possibility of bail if you're found with one without a licence.”

“Why?” Bob asked, “I mean, there are civil liberties issues, but surely, that doesn't match with the no bail, that's usually for... Oh. I know why there's no bail. Sorry. Question withdrawn.”

Janet spoke up. “Could one of you enlighten us about why Bob withdrew his question?”

“Because there's one select bunch of criminals who might want to follow one person in a crowd from a distance, most days they're working Janet. Assassins. Unlicensed possession of a portable person tracker is taken as prima-facie evidence that they have a gun, it's just hidden better.”

“So that's the scariest possibility, I presume. That, by publishing we become a target for an assassin?” Horrace asked.

“Oh no, I'm sure there are plenty of scarier possibilities. But if you guys follow this advice and use the panic button you're carrying if something bad happens, then the chances of them happening are minuscule, they're not worth worrying about.”

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“Could you give a for-instance?” Horace asked.

“I'm not sure it's wise,” Sarah said. “I grew up with a similar risk, I know that thinking of the for-instances can cause sleepless nights. I mean, we didn't flaunt our wealth, but there was always the risk that some bad guys might find out.”

Bob looked a bit puzzled. “Sarah, I'm not planning on reporting on this at all, but... implanted panic buttons, you growing up aware of kidnap risks, that sounds like multi-millionaire levels of wealth. I know your dad ran a successful jewellers shop, but were you really up there among the mega-rich?”

“Daddy's income mainly came from trading gems, Bob. The jewellery business was real of course, but it didn't bring in as much.”

“Do I take that as a yes?” Bob asked, still puzzled.

Sarah smiled enigmatically, “You can take it how you like, Bob. I've grown up hardly ever wearing any real gems in case that was flaunting my wealth, so I'm certainly not going to tell you a number.”

John smiled at his bride. “Actually, Sarah, why don't we confuse him some more and call up our bank balance.”

“John, don't be mean! Bob, it's in trust for the moment, I can't access my inheritance, so just think of me as an ex-student in her first full-time job who's deliriously happy now that she's married and has enough money to actually buy furniture.”

“And you're not going to tell me how much your inheritance is? Not even, 'yes we were in the top hundred richest'?”

“No.”

“You've married a very sensible woman, John,” Bob declared.

“I know, but thank you.”

“Back to your question, Horrace,” Karen said. “I could, but as Sarah says, that's bad sleep territory, and I'd rather not say in front of everyone.”

“Thank you, Karen,” Janet offered. “I don't want to hear horror stories.”

“Also, everyone, please remember we do have the back exit. If there's a crowd outside then we can use that,” Kate added.

“Not to mention the cellar flat. I mean, twenty would be a bit of a push I think, but there is another bed in my room, the other bedroom has two beds too, and there are two sofas. So potentially we've got sleeping space for six downstairs.”

Kate laughed. “We've got beds for all of us if we need them, George, thanks for reminding me. I guess we'd need to ask the computer where, but there are about twenty-five unused mattresses down in the store somewhere. The previous director was always one for a bargain. The shop was closing down and because he emptied their stock they could close down early. He got a very major discount.”

“So in a siege situation, we have beds, we have heat, power, water. Food?”

“About a months’ worth of tinned meat, vegetables and vacuum packed rice and pasta,” reported Sarah. “Kate told us the supplies had been used up, but they either got replenished or were just moved. The computer told me where to look and there they were.”

“What's the shelf life of that stuff?”

“I had a check. We need to eat it in the next hundred and fifty years or they won't guarantee it tastes as good as it did the day they packed it.”

“That doesn't guarantee much anyway, does it? I mean, if it tastes bad then they can say it tasted terrible then too, they're covered,” Ivan pointed out.

“If the company even still exists,” Janet added.

“But it shouldn't poison us, anyway,” John said, “so we can withstand a month's siege if we want to.”

Ed asked, “Isn't the question, really, how likely are we to be targets? If the answer is very, then rather than trying to not get followed home, shouldn't we be setting up more flats in the cellar, considering ourselves under siege anyway? Moving our families here too? Or taking a leave of absence until it all calms down?”

Kate answered first. “Ed, everyone, if I really thought we'd be facing assassination attempts, I'd shut the Institute down in an instant. Karen?”

“Internal Security estimates the probability of some kind of public demonstration at sixty-five percent. Risk that there's a demonstration turns nasty — throwing rocks and such like — is five prevent now that all the described measures have been taken. Risk of criminal elements deciding to let us know they're unhappy is two percent — that would include graffiti on the walls, nasty letters, that sort of thing. Risk of kidnap for ransom or information is at about one per thousand. Assassination of a staff member is one roughly per hundred thousand. Bob, would you like to comment on the likelihood of one of your fellow reporters trying for an exclusive interview, if they could just follow one of us straight home?”

“About ninety-five percent that someone would try it. But with the getting lost in a crowd thing, I'd guess that drops to about five percent.”

“That reminds me, Karen, I should warn you now you're living there alone, you can expect roughly one reporter a month camped on my doorstep hoping for an interview with me. At least that's what I used to get.” said Sarah.

“That'll make Dirk happy. He's said that he loves telling reporters to hand over their recordings.”

“Sorry, Karen, who's Dirk?” Bob asked, confused again.

“One half of my security detail. Having had a kidnapping attempt and someone bypassing my house's biometric entry system, it was felt that I might need some extra protection for a while.”

“Oh. And it wouldn't be good if you were recorded at Sarah's house, would it? But what about if it was a live feed?”

“I thought they were banned under privacy laws?”

“Not for sporting events or official speeches. It shouldn't apply, but the technology is there. I've heard of people desperate for a career-making interview using it.”

“Thanks for the warning. I'll try and get some sort of warning notice put up about no video broadcasting or recording.”

“And I'll change the house security system settings, Karen. It has some relevant settings I can turn on.”

“But you didn't have them on? Why not if they repel journalists?”

“Well, it can't tell the difference between a reporter taking pictures and a friend or friend of a lodger taking pictures. So it's a bit all or nothing. But I presume you're not going to be throwing any parties in the next few weeks, so I can turn it on.”

“It doesn't object to someone just wearing their wrist unit though?” George asked.

“No. I don't think so. Bob, could anyone try to use a wrist unit for recording an interview without visibly aiming it?”

“I think it'd be fairly obvious. A hidden camera in a bag is more likely if they want to play at undercover reporter. But an undercover interview doesn't make much sense to me. What anti-camera defence does it have, a strobe?”

“Yes. Audio warning, strobe, and if they persist it has a dazzle laser. The system here goes one better of course.”

“Better than a dazzle laser? I thought that was top of the range,” Bob sounded surprised.

“Ah well, this system is almost full military spec,” Sarah said. “If dazzling doesn't stop them, say because they've got a filter or something, then after a suitable warning it starts shifting the frequency around and if they're really persistent then it'll add some high power pulses in there too. Not many cameras like having high power laser pulses fired at them. Or eyes for that matter, hence the warning.”

“Ouch. I didn't know about that one,” Bob admitted.

“It's supposed to be pretty effective against camera drones too,” Kate added. “Those functions are only active when some kind of known external risk factor is present, we don't want to accidentally blind someone taking family photos which include the Institute, after all. But they'll be enabled when anyone leaves the building today.”

“So actually the professional assassin pointing their camera at one of us on the way to a waiting transport is likely to get their camera fried?”

“Unless they're a very long way off, yes.”

“The Institute has a lens detector?”

“Of course, Bob. Several. Those are active all the time. Can't have clients being assassinated, can we?” Sarah answered.

“All that money on security systems starts to look sensible, doesn't it?”

Kate observed to the staff in general.

“Have I ever said how much I appreciate working here?” Ed asked. “Sorry for the almost-hysteria earlier.”

“That's fine Ed,” Kate reassured him. “The reason for this meeting is to make sure we've thought of everything, and hopefully to reassure everyone that we're as prepared as humanly possible.”

Horrace raised a hand. “I know there are ethical considerations, but have our friends with unusual abilities tried finding out how big the risk is?”

“John,” Kate asked, “could you answer that one?”

“It's difficult. Yes, we can find people by category, but what category? If we look for, say, kidnappers targeting someone here, and not assassins, or arsonists, then we could say there's no risk when there are risks we didn't think of. Plus of course the person might not have been offered the job yet, and then you're into the realms of telling the future, with issues of predestination and free will. I don't know if that's outside the scope of our gift, but we don't really want to push in that direction. There are the ethical considerations, as you mentioned, the whole issue of not using this gift for unworthy purposes, not abusing it, and so on. So what we came up with was that we'd find out how many people there were in this city who used the power for crime. We found six. Then we found out how many people there were in this city who used the power for crime and could order someone's death. Bear in mind that that could be via influence over one of the gangs or via a huge amount of money to a hit-man. We found none, but we do know of someone else who used to be in that category but is now in prison. So, locally there may be six people quite upset at us, and maybe there's one power-abusing crime lord per city this size, or maybe it is just that we dealt with the only one in our country.”

“He was under the impression that he had a unique power. But maybe he just didn't get out much,” Karen added.

“Thank you, John, Karen. So there's a risk, but it's not like every gang member is going to be out to get us,” Horrace concluded.

“I don't think so. We don't know what those six are capable of, but sending out assassins is out of their league, at least.”

“But you've not checked nationally or internationally.”

“No. We haven't. That was actually a deliberate decision. We felt we had sufficient information. We guess that some criminals with the power are going to be upset. We know that at the time we checked no one in this city was both likely to be upset and able to order an assassination. We know that internationally there were two with that combination, and feel it would be foolish to assume they are the only two. We've heard what we can do to reduce the threat, but don't think it would help to know exact numbers,”

John concluded.

Karen added her thoughts next. “I'd like to add that I've grown up knowing there were bad guys who might like to kidnap or kill me. Not because of what I've done, but because of my parents. I also know that there are plenty of other risks that I don't let stop me living a relatively normal live. We live with risks. We don't avoid all contact with people, even though they've still not got a vaccine against the cold. We vaccinate children even though we know there is a small risk of the vaccine causing a reaction. We ride in vehicles even though mechanical failure still happens. People did it even in the years of chaos where a higher percentage of people died from vehicle accidents than any other cause. So, each of us needs to decide if the risks are small enough that we can continue with our way of life, or if we need to change our work-place or other parts of our lives. Personally, I'm perfectly happy with these risk levels, but then they're much lower than my normal life.”

“Thank you, Karen. As you say, you're used to those levels and higher. If anyone finds the risks too scary and wants to take a leave of absence (unpaid, of course) then we'll try and cope without you. I really don't want to have to interview anyone at the moment though, so please don't actually resign,” Kate said.

Since most people knew how much Kate hated interviewing people for staff positions, this was greeted with laughter. No one wanted to take any unpaid leave.