Big Data: A Startup Thriller Novel

Chapter 19

They took me back to the jail, but as promised, I was released on bail shortly thereafter.

One of the cops even came over to me and said, "Look. I'm really sorry for all the trouble we've put you through." But then he added, "I was hoping we could talk before you head out."

This was not an officer I recognized from earlier interrogations.

"My lawyers aren't here."

"This isn't about your case. It's about the Flanagan case."

"You'll forgive me if I don't exactly take your word for it."

"Look, it's past noon. You must be hungry. Go grab a bite to eat. I'll call your lawyers, and by the time you're done they should be here. Sound okay?"

A cop hadn't treated me this nice in days, but I still wanted to kick him in the nuts. In the end, I decided that as long as he was cordial to me, I could be cordial to him.

"I don't have my purse."

At this, he handed me a sealed oversized envelope. I could feel my purse in it.

"Okay?" he asked.

"Okay," I said.

I left the station and the first thing I saw was a faded Rite Aid sign across the street. It was next to a park. Then I recognized a face. Alex was sitting on one of the park benches, reading a newspaper. He looked up and waved me over. I crossed the street and sat next to him.

"I had a feeling you'd be out soon."

"It's great to see a familiar face around here. I thought you'd bailed on me."

"Are you kidding? I was in the courtroom watching you with your fancy lawyers. Best money can buy, huh?"

"I guess."

"I think the handsome one likes you."

I blushed, and Alex laughed.

"So you like him, too? Never figured you for the scumbag lawyer-type. I guess my cop instincts are wearing off."

I let out a pulse of laughter.

"I bet they didn't feed you in the can. You hungry?"

He handed me a Coke and an egg salad sandwich wrapped in wax paper. According to the wrapper, it was from a place called Mrs. Friggin's Kitchen. I was famished, and as far as I was concerned, this was the most delicious sandwich on the planet. I popped the tab on the Coke.

Alex continued, "I've been thinking about what you told me in the car. I'm trying to piece it all together."

"Me too," I said, through a mouthful of egg salad.

"Please. You do the eating; I'll do the talking. Now I still don't quite understand the computer stuff you were talking about, but what I do understand is your company runs a very large, very smart computer. Taye figured out how to make it use all its smarts on itself. That makes it extra smart."

I nodded. Close enough.

"And this computer you run can understand other computers. I tried doing research on Ancien. You guys let other people run their stuff on your super-smart computer. And it seems like a lot of companies use you guys."

I made an exaggerated nod, eyes open wide.

"Okay, everybody uses you guys."

I grinned.

"So if Taye's program is that smart—if it can do as many good things as you say, like curing cancer and all. Well, what if it's being used to do bad things, too?"

"Like hacking into other computers?" I muttered.

"Exactly. If a crappy programmer could build a Facebook just by describing their vision, a mediocre hacker could become the world's best hacker in the same way, no?"

I swallowed my bite of sandwich whole, without chewing.

"I suppose so," I said. "But we have security in place to monitor what people are trying to do on Ancien servers. Anything that looks even remotely like hacking gets detected and shut down immediately."

"And those security systems, are they written with code?"

"Of course."

"So theoretically, a brilliant hacker might find a way around them. Or a brilliant hacking computer program."

"Yes, I concede with great power comes great responsibility. But how does this lead to millions of deaths?"

"I haven't figured that part out yet. We'll need to find Taye to get that part of the puzzle."

I drained my soda with gusto. Then my paper envelope started ringing. I set the empty can on the bench and tore open the bag, digging through my purse to find my phone. Somebody had gone through it. It was a mess. The phone kept ringing, but by the time I found it and accepted the call, it was too late. It was Phillip Jones from Ancien.

I tried to call him back, but it went straight to voicemail. There was only a sliver of battery left. A few seconds later, I got a voicemail notification. I put it on speaker.

"Luna, it's Phil. Where are you? Something strange is going on. You gotta get over here. Thor's locked himself in your office with some young black kid. Said his name—"

Then my phone died.