Chapter 26: Codes
1758 Words
The next time Zoe woke up, she had an audience - a large one. However, she focused in on one person.
“Ena! Oh thank God, you are OK! I been so worried about you!” Zoe cried. She didn’t know Ena was OK and she feared the worst.
“It is OK child, it will take more then a old car crash to hurt me!” Ena said in Japanese
“But you were hurt because of me! I am so sorry, I should have told you about Benny Lampart” Zoe replied back in perfect Japanese.
“She can speak Japanese?” Tony said surprised
“She lived with two Japanese people for years, of course she can!” Erin said like Tony was stupid. She was the only person alive who could get away with that!
“Those people where my parents!” Zoe snapped not liking the tone of this unknown women. Who where these people? Zoe thought.
“If there was any doubt...” Tony said. Zoe had iron balls like Erin and the famous Anderson temper.
“Doubt of what?” Zoe said confused.
“Shhhh my little dragon, it is OK” Akihiko said in Japanese softly as he moved forward and took her hand in his.
Zoe’s face broke into a smile which made Akihiko’s heart miss a beat. “Akihiko you came for me! It wasn’t a dream!” Zoe said her voice filled with unmasked happiness. The drugs must have made her more relaxed about showing her emotions.
“Of course, I would go to the ends of the Earth for you. You must know that by now, my Little Dragon” Akihiko said and Zoe felt herself drown in his dark brown eyes.
Andrew coughed and destroyed the moment, making Akihiko curse under his breath.
“Andrew! You came for me as well! Thank you for being so brave!” Zoe said and Andrew beamed
“My pleasure Pumpkin...welcome to my syndicate’s Territory. May I have the honour of introducing my syndicate’s chairman Tony Anderson and his sister, Erin Anderson. She is the leader of the Shadow Weavers” Andrew said formally.
Tony came forward and took Zoe’s other hand gently, he brought it to his lips it and kissed it.
“It is an honour to meet you Zoe. Rest assured you are most welcome here and are well protected. No one would dare lay a finger on you in my home” Tony said, making Zoe blush. Erin just stared and did not say anything.
“Errr thank you Mr...Mr Anderson” Zoe stuttered
“Please call me Tony” Tony said
“Thank you Tony....I hope one day to repay your kindness” Zoe said genuinely.
“Yes thank you Tony, we will be gone as soon as she is well enough to travel” Akihiko said formally.
“Travel?” Zoe said. Her brain felt like she was walking through treacle.
Akihiko cupped her face in his hand and put his forehead on hers “I can’t loose you ever again Zoe. I am taking you back to Japan, where I will be able to protect you properly” Akihiko said in Japanese
“It would be wise child” Ena said
“She can stay as long as she wants, she does not need to decide now” Tony said. It was obvious what they were talking about and he wanted Erin time to get to know her daughter.
“Yes there is loads of sites I like to take you” Andrew said with a smile. Zoe looked very confused and overwhelmed.
“Let’s give her some space shall we? Zoe is recovering and we still have to locate Benny Lampart” Erin suddenly said.
“Yes, you are right Miss Anderson and I can repay your kindness by helping you destroy him” Zoe said. Her mind was starting to clear, her burns hurt like hell but she needed her brain.
“Please call me Erin and tell me how you can help us” Erin said with a warm smile
“I am part of a hackers group called Alice, along with Dave. We hacked into Benny’s system and implanted a key stroke virus. We also hacked his servers and came across..” Zoe said
“Pretty much everything. His accounts, contacts, hide outs, delivery date...the full works” Dave said with a smile.
“Haven’t they traced you?” Erin said eyes narrowing
Kurt who had remained quite until now said “Oh Erin, you have no idea!”
“All I need is a piano and a laptop with an internet connection” Zoe said with a smile.
Half an hour later Zoe was sat at a large grand piano with a microphone and a laptop. She took off her watch and pressed a button and it linked to the laptop.
“Hello White Rabbit, are you safe? Run, rabbit, run program was activated” Alice’s voice said
“I am perfectly fine, thank you for asking.” Zoe said
“Good to here. Would you like to eat or drink before your trip” Alice said
“Eat please” Zoe said
“15 attacks all from China. Attack one, failed on the 4 of diamonds. Attack two, failed on the 10 of hearts. Attack three failed on the Ace of Spades” Alice was listing
“What the hell?” Theo said
“Oh this? She just managed to creat one of the most sophisticated and complex security programs in the world. I swear if I wasn’t already married..” Kurt said
“Don’t even think about it!” Akihiko snapped and Kurt chuckled
“Man you have it so bad! You think anyone could take me away from my little Vixen?” Kurt said with a dreamy look in his eyes.
“I am glad to hear it! It would be a shame for me to have to remove your a heart with a blunt knife” Theo growled.
“Not a blunt spoon?” Kurt asked surprised
“Hmm I have grown fond of you, so I gave you a little up grade” Theo said and Kurt laughed
“Thank you Alice. I would like to go down the rabbit hole now” Zoe said
The screen whirled into life with lots of code. The screen then formed a picture of Alice at the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party.
“ Welcome! Would you like some tea?” Alice asked
“Maybe another time! I need to see someone!” Zoe said
“Who would you like to see?” The March Hare asked.
“Bayard” Zoe said
“Bayard the Blood Hound?” The March Hare asked
“Yes” Zoe said
“He needs to be called!” Alice said
“OK guys, you need to leave now!” Zoe said
“Why child?” Ena asked surprised
“You have our word that we won’t say anything” Kurt said seriously
“It is not that..” Zoe said blushing
“You didn’t change the tune did you?!” Dave said trying not to laugh and failing.
“Dave!” Zoe said glaring
“What you forgotten the words? Do you want me to help with hand actions?” Dave said as he roared with laughter.
“I am going to kill you!” Zoe said chucking a near by book at him.
“Oww!” dave protested
“You deserve it. Fine but you all need to keep quite!” Zoe said and Dave nodded.
Zoe sighed and started to play.
“Is that?” Kurt whispered
“Twinkle, Twinkle little star? Well Alice’s version anyhow!” Dave said smirking
Zoe continued to play and sang:-
“Twinkle, twinkle, little bat!
How I wonder what you're at!
Up above the world you fly,
Like a teatray in the sky.” Everyone looked stunned at what just happened.
“It is the password” Zoe said quietly. She was used to the crazy look she was been given now.
“I don’t understand why you can’t just use a word or characters?” Tony said
“Because it is not secure enough. Come on Kurt and Andrew, have you not figured out how it works yet?Dave taunted. They both shook their heads.
“The song is a three phase authentication. First the voice modulation. Alice can sense if your voice is stressed by measuring the pitch . Stress makes your throat tighten, which in turn makes your voice higher. The second is the lyrics, each word is converted into binary which makes a password sequence. It is a similar principle with the notes. Each word must fit with the right note combination to gain access” Zoe explained
“But what about finger prints? Wouldn’t that be simpler?” Akihiko asked
“Finger prints can be lifted, so can DNA. Eyes, can also be scanned and replicated. Voices are always much harder” Theo mused.
“Exactly! Zoe can set it to any lyrics and any instrument” Dave said proudly
A Blood hound appeared on the screen and wolfed.
“And the Graphics interface?” Kurt asked interested
“Because why not? It makes it far more fun then mountains of code!” Zoe said happily
“Are each of the characters programmed with a function?” Kurt asked
“Of course! Bayard the Blood Hound function is quite easy. He tracks the files I store on the internet that are being binged off every server in the world. He also hunts for stuff on other people’s servers, especially hidden ones” Zoe said
“So you never had the files on you? They are everywhere, yet no where unless you have the tracker? So basically invisible? Oh Pumpkin you have truly surpassed yourself!” Andrew said his voice full of admiration.
“Tony people would kill for this technology” Kurt muttered quietly.
“No one is going to lay a hand on her” Tony vowed
“Bayard ...go fetch the Blood God’s files!” Zoe said. Bayard woofed on the screen and ran off.
Time to fight back! Zoe thought.
- Writer
