Interview With Things

9 years ago

Leaning forward, two MI6 agents forced their way into an abandoned warehouse, using as much force as they could. They lifted their face shields as they prepared for conflict awaiting them on the other side of the large doors.

The warehouse had been on the hot watch list for months and they needed the right moment to bust a major hacking group operating as an organised criminal network led by renowned hacker John Matthews. They shoved against the door with a large sledgehammer and entered. The warehouse had been vacant for years and served as a perfect underground setup for an illegal hacking group. They could see rows of computers on desks from the one end of the warehouse to the other end. Young operators behind the screens of not older than twenty years of age scrambled to get away from the agents that now completely swarmed the area. The agents covered as much of the computers with a specialised heavy-duty aluminium foil that they unrolled over the computers to shield it from the possibility of them using an Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) to destroy any evidence on the computers. The specialised blanket wrapped itself around the computers, looking like it sucked out the air from beneath it. The group known as ’World Without Days’ had been on the most wanted list by the FBI and MI6 for years for various computer and communication-related crimes and led an entire cyber security culture as they endeavoured to challenge every security barrier. With the world heavily dependent on Internet connectivity and crypto currencies, cyber security was a major priority. Data and other personal information was a currency for hackers in their own right.

Artificial Intelligence constantly learned from every hacking attempt, successful or failure, and eventually figured out their weaknesses. The group was known for focusing on privacy rights, security flaws, anti-socialism movements, government sites and crypto currency platforms. With the extreme dependency on computers and ‘Internet of Things’ connecting everything from a fridge to an autonomous car to the web, any hackers arrested and convicted of hacking faced life imprisonment and with the help of AI it had become difficult for hackers to obscure their IP addresses by routing data through a secondary system to appear as that system’s Internet Protocol. John used various techniques to hide his team’s digital footprint, making it difficult for the authorities to track them and he preferred using a proxy to hide his information on the web, re-routing his connection via a third-party server so the websites he accessed could not read data specific to him.

The TOR network on the dark web helped John to bounce his connection across multiple points to provide high anonymity and with using a VPN, a virtual private network, he had the best possible way to hide his identity on the Internet as they executed their hacking commands, programming malware and ransomware applications as per client needs or simply exploiting companies for money directly and then selling off their secrets to the highest bidder. John was a hacker genius, and any network or system that was impenetrable was impossible for him to resist. After months of tracking and analysis of compromised systems, a Specialist cyber-crime unit managed by artificial intelligence found a code blunder in one of their apps that exposed traces of their true IP address and pointed towards the area where this abandoned warehouse was situated.

For a few months, all eyes of the FBI, MI6, Scotland Yard and Europol were fixed on this piece of real estate in a run-down industrial area in back end London. AI used a Honeypot, a decoy computer system set up to mimic a likely target for an attack, specifically aimed at the crypto currency system, a desirable target for John and his team. The system setup by AI tricked John and his team into thinking they were attacking a legitimate target within the dome. Eventually enough evidence was gathered, and it connected many similarities to other attacks by John, and finally an arrest and conviction was eminent for this notorious group.

A few of the hackers tried to make a run for the exits, but hundreds of Police securely surrounded the warehouse. With violent aggression they detained them, forcing them down on to the floor and cuffing them. John tried to make a run for the server room to press his EMP to create a short burst of electromagnetic energy as his last resort to destroy any evidence of hacking by frying all the computers.

Two of the agents focused on John. He moved his upper body neatly to his right, leaving his left foot planted, sliding his leg out like a smooth dance move, taking one police guard down to the floor. The other one moved in fast and gave John a hard kick behind his knees, causing him to crash down to the floor. The agent alternated a head shot with attacks to his stomach. The agent’s blows got weaker as he grew more tired. He grabbed John by the shoulder, spun him around and slammed him against the wall and forced him down to his knees before he could press the EMP.

“Stay where you are!” He warned as he pointed his gun at John.

John acted on instinct and leaned backwards as one agent tried to grab his arm to pull him flat down to the cold cement floor. The agent twisted away and came for him again, forcing the gun practically into his face. John tried to fight him off as he got back on to his feet, ready for more physical contact.

“Stand down John!” Another agent insisted as he came running towards the scene, but with less precise technique as the others and yet there was plenty of power in his punch as he smashed his fist into John’s back, bringing him to the floor like a bag of potatoes.

John lifted his arm and held the EMP in his one hand, threatening to push the button.

“Don’t do it, we have protected the computers, it won’t help you John, this is over. Surrender. You will only make matters worse,” one snarled aggressively.

John paused and slowly placed the EMP device on the cold cement floor. He was tall, well built with long straight black hair, tied in a pony. He was dressed completely in black attire, plain shirt and pants right down to his black shoes.

He stayed still as they both kept him pinned down and they slapped cuffs on his wrists. He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly as he surrendered. More agents were streaming in. The fight was over.

A few hours went by at the MI6 headquarters. John was processed and formally charged, then sat waiting in a single interrogation room for a few minutes until a FBI agent walked in. He kept his eyes fixed on John as he pulled a chair out.

He stacked a thick pile of files on the desk, opened his tablet and swiped the screen as he sat down.

“There’s two ways this can go John, give us the details of one of your clients, and we can make a deal here,” The agent, wearing a black suit said, lifting his glasses with his index finger as he leaned towards John. The room was small, white walls with soft light and no windows. John knew the procedure well, having been there many times in his life. Giving up any of his clients would be dangerous to his own health and jeopardize a much bigger team. A large noisy fan circled the stale air around the room.

“I don’t know who my clients are,” John answered sombrely. He could not allow himself to be swayed.

The agent leaned back in his chair, “I think you do John, I don’t think you realize how serious the charges are against you. You are facing life in prison, that’s what’s at stake for you,” he said scolding.

“I’ll wait for my lawyer,” John whispered, squeezing his eyes shut for a second.

“John, let me lay it down for you, so there’s no confusion. There’s so much evidence gathered against you, we don’t even need to go to court, your lawyer won’t be able to get you off this time. Work with us and give up a client, just one, and we will do whatever we can to ensure your cell won’t be a dark windowless room for years.”

“I’ll take my chances,” John said with confidence.

Both John and the agent looked to the door as a knock came from it. Another agent walked in with a woman. Her shaved head and piercing eyes changed the atmosphere in the room immediately.

“I’ll take it from here,” Sabina said, enunciating each word.

The agent stood up. “This is our case. Who is this?” He asked. His colleague shrugged and replied, “They are from the FRB.”

“The what?” He questioned, a shout forming on his lips.

“Federal Robotic Bureau. We are to handle this case with the accused,” she replied.

“Never heard of them. Under what authority do you come here and take over this case we have worked on for months?”

Sabina smiled gently and walked up to him.

“The highest,” she replied. “The name is Sabina, and we now classify this case. You can leave now,” she said, getting into his face. She was arrogant, strong and captivating.

“You are that division from those new domes, aren’t you?” He asked sarcastically.

“You should stay up to date with world events, who knows, you might just crack a case,” She said with as much rudeness in her voice as she could expel.

Both agents huffed as they walked out of the room. “This is crazy, I will call my superior,” one moaned as they left.

“You do that, but I’m way above your superior,” she said.

Sabina turned her head towards John and pulled out a chair and sat down. She paused as the room went quiet.

“John Matthews,” she stated.

“In the flesh,” John replied.

“Indeed,” she concurred, giving a soft smile.

Seemed like she was a fan. He thought.

“Gonna tell me what’s going on here?” he asked.

“I’m sure by now you have seen the domes being built across the world, right?”

“I have. The future of AI, I believe the media called it.”

“Without a doubt. I’m here to offer you a deal of a lifetime. A deal that gets you out of prison. Do I have your attention?” she gently tilted her head.

“Maybe.”

“Good boy,” she whispered. Her sexual energy was ice cold, yet addictive. “Have you seen the Android demos in the media?”

“I have, it’s been everywhere. Where are you going with this?” John asked.

“Let me give you some intel. That Android is just one of thousands being assembled as we speak, amazing technology that will improve all the lives on earth,” she got up and walked to the other side of the room, then turned around, “Eventually there will be no human in a wheelchair, blind or without an arm. This technology will rapidly create the solutions to these challenges and we need them to manage the crypto currency system, it’s getting far too complex for humans to manage, the cryptosystem is already bigger than us.”

“What does this have to do with me?”

“We are adding a security layer to the domes, a critical resilience layer. I can’t tell you everything.” She approached him and leaned forward. “We need someone like you, John, to help us secure this firewall. It needs to be hack proof.” She leaned back. “I think you are the right man for the job.”

“Why should I?”

“You can’t afford not to. Besides, you get to do something great, John. Protect all of humanity from AI ever becoming a threat, for all of us. This software will guarantee that, but we need it to be super secure. We need you to help us secure it.” She looked around the room, “And you get an ‘out of jail-card’. We are ready to make a deal with you, John. You help us secure the most important software on Earth so the world can embrace AI and you get your life to count for something.” She stood up, “Do it for your son, David. Leave a better legacy than you have up to now, nothing but a criminal record. Your own son refuses to make contact with you.”

“How will this work?” he asked, thinking about David for a moment.

“You will be placed in a witness protection program on completion of the project and be financially provided for.”

She reached and gripped his hand. “The world is ready for this fifth industrial revolution, the forth has already come and gone. People have accepted that certain jobs are gone for humans, and certain jobs are set for Androids. They will in the next ten years manage every aspect of our lives,” Sabina said as she stood up and pushed the chair back.

“These agents are ready to let you hang out to dry. They have so much evidence, you will never see the light of day again. You know how serious Cyber Crime is these days. It’s worse than murder. I’m offering you this opportunity, just once.” She was firm as she walked towards the door, her back to him.

She reached for the door and gently knocked on it a few times, waiting for a guard to let her out.

“Wait,” John said.

She smiled gently.