the firewall and IRC logs.
His sleuthing only took a few minutes. All he could find were dead ends. Fake and anonymous information. The motherfucker was hiding, and the motherfucker was much better than Dorian had expected.
Who was ReeperG actually? Was he really associated with the killers? Or was he messing with Dorian’s mind? This dickhead could have easily read some article in a paper and figured out what was going on. But, something didn’t sit right. The threat felt authentic in a way he couldn’t put his finger on. He needed to stay on his toes. Watch his surroundings.
“I’m going to bed,” he told his roommate.
“Don’t you have a paper to write?”
“I’ll do it in the morning. Too tired right now. Brain not working.”
“Whatever, bud.”
The truth was that Dorian couldn’t focus on anything. As he lay down in his bed, he realized he might be awake for the duration. But at least he would try to get a few minutes sleep.
In the middle of the night, Dorian jerked straight up, covered in a cold sweat that drenched him and the pillow. Oh god. He knew why he believe ReeperG. He was so stupid that he didn’t think of it sooner. It all clicked. First, no one could connect his call sign ‘Code’ to himself physically. He’d made sure of that. Secondly, the story of the murders wasn’t reported in the US news. Other than Harvard officials, he hadn’t told anyone what happened. Unless it was one of his close friends. But then, they still didn’t know about ‘Code’. He’d kept the two worlds completely separate, and unless his roommate had been looking over his shoulder really carefully, no one from either side knew about the other. Except for apparently ReeperG. No one who knew about Code knew about his sister, or that she had died violently. It was all impossible unless this ReeperG really was the killer.
He climbed out of bed, feeling cold all over.
Right now, he needed to turn his computer into a trap. If ReeperG so much as sent a buzz at him, he’d know it and track the contact back. This couldn’t happen again. Next time, when ReeperG got in touch, he’d have to be ready. After that, there might never be another chance.
Hours later, as the sun rose outside his window, Dorian leaned back, eyes burning with exhaustion. If ReeperG called, his enhanced Tracer would instantly penetrate every aspect of the communication, pinpointing the caller by tracing the packets up and down the internet, tracking each contact point from his computer to the place where ReeperG was sitting in front of a computer, one painstaking hop at a time.
He’d also broken into the core of the internet, a huge bunker outside of Washington, DC, where almost all US internet traffic had to pass. Chances were, if ReeperG contacted Dorian, his messages would go through the bunker. Dorian had installed, after dodging the latest anti-viral technology, special software he’d written that would catch any messages sent to him or by him, and would be able to see through any anonymizing technology ReeperG might try to throw into the middle, by seeing both sides of the message.
Finally, he added custom tracer tones to his internet telephone, in case ReeperG called. The software sent a coded noise, like the sound of a fax, over the audio signal. That noise would force ReeperG’s computer to reveal its true identity, even if ReeperG had set up vadering on his voice.
Finally Dorian could sleep. All was in place to catch the monster.
Back to base
IRC LOG: INTERCEPTED 1-OCT 08:45 UTC
: Stop yelling. You have your orders.
: FUCK U. MY JOB IS CLEAR. AND THIS ISN’T IT!!!!!!!
: Listen to me. You must frighten him. That’s an order.
: I signed up for surveil. Not this shit. U WACCHIT.
: Chill out.
: U TAKE CARE OF CONSEQUENCES. NOT ME!!!!! You guys r fuckups.
: We had a screwup. A minor setback. Yes. True. Admitted. Doesn’t change what is needed from you.
: Minor setback? Really?
: Looking for authorization of further action. I can’t engage now. Need to speak to command. HQ has not provided clarification of position.
: shut up with military-industrial speak.
: If you don’t threaten him, we will find you. Don’t think what happened to him can’t happen to you.
: ha. threat me. nice try nipwad.
: I’m serious.
: you MURDER a family. You call it a minor setback and now you say ‘same for me’
: Shhh
: Fuck u. I’m only person who can break these codes. Why you think u hire me? How you get targets? huh? huh? huh?
: We can’t talk here. Against protocol
: Shove protocol up your ass. I quit.
: Oh no you don’t
: i’m a thousand your mental weight
ENCRYPTION KEY CHANGES. LOGGING TERMINATED
On Track
“How are you dealing with this new phase of your life?” Richard South, his advisor asked, sitting in the lotus position on an impossibly small chair.
Dorian shifted uncomfortably. “Ok, I guess.” He was in Richard’s dorm room amongst dark carpets and tightly stacked book shelves. The light seemed almost reddish and the air close.
Richard studied history, and so had little to say about Dorian’s computer science. Richard had called the meeting due to ‘the tragic demise of your family.’ The phrase kept swirling through Dorian’s head. It made him want to punch things. He should never have told the university anything.
“’Cause losing so much. It can be devastating.” Richard’s long fingers twittered nervously.
“Yeah. I guess.”
“The College asked me to see what I could do to help you. That’s why we’re talking. Anything you need, you just ask.”
“I don’t need anything.”
“Counseling, medication—to help you sleep, you know? I could even work on getting your exams pushed out, though I guess it’s a bit early in the term for that.” He grasped for a book on his desk, his fingers sliding off without picking it up.
“Look, I’m fine.” Dorian couldn’t look Richard in the eye.
“We might be able to work on your grades. You know like the kids with the roommate who commits suicide? They get all As that semester.”
“What?”
“I think it’s just a myth. But I can check.”
“You have got to be kidding me.” Dorian stood up, stepping towards Richard, his hands balled into fists. “Don’t ever joke about this shit to me.”
Richard began shaking, then fell from his chair, flopping helpless on the floor, trying hard to untangle his lotus positioned legs. His lips turned purple as he spluttered. “I didn’t mean anything by it.” He managed to unlock himself and lay helpless, looking up at Dorian. “I’ve never had to do his before. I don’t know shit about loss of any sort. Forgive my crudeness and insensitivity. Forgive the way I’ve acted. I truly have your best interests sincerely in mind, but in this instance I have sorely let you down.” He rubbed a knee.
“Forget it.” Dorian said, turning around suddenly to hide tears. “I’ve got to go.”
“Any help, call me,” said Richard as Dorian left the room.
Dorian got up, washed his hands, splashed water on his face and sat back down in front of the computer, shaking his arms to loosen the muscles. Everything had been quiet for almost a week. Maybe ReeperG would stay away. Or worse, what if he showed up in person, and put a gun in his face. He shook to clear the image out. Time to check in with the boys online.
USER Code ENTERS CHANNEL
Striptz: then th bike went flyin. wicked air, but smacked my ass good
nil8: with ass like u must be padded nice
Striptz: like u leave ur computer ever. u have any muscles?
nil8: ‘nuff to please the ladies my friend.
Code: Hey everybody
USER EXITS CHANNEL
70mm: sweet. u back?
Code: yup. and muscles working in good shape. haha.
nil8: haha
Code: and last time i flipped a
bike, landed on my head, need 4 stiches
Striptz: see!!!!!!!!!!!!
70mm: so what’s going on?
Code: who just left chat?
Albu: sumbody cloaking. didn’t even want a user name. didn’t know our chat software could do that kind of security. donit worry u?
Ruutor: weird, no?
Code: yes
Albu: i’ll drop in a patch to stop that. only authentic people can enter from now.
Code: got few Q’s for u
70mm: shoot. u kno wat happ to your server, Code?
Code: so, lots servers disappearing, but only deep nodes. 4 less deep nodes now. no other servers gone. wuts going on? any ideas?
Albu: freaking me out. should be here still. and no sign of fps and gaffer
Ruutor: and cell
Albu: and cell, yes
Ruutor: where’d they go?
nil8: they gettin 2 many hummers. if i get laid enough, id give up the movie downlode race. claudia shiffer are u there?
Striptz: haha
nil8: she don luv me
squelch: nobuddy gonna stop me. less competition.
Code: is anybud worried?
Albu: hell yeah
squelch: hell no. haha
70mm: we gotta stick together. even if we don’t know each other, we know each other. capish?
nil8: hand jobs for everyone!
Striptz: so when’s the next convoc?
Albu: Pixar’s new movie out on thurs
Striptz: no, serious stuff. no cartoons
70mm: next oliver stone comes out in 2 week. should be a big one. lots of special effects. could be tricky with the pixes. Convoc for oliver stone?
nil8: ready ready ready. nobody squish my pixes.
Ruutor: u never win nil8. i’m in for convoc. ready to win this one.
nil8: shut up. get your deep node and