The Remote Seduction Read online

  The Remote Seduction

  By Joany Kane

  Copyright 2013 By Joany Kane

  All Rights Reserved

  ONE YEAR AGO

  A dark SUV is parked near a militia bunker at the edge of a dusty third world town.

  Inside the SUV are two middle aged American men, Richard Karn and Walter Winchester. They eagle eye the bunker. Richard, slick and sleazy, oozes smarmy bureaucrat and schoolyard bully. Walter, second fiddle to Richard, resents his position and if there were ever an opportunity to stick it to Richard he would, but for now he masks his resentment by acting like a cheery team player.

  Richard holds a high tech, state-of-the-art remote control, a gadget that looks like it was taken straight out of a futuristic sci-fi thriller.

  “Shall we?” Richard asks with a devilish grin.

  “Let her rip.”

  Richard points the remote at the bunker. He hits some buttons.

  Inside the bunker…

  In the weapons’ holding cell a scud missile starts to activate on its own. The militia men in the room are horrified to see the weapon activating - and are helpless to stop it.

  Inside the SUV…

  Richard and Walter watch the bunker blow up. They smile victoriously.

  “This remote represents endless opportunities for us, Walt. Just think of all the terrorists and anti-Americans we can blow up and the locations we can illegally access.” Richard boasts as he holds up the remote.

  “Don’t forget the money we can make.” Walter points out.

  Days later, back in America…

  Richard and Walter drink champagne with other agents celebrating their victory of blowing up the bunker. They’re in the command center of the Federal Strategic Security Unit (FSSU,) a covert agency that fights terrorism with advanced technology.

  Felix Russo joins the celebration. Felix is beguiling and brooding with a mysterious and seductive allure. He’s Grimm fairy tale handsome with raven black hair, Guinness brown eyes and perpetual ‘tickle me’ stubble. He could cast an unbreakable spell over a woman's heart with just a sideways glance.

  “Bravo. What a victory. You sold them a missile, cashed the check and then blew them all up.” Felix deadpans.

  “All thanks to you, Felix. “Your remote works like a charm,” Richard responds.

  Felix holds up a disc. “I finished the Hacker Heaven program. It has ten levels.” Everyone looks duly impressed with this information.

  Richard and Walter follow Felix to a computer. Felix inserts the disc and masterfully commands the computer. The computer screen shows that Hacker Heaven is a computer game where the player has to figure out how to hack through state-of-the-art security systems.

  “So far no one has made it through level eight. If anyone can advance to and through level ten, you will have found the Holy Grail of hackers,” Felix tells Richard and Walter.

  “I want to take a stab at level ten,” Richard smugly states.

  “I knew you would,” Felix grins.

  Felix moves away from the computer giving the seat to Richard. Richard types away, confident he'll beat the program. Richard makes a move that sets off alarms, the skull and bones image appears on every monitor in the room.

  “What the hell just happened?!” Richard hollers.

  “A virus. I'll have to go to the main frame to fix it,” Felix tells Richard.

  “Well, go! Go fix it, damn it!” Richard shouts at Felix.

  Felix leaves the command center. He calmly walks through the building as alarms sound all around. The facility's entire computer and security systems are shutting down. Agents and guards hurry about in a frenzy.

  Felix proceeds to a heavily secured area that is no longer secure thanks to the virus. He waltzes right into a vaulted secret chamber that houses the remote control. Felix grabs the remote and leaves.

  In the command center Richard frantically types away at the computer trying desperately to shut the thing down. “Where the hell is Felix?!” He hollers.

  At that very moment Felix appears on every computer screen and on every cell phone in the room. “Isn't level ten a bitch, Richard?” Felix asks.

  Richard's expression drops, the realization setting in. “You traitor,” Richard says as he glares at Felix on the monitor.

  Felix holds up the remote for Richard to see. “I'm taking my toy and leaving. I don't want to play on your team anymore, Richard.”

  “You won't get away with this,” Richard snarls at Felix.

  “I am getting away with this,” Felix coolly responds. “Feel free to waste man hours and resources trying to find me.”

  “I swear to God if it's the last thing I do I will get the remote back and I will kill you,” Richard threatens, emphasizing every word.

  As if he were relishing engaging Richard in a chess match Felix offers, “To that end, should you ever find someone who can make it through level ten, someone whose mind works in the same way as mine, that person would be the only person who could steal back your precious remote and I would provide that opportunity. I would welcome challenging that person. Until then…”

  The monitors go black.

  *****

  PRESENT DAY

  Katrina Brice rows down an urban river in a single person scull. She's strong, focused, radiating beauty, the kind of beauty enhanced by a healthy lifestyle and an inner glow. She rows with power and determination; it's a graceful sight.

  An unidentifiable man, hidden in the shadows on the shore, seems quite interested in Katrina - he's taking pictures of her.

  Once Katrina finishes up her early morning row, she docks her scull and walks along a quiet city sidewalk to the Chick Lit Bookstore. She unlocks the door and enters the store.

  The store is cozy and cramped. Tall and short shelves are stacked with books - all written by female authors. Comfy reading chairs are scattered throughout the store.

  Hanging on the one spot of wall not blocked by a bookshelf - a replica of the steamy painting “Paolo & Francesca.” The passionate embrace depicted in the painting is of real life lovers made famous in Dante's Divine Comedy.

  Katrina heads straight for her computer located behind the cashier counter. She takes a seat and powers up her laptop.

  With the screen name "Francesca” Katrina sends an instant message to "Paolo." They both have the same icon for their screen image - the painting of the lovers "Paolo & Francesca," the same image that hangs on the bookstore wall.

  Katrina as “Francesca” and “Paolo” engage in an instant message chat.

  Francesca: I've decided on my favorite George Sand quote. “Let us accept truth, even when it surprises us and alters our views.”

  Paolo: I would have surmised her quote ‘there is only one happiness in life, to love and be loved” to be your favorite.

  Francesca: What would make you surmise that?

  Paolo: The icon we share for one, your screen name, and the books you choose for us to read and discuss tend to have an unforgettable romance.

  Francesca: Then I could presume the same for you.

  Paolo: If I had the right woman in my embrace you would presume correctly. Have you ever found true love? Has there ever been anyone in your embrace that you wanted to hold forever?

  Katrina sits back, flustered by the questions. Before she can think of a reply Paolo sends another message.

  Paolo: I apologize. It was an inappropriate inquiry. I will honor our pledge that our real identities and lives will remain a mystery to each other, most especially since I was the one who insisted on anonymity. I value our cyber relationship too much; my inner being would be shattered if anything were to happen to our connection.

  Francesca: I feel the same. To answer your inquiry, no. I hav
en’t even had a casual date in almost a year.

  Paolo: Perhaps that is my fault since we’ve spent just about every evening “together” reading and instant messaging.

  Francesca: I have cherished every one of those evenings.

  Paolo: As have I. In all humble sincerity no one inspires, stimulates and engages me in thinking and feeling the way you do. What we have is truly rare and extraordinary.

  Katrina sits back, her breath catches and her cheeks flame. How can someone she’s never met, never even seen, touch her so deeply.

  Francesca: I’ve been told I live in my books, that I stay well hidden in my comfort zone, a place I’ve never let anyone in. Until you.

  *****

  In a city park a man sits on a bench across the street from a corporate building reading a newspaper. The newspaper hides his upper body and face so the only thing to tell about him at this moment is that his suit pants have been pressed and his shoes have been shined.

  Katrina approaches and stands a couple of feet away from the bench.

  “Mr. Reeves?” She tentatively asks.

  The man puts down his newspaper revealing he's armed services clean cut/clean shaven and Captain America handsome. He’s mid-thirties in age, a couple of years older than Katrina. He wears an American flag pin on his lapel. This is Sullivan “Sully” Reeves.

  “You found him,” he grins at Katrina as he sizes her up. Her hair is pulled back and she's wearing black-rimmed glasses and J Crew business casual clothes. He squints at her as if trying to figure out her femme fatale potential - which she definitely has. Let the hair down, put on some hooker red lipstick and heels and she could easily bed James Bond.

  Sully slides over on the bench. “Have a seat. Please.”

  Katrina takes a seat next to Sully. He nods towards the corporate building across the way. “Hamilton Dynamics. A defense contractor for which I am one of the primary stock holders. We, my fellow stock holders and myself, believe that one of the VP's has been engaging in creative accounting.” He tells her.

  “Embezzling,” Katrina clarifies.

  “A fairly significant amount,” Sully adds.

  “Why call me? If it's a government contract, why not contact the government?” Katrina asks.

  “Bureaucracy would most likely tip our hat,” Sully tells her.

  At the same time in the FSSU command center…

  Richard and Walter are observing Sully’s Interaction with Katrina via a hidden camera and recording device in Sully’s American flag pin on his lapel.

  They share a look off of Sully's comment. Richard mocks it, "Bureaucracy would most likely tip our hat?" Walter chuckles.

  On the park bench…

  Sully looks seriously at Katrina. “We want an outsider who can go in, hack the system, discover the source of the discrepancies and get out. I'm figuring this is the perfect time seeing that the company is having a pizza party birthday party for one of the executives in the conference room on the second floor.”

  “The VP offices are on the fourth floor, correct?” Katrina asks.

  “Yes.”

  “I'm thinking Robert Vesco would be a good VP to start with,” Katrina shares.

  “You've done your homework,” Sully is impressed.

  “That's why you're paying me the big bucks. You do have the big bucks with you,” Katrina inquires.

  Sully opens up his suit jacket revealing an envelope of cash in his breast pocket. He looks at a street vendor as he answers Katrina. “And I'll treat you to a hotdog.”

  Katrina stands up. “I'll see you in twenty minutes. Half hour tops.”

  Katrina heads for the corporate building. Sully watches her as he converses with Richard and Walter via his American flag pin and the tiny microphone plug in his ear. “Care to wager?” He asks.

  In the FSSU command center…

  Richard and Walter watch Katrina walk to the building via the spy cam footage on their computer monitor.

  Walter, incredulous, shakes his head. “Twenty minutes? To access Hamilton Dynamics’ computer network, which features one of the most layered and intricate security systems in the country, and discover the embezzler? There's no way she'll be able to accomplish that.”

  Richard looks more hopeful. “If she can, we may have found our Holy Grail hacker.”

  *****

  In the Hamilton Dynamics corporate building…

  Katrina gets out of the elevator on the fourth floor. She looks around the room of cubicles and glass windowed VP offices. Not a soul in sight.

  Katrina walks down the hallway looking at the names on the office doors. She stops when she sees the name Robert Vesco. She enters the office.

  Katrina takes a seat at the desk. She clicks on the computer and types away, easily accessing the password into the private files. She removes a small handheld hightetch computer from her shoulder bag and links it to Vesco’s computer. She moves fluidly between her handheld and the Vesco computer, her fingers dancing across both keyboards discovering and confirming the desired information. She’s quick, thorough and confident.

  Images of spreadsheets, correspondences, pictures, text messages and official documents whiz across the screen. She stops only momentarily to chuckle at something she sees. Katrina finishes her assignment and clicks out of the secured network leaving no trace of her activities behind. She puts away her handheld and leaves the office.

  Moments later…

  Katrina saunters from the corporate building carrying two slices of pizza.

  Sully sees her and looks at his watch. He speaks to Richard and Walter via his lapel pin. “Eighteen minutes.”

  In the FSSU command center…

  Walter and Richard look at the monitor watching Katrina walk towards Sully.

  Walter's smug look indicates he thinks Katrina failed. “I bet she couldn't hack it. Pun intended.”

  Richard's not listening, he's grinning, Cheshire cat grinning, hoping that Katrina could be the hacker he's been searching for.

  In the park on the bench…

  Katrina joins Sully taking a seat next to him. She offers him one of the slices. “Pizza?”

  He takes the slice. “You crashed their lunch party!?”

  “Yeah. Sadly no anchovies,” she takes a bite from her slice.

  Sully gives her a bit of attitude. “I hope you got more than pizza.”

  Katrina leisurely finishes her bite keeping Sully waiting for a reply. “Robert Vesco is not the embezzler. Judith Banner is the embezzler. My guess is it's payback for the illicit affair she had with her boss that went south just a week before she started stealing from the till. The relationship is detailed in the countless private sexts she sent him with the hope of rekindling the affair. She was passed over for a promotion that was given to Robert Vesco so she, quite cleverly, left clues pointing to Vesco as the embezzler.”

  Sully is dully impressed. “Great work.”

  Katrina hasn’t finished. “That's not all. The CFO is engaging in a BDSM relationship with intern Nancy.”

  Sully’s eyes widen with bemusement. “The CEO's twenty year old daughter?!”

  Katrina nods. “Nancy likes black leather, whips and to ride the portly man like a pony.”

  “That's just disturbing,” Sully cringes at the thought.

  “I’ve forwarded all of the juicy details to your email,” Katrina tells him.

  Inside the FSSU command center…

  Walter quickly types information into a computer accessing Sully's email. As he does, images of intern Nancy riding the portly man like a pony pop up on the surrounding monitors.

  Walter smiles. “Giddy-up.”

  In the park on the bench…

  Sully is about to ask a question, one that Katrina anticipates. “Not to worry, I encrypted the email I sent you and covered my cyber tracks. Hamilton Dynamics won't be the wiser until you want them to be the wiser.”

  Sully removes the envelope from his breast pocket and hands it to Katrina. “I still owe
you a hot dog,” he tells her.

  Katrina flips through the wad of large bills in the envelope. “I'm good, thanks.”

  In the FSSU command center…

  Richard studies Katrina on the monitor as he answers her even though she can’t hear or see him. “Yes you are, Ms. Brice. You most definitely are.”

  Walter looks at Richard. “You think she's the one?” The glint in Richard's eyes confirms the affirmative.

  *****

  Katrina returns to the Chick Lit Bookstore. She unlocks the door, flips the Open sign into place and hurries to her computer to check for messages. Sure enough there's a message from Paolo. Katrina reads the message.

  Paolo: I found a painting that I thought you might appreciate.

  Katrina clicks on the attachment. She smiles at the image of ‘Literary Pursuits of a Young Lady.’ She clicks into an instant message chat with Paolo.

  Francesca: Thank you for the painting. Reminds me of me.

  Katrina waits for a moment hoping Paolo is available to reply. He is.

  Paolo: It reminded me of you as well. How I picture you. Will we be reading together tonight?

  Francesca: Chapter four of Wuthering Heights I’m hoping.

  Paolo: "See" you at nine.

  Katrina clicks out of the cyber chat. She prints out a color copy of the image and tacks it up on the announcement board behind the counter.

  Later in the afternoon…

  Two women, Maya and Dorothy, enter the bookstore. Between them they’re carrying three bottles of wine. Maya, in her late twenties, sweet and effervescent, could easily win the Miss Universe pageant, and Dorothy, early sixties, is a bohemian Buddhist in the midst of battling cancer.

  “Hey, Kat,” Maya calls.

  “It's wine and dish time,” Dorothy chimes.

  “I'll grab the glasses,” Katrina grabs three wine glasses from a shelf at her cashier counter, as if this wine and dish time were a regular occurrence, and joins Dorothy and Maya at the reading chairs by the front window.

  Katrina gives Dorothy a once over. “You're looking good.”