Zero Day_ A Novel - Mark Russinovich [95]
“Who is, in your opinion?”
“The Division of Counter Cyberterrorism. That’s you, George. That’s why we’re here.”
Carlton was sweating now. He licked his upper lip. For long seconds he remained motionless. All he could think was Superphreak!
Jeff leaned forward. “You’re not going to sit on this too, are you?” Daryl looked sharply at him but Jeff paid no attention to her; his eyes focused on Carlton like lasers.
Carlton drew himself up. “I’ve never sat on anything important. Despite what you think, Jeff.”
Jeff laughed, the sound coming out more like a sharp bark. “You make me sick! I gave you the World Trade Center Towers as targets, the Pentagon, for God’s sake! I gave you the names of five of the hijackers and you did nothing!”
Carlton seemed to recoil. “It’s true, but you gave me a lot of unrelated information as well. But that’s not the point. I passed the report up. I can’t be held responsible if no one believed you.”
Jeff shot to his feet. “You son of a bitch!”
Daryl stood up, taking control. “Jeff! Leave this room now! I’ll take care of this from here.”
Jeff stood immobile, then abruptly turned away and walked stiffly out the door. Carlton leaned back, removed a handkerchief, and wiped his brow. “Thank you. I thought he was going to assault me.”
“But he didn’t,” she said. “Are you all right?”
Carlton drew a deep breath, still staring at the closed door, then slowly released it. “Yes. You see how emotional he can be, though.”
“I don’t want his anger to temper my message,” Daryl warned. “I need for you to lean on the security vendors, to get as much of the government moving on this as possible.”
“You think it’s that serious?” Carlton struggled to regain some composure. He was finding it impossible to get his mind on track.
“I think in eleven days we’re going to wish to God we’d done something more. You can be absolutely certain people are going to ask questions. At the least, we need to show that we did everything we could.”
“Yes, yes,” Carlton hurried to reassure her, “I understand and agree. I’ll see to it at once. Today, in fact.”
“Thank you.” Daryl gazed at Carlton, who’d behaved oddly for most of this meeting, and wondered if she could trust him. “I’m going to see to Jeff now. He’s in no state to be left alone.” She rose. “I guess I asked too much bringing him here. I apologize for that outburst.”
“It’s all right. I respect how he feels. I just wish he could see my position.”
A grateful Daryl shook Carlton’s hand, then left his office. For once, he didn’t check out her ass the minute she turned her back to him.
Carlton staggered over to his desk. His mind was whirling. How could I be so stupid? he thought. Frantic, he replayed his last conversation with Fajer. He had to act, had to do something!
* * *
Jeff wasn’t outside Carlton’s office or in the lobby. Instead, Daryl found him leaning against her car in the parking lot, staring in disbelief at his BlackBerry.
“Are you all right?” she asked.
Jeff looked up at her, stunned. “I just received a message from the IT manager’s assistant at the law firm in New York. Sue Tabor was found murdered this morning. She was in a hotel room with the firm’s managing partner. They’d both been tortured.”
47
MANHATTAN, NEW YORK
HOTEL LUXOR
EAST THIRTIETH STREET
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 1
5:33 P.M.
Brian Manfield spent the day in two different movie theaters. He’d found them to be as safe a refuge as there was when on a mission. Movie theaters were dark, with a large room to disappear in. They also had several exits; the police would have to be certain the man they wanted was inside to cover them all.
And he liked American hot dogs. He’d been told the very best were sold at baseball games, but he’d never attended one. He found it difficult to believe any could be better than those he’d enjoyed