Mark Young - Off the grid

“My husband? Fat chance.”

“Just pretend for a moment. I’d want to keep an eye on your spending spree. I might start with slipping a chip on you. A Radio Frequency ID tag. You have an ATM card, right?”

“Had an ATM card. Left it with the rest of our stuff.”

He nodded. “Good, because that’s one way of getting to us.”

“I thought they had limited tracking capabilities.”

“Technology’s changed. Now, almost every bank, every financial institution, has the capability of tracking you with that card. Small RFID tags have been inserted in those ATM cards, particularly VIP customers so when you enter a bank, a sensor hidden in the doorways alerts when this card is carried into the bank. A signal is transmitted to bank representatives-such as the manager or tellers-that would allow them to greet important customers by first name and allow them to scan a summary of current transactional history and other information generally only known to the customer.”

“I thought Wal-Mart and others just used them for product identification and tracking.”

He nodded. “RFID use has been expanded. Theoretically, those tags can be tracked anywhere. Using RFID technology, a manufacturer can trace razor blades you purchased right down to your bathroom shelf. In the past, they’ve been limited by the signals emitting from the tags and scanners powerful enough to track and locate their product.”

She moved farther down the aisle. “So if they know I bought this jacket I’m holding, they could track me anywhere I take it-theoretically?”

“Exactly. That’s why Joe wants us to dump our old things and buy new. And this is just the start. RFID and other tracking capabilities have flooded the market. It’s in everything. Cell phones, clothing, even woven into our money.”

“They track money?” She shook her head. “You are an expert in this technology? I must have missed that in your file.”

“It was never my area of interest-I focused in nanosystem integration as it pertained to warfare and nanoelectronics. I knew this technology was out there, but I never paid much attention.”

“Well, now would be a good time to start learning. Our lives may depend upon how much you grasp.” Her words carried a hard edge. “So, tell me about tracking money.”

“I’ll let Joe go over all that later when we catch up to them. But I want to look at this with a practical and objective eye. Study the data and determine appropriate responses. To simply toss our belongings every time we smell danger…that’s just stupid.”

“You calling Joe stupid?” Again, anger flared in her eyes.

“No, but I want us to think in terms of logical and reasonable consequences. I know the dangers we face. Any mistake we make, any lapse in judgment, will have catastrophic repercussions. I’m talking arrest, imprisonment…even death. There is a lot at stake. And these guys play for keeps. Winners take all. Losers die. I know all this, but we still must be practical.”

She looked away for a moment. “Do not preach to me about the dangers and consequences, Gerrit. Joe and I have been living with them for years. And you…what, less than a week?” There was a look in her eyes as if each word she chose carried with it a history, an event, something painful that underscored her meaning. He could only guess what she was thinking, but whatever it was, those memories must have cost dearly.

He lowered his voice. “I just wanted to make sure we’re on the same page. Even though I’ve been running for a few days, I do know the dangers-as a cop, a Force Recon Marine, and a scientist. In Recon operations, I’ve used satellite tracking stations to home in on the enemy. Once locked upon a target, I was able to backtrack their movements for intelligence purposes, or hover over their current location until that particular satellite was out of range. I know you’ve used some of this technology in Israel, too. Tell me, how did you handle our meeting at the airport?”

Alena waited until they’d purchased their items and walked outside, heading toward Union Square before picking up the conversation again. “Prior to contact with you, we needed to reloop surveillance cameras off-site to allow us to spot and track the tail on you-the threesome we tagged.”

“Okay, but would they also be able to spot you on camera?”

“Once we locked into the targets and had you sighted, we jammed the signals and made it appear they had a major malfunction. Then we were able to move in and incapacitate the two guys and plant a thumbnail sample of explosives on the woman. That allowed us a brief window of time to have our private sit-down at the airport.”

“How did you track those three following me?”

She looked around them, studying each vehicle, each pedestrian. “Joe and Willy will have to explain. They handle the technology; I handle the contacts-or enemy. Now, I have to worry about someone planting RFID chips on me.”

Gerrit smiled.

“What are you grinning at?”

“I was just wondering where your RFID chips might be hidden. Want me to help search?”

She laughed. “I can take care of myself, thank you. Besides, that is where Joe and Willy-and maybe you, one of these days-come in. Tonight, they will search us and our new belongings to make sure we are clean of bugs before we go anywhere.”

“What are they going to do? Strip search us?”

Alena looked at him with mischief in her eyes. “They are going to search you in places where you could never search yourself…and they are going to let me watch.”

He eyed her suspiciously. “Why are they going to let you watch?”

She smiled without answering.

Gerrit smirked. “Well, since I need on-the-job training, I’ll speak to Joe and see if I can work on you. What do you say?”

“Forget it, Gerrit. Only in your dreams.”

If Kane’s peopled had tracked their movements, this would be the place for an ambush.

Gerrit watched Alena approach the door. He held his breath as she eased open a gray metal door leading into the hangar, the same location they had arrived from Idaho forty-eight hours earlier. He edged closer in case of trouble, feeling helpless without any weapons. She scanned the area and motioned him inside.

Gerrit glanced at his new watch; it was a quarter past midnight. “Running late?”

She seemed nervous, answering him with a shrug.

“Isn’t this risky returning to the same place we used upon arrival?”

Alena grimaced. “I know it’s risky, but if we are all clean of tracking devices, we should be okay.”

“What if they used some other technique to track us-like satellites?”

“Then we just shoot our way out, Gerrit. How do I know?” She seemed surprised at her own outburst. “Sorry. This whole thing has me jumpy.”

A portable MRI machine had been wheeled into one corner of the hangar. He pointed. “Is that for us?”

This seemed to break the tension for a moment. She gave him a quick smile, nodded, then walked to the main hangar door, pushing on a button for a second and then releasing it. The door opened up just enough to see outside. She crouched down and peered into the night. He heard a jet taxiing about a hundred yards away, the sound growing stronger. It was heading toward them.

She studied the approaching aircraft. A moment later, her shoulders relaxed. She sprang to the side and pressed the button to allow the door to open all the way. “Here they come. As soon as they’re inside, I am going to shut this door. Keep your eyes open on that back door for anything unusual.”

He shook his head and headed for the smaller door. Even if there was something suspicious, what was he supposed to do? No gun. No badge. Couldn’t even call the cops. Some army here. Not even a Taser gun between them.