Dar nodded. “So it found some email that referenced those terms, and some song lyrics. The human operator will probably want to see some additional detail about the first, but maybe not the second.”
Bush nodded, and hit the key for the first return. “So this’ll show me that actual mail, huh?”
Dar nodded.
“That’s going to freak everybody out.” He studied the screen. “Ain’t it?”
“Well.” Kerry sat forward and rested her elbows on her knees, looking past Dar at the screen. “In reality, it’s something that any Internet service provider can do right now.” She said. “They see all your data so if the police wanted, they could have them capture all the traffic you send and receive and turn it over.”
Bush blinked. “Really?”
“Sure.” Dar said. “It’s what I could have done when I was at ILS. Capture every bit of information going in and out of the Pentagon, and sold it to the highest bidder.”
The president sat back in his seat and regarded her. “I don’t think I like that idea.” He said, after a pause. “Here’s the problem with all this technology stuff. We don’t have a handle on it. It’s too wide open.”
Dar considered the question. “It’s true the Internet changed everything.” She said. “It connected the world in a way that I don’t’ think anyone was really ready for. But the truth is, bad people do bad things and use whatever is available to do what they do.”
Bush nodded. “That’s right. I did a study on that, if you can believe it. Telegraph, telex, morse code, fax modems, all that. But now this here everyone connected thing makes it too easy for them, too hard for us.”
“So this is a tool to help counteract that.” Kerry said. “But you have to put it in the hands of trusted people. Really trusted.” She added. “This would be so easy to use for someone to persecute people for a lot of reasons not related to national security. You know what I mean?”
He produced a wry smile. “Lot of things can be used for good or bad.” He remarked. “But I thought someone told me all this stuff was .. what did they say… “ He frowned. “Encrypted? So you can’t see it?”
“Technically that’s true.” Dar said.
“But there’s a way around that?”
“Yes.”
Bush nodded slowly. “Tell me something.” He hunched forward, resting his elbows on his knees and clasping his hands together. “What do you ladies think? This thing a good thing for us to do?” He looked from Dar to Kerry. “This right?”
Silence fell, as they all sat there, thinking.
Finally, it was Kerry who cleared her throat and spoke first. “The truth is, if someone wants to hurt us bad enough, they will. They’ll find a way, and if it’s known that we can do this.” She pointed at the computer. “They’ll find a way around it.”
Bush glanced aside, then back at her. “That’s probably true.” He said.
“So what I think is, you should tell everyone you decided not to do this.” Kerry said. “Tell them either it cant’ be done, or it’s not right, or whatever you want to make people think it’s not being done.”
The president watched her face thoughtfully. “But do it.”
Kerry nodded. Then she smiled faintly. “That’s what my father would have said to do. He would have called this playing to the beliefs of the people.”
“What about you?” He glanced at Dar. “You think that’s the thing?”
Dar hand her hands folded on her stomach. “I think you should do it because it can be done, and if we can do it, whoever’s against us can do it too. It’s stupid not to.” She remarked. “But I don’t disagree with Ker’s slant on it.”
Another silence fell. Dar found herself wishing they were home, all the excitement she’d felt about demonstrating her program evaporated away into doubt, and uncertainty of where they would be tomorrow and what new problems she’d face.
She felt a little down. She wasn’t sure if she really cared what they did with the app now, in fact, if they decided to just cancel it she sort of felt like she might be glad. In fact, if they finished up now here, she and Kerry could go see the Air and Sea Museum.
That sounded like a hell of a lot more fun than doing a demo for Congress.
“Well.” Bush finally said, after pondering to himself for a long time. “Here’s what I think. “ He straightened up in his chair and leaned back, hiking up one ankle and putting it on his knee. “I think we’re going to have to show this off, because if we say never mind, they’re all going to think we’re lying sacks of marbles.”
Ah well. Dar sighed inwardly.
“I”ll just have to come up with a good story about how we’re gonna lock this up in the depths of the Pentagon and only allow access to it with a gun and a court order by Eagle Scouts.” Bush concluded. “Or something like that.”
“Will they buy that, sir?” Kerry asked, quietly.
“Doesn’t matter.” Bush shook his head. “She’s right, about the cat being out of the bag. Can be done, so we gotta do it.” He scratched the bridge of his nose. “Sometimes politics are a mess.”
Kerry almost laughed. “I think my mother agrees with you.”
“When I demo this for the senators, I’ll skew it to show how the automatic processing works rather than have them ask questions of it.” Dar said. “How it finds connections. I think that’s less intimidating.”
“Mike was right on that.” The president said, in a rueful tone. “I shoulda kept my yap shut. One of them poked the bear one too many times about us not knowing enough to stop those planes and I told em we had something to make that up now.”
“I remember when it happened, right after, everyone was so angry and.. I guess embarrassed.” Kerry said. “I remember thinking, how could we let this happen.”
Bush was staring past her. “Just be glad you weren’t sitting in my chair.” He said, then he straightened back up and clapped his hands together. “But that’s water under the bridge, right? How about some coffee, ladies? Bout that time of day.”
“That would be great.” Kerry said. “We didn’t get any sleep last night trying to fix that problem. It’s been a long day.”
The president got up and picked up a phone, which connected with out him having to dial. “Hey, get me a tray with some coffee and some cookies in here, willya? For all of us? Thanks.” He put the phone down. “Now, we got a minute here, tell me about that whole thing with the press. What’s up with all that?”
Dar and Kerry exchanged glances. “It’s a long story.” Kerry temporized.
“Hey, I like stories.” The president sat back down. “Specially when they’re being told by good looking women. Have at it.”
**
“That was weird.” Kerry smiled politely at the guards as they left the office.
Dar eyed her. “Given what we’ve gone through in the last few hours I don’t know what part of that you’re referring to.”
“Yes.” Kerry had to admit. “This is one of the stranger days I can recall.”
They were being led down the hall by an aide. Dar finally took her phone out of her pocket and looked at it. “Ten missed calls. Glad this thing has a silencer.”
Kerry was checking hers. “Yeap.” She thumbed through the numbers. “Here’s Richard.. I better call him back once we’re outside.”
“Did you know you used to be able to listen to analog cell phones by tuning in a radio scanner?” Dar asked, as she put the phone away. “They were radio transmissions in the clear.”
“You know this personally?”