Part 30 (1/2)

”A back door,” Susan said, forgetting the Commanderhad ever lied to her. She felt a surge of antic.i.p.ation. ”Justlike Skipjack.”

Strathmore nodded. ”Then we could replace Tankado'sgive-away file on the Internet with our altered version.Because Digital Fortress is a j.a.panese algorithm, no one will eversuspect the NSA had any part in it. All we have to do is make theswitch.”

Susan realized the plan was beyond ingenious. It was pure ...Strathmore. He planned to facilitate the release of an algorithmthe NSA could break!

”Full access,” Strathmore said. ”Digital Fortresswill become the encryption standard overnight.”

”Overnight?” Susan said. ”How do you figure that? Even if Digital Fortress becomes available everywhere forfree, most computer users will stick with their old algorithms forconvenience. Why would they switch to Digital Fortress?”

Strathmore smiled. ”Simple. We have a security leak. Thewhole world finds out about TRANSLTR.”

Susan's jaw dropped.

”Quite simply, Susan, we let the truth hit the street. Wetell the world that the NSA has a computer that can break everyalgorithm except Digital Fortress.”

Susan was amazed. ”So everyone jumps s.h.i.+p to DigitalFortress ... not knowing we can break it!”

Strathmore nodded. ”Exactly.” There was a longsilence. ”I'm sorry I lied to you.

Trying to rewriteDigital Fortress is a pretty big play, I didn't want youinvolved.” ”I ... understand,” she replied slowly, stillreeling from the brilliance of it all. ”You're not a badliar.”

Strathmore chuckled. ”Years of practice. Lying was the onlyway to keep you out of the loop.”

Susan nodded. ”And how big a loop is it?”

”You're looking at it.”

Susan smiled for the first time in an hour. ”I was afraidyou'd say that.”

He shrugged. ”Once Digital Fortress is in place, I'llbrief the director.”

Susan was impressed. Strathmore's plan was a globalintelligence coup the magnitude of which had never before beenimagined. And he'd attempted it single-handedly. It lookedlike he might pull it off too. The pa.s.s-key was downstairs. Tankadowas dead.

Tankado's partner had been located.

Susan paused.

Tankado is dead. That seemed very convenient. She thoughtof all the lies that Strathmore had told her and felt a suddenchill. She looked uneasily at the commander.

”Did you killEnsei Tankado?”

Strathmore looked surprised. He shook his head. ”Of coursenot. There was no need to kill Tankado. In fact, I'd prefer hewere alive. His death could cast suspicion on Digital Fortress. Iwanted this switch to go as smoothly and inconspicuously aspossible. The original plan was to make the switch and let Tankadosell his key.”

Susan had to admit it made sense. Tankado would have no reasonto suspect the algorithm on the Internet was not the original.n.o.body had access to it except himself and North Dakota. UnlessTankado went back and studied the programming after it wasreleased, he'd never know about the back door. He'dslaved over Digital Fortress for long enough that he'dprobably never want to see the programming again.

Susan let it all soak in. She suddenly understood thecommander's need for privacy in Crypto. The task at hand wastime-consuming and delicate-writing a concealed back door in acomplex algorithm and making an undetected Internet switch.Concealment was of paramount importance. The simple suggestion thatDigital Fortress was tainted could ruin the commander'splan.

Only now did she fully grasp why he had decided to let TRANSLTRkeep running. If Digital Fortress is going to be the NSA'snew baby, Strathmore wanted to be sure it was unbreakable!

”Still want out?” he asked.

Susan looked up. Somehow sitting there in the dark with thegreat Trevor Strathmore, her fears were swept away. RewritingDigital Fortress was a chance to make history-a chance to doincredible good-and Strathmore could use her help. Susanforced a reluctant smile. ”What's our nextmove?”

Strathmore beamed. He reached over and put a hand on hershoulder. ”Thanks.” He smiled and then got down tobusiness. ”We'll go downstairs together.” He held uphis Berretta. ”You'll search Hale's terminal.I'll cover you.”

Susan bristled at the thought of going downstairs.”Can't we wait for David to call with Tankado'scopy?”

Strathmore shook his head. ”The sooner we make the switch,the better. We have no guarantees that David will even find theother copy. If by some fluke the ring falls into the wrong handsover there, I'd prefer we'd already made the algorithmswitch. That way, whoever ends up with the key will download our version of the algorithm.”

Strathmore fingered his gunand stood. ”We need to go for Hale's key.”

Susan fell silent. The commander had a point. They neededHale's pa.s.s-key. And they needed it now.

When Susan stood, her legs were jittery. She wished she'dhit Hale harder. She eyed Strathmore's weapon and suddenlyfelt queasy. ”You'd actually shoot Greg Hale?”

”No.” Strathmore frowned, striding to the door.”But let's hope he doesn't knowthat.”

CHAPTER 76

Outside the Seville airport terminal, a taxi sat idle, the meterrunning. The pa.s.senger in the wire-rim gla.s.ses gazed through theplate-gla.s.s windows of the well-lit terminal. He knew he'darrived in time.

He could see a blond girl. She was helping David Becker to achair. Becker was apparently in pain. He does not yet knowpain, the pa.s.senger thought. The girl pulled a small objectfrom her pocket and held it out. Becker held it up and studied itin the light. Then he slipped it on his finger. He pulled a stackof bills from his pocket and paid the girl. They talked a fewminutes longer, and then the girl hugged him. She waved, shoulderedher duffel, and headed off across the concourse.

At last, the man in the taxi thought. At last.

CHAPTER 77

Strathmore stepped out of his office onto the landing with hisgun leveled. Susan trailed close behind, wondering if Hale wa.s.still in Node 3.

The light from Strathmore's monitor behind them threw eerieshadows of their bodies out across the grated platform. Susaninched closer to the commander.

As they moved away from the door, the light faded, and they wereplunged into darkness. The only light on the Crypto floor came fromthe stars above and the faint haze from behind the shattered Node 3window.

Strathmore inched forward, looking for the place where thenarrow staircase began.