Part 75 (2/2)

Sir George Sterling checked his E-Mail for es There were only 2, both froe Well earned, he thought In less than 3 months, he had called over 1,700 people on the phone and let them in on his little secrets, as he came to call theular like clockwork, and Sir George had diligently followed instructions To the letter

Not so much in deference to the implicit threats issued him by Alex, over computer and untraceable of course, but by the pros- pect of continued income He came to enjoy the work Since he was in America and his calls were to Americans, he had the oppor- tunity to dazzle them with his proper and refined accent before he let the hammer dohatever tidbit of private inforinning Sir George had little idea of what the motiva- tion behind his job was, and still, he wasn't completely sure

He realized each call he made contained the undercurrent of a threat But he never threatened anyone, his instructions were explicit; never threaten So therefore, he reasoned, hethreats, nopeople, that wasn't his nature, but he savored i their reactions for his daily reports back to Alex In the evenings Sir George searched out small American recreational centers inaccurately referred to as pubs In fact they were disguised bars with darts and warle and flash his assu, he truthfully said, ”I talk to people”

About what? ”Whatever interests them”

He became somewhat of a celebrated fixture at several 'pubs' in Marin County where he found the at; a perfectly civilized provincial suburb of San Francisco where his purchased affectations ell on the locals who endlessly coh tech jobs in Silicon Valley 40 miles to the south

Hawaii had been, as he said, ”Quite the experience” Alex had informed him one day that he was to take a holiday and return ready for a new assigne smiled to himself A job well done, and additional rewards That was a first for George Toft of dreary Manchester, England

Since he did not have a printer, there was no way he would jeop- ardize his livelihood for a coes into Word Perfect, and then reading them at his leisure All E-Mail was encrypted with the Public Private RSA algorithes with his private key and save them unencrypted When he was done, he erased the file co the nature of his work Alex's first e was dated two days before he returned from Hawaii It was actually cordial, as far as Alex could be considered cordial After their firstin Athens, Alex had taken on a succinct if not terse tone in all coe:

Welcome back I hope you had a most enjoyable holiday It ell deserved

We now enter phase two of our operations We place much faith in your ability and loyalty Please do not disrupt that confidence

As in the past, you will be given daily lists of people to call They are some of the people whom you have called before As before, identify yourself and the nature of your call I a to them, they will take your call this time as well

Then, once you have confirive them the new inforiven, to the letter Please be your usual polite self

Alex

The second e:

If you have any problee your termination

Alex

”hello? Are you there?” Sir George Sterling spoke with as ance he could ain for Robert Henson” Sir George remembered the naie said ”Mr Henson?” She said after dialing his intercom extension ”It's John Fullmaster for you

Line three”

”Who?”

”Mr Fullo Don't you reht Fullht he was a bad dreaure how he knew about the Winston Ellis scaht, I'll take it” He punched up the third line

”Yeah?” He said defiantly

”Mr Henson? This is John Fullmaster I believe we spoke a while back about sos? Do you recall?”

”Yes, I recall you bastard, but you're too late The deal closed last et your threats fuck off and die”

Henson used his best boardrooerence