The Devil's Code Read Online Free PDF

down to the end of the room, and I dialed Bobby’s 800 number, a number I’m sure that AT&T doesn’t know about, since ten digits follow the 800. I then waited through ten seconds of electronic silence; in the eleventh second, the modem burped and a “?” appeared on the screen. I typed eight digits, got another “?” and typed “k” and got a further “?” I typed “MALE,” which was either a deliberate misspelling in the interests of security, or a joke. When the final “?” appeared, I typed “3RATSASS3.”
    A letter popped up.
O H , FUCK : U NLESS I’ M READING THIS MYSELF , I COULD BE IN DEEP SHIT .
    K IDD : G ET DOWN TO D ALLAS AND FIND ME —I MIGHT BE IN JAIL .
    T HIS IS THE DEAL : I CONTRACTED WITH A M M ATH TO OVERHAUL THEIR SYSTEM SOFTWARE , WHICH JOB I GOT BECAUSE I HAVE A DOD CLEARANCE FROM WHEN I WAS AT JPL. I T ’ S ALL SUPPOSED TO BE SECRET , BUT EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT THEY ’ RE WORKING ON SOFTWARE FOR THE C LIPPER II— IT ’ S BEEN IN THE NEWSPAPERS . S O I FIGURE THAT ’ S NO BIG DEAL , BECAUSE C LIPPER II IS DEAD IN THE H OUSE AND EVEN DEADER IN THE S ENATE AND EVERYBODY EXCEPT THE INTELLIGENCE GOOFS IN W ASHINGTON KNOWS IT ’ S TOO LATE ANYWAY . B UT AROUND HERE , THEY ’ RE ACTING LIKE IT ’ S A NEW ATOMIC BOMB , AND THESE PEOPLE AIN ’ T GOOFS . I N FACT , THEY SCARE ME A LITTLE BIT .
    T HE OTHER DAY I WAS MANIPULATING A BUNCH OF STUFF IN A FILE CALLED OMS JUST TO SEE IF THE SYSTEM WAS RIGHT . I GOT TO READING SOME OF IT , AND FUCK ME WITH A PHONE POLE IF IT HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH C LIPPER . I WAS STILL READING THROUGH IT WHEN A SECURITY GUY CAME DOWN FROM C ORPORATE AND ASKED ME WHAT I WAS DOING . I TOLD HIM , ACCESS TESTS , AND TOLD HIM I WASN ’ T REALLY READING ANYTHING , AND HE TELLS ME TO STAY OFF THAT LINK UNLESS I GIVE PRIOR NOTICE . I SAY OK . T HEY MUST ’ VE HAD A TRIP WIRE ON IT .
    S O ANYWAY , I’ M GOING BACK TONIGHT WITH A BUNCH OF J AZ DISKS , I’ M GONNA DISCONNECT THE TRIP WIRE AND DUMP THE OMS FILE . (OMS I FOUND OUT STANDS FOR O LD M AN OF THE S EA , BUT I DIDN ’ T SEE ANYTHING IN IT ABOUT H EMINGWAY .) A NYWAY , JUST IN CASE , I’ LL STASH COPIES IN THE SAFEST POSSIBLE PLACE .
    I F YOU ’ RE READING THIS , I’ M PROBABLY IN A JAM . T HE GUY TO WATCH IS A SECURITY ASSHOLE NAMED W ILLIAM H ART . T HERE ARE RUMORS THAT HE USED TO BE SOME KIND OF MILITARY SECURITY GUY OR SOMETHING , AND HE GOT KICKED OUT . O NE OF THE SECRETARIES TOLD ME THAT HE ’ D DONE TIME IN PRISON BEFORE HE CAME TO A M M ATH , SO YOU WANT TO STAY AWAY FROM HIM .
    S O , THAT ’ S IT . I HOPE TO HELL I’ M READING THIS , AND NOT YOU . I F IT ’ S YOU , COME GET ME . S AY HELLO TO L U E LLEN FOR ME  . . . DON ’ T TAKE ANY WOODEN PUSSY .
     
    J ACK
    That did not sound good. I looked at if for a couple of minutes, then buzzed Bobby: Bobby’s always available. After I buzzed him, I got the “?” again, and went back with a “k.” He was on immediately.
K IDD , WHERE YOU BEEN ?
    F ISHING .
    B EEN TRYING TO FIND YOU : SAW AIRLINE TO K ENORA AND THEN LOS T YOU .
    O UT OF TOUCH . W HAT ’ S HAPPENING ?
    Y OU READ ABOUT F IREWALL ?
    I KNOW NOTHING . J UST BACK NOW .
    G O OUT ON N ET , LOOK AT PAPERS , N EW Y ORK T IMES , W ALL S TREET J OURNAL , W ASHINGTON P OST . W E NEED TO FIND F IREWALL AND GIVE THEM TO COPS . B UT F IREWALL NAMES ARE NOT GOOD . Y OU ARE NOT F IREWALL . S TANFORD IS NOT . O NE 2O XFORD IS NOT . C ARL G IS NOT .
    I DON ’ T KNOW WHAT YOU ’ RE TALKING ABOUT .
    R EAD PAPERS AND GET BACK . Y OUR NAME IS ON LIST .
    D O YOU KNOW S TANFORD IS DEAD ?
    Standford was Jack’s working name. There was a pause; something you didn’t get with Bobby.
D EAD ? A RE YOU SURE ? W HEN AND WHERE ?
    L AST F RIDAY IN D ALLAS . S UPPOSEDLY SHOT TO DEATH DURING BREAK - IN AT SOFTWARE COMPANY CALLED A M M ATH .
    D ID NOT KNOW . W ILL CHECK IMMEDIATELY . S TANFORD IS ON F IREWALL LIST .
    D O YOU KNOW L ANE W ARD ?
    N O . I’ VE HEARD NAME . C OMPUTERS AT B ERKELEY .
    I NEED