Elemental

Present Interlude #6

Technology was a broadsword, slicing swaths through history with ease. Unfortunately, like a broadsword, its double edge could injure the wielder as much as the opponent. Essex perused over his IT manager's report, tapping lightly on the surface of his desk.

"Are you certain of these findings?" he asked in Hindi. The man could speak English very well but Essex wanted to keep his skills fresh. He often picked his supplies from India.

"Yes, sir. We couldn ot find it at first because they tried to worm in from two different points but once they got far enough into the system, we were able to see the connection."

"What did they manage to get?"

The IT manager cleared his throat. "Mainly information from the accounting department. Some business letters between our partners. It is nothing too damaging, sir. Certainly none of the high security files."

"Were you able to track down the culprits?"

"Both are coming from America, sir." He scratched his head. "One from northern New York state and the other from Massachusetts. Strangely, the New York trail seems to have one of your access codes. Like I said, they do not have anything sensitive," he hurried to assure Essex, "but that is the only way he got as far as he did. The rest of this person's work is sloppy at best. We think it might be an amateur that bought code elsewhere."

Essex pondered his next move. "Thank you for your hard work. See to it that this is fixed as soon as possible."

"Yes sir." The man left, thankful that he still had his job.

Moments after the main office door clicked shut, Essex pressed a button on his intercom system. The other line picked up with pleasing quickness.

"Yes sir?"

"Ready a small squad. We need to some neutralisation."

"Yes sir, right away. Where to?"

"Upstate New York."