Niko smiled. “I’m glad you’re as paranoid as I am.”
Ivan reached into his briefcase and removed two bulky socks along with a couple of straps. “Police have no right to listen to communications between a lawyer and client. To ensure our privacy, you’ll need to wear these soundproofing socks during our meetings.” He stood and knelt next to Vyper. “Let me have your ankle.”
She turned her chair and lifted her leg.
He grabbed her foot. “First we have to isolate your leg from the bracelet. Sound travels through your body, you know.” He removed her slipper and wrapped a strap around her ankle, between her skin and the bracelet. “Now put on this sock. It blocks sound.”
“This is heavy.” Vyper pulled the sock up over her calf. “A bit too warm.”
Ivan went back to his seat. “That’s the price of privacy. Feel free to wear them any time, whether I’m here or not.” He handed a strap and sock to Niko. “Put yours on, too.”
As he put it on, Niko asked, “Does this block the signal to the police? Will it set off an alarm?”
“No, no.” Ivan shook his head. “It only blocks sound. Electronic signals are not affected. You could wear these socks all day long if you could get used to them.”
Niko rested his stockinged foot on the floor. “Can we discuss the case now?”
Ivan nodded. “No one else can hear us.”
“So, how much trouble are we in?” Niko placed his hand on Vyper’s. “How do we avoid going to jail?”
The lawyer outlined the charges filed against both of them. They were accused of conspiracy with Sokolov to kill Marko, and to attack both action centers. This meant they were accessories to the murder of everyone who died in the Kozel action center attack. They’d face many years in prison if convicted on all counts.
Vyper shook her head. “They are charging us with everything the Russians did. Why do they believe we helped them? How did they find us?”
“A government task force has been chasing Russian internet activities for a long time. In fact, they’re still chasing the Russians—the attacks haven’t stopped.” Ivan glanced at one of the papers. “They discovered communication between Sokolov’s Russian hackers and this house. When they investigated your home, they discovered an unusual pattern of internet activity—a heavily utilized high-speed connection with network traffic around-the-clock, all encrypted, most of it going to the dark net.”
Niko exchanged a look with Vyper. “That must have been NSA tracking you on the dark net.”
Ivan continued, “After they raided the house and learned Niko’s real name, they used the information as corroborating evidence.” He looked at Niko. “Specifically, evidence that you faked your death right after Marko was killed and the action center was attacked. They claim it proves you were in on everything.”
The circumstantial evidence was piling up, but Niko had an idea. “They must think I’m the bad guy here. Can we convince them Vyper had nothing to do with it? Can we get her off?”
“No!” said Vyper. “I will not let you sacrifice yourself for me. We did not help the Russians! We have to prove it.”
Ivan raised his hand. “Sorry, Niko. Even if you wanted to take all the blame, it wouldn’t work. The FBI has documentation from Marko’s original request to obtain a security clearance for Lydia… uh, Vyper. It includes the reason she needed it. They know she has exceptional computer security skills.”
All the cards were stacked against them. How could the evidence be so damning when they were innocent? Perhaps coming clean was the only solution. It was risky, but Niko was willing to discuss it. “Did Vyper tell you about our Trotsky communication?”
“She did.” Ivan flipped through a few pages from the folder. “You gave anonymous information to media and law enforcement about the Russians. Are you thinking of revealing that to the FBI? Do you believe it will exonerate you?”
“I’m not sure.” Niko turned his head away from Ivan and mouthed the word money to Vyper.
She nodded. “Ivan knows about Sokolov’s money. He knows about the computers I have illegally broken into. Marko always trusted him. We can, too.”
Niko faced the lawyer. “What happens if they listen to everything we tell them? Suppose they actually believe us. Would they let us go free? Or would they send us to prison for financial crimes and computer hacking anyway?”
Ivan looked at Vyper and back to Niko. “Marko always said you were smart. You should be a lawyer. The Justice Department would be inclined to charge you with your crimes and send you to prison—unless we negotiate a deal, which would probably take a month or more. It’s quite possible that the best deal they’ll accept will result in some prison time for each of you.”
Vyper took Niko’s hand. “We have no choice. We should negotiate a deal.”
Ivan took a glossy flier out of his folder. The seal of Homeland Security was emblazoned on the top. “Negotiating a deal is the best legal alternative. But I’d like you to consider something that has nothing to do with the legal system.”
Niko glanced at the paper in front of Ivan. “We know Homeland’s still fighting off Russian cyber-attacks. That’s what got us into this mess.”
The lawyer turned the flier around so they could read it better. “Do you know what the government does with talented hackers after they’re caught?” When no one responded, he continued. “They hire them.”
Chapter 19
Matter of Trust
Standing on a ladder outside the front door, Niko disconnected the camera from its mount. None of the wireless surveillance equipment outside worked since the FBI confiscated the equipment that controlled them. One wired camera would have to be enough for now.
He fished a video cable into the laundry room, following the same hole used to supply power, then he refastened the camera and brought the ladder inside.
Vyper sat in the dining room. She looked up from the computer and waved silently. It wasn’t safe to speak unless they both wore their soundproof socks.
Niko took the small TV out of his bedroom. It would make a good video monitor. He carried it to the laundry room where he connected it to the camera’s cable. When he turned it on and switched the video source, a live image from the front door appeared. Then he carried the TV out and set it on the dining room table.
Vyper smiled and gave a thumbs up. She grabbed one of the socks Bodnar had given them and slipped it over her ankle monitor.
Niko fitted the other sock over his foot and took a seat. “What are you doing?”
She pointed to the screen. “Testing the program I wrote. It logs information about software installed by the police—their internet monitoring, too.”
“But the internet’s disabled.”
“The police will turn on the internet and install their software when they arrive. I need to know what they are doing.”
“I’m sure this is a silly question, but won’t they notice your program?”
“It is a silly question.” She pushed the laptop aside and replaced it with the second one. “Can you hook us up to the network?”
Niko went to the spare bedroom and returned with two network cables. Once the laptops were connected, they played computer games. No sex, though—not until after the police visit.
In the early afternoon, Niko spotted movement on the surveillance camera. A dark blue Ford Taurus was travelling along the driveway.
They removed their “socks of silence” and put them inside a kitchen cabinet.
Niko carried the TV into the laundry room and returned to follow Vyper to the front door.
When the bell rang, she opened the door.
A smiling woman stood before them wearing a loose-fitting blue shirt with matching slacks. Her short-cut red hair was fringed with a hint of gray. “I believe you’re expecting me.” She reached for the handle of her wheeled travel bag. “My name is Lieutenant Green.”