Read Pulling The Dragon's Tail for Free Online Page A

his
part.
    Nate slipped into the deserted nurses station.
He smiled in triumph, finding a forgotten wrist computer that staff
members usually wore. Slipping it under his shirt, he exited the
room and walked casually back into the hallway. At least half a
dozen staff cornered Harlan, threatening use of their Personal
Protective Devices. Nate could barely conceal his glee as he
watched Harlan tackle Keagan and muscle his PPD away from him.
Waving the strange pen-shaped instrument about, he did his best to
sound psychotic. “My nanocomputers even now are infecting you white
Anglo-Saxon pigs. With every breath you take, the Super Bug Plague
is going deep into your lungs. My KGB friends will hunt you down
and separate you from your family. There is no place to—” Suddenly
Harlan’s pseudo-psychotic ramblings ceased. Nate winced at the
thought of what the PPD sting must feel like. Then he gladly obeyed
the staff and entered his room.
    Doing his best to conceal the stolen computer
from all camera angles, he set about to download the contents of
the secreted chip into the hospital’s computer system. Disabling
the voice activation code, he proceeded to access it the old
fashioned way via the keyboard.
    Years of secrecy had taught him well. Until now
though, he had never practiced it in a psychiatric hospital,
moments from a date with a brain-altering machine. “Ten minutes,
that’s all I need.”
    Just then Jentry, the psych tech, entered the
room. “Nate, CLUES indicated that somehow my portable computer is
here in your room”. It was more a question than an accusation.
    That allowed him enough time to lie
convincingly, “Well how could that be? CLUES can’t be wrong,” he
said grinning. “Look around,” he blurted out. As if she really
needed his permission. Of all the staff, he thought Jentry was the
most real and genuine. But how much could he trust her; how much
information dare he reveal?
    “I need to go to the toilet.” Slipping the
computer under his shirt, he quickly headed into the bathroom. He
shut the door. Once again he set to work, projecting the virtual
keyboard onto the tiny counter beside the sink. Several key strokes
later he had disabled much of the firewall security. He grimaced.
The next step was crucial. Holding the tiny chip between thumb and
forefinger, he waved it slowly in front of the blinking infrared
light on the side of the stolen computer. A moment later he let out
a sigh of relief. The infrared sensor had stopped blinking for two
seconds, indicating it downloaded the data from the chip into the
hospital’s server. Next he attempted to locate the hospital’s mail
addresses.
    He pulled up another data screen. It indicated
the hospital’s security system was only moments away from detecting
his intrusion. “They have fifty year-old flashlights, but state of
the art firewalls. Go figure,” he mused. But now he was closing in
on the prize: to send an electronic message wirelessly to Dr.
Campbell Devereaux’s computer mailbox.
    He located the main hospital’s address
directory, and scrolled down the list. This old man is glad to
know the ancient art of typing , he thought.
    A strong rap of angry knuckles pounded against
the door. Panic rolled over him. He had forgotten to secure the
door! Grabbing the curtain rod from the shower, he hastily wedged
it between the door and back wall.
    “Mr. Kristopher, I advise you to let me in.”
Keagan’s voice was almost a growl.
    “Please, Keagan! Can you give me just a few
minutes? My stomach’s in turmoil.” He groaned and tried to sound
sick. Returning to the computer, he finally located Dr. Devereaux’s
mailbox.
    Keagan was done simmering and had reached the
boiling point. “Mr. Kristopher! You need to let me in NOW!”
    Stalling, Nate replied, “Why?”
    “You know good and well why,” his booming voice
echoed around the room. “Your little psychotic scheme to hack into
our computer system is doomed to failure. Now give me back