“Start at the Prologue and First Chapter here

“So, you’re going to say yes, right?”

Marla, Frank’s daughter, was pushing him hard.

“Well, I’m not sure. I don’t know in detail how blockchain design is developing. And I’d have to travel back and forth to New York City every week.”

“For $600,000 you can’t spend a few hours a week on a train or plane? And those options could end up being worth millions.”

“Sure. But what would I use the money for? I don’t spend everything I make now.”

He had her there. Other than a new and faster laptop, Marla couldn’t think of anything her father would be likely to buy. It certainly wouldn’t be new clothes.

“Well, you could travel.”

“To where? I don’t like cities, and it doesn’t cost anything to camp in the back country.”

Then she had a thought, but hesitated to act on it.

“Still there?” her father said.

“Well … so I guess you could think about maybe setting up a college fund.”

Frank’s eyebrows shot up. “Is there something you want to tell me?”

“Maybe.”

“Are you pregnant?”

“I wasn’t going to let you know until after my first trimester, but that’s next week anyway. So, yes.”

Frank had been looking out the window as he talked on the phone. Now he plopped down into a chair. Wow.

“So, Dad – are you still there?”

“Yes – you just took me by surprise. But that’s wonderful! Do you know if it’s a boy or – no, scratch that. I don’t want to know.”

Marla smiled to herself. She was looking forward to watching her father play with a first grandchild almost as much as she was looking forward to becoming a mother.

“Anyway,” Frank continued, talking faster. “That’s tremendous! I mean, that’s really great.” Then he frowned. “Are you okay? Is everything going well?”

“Yes, don’t worry, everything’s great. I like my obstetrician a lot. She says the baby and I are both doing fine. Everything’s completely normal. Except I’m gaining weight.”

“As you should! That’s normal. And don’t forget, you’re eating for two now!”

Marla smiled again. It was amazing how quickly her father had shifted allegiance from her to a grandchild he hadn’t known existed five minutes before.

“Anyway,” Marla said, “I’m glad you know now. I don’t like hiding things from you. I’ve really been wanting to share the news with you.”

“I’m glad you did! This is exciting.”

“Absolutely.” Marla pursed her lips and then continued. “So, anyway, we plan to have at least two or three kids. I can’t imagine how we’re going to put them through college, and maybe grad school besides. If you wanted to take this job and help out, it would be a huge load off our minds.”

Indeed, it would, Frank thought. Marla’s husband Tim still hadn’t found his niche in the world, and Marla wasn’t making all that much, either. They had a small apartment and a used car. Frank suspected things would be tight once they had a child, especially if Marla took off from work for a while.

That put things in an entirely different light. He made his decision. “I’d love to. I’ll take the job.”

Marla felt simultaneously guilty, relieved and concerned. “But only if you really want the job!”

“Don’t you worry about that. I don’t have anything to do right now except sit around and fret if I don’t take this project on. I’ve no idea how long it will be, if ever, before I get any government work again, and most of what I get from the private sector bores me silly. I’ve just been making excuses to myself because I don’t want to go back to working in somebody’s office. This should be a really interesting project, and I should take it on even without your news.”

“Are you sure?”

“Completely. You’ve just done me a favor. Now why don’t you go lie down for a while? You’re probably tired.”

Marla grinned and said goodbye. It looked like she was going to have to put up with a lot of fatherly fussing for the next six months. Shipping Frank off to New York City for a few days a week might be as welcome as his help with tuition.

*  *  *

Frank’s alarm went off. He killed the annoying sound and lumped up a pillow against the headboard to settle in and see what had washed up on his digital shores overnight. Uh oh. According to his phone, rather a lot had. Then the phone rang.

“Hey Dad – I see you’re famous again!”

“Not so far as I know. What are you talking about?”

“Don’t you have a Google alert set up for your name?”

“Of course not. Why on earth would I do that?”

“So you’d know when a big bank issues a press release announcing your appointment as Chief Risk Officer for Blockchain Technologies.”

Frank groaned. “Really?”

“Really. Here’s the quote from First Manhattan’s CEO: ‘With the Bank’s hire of the world’s foremost expert on cybersecurity – ”

Frank sat up straight. “What? What did you just say?”

“Didn’t you see the press release before they issued it?”

“No!”

“Then what did you give them a quote for?”

“What quote? I didn’t give them any quote for a press release. What does it say?”

“Let me scroll down…okay, here it is: ‘I’m delighted to join the First Manhattan’s world-class cybersecurity team,’ Adversego said, – ”

“I haven’t even met them yet!” Frank said.

“Hold on, there’s more,” Marla said. “Your quote continues, ‘Together we’ll ensure First Manhattan’s customers are protected against whatever the black hats send our way.’”

“I’d never say that,” Frank protested.

“That’s probably why they didn’t ask you for a quote.”

“I’m sure. Look, I gotta go. I want to see what else they put in there.”

Frank slumped back against the pillow and flipped through his phone. It was stuffed with texts, email and phone messages. He opened the first text. It was from one of his coworkers from his Library of Congress days: “So – who knew I once shared a cube wall with ‘The World’s Foremost Expert on Cybersecurity.’  If only I’d known!”

Frank groaned again. Five minutes ago, he’d been blissfully unconscious. Why had he looked at his phone?

*  *  *

“Let me introduce you to your administrative assistant,” Audrey Adams said. Frank was hustling to keep up with Adams as she strode down the hallway on the 85^th floor of First Manhattan’s home office.

As he did, he looked nervously to his right. Each administrative assistant he passed looked more attractive, self-assured and professional than the last. It looked like an admin’s appearance ranked higher on the executive management floor than her actual ability. That wasn’t a good sign.

On the other side of the hallway, every office held an executive – almost all male – each expensively dressed in suit and tie. Frank didn’t even own a suit. He was wearing the only sports jacket to his name, and the last time the loafers on his feet had been polished was before they left the factory a decade ago. Frank began to perspire. He’d trade his first week’s salary for an invisibility cloak right now.

They turned a corner and Adams approached a drop dead gorgeous young woman sitting at a work station. “Margaret, I’d like to introduce you to Frank Adversego. Frank, this is Margaret Lacroix. She also works with Hank Trammel, a vice president in the credit card group. His office is next to yours.”

The young woman stood up and held out her hand. “Very pleased to meet you, Mr. Adversego. I look forward to working with you.”

Frank gave her a weak smile and a quick hand shake. “Very happy to meet you as well, Ms. Lacroix.”

“Oh, please. Call me Margaret.”

“Yes, well, please call me Frank.”

“Thanks. I’ll do that.”

“Now let me show you your office,” Adams said, turning around and opening the door in the glass wall separating the row of offices from the hallway. Frank’s office was furnished with expensive furniture, a computer and a large, threatening plant he couldn’t identify. Behind his desk was half of Manhattan, and New Jersey beyond.

“Someone from IT will be by shortly to log you into our systems,” Adams said, turning to leave. “If you need anything, let Margaret know.”

Frank stared out the window for a minute, and then eased himself into the office chair. People passing by looked in with mild curiosity. He turned on the computer and stared at a log in screen that required a password he did not yet know. He started tapping his fingers, wondering what to do until the IT person arrived. Margaret looked up from across the hallway and smiled. He gave a lop-sided smile back. He was beginning to feel like a goldfish in a bowl surrounded my bored cats.

After two minutes, he couldn’t take it anymore. He stood up and crossed the hall.

“Margaret – ”

“Yes, Mr. Adversego? Oh – I’m sorry – Frank?”

“Could you tell me where Ms. Adams’s office is?”

“Of course. Go this way down the hall and then turn right. Her office is right next to Mr. Cronin’s.”

“Great, thanks.”

He hurried down the hallway, turned the corner, and then brought himself up short outside Adams’s office. She was sitting, erect and brow-furrowed at a desk devoid of everything except a computer screen. Periodically, her fingers exploded into a flurry of percussive key strokes.

Frank bucked up his courage and tapped lightly on the glass wall next to her open door. Adams kept typing.

He tapped harder, and this time Adam’s head, with its intent and heartless gaze, swiveled towards him, like an owl turning towards possible prey.

“Uh, excuse me, Ms. Adams. But do you have a minute?”

Adams looked at her watch, frowned, and then grudgingly decided that she did.

“Yes, Mr. Adversego?”

Frank walked in and stood in front of her desk, feeling like a misbehaving student sent to the principal’s office.

“Look,” he began, “I really appreciate the great office. But it really doesn’t make sense for me to be up here, when the IT department is fifty floors downstairs. Most of what I’ll need to do in town will involve the people and the equipment down there, not up here. So, how about giving me a place to work down there instead?”

Adams paused and considered his request. Frank certainly didn’t look the part of an 85^th floor executive, and that offended her sense of propriety. She’d debated telling visitors that Frank was an intern if she couldn’t avoid passing him on the way to Mr. Cronin’s office. Parking Frank downstairs with the rest of the IT mob would solve that problem.

“Very well. You’ll still need an office up here as well, but let me see what I can do. I’ll get back to you.”

Adam’s head swiveled back to her computer, and Frank found himself staring at her ear.

“Great – thanks,” he mumbled. He caught himself as he started to back out of her office and turned to retreat from her office. Now what? Back to the fishbowl? He decided to get a cup of coffee in the kitchen area before returning to his office to fidget and wait.

When he returned with his coffee, Margaret caught his eye. “Oh – Frank. I have Ms. Adams on hold for you.”

“Thanks. I’ll take it here.” She handed him the phone.

“Hi, Ms. Adams. Frank here.”

“Someone from the IT department will be up there momentarily to show you downstairs.”

“Thanks. I appreciate the quick help.”

“My pleasure.” It was the first time he had detected any sign of emotion in her voice.

Before his backside had quite touched his desk chair, Frank saw an out of shape, middle-aged man with a straggly, graying beard arrive at the door. His visitor wore slacks, sneakers, and a wrinkled shirt. In his shirt pocket was a vinyl protector holding two pens and a mechanical pencil. Frank felt a rush of relief surge through his body. It was one of his own tribe.

“Frank Adversego?”

Frank stood up. “That’s right.”

“Hi. I’m Herb Fishbone, from IT. If you’re ready, I’ll take you downstairs.”

Frank was more than ready. “Great! Thanks. Maybe you can show me around the department, too?”

“Sure. Happy to.”

As the elevator doors closed behind him, Frank heaved a sign of relief, his brief exposure to executive life safely behind him. They might be paying him a lot, but not enough to live in a fishbowl.

When the elevator doors reopened, it was as if they were in a different building. No expensive carpets and no glass. Just a sea of cubicles blanketing the floor from side to side and end to end. It felt great to be home again.

*  *  *

Ryan Clancy set the report aside and stared thoughtfully at nothing in particular. So, First Manhattan had hired Frank Adversego to keep an eye on the GFBS. That was interesting.

Eighteen months before, the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation had appointed Clancy to lead a new [special investigations unit] in response to a growing wave of cryptocurrency thefts and fraudulent activity. His team had grown rapidly along with the number of investigations he was responsible for managing. He had over a hundred-people working under him now, from field investigators to programing and cybersecurity experts.

Should he invite Adversego in for an informal chat? Frankly, he could use all the help he could get. And yet…

He’d heard rumors inside the Bureau about some of Adversego’s prior adventures, not all of which had made the FBI look good. The guy had a well-known independence streak. And there were still unresolved questions regarding the conduct of his son-in-law in connection with the barely thwarted attack launched by the Caliphate.

He walked to the window of his office and stared out across Pennsylvania Avenue at the anonymous, neoclassical façade of the FBI’s old home, the Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice building. Unlike the FBI’s new home, it was almost indistinguishable from all the other buildings in the federal triangle of the same era.

No, asking Adversego in wouldn’t be a good idea. He was still under a cloud as part of the [  ] debacle, and it wouldn’t do for Clancy’s calendar to show a meeting with him. But at the same time, the GFBS was too big and attractive a target. If it got hit, everyone would wonder how the FBI had allowed that to happen. Clancy wished there was a way he could know anything Adversego might discover before it turned into something serious.

He made up his mind. He could easily justify placing an agent on the GFBS project at First Manhattan. Of course, the bank would have to know. But there was no reason Adversego would.

*  *  *

Clancy wasn’t the only one who found the press release provocative. The Cryptomancer smiled when he happened upon it. So, the Great Frank Adversego has been recruited by the other side. So much the better. Without worthy opponents, victory would never be as sweet.

Still, having a skilled adversary increased the chance of failure. He would have to give this new development some thought.

 

Continue to Chapter 3 here