Mind Trace Read Online Free Page B

each
incoming and outgoing connection for each computer it was installed on. When a
connection was made to a computer, the Traceback software was excellent at
tracing. If prompted, it could find the source of a connection almost
instantaneously.
    However, if the link was no longer active, it was limited
to the cursory information that the software stored.
    For someone, or something, to connect to the server without
the proper authorization was practically impossible. For that same
person to download that amount of information in such a short period of time...
it never should have happened. Luke could have probably traced the connection
if he had acted quickly enough, but how was he to know how little time he had
to act? For all he knew, the computer where the hack originated was not even
online anymore, adding another degree of difficulty to the situation.
    Right after Eric Martin left, there was a meeting in which they
set up seven teams to tackle finding the signal's origin. After the meeting,
Luke spent the majority of the night and morning comparing DNS tables and laboriously
tracing each jump of the signal.
    Luke was falling asleep, only halfway paying attention to
his work, when he heard a commotion at the other end of the room. He sat up,
straining to make out the excited voices. Apparently, one of the engineers claimed
he had located the source of the signal, and was now surrounded by a group of
people arguing and trying to take over the console.
    Just like earlier that night, seemingly out of nowhere the
same deep, commanding voice suddenly spoke, breaking up the small group.
     "Give me a full report of your findings on the
central screen. Now."
    Of course, it's Eric. How does he do that? It's like he's
lurking around, just waiting for the best time to show up and freak everyone
out.
    The engineer stumbled over his desk chair and punched in
the keys to transmit his display to the huge, multi-directional screen in the
center of the room.  On the screen, there were dozens of charts listing all the
different routes that were made by the source connection. The result was a
single IP address with a street address of 2432 Birch Street, Asheville, NC.
    There was also a map on the corner of the screen, showing a
live satellite feed of the house. It was a turn of the century farmhouse on
several acres just outside the main part of town. There appeared to be a couple
other buildings on the property, but they were small, most likely storage
buildings.  An old, rusty pickup sat in the driveway near the house.
    The engineer roughly summarized the results. "It appears
to have originated from a farmhouse just outside a small town in North
Carolina. The names on the property tax records are Joe and Ellie Marshall,
born March 2, 1929 and June 30, 1930, respectively."
    Eric stood back impassively. He stared at the screen,
unimpressed with the findings.
     "Are you going to tell me that an 80-something-year-old
couple is responsible for breaking past all our security and then somehow
downloading our entire mainframe?"
    The engineer shrunk back. "No…it's just, well… They
are the ones that own the property where the signal originated."
    The disapproval was obvious on Eric's face.
    I'm really glad I'm not that guy.
    "Well, I'm not interested in who owns the property. I
want to know who is responsible for this breach. I want to know everything
about this situation, including who had access to any kind of internet or
network connection anywhere near that house. And I want the information
yesterday! Get to work, people. We have to get this under control!"
    His voice was urgent, but he still maintained complete
control of his emotions. Eric seemed to be fully confident that it was only a
matter of time until the perpetrator was caught.
    Until then, he would leave no stone unturned. Luke felt
sympathy for the poor soul who decided to hack into Eric's mainframe. It would
not end well for him; that was certain.
     
    ***
     
    A short time