Death Minus Zero

“All right,” McCarter said. “Let’s go back to the kidnapping. Any thoughts on that from your point of view?”

“This is an Air Force base,” Corrigan said. “We have no more than a few civilian attendees, highly skilled personnel from the people who supply our computing equipment. They have been vetted and re-vetted. Approved by Washington. We’re also pretty far away from any civilian enclaves.” He hesitated. “I hope you’re not suggesting any military involvement in Kaplan’s disappearance.”

“Colonel, sir, with all due respect,” Hawkins said, “we have to look at all options. After all, someone did manage to shut down the tracking unit on the car. And Kaplan’s implant signal went down, too.”

Corrigan didn’t like the suggestion, but he was not blinkered so much he couldn’t acknowledge the possibility.

“As of now, I can’t give you an answer. We are looking into it.”

Sergeant Ryker appeared carrying a loaded tray. He placed it on Corrigan’s desk before he retreated.

“Help yourselves, people,” Corrigan said.

They all helped themselves to coffee; McCarter his chilled bottle of Classic Coke.

The Phoenix Force leader glanced across at Valens. “Where have we got to?”

“Early for much to have happened,” she told him honestly. “I’ve checked with Joshua Riba. He hasn’t heard anything but he’s volunteered to help. He’s closer, so he’s going to check out Kaplan’s lodge in Wyoming. I don’t hold out much hope, but it’s worth a look.”

“Riba? Agent Valens, who is this Riba? Just how many more friends do you have up your sleeve?” Corrigan raised the mug of coffee he was holding and took a long swallow. “I just said this base was secret. The way things are going, I’m not so certain about that any longer.”

“If it hadn’t been for Riba’s involvement at the beginning,” McCarter said, “Doug Buchanan wouldn’t be alive today.”

“This is all very interesting,” Corrigan said. “But how is it going to help us find Kaplan?”

“It might simply prove a blank. We just need to look at all angles, even if only to scratch them off the list,” Encizo explained.

“Did you find anything at the abduction site?” McCarter said.

“No,” Larry Brandon said. “Apart from a few tire tracks.”

“My people are checking those,” Valens said. “If we get lucky they might be able to identify them, but I’m not holding my breath.”

McCarter drained his Coke and pushed to his feet.

“Do we get a guided tour, Colonel?” he said. “Give us some background on what this is all about. At least a chance to say hello to Major Buchanan?”

Corrigan sighed as he stood. “I suppose you do need to understand the background. And your clearance does cover Zero.”

He led them from his office and through the complex to the Zero Command Center.

The center was a generous room full of electronics that none of them could fully understand. Over the banks of equipment the main wall was lined with large-screen monitors.

Corrigan nodded to the technician on duty and the man tapped in the coordinates that alerted Zero of an incoming call. The large plasma screen directly in front of Corrigan came online and he found himself facing Doug Buchanan.

“Colonel,” Buchanan said.

The image was a head-to-waist shot of the major. He had his biocouch in a sitting position. Behind him Phoenix Force could see the circular layout of the Zero operations facility: scan monitors and control consoles and an occasional flashing panel. The overall impression was of controlled efficiency.

“Any further intel?” Corrigan said.

Buchanan’s head moved in a negative response. “Nothing, sir. We’ve had probes working since the initial report. We can’t find anything.”

We.

Not I.

Not me.

We.

The collective term for the partnership between man and machine.

From the day Zero had come online and Buchanan had made his first report from the platform, he had used the epithet “we” when referring to Zero. His assimilation into the system through the bioimplants keeping him alive had worked with far greater success than anyone, Saul Kaplan included, had expected. Doug Buchanan’s melding with the implants designed to keep his cancer at bay and offer the major a chance to continue as a viable Air Force member had proved out. With Zero online, the orbiting platform had become a vital part of America’s defense system, and Kaplan’s cherished dream had become a reality.

“Our scans will continue.”

The voice coming through the speakers was Zero’s. The modulated tones, with a slight mechanical edge, emanated from the platform’s integrated synthesizer system.

Saul Kaplan had developed and installed the system just under six months ago. It was one way to get a manual response from Zero when there was a need for communication and also served as a direct link for Buchanan, enabling him to have verbal interaction with Zero’s responses. There had been another, less obvious reason for the interaction—being able to converse with Zero gave Buchanan a companionto talk to. Kaplan had seen that as an important function for Buchanan’s solitary existence. He had programmed Zero with a wide range of interactive knowledge that included a number of languages and as much encyclopedic data he could put in. The process was ongoing, allowing Zero to self-improve and to develop a coherent personality. It made for interesting social intercourse for Buchanan and the Zero team.

Kaplan had seen this interaction as a necessary advance on the Zero program. It had needed to happen if the platform was to extend its existence beyond the present. Kaplan was looking to the future. Science did not stand still. It would stagnate if it did, and Saul Kaplan refused to allow that to occur.

“Major, we have visitors with us,” Corrigan said. “The team assisting in the investigation.”

A second plasma screen showed Phoenix Force and Claire Valens.

“These people are from the same group Cooper is with,” Valens said.

“Cooper pulled me out of a hole way back. Hell of a guy.”

“You said it,” McCarter agreed.

Buchanan said, “I hope you’re having more luck than we are at the moment.”

“Information is still skinny on the ground,” McCarter told him. “We know Kaplan is missing. We have a feeling the Chinese are involved...but that’s about all, Major Buchanan.”

“It’s Doug. Let’s drop the rank, huh? Colonel, no offence, sir.”

Corrigan managed a faint grimace that might have been labeled a smile.

“My fancy bag of tricks isn’t working its magic today,” Buchanan said. “I had Saul on track from the time he left home, but his signal cut out at around the time he was snatched.”

“You think the kidnappers knew about his implant?” Encizo asked. “Disabled it?”

“A possibility,” Buchanan allowed. “It was our main chance to keep him online. Of course there might have been a malfunction. I’m still trying to reengage his signal.”

“The implant may come online again,” Zero said. “Unless it has been removed and destroyed.”