The Calculator (DC Multiverse, SI as canon character, Season 1 complete)
- Thread starter TLPG
- Start date
- Superhero
Or have her design a UI engine where all he has to do is drag and drop buttons etc. perhaps something like Unity's UI features.
- Location
- Around here
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Does prayer give a +1 bonus to saving throws?
- Location
- Poland
It's only a matter of time until people wear sanctified power armor, whose machine spirit sings praises for THE EMPRAH with every electron of it's circuits.
Your gear can pray while your pray so you can pray while you pray.
Praise the Omnissiah!
If these nanobots don't praise the Emperor it means that it's techno-heresy!
Stars
- Location
- USA
My attempt to flowchart possible DC universe time-travel events was interrupted by Pooja. "An important matter has come up online."
"Let me guess," I said, a final flick of my finger sending my hopeless spaghetti-plate of arrows and lines off the screen. "Someone on the internet is wrong."
"Humorous," she said, dry and Britishy as usual. "A post was made thirty-two minutes ago on a superhero fan site, popular with ages 17-23. It was deleted five minutes later, but of course I have an offline copy. It may be of interest to you."
A window opened, showing a hip, minimal website. Nice, except for one of those infernal infinite scroll of doom things. The post was already expanded in the Web 3.0 treeview.
I started reading as Pooja continued, "It appears the writer was very distraught and likely reconsidered allowing such sensitive information onto the internet. However, nothing can be deleted from the internet, even without me around. She is not a tech expert, so the mistake is understandable."
Biographic information automatically opened on another screen. Birth certificate, past and current driver's licenses, and..whoa, a JSA holocard ID and communicator.
"The poster was the verified online ID of Starwoman," Pooja said, "formally Star-Spangled Kid, a junior member of the Justice Society of America; formally Stargirl—name changed after acquiring the Cosmic Staff; and now a full member of the JSA after turning eighteen and passing their review process. Post was under her heroic ID."
Pictures of a slim young woman—blond, blue-eyed, tanned, smiling. One set of pics with her wearing a red-white-and-blue outfit—thankfully not a spandex disaster, but still a tight, blue body-suit; full neck covering with white stars and red accents; a full-face integrated mask with a wide nose-to-throat cutout; a wide red belt; red goggles and gloves; and tall red lace-up boots. About what I remembered, but less creepy fetish-wear styling.
Her powers were ranged combat, the super-strength-speed-and-agility combo, force fields, and flight—if I remembered correctly. They worked best against single powerful threats. Possible stun blasts against computers and humans. Use multiple small but weapon-heavy drones to overwhelm...which I didn't have.
I didn't need Pooja to tell me Starwoman would annihilate me in a fight with my current near complete lack of equipment.
The other set of pictures were of casual and business civilian clothes that screamed well off in California styles. They were uninteresting, giving no more clues to her powers in this universe.
"Civilian name, Courtney Elizabeth Whitmore," Pooja said. "Currently studying at the University of California, Irvine, for a degree in...of course, Criminology, with a focus on metahuman criminal studies. And she has-"
"-lost her Cosmic Staff," I said, interrupting while continuing to read the rest of the now-deleted forum posts. "Leaving her with just the...Cosmic Belt?"
So. No flying or blasting for now, unless she still had the Cosmic Rod from the original SSK outfit. It should still work if she did. The Cosmic Staff and Belt (and Rod) were powered by the stars themselves. A sort of renewable and very powerful mystical resource and one of those "sufficiently advanced magic is indistinguishable from science" things, but actually home-grown Earth tech for once. And they'd continue working basically forever, for whoever had them. Great.
"Correct," Pooja said. "More precisely, the Cosmic Staff has been stolen from...she didn't say in the post, but records show her civilian ID was living off campus, so likely from her apartment...yesterday morning. She'd been searching for it since with no leads, and was angry enough to post about it online."
"How could someone steal a superhero's main weapon?"
"Very carefully," Pooja said. "It was stolen while Courtney Whitmore was in class, under her civilian identity. This is based on when the area experienced an unusual power outage, likely to assist in the theft."
"And she didn't have it with her at all times, just in case? Hidden somehow in, I don't know, a dimensional pocket in her backpack?"
"The school has a policy of no weapons on campus. She is a hero. She doesn't wear the belt, either."
I opened my mouth, then closed it again with a snap. "Right. Okay. Yesterday...any relation to Slade Wilson's activities at TriD?"
"Possible," she said. "If so, the attack on TriD was most likely a cover or distraction given known relative values of the targets to Slade. The fact that he hit TriD second points at it being of lower importance as well. Perhaps it was a target of opportunity, or he suspected Starwoman would interfere somehow. Or..."
Unusual for Pooja, she paused in the middle of speaking. "New peripheral threat detected. Unknown computer agent remotely accessing FBI files: agency and police reports on yesterday's attack at TriD by Slade Wilson."
Windows with the files in question opened.
"Calculating possible threat levels from attacker...currently medium," Pooja said. "Unusual. ID used in FBI databases is internally linked to computer systems with CJIS certification. ID appears to belong to an independent contractor with unusual Federal law-enforcement records access. Filed paperwork on this ID is similar to a civilian specialist, but with far larger permissions scope.
"Checking accessing computer systems with passive analysis. Searching FBI records. NIST 800-53 protections in place on systems registered with this ID. Adjusting approach accordingly. Readying top-level attack vectors. Tracking back the FBI computer connection via compromised backbone routing points...ID is used by a computer agent, likely running in a private data center."
A map with oddly familiar names popped up on a monitor with a line extending into it, slowly turning green. Then it hopped and a new line was created while the map zoomed in. I leaned back, frowning.
"Location," Pooja said dramatically, "Gotham City, New Jersey, USA. WayneCorp owned property in-"
I rocked forward, stupidly slamming my elbow against the edge of the desk. "Agh! Stop immediately! Damn it!" My elbow felt like it was falling off as I cradled it against my side.
Well, haze of pain notwithstanding, it was good to know I wasn't in some extended version of the Batman: the Animated Series universe. Gotham wasn't in NY state here, or replacing NYC itself. Not sure how I'd missed that before. Maybe it was just my avoiding Batman at all cost plan causing me to not look.
The map went red and the lines disappeared. "Withdrawing active connections to compromised systems," Pooja said, speaking quickly. "All logs replaced with clean, spoofed records. No active exploit attempts were made during this penetration. Calculating...the chance of detection by counter-agents with mirrored capabilities to my own: less than 2%. Reason for termination of information-gathering hack?"
I rubbed my elbow, slowly lowering my head to rest on the cool desk surface and trying not to throw up. "Search your records for 'Oracle', tagged as related to Batman and Gotham crime fighting. If not so tagged, do that now. If missing, add that Oracle is a gray-hat computer hacker and crime fighter. Informational and communications support for several hero groups, including Batman, the Justice League, and most likely now the JSA. Please remind me to personally review your records on Oracle."
Hopefully Barbara hadn't noticed Pooja. Time to better inform my smarter half. "Ah. Also, add Bruce Wayne and related corporate entities to the list of 'do not mess with', cross-referencing to Batman and Oracle. No selling information on these items not publicly available. Exceptions for information confirmed as available to lower-level employees with just standard NDA coverage. No poking at their computer systems."
"Oh." For once Pooja sounded surprised.
Guess she really didn't know before that Bruce Wayne was Batman. I hadn't found it in her records, so that made sense. And strange that she'd emoted like that. Part of the affective computing program working to increase my empathy for her?
"Oh," she said again. "I...think I see. That makes sense. Thank you. Database carefully updated. Maximum level security and a sales hold in place on this information. That could have been awkward."
"No shit. Ensure we don't draw attention to this topic by a blanket refusal to touch it, as that will make it even more suspicious."
An unusually long pause. "Yes. I do know how to do my job. Let us not speak of this again. In relation to this revelation, you have also added to available information with your initial notes yesterday on possible threats. Though this bit was not included in that list, they are similar in that this information was not previously present in my records. Investigating Batman's closest circle of associates has previously been...strongly disallowed, and now you have also presented information that appears to be from...possible future events. So how-"
Again, she cut herself off. "Warning. Threat, tentatively identified as information gathering, sub-sentient software agent belonging 'Oracle', accessing copies of TriD security camera recordings. Attack shifting. TriD on-site systems now compromised. The onsite originals are being accessed. Now the employee records. Now business contracts and financials. Now..."
Pooja again trailed off. "Oh goodness. We have a problem."
"Let me guess," I said, a final flick of my finger sending my hopeless spaghetti-plate of arrows and lines off the screen. "Someone on the internet is wrong."
"Humorous," she said, dry and Britishy as usual. "A post was made thirty-two minutes ago on a superhero fan site, popular with ages 17-23. It was deleted five minutes later, but of course I have an offline copy. It may be of interest to you."
A window opened, showing a hip, minimal website. Nice, except for one of those infernal infinite scroll of doom things. The post was already expanded in the Web 3.0 treeview.
I started reading as Pooja continued, "It appears the writer was very distraught and likely reconsidered allowing such sensitive information onto the internet. However, nothing can be deleted from the internet, even without me around. She is not a tech expert, so the mistake is understandable."
Biographic information automatically opened on another screen. Birth certificate, past and current driver's licenses, and..whoa, a JSA holocard ID and communicator.
"The poster was the verified online ID of Starwoman," Pooja said, "formally Star-Spangled Kid, a junior member of the Justice Society of America; formally Stargirl—name changed after acquiring the Cosmic Staff; and now a full member of the JSA after turning eighteen and passing their review process. Post was under her heroic ID."
Pictures of a slim young woman—blond, blue-eyed, tanned, smiling. One set of pics with her wearing a red-white-and-blue outfit—thankfully not a spandex disaster, but still a tight, blue body-suit; full neck covering with white stars and red accents; a full-face integrated mask with a wide nose-to-throat cutout; a wide red belt; red goggles and gloves; and tall red lace-up boots. About what I remembered, but less creepy fetish-wear styling.
Her powers were ranged combat, the super-strength-speed-and-agility combo, force fields, and flight—if I remembered correctly. They worked best against single powerful threats. Possible stun blasts against computers and humans. Use multiple small but weapon-heavy drones to overwhelm...which I didn't have.
I didn't need Pooja to tell me Starwoman would annihilate me in a fight with my current near complete lack of equipment.
The other set of pictures were of casual and business civilian clothes that screamed well off in California styles. They were uninteresting, giving no more clues to her powers in this universe.
"Civilian name, Courtney Elizabeth Whitmore," Pooja said. "Currently studying at the University of California, Irvine, for a degree in...of course, Criminology, with a focus on metahuman criminal studies. And she has-"
"-lost her Cosmic Staff," I said, interrupting while continuing to read the rest of the now-deleted forum posts. "Leaving her with just the...Cosmic Belt?"
So. No flying or blasting for now, unless she still had the Cosmic Rod from the original SSK outfit. It should still work if she did. The Cosmic Staff and Belt (and Rod) were powered by the stars themselves. A sort of renewable and very powerful mystical resource and one of those "sufficiently advanced magic is indistinguishable from science" things, but actually home-grown Earth tech for once. And they'd continue working basically forever, for whoever had them. Great.
"Correct," Pooja said. "More precisely, the Cosmic Staff has been stolen from...she didn't say in the post, but records show her civilian ID was living off campus, so likely from her apartment...yesterday morning. She'd been searching for it since with no leads, and was angry enough to post about it online."
"How could someone steal a superhero's main weapon?"
"Very carefully," Pooja said. "It was stolen while Courtney Whitmore was in class, under her civilian identity. This is based on when the area experienced an unusual power outage, likely to assist in the theft."
"And she didn't have it with her at all times, just in case? Hidden somehow in, I don't know, a dimensional pocket in her backpack?"
"The school has a policy of no weapons on campus. She is a hero. She doesn't wear the belt, either."
I opened my mouth, then closed it again with a snap. "Right. Okay. Yesterday...any relation to Slade Wilson's activities at TriD?"
"Possible," she said. "If so, the attack on TriD was most likely a cover or distraction given known relative values of the targets to Slade. The fact that he hit TriD second points at it being of lower importance as well. Perhaps it was a target of opportunity, or he suspected Starwoman would interfere somehow. Or..."
Unusual for Pooja, she paused in the middle of speaking. "New peripheral threat detected. Unknown computer agent remotely accessing FBI files: agency and police reports on yesterday's attack at TriD by Slade Wilson."
Windows with the files in question opened.
"Calculating possible threat levels from attacker...currently medium," Pooja said. "Unusual. ID used in FBI databases is internally linked to computer systems with CJIS certification. ID appears to belong to an independent contractor with unusual Federal law-enforcement records access. Filed paperwork on this ID is similar to a civilian specialist, but with far larger permissions scope.
"Checking accessing computer systems with passive analysis. Searching FBI records. NIST 800-53 protections in place on systems registered with this ID. Adjusting approach accordingly. Readying top-level attack vectors. Tracking back the FBI computer connection via compromised backbone routing points...ID is used by a computer agent, likely running in a private data center."
A map with oddly familiar names popped up on a monitor with a line extending into it, slowly turning green. Then it hopped and a new line was created while the map zoomed in. I leaned back, frowning.
"Location," Pooja said dramatically, "Gotham City, New Jersey, USA. WayneCorp owned property in-"
I rocked forward, stupidly slamming my elbow against the edge of the desk. "Agh! Stop immediately! Damn it!" My elbow felt like it was falling off as I cradled it against my side.
Well, haze of pain notwithstanding, it was good to know I wasn't in some extended version of the Batman: the Animated Series universe. Gotham wasn't in NY state here, or replacing NYC itself. Not sure how I'd missed that before. Maybe it was just my avoiding Batman at all cost plan causing me to not look.
The map went red and the lines disappeared. "Withdrawing active connections to compromised systems," Pooja said, speaking quickly. "All logs replaced with clean, spoofed records. No active exploit attempts were made during this penetration. Calculating...the chance of detection by counter-agents with mirrored capabilities to my own: less than 2%. Reason for termination of information-gathering hack?"
I rubbed my elbow, slowly lowering my head to rest on the cool desk surface and trying not to throw up. "Search your records for 'Oracle', tagged as related to Batman and Gotham crime fighting. If not so tagged, do that now. If missing, add that Oracle is a gray-hat computer hacker and crime fighter. Informational and communications support for several hero groups, including Batman, the Justice League, and most likely now the JSA. Please remind me to personally review your records on Oracle."
Hopefully Barbara hadn't noticed Pooja. Time to better inform my smarter half. "Ah. Also, add Bruce Wayne and related corporate entities to the list of 'do not mess with', cross-referencing to Batman and Oracle. No selling information on these items not publicly available. Exceptions for information confirmed as available to lower-level employees with just standard NDA coverage. No poking at their computer systems."
"Oh." For once Pooja sounded surprised.
Guess she really didn't know before that Bruce Wayne was Batman. I hadn't found it in her records, so that made sense. And strange that she'd emoted like that. Part of the affective computing program working to increase my empathy for her?
"Oh," she said again. "I...think I see. That makes sense. Thank you. Database carefully updated. Maximum level security and a sales hold in place on this information. That could have been awkward."
"No shit. Ensure we don't draw attention to this topic by a blanket refusal to touch it, as that will make it even more suspicious."
An unusually long pause. "Yes. I do know how to do my job. Let us not speak of this again. In relation to this revelation, you have also added to available information with your initial notes yesterday on possible threats. Though this bit was not included in that list, they are similar in that this information was not previously present in my records. Investigating Batman's closest circle of associates has previously been...strongly disallowed, and now you have also presented information that appears to be from...possible future events. So how-"
Again, she cut herself off. "Warning. Threat, tentatively identified as information gathering, sub-sentient software agent belonging 'Oracle', accessing copies of TriD security camera recordings. Attack shifting. TriD on-site systems now compromised. The onsite originals are being accessed. Now the employee records. Now business contracts and financials. Now..."
Pooja again trailed off. "Oh goodness. We have a problem."
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- Location
- United States
Hey you wanted to meet your HEROES right? Let's have a party.
And so the fun begins.
Hopefully Babs sits on this information, because batman sticking his nose in is not wanted.
Although asking him if he has a warrant might be funny, cause if he doesn't either he's a criminal or personal rights in DC are vastly reduced. Reporting Batman for breaking and entering would be hilarious, immensely foolish but hilarious.
Although asking him if he has a warrant might be funny, cause if he doesn't either he's a criminal or personal rights in DC are vastly reduced. Reporting Batman for breaking and entering would be hilarious, immensely foolish but hilarious.
You Forget Comic logic: A Major Villain attacks a place looking for someone just as another, if minor, villain leaves who promptly does a runner. He might know something they don`t so they will come looking for him.
I know how these comic logics work.
I'm pretty sure SI does as well.
Doesn't mean the SI has to wait until they bust down the door to confess to the tall, dark, and scary
Anime logic, meet common sense.
Are we perhaps a trifle oversocialised?
Very nice chapter. Looking forward to the next!
This isn't about tracing the hack, this is about the protagonist being a lead in their Deathstroke investigation.
- Location
- PR
Problematic but not a big deal anyway.
The guy has his protections in place and since he is not a native to DC universe he has common sense enough to not make a scene giving himself away and atleast wear a disguise, maybe even change his hair color. That always works.
You expect any of that to work on Batman?
Hacked
- Location
- USA
Flexing my arm, I grimaced. "What's wrong with Oracle hacking into TriD? I mean, other than it being against the law even with Oracle's oddly wide legal powers. Didn't you say you cleaned up the computer systems at TriD?"
"Correct. But Oracle appears to be focusing on specific contract work...with a company whose records are somehow missing from my previous through and complete review of TriD's- No!"
Her shout was directly into my brain. "What?!"
"Oracle and I have both just found records of a secret network backdoor into TriD's computer systems. These logs are fake, but represent activity similar to what I had set up before for our own use."
"Then someone planted them," I said. "But how would they know about our systems? Were our backdoors found out?"
"Unlikely. Could be a coincidence and just someone using similar exploits. I scrubbed that information before Slade Wilson made it to the server room. Those new records are for an agreement with a security company, contracting TriD to provide next generation power controls...in a system installed in the Irvine apartment building where Courtney Whitmore currently resides. The location from which the Cosmic Staff was stolen."
Pooja started bringing up the documents. "All of these will appear genuine to an outside observer, computer logs and signed contracts both, but I am certain they are fakes planted at TriD. Calculating...Slade Wilson is almost certainly responsible. And the link is almost 100% certain between Slade Wilson's attack on TriD and the theft of Starwoman's Cosmic Staff. Slade Wilson is likely personally involved in theft of the Cosmic Staff."
I frowned, scrolling through the faked records. "But wait, Slade didn't hack into TriD to get information on-"
"Correct, that is not possible, as Slade broke into TriD's computer systems after someone took down both primary and on-site secondary power to the security systems at the Irvine apartments to steal the staff. TriD also never actually worked with the security company, and the systems at TriD were only infected by that trojan today."
"Can we get any information on the staff's theft in Irvine?" I asked. "Maybe something to toss to the heroes or the FBI, or use to establish an alibi? Were the security cameras at and around Whitmore's apartment disabled during the attack?"
"Yes they were. The primary power outage was in about a four block area. And I don't have- wait...Oracle is investigating the Irvine apartment computer systems...using Oracle's attack vector for my own...yes, I- No!"
Again, right into my brain. "Ow! If you're faking being upset for effect then-"
Pooja actually snarled at me. "I assure you, I am actually quite upset. Falsified network logs showing the same backdoor programs were inserted into the Irvine apartment building complex's computer systems. That is how they turned off the secondary, onsite power backup for the security systems!"
A pause, then Pooja said much more calmly, "Emotive sub-systems now reset to baseline. The Irvine apartment computers show the same backdoor programs were installed. Faked logs on those systems suggest the hack goes back to the smart grid's initial installation. Along with the contract work TriD is shown to have done for the smart power grid system currently in use at the Irvine apartment building complex for their security system, this makes it look like the same hacker that compromised TriD several months ago used that to infect the systems at Irvine to facilitate the theft from Courtney Whitmore—this is all a lie, but the falsified evidence is compelling and the timelines fit."
Running a hand through my hair with my not wildly-tingling-in-pain arm, I then also went ahead and painfully reached for my soda with the other. The can was empty. "So, I'm being framed? Slade Wilson, or someone he works for, knew I had links to TriD. Just maybe not what kind, or how deep. But that was enough to set me up. I bet fake logs of communications from some of my routing sites to both TriD and the Irvine apartments are being inserted into local ISP logs as we speak."
My fists pressed hard against the desk as I thrust myself to my feet. Ow again.
Pooja said, "I have already started moving virtual machine hosts from various potentially compromised datacenters. Nothing critical is likely to be affected. My own systems are safe. The move will be complete by tomorrow and I expect no interruption of service. Most of these VMs are simply data routing systems and cutouts. This is what they were for, after all.
"Even if a host is raided before the move is complete, law enforcement will not have recoverable data. It will appear to be a foreign-market long-distance phone card company's server, with several hundred gigabytes of corrupted data from a half-successful botnet virus."
As I prepared a booster dose of my smart drugs in the kitchen, I thought out loud at Pooja. "So the most likely scenario given available data is something like this: unconfirmed person or persons robbed Whitmore using a custom software attack package—those parts of the logs are likely genuine; then later that morning, Slade Wilson installed fabricated evidence of that same software attack package having been used months ago at TriD to compromise their systems. This, along with the fake historic logs at Irvine, gives the appearance that the same hacker used their control of TriD to access the Irvine apartments."
As I walked back to my terminal with a nootropics mixer in one hand and a cola in the other, Pooja filled in some details. "The fake records appear to have been delivered to TriD in a complicated trojan package sitting at the hardware layer, inaccessible to remote analysis and evading the on-site security software. When TriD's onsite and cloud systems were rebooted and restored by the IT staff after the police's initial investigation, the trojan activated. All that's left is making a link to the Calculator."
I held a cold can of cola against my forehead, leaning back in my chair. "With that, if Oracle and the FBI follows the evidence it will look like I stole the staff and was then double-crossed. They will think that after my employer got the staff, Slade was sent after TriD as part of a plot to track me down and kill me; or maybe that I had the staff and was double-crossing my employer? Or maybe that Slade tracked me down because of the theft, looking to steal the staff from me; but really this is all to disguise the fact that Slade, or someone he worked for, was the one who stole the staff in the first place?"
"Calculating," Pooja said. "Yes, that is within Slade Wilson's modus operandi and fits available facts. Searching known darknet advertising sites...matches. This morning, an ad was placed in several darknet computer exploit marketplaces selling a custom system. Proof of its effectiveness is being offered. Five minutes ago, in another forum, someone posted the proof they received after making a purchase offer and placing a down payment for the exploit, in contravention of the agreement they had with the seller."
"Ha," I said, smirking. "A black hat hacker not respecting IP and trade secrets? Shocking."
"The proof is a copy of the security logs and verbose batch output from the TriD and Irvine apartment hacks." Pooja sighed. "One of which never took place, and both with altered logs. But anyone with knowledge of those events could be convinced. And it is being offered by someone calling themselves the Calculator."
"Are we sure it isn't me?" I asked between chugging the cold, slightly-bitter soda to chase the drug aftertastes. "Given my...problems."
"The public key given for secure communications during the sale is not a match for any private key on our keychains. No record of this transaction exists in my systems. It is a fraudulent imitation of your identity, likely meant to make it look like you're panicking and seeking funds to help evade Slade Wilson. Those who have previously done business with you will likely not be fooled."
"Okay, good."
"Sir, it is not good," Pooja said, pausing to take another audible (and unneeded) breath. And she'd actually used an honorific. Must be serious. "This is enough for law enforcement to work with, and we don't have verifiable or legally presentable information disproving it. You are being set up. Slade Wilson, or someone he works for, is putting your fingerprints all over this hack. I expect that by tomorrow, the staff will either be in the hands of a private collector, or there will be anonymous offers sent out to black market auction sites to sell the Cosmic Staff to the highest bidder. Leaving you to take the fall, and with no way to prove you were actually innocent."
"Of this theft," she said as a quick amendment. Funny computer.
"Can we just pay off Slade Wilson?" I asked. "Bribe him to at least leave me alive?"
"If Slade is working for revenge, past performance suggests he will not be mollified without a better understanding of his grievance against you. Current available funds would not allow for a blind offer of payment large enough to guarantee Slade Wilson would back off on a personal vendetta. He would not accept payment if employed against you, as that goes against his personal code of honor."
"Will Slade or Oracle be able to track me down?" I asked, starting to think about my bug-out bag, in the same closet as my unfinished power suit. And my bag of guns and ammo.
"It is likely that Oracle was told of the theft by Whitmore herself. Oracle may consider this a favor to a friend. This will increase Oracle's vigilance. Likewise, this may be personal for Slade.
"If you leave your civilian ID without preparation, it will be compromised by Oracle. Immediate exfiltration from the greater Los Angeles area is not suggested. Oracle will likely stick to online methods of investigation for now. I am 89% sure my security protections and obfuscations will be proof against Oracle's hacking attempts, based on observed tool sets and skill levels, for at least a month of direct investigation. It is likely that Slade Wilson is monitoring employees of TriD, especially the IT staff and contractors, for links to your Calculator identity.
"Fleeing L.A. today has approximately a 60% chance of exposing you to direct attack from Slade Wilson should he still be after you, and a 75% chance of Oracle placing your civilian ID under pressure from state and federal law enforcement. Overall, you have approximately an 8% chance to escape cleanly this week, given your current resources. Chance of being tracked down by Slade Wilson if you stay in L.A. under your civilian ID is 13%. Chance of encountering Slade Wilson this week in L.A. if you escalate or otherwise use your Calculator ID and resources directly against him, 73%. Chance of you surviving a direct confrontation with Slade Wilson outfitted and operating as Deathstroke: negligible."
"That's...really low," I said, trying to pull together my shattered thoughts. "Why don't I have better options? I thought I was prepared for this sort of thing."
"This location was not originally meant for long-term operations. With a week's work, I could get an extraction team together that would be safer than the current 30% likelihood of any hired mercenaries being already compromised by Slade Wilson. For unknown reasons, you choose this location two years ago. Civilian scrutiny requires restrictions on escape tunnels, private hangers for stealth aircraft, and use of remote-controlled murder bots."
I sat up straighter. "I have murder bots?"
"No," Pooja said. "I was checking to see if you were still paying attention. Murder bots are prohibitively expensive and escalate confrontations beyond your current ability to handle."
So. I was being framed for both Slade Wilson's attack on TriD and for the theft of Starwoman's Cosmic Staff. And Oracle was already on my tail. If I ran, I'd likely be found out as soon as I surfaced again, lose this identity, and look worse for running. Stealing from a hero was serious escalation. But if I stayed and tried to track down Slade without any real weapons or leverage, he'd butcher me.
And I didn't have any murder bots.
Fuck my life.
"Correct. But Oracle appears to be focusing on specific contract work...with a company whose records are somehow missing from my previous through and complete review of TriD's- No!"
Her shout was directly into my brain. "What?!"
"Oracle and I have both just found records of a secret network backdoor into TriD's computer systems. These logs are fake, but represent activity similar to what I had set up before for our own use."
"Then someone planted them," I said. "But how would they know about our systems? Were our backdoors found out?"
"Unlikely. Could be a coincidence and just someone using similar exploits. I scrubbed that information before Slade Wilson made it to the server room. Those new records are for an agreement with a security company, contracting TriD to provide next generation power controls...in a system installed in the Irvine apartment building where Courtney Whitmore currently resides. The location from which the Cosmic Staff was stolen."
Pooja started bringing up the documents. "All of these will appear genuine to an outside observer, computer logs and signed contracts both, but I am certain they are fakes planted at TriD. Calculating...Slade Wilson is almost certainly responsible. And the link is almost 100% certain between Slade Wilson's attack on TriD and the theft of Starwoman's Cosmic Staff. Slade Wilson is likely personally involved in theft of the Cosmic Staff."
I frowned, scrolling through the faked records. "But wait, Slade didn't hack into TriD to get information on-"
"Correct, that is not possible, as Slade broke into TriD's computer systems after someone took down both primary and on-site secondary power to the security systems at the Irvine apartments to steal the staff. TriD also never actually worked with the security company, and the systems at TriD were only infected by that trojan today."
"Can we get any information on the staff's theft in Irvine?" I asked. "Maybe something to toss to the heroes or the FBI, or use to establish an alibi? Were the security cameras at and around Whitmore's apartment disabled during the attack?"
"Yes they were. The primary power outage was in about a four block area. And I don't have- wait...Oracle is investigating the Irvine apartment computer systems...using Oracle's attack vector for my own...yes, I- No!"
Again, right into my brain. "Ow! If you're faking being upset for effect then-"
Pooja actually snarled at me. "I assure you, I am actually quite upset. Falsified network logs showing the same backdoor programs were inserted into the Irvine apartment building complex's computer systems. That is how they turned off the secondary, onsite power backup for the security systems!"
A pause, then Pooja said much more calmly, "Emotive sub-systems now reset to baseline. The Irvine apartment computers show the same backdoor programs were installed. Faked logs on those systems suggest the hack goes back to the smart grid's initial installation. Along with the contract work TriD is shown to have done for the smart power grid system currently in use at the Irvine apartment building complex for their security system, this makes it look like the same hacker that compromised TriD several months ago used that to infect the systems at Irvine to facilitate the theft from Courtney Whitmore—this is all a lie, but the falsified evidence is compelling and the timelines fit."
Running a hand through my hair with my not wildly-tingling-in-pain arm, I then also went ahead and painfully reached for my soda with the other. The can was empty. "So, I'm being framed? Slade Wilson, or someone he works for, knew I had links to TriD. Just maybe not what kind, or how deep. But that was enough to set me up. I bet fake logs of communications from some of my routing sites to both TriD and the Irvine apartments are being inserted into local ISP logs as we speak."
My fists pressed hard against the desk as I thrust myself to my feet. Ow again.
Pooja said, "I have already started moving virtual machine hosts from various potentially compromised datacenters. Nothing critical is likely to be affected. My own systems are safe. The move will be complete by tomorrow and I expect no interruption of service. Most of these VMs are simply data routing systems and cutouts. This is what they were for, after all.
"Even if a host is raided before the move is complete, law enforcement will not have recoverable data. It will appear to be a foreign-market long-distance phone card company's server, with several hundred gigabytes of corrupted data from a half-successful botnet virus."
As I prepared a booster dose of my smart drugs in the kitchen, I thought out loud at Pooja. "So the most likely scenario given available data is something like this: unconfirmed person or persons robbed Whitmore using a custom software attack package—those parts of the logs are likely genuine; then later that morning, Slade Wilson installed fabricated evidence of that same software attack package having been used months ago at TriD to compromise their systems. This, along with the fake historic logs at Irvine, gives the appearance that the same hacker used their control of TriD to access the Irvine apartments."
As I walked back to my terminal with a nootropics mixer in one hand and a cola in the other, Pooja filled in some details. "The fake records appear to have been delivered to TriD in a complicated trojan package sitting at the hardware layer, inaccessible to remote analysis and evading the on-site security software. When TriD's onsite and cloud systems were rebooted and restored by the IT staff after the police's initial investigation, the trojan activated. All that's left is making a link to the Calculator."
I held a cold can of cola against my forehead, leaning back in my chair. "With that, if Oracle and the FBI follows the evidence it will look like I stole the staff and was then double-crossed. They will think that after my employer got the staff, Slade was sent after TriD as part of a plot to track me down and kill me; or maybe that I had the staff and was double-crossing my employer? Or maybe that Slade tracked me down because of the theft, looking to steal the staff from me; but really this is all to disguise the fact that Slade, or someone he worked for, was the one who stole the staff in the first place?"
"Calculating," Pooja said. "Yes, that is within Slade Wilson's modus operandi and fits available facts. Searching known darknet advertising sites...matches. This morning, an ad was placed in several darknet computer exploit marketplaces selling a custom system. Proof of its effectiveness is being offered. Five minutes ago, in another forum, someone posted the proof they received after making a purchase offer and placing a down payment for the exploit, in contravention of the agreement they had with the seller."
"Ha," I said, smirking. "A black hat hacker not respecting IP and trade secrets? Shocking."
"The proof is a copy of the security logs and verbose batch output from the TriD and Irvine apartment hacks." Pooja sighed. "One of which never took place, and both with altered logs. But anyone with knowledge of those events could be convinced. And it is being offered by someone calling themselves the Calculator."
"Are we sure it isn't me?" I asked between chugging the cold, slightly-bitter soda to chase the drug aftertastes. "Given my...problems."
"The public key given for secure communications during the sale is not a match for any private key on our keychains. No record of this transaction exists in my systems. It is a fraudulent imitation of your identity, likely meant to make it look like you're panicking and seeking funds to help evade Slade Wilson. Those who have previously done business with you will likely not be fooled."
"Okay, good."
"Sir, it is not good," Pooja said, pausing to take another audible (and unneeded) breath. And she'd actually used an honorific. Must be serious. "This is enough for law enforcement to work with, and we don't have verifiable or legally presentable information disproving it. You are being set up. Slade Wilson, or someone he works for, is putting your fingerprints all over this hack. I expect that by tomorrow, the staff will either be in the hands of a private collector, or there will be anonymous offers sent out to black market auction sites to sell the Cosmic Staff to the highest bidder. Leaving you to take the fall, and with no way to prove you were actually innocent."
"Of this theft," she said as a quick amendment. Funny computer.
"Can we just pay off Slade Wilson?" I asked. "Bribe him to at least leave me alive?"
"If Slade is working for revenge, past performance suggests he will not be mollified without a better understanding of his grievance against you. Current available funds would not allow for a blind offer of payment large enough to guarantee Slade Wilson would back off on a personal vendetta. He would not accept payment if employed against you, as that goes against his personal code of honor."
"Will Slade or Oracle be able to track me down?" I asked, starting to think about my bug-out bag, in the same closet as my unfinished power suit. And my bag of guns and ammo.
"It is likely that Oracle was told of the theft by Whitmore herself. Oracle may consider this a favor to a friend. This will increase Oracle's vigilance. Likewise, this may be personal for Slade.
"If you leave your civilian ID without preparation, it will be compromised by Oracle. Immediate exfiltration from the greater Los Angeles area is not suggested. Oracle will likely stick to online methods of investigation for now. I am 89% sure my security protections and obfuscations will be proof against Oracle's hacking attempts, based on observed tool sets and skill levels, for at least a month of direct investigation. It is likely that Slade Wilson is monitoring employees of TriD, especially the IT staff and contractors, for links to your Calculator identity.
"Fleeing L.A. today has approximately a 60% chance of exposing you to direct attack from Slade Wilson should he still be after you, and a 75% chance of Oracle placing your civilian ID under pressure from state and federal law enforcement. Overall, you have approximately an 8% chance to escape cleanly this week, given your current resources. Chance of being tracked down by Slade Wilson if you stay in L.A. under your civilian ID is 13%. Chance of encountering Slade Wilson this week in L.A. if you escalate or otherwise use your Calculator ID and resources directly against him, 73%. Chance of you surviving a direct confrontation with Slade Wilson outfitted and operating as Deathstroke: negligible."
"That's...really low," I said, trying to pull together my shattered thoughts. "Why don't I have better options? I thought I was prepared for this sort of thing."
"This location was not originally meant for long-term operations. With a week's work, I could get an extraction team together that would be safer than the current 30% likelihood of any hired mercenaries being already compromised by Slade Wilson. For unknown reasons, you choose this location two years ago. Civilian scrutiny requires restrictions on escape tunnels, private hangers for stealth aircraft, and use of remote-controlled murder bots."
I sat up straighter. "I have murder bots?"
"No," Pooja said. "I was checking to see if you were still paying attention. Murder bots are prohibitively expensive and escalate confrontations beyond your current ability to handle."
So. I was being framed for both Slade Wilson's attack on TriD and for the theft of Starwoman's Cosmic Staff. And Oracle was already on my tail. If I ran, I'd likely be found out as soon as I surfaced again, lose this identity, and look worse for running. Stealing from a hero was serious escalation. But if I stayed and tried to track down Slade without any real weapons or leverage, he'd butcher me.
And I didn't have any murder bots.
Fuck my life.
- Location
- Australia
I just realised but how did Slade expect the boss to know which of his employees was Calculator?
That would take a ridiculous amounts of funds. I was thinking declaim the imposter, use keys to provide confirmation and post a bounty for information on the impostor. Post your version of the logs. You could try to fake your death. Making fake death threats against yourself and ask for protective custody in Civilian ID might work. Maybe hack recruiters so you and a bunch of other employees suddenly get a high paying offer in different cities. Edit: Alternatively a bunch of employees that don't include you.
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- Location
- St. Louis
He has rediculous funds, and generally speaking your life and the goodwill of obcenely powerful people is often worth it. That's not mentioning that Pooja may very well be able to bullshit the transaction.
- Location
- Australia
He would have to compete with the likes of Luthor and Wayne. Pooja isn't going to be able to bullshit a cryptocurrency supported by the various tech supervillains in the setting.
- Location
- Wall Gazing
Because he could have easily fabricated that evidence. Calculator is a known high tech using info broker, who clearly has some, or employs someone with, elite hacking skills.
A more reasonable option is to pursue the hacker who got a demonstration of the Staff for an attempt to track it down.
He didn't, which I think is your point. The likely goal of the operation was to panic Calculator for subsequent pursuit and to give a trail of bread crumbs for the white hats to follow. With a potential secondary goal to jack as some high end hardware.
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