BR006

Morning. The principal is keeping us locked in - but Bobby wants to see that warehouse - To know what happened. Bobby feels trapped. He feels angry.

Bobby grunts and checks his mail - thinking to do some internet - and his eyes widen and he smiles. The key - in a minute he is opening again his transmitter - data flows on the USB cable - Bobby looks at the door of his room and he clicks - clack, clack - locked - click - clack, clack - unlocked - click - clack, clack....

Bobby walks the corridors - everytime he sees someone by a door - he locks it, see them curse, then unlocks it quickly. He starts to scheme - memorizing the map of the school. He checks a secondary exit; it clicks open. He checks the door leading underground; it clicks opee - he locks them again.

Meeting Prof. Rayna in the corridors, Bobby quietly slips him the second transmitter. Bobby walks away quickly.

UR007 Diary entry: giving the key to Bobby

In our last meeting, Perenti was clear. I am to help Bobby in manipulating the school doors. I start working all night and read about the security holes of the the door system of our school, in a WWW forum for system administrators. By dawn, I am able to manufacture a software key that would bypass the door's security system, smoothly as velvet.

As I make a copy of the software key for myself and prepare to e-mail another one to Bobby, I keep wondering if Perenti is aware of Bobby's intentions to lock him up in a room someday. I suppose that he must be aware, but given the situation he has to outsource some of the investigation tasks and, so, he trusts Bobby with such a key. I think to myself that that's what the man said: "help him", as I press the "Send" button.

F019. Morning after.

Jul, 26th

What happened in that warehouse. I need to know. Slept two hours tonight.

Police is under control. The scapegoat is under chains.

The school is locked. Police instructions under my suggestion. Better have the town under check.

The doctors won't even tell me if Tom is going to live or die before a week passes. I need all the help I can muster. I will use Grace's clothes and make her work with Ubik. Then I'll have Bobby running his own inquiry. So many students and staff. Someone must have seen something. The warehouse has just one door.

I look at the watch. Grace and Ubik will be here soon. I think of Grace and I grab a condom from the drawer, pocketing it. Today i feel like having her. Well, let's see how she reacts to the news.

UR006 Diary Entry

I was concerned from the Bobby's behavior. His voice was tremorous and he couldn't complete his sentences. And on top of that the incident with his friend Tom. I forget momentarily about any reward and get sympathetic towards him. Himself forgot about controlling the doors and he could not think clear when he heard something wrong is happening to his best friend. I try to calm him down, telling him that panic is never a good consult and there is always time to act, if you think clearly... well if only I could do this.

I offer to help him finding out what happened to his friend and we postpone the discussion about the doors for later on. I promise to help him, if he comes up with a reasonable explanation of why he needs to tamper the doors for. After all, you don't bite the hand that feeds you.

We switch the conversation back to Tom. He suggests that we should talk with the homeless guy that was arrested. Though being in custody, this might be difficult. I ask him who else could help on this and mentions Grace. We make a phone call to Grace, but she does not answer. Given the situation, she is probably not attending her usual schedule and so we email her on finding anyone of us, when she gets a chance.

I suggest we find out who Tom has spend time with lately. They might know or noticed something. He agrees to talk to his fellow students and come back with a list of persons that have seen Tom the last days. I suspect that Bobby knows something more private by the look in his eyes, but he does not say. Perhaps Grace knows something as well; we have to wait until she appears.

Afterwards, I call the Principal's secretary and ask her to arrange an appointment for me, when he is available. I sense that there might be meat in this case and he has asked for discrete investigative help before. Perhaps, he might be interested in finding out himself the details of what he is going on - though he must know more, I hear that he is the one that called the medic chopper. And maybe, he could use his influence as a school principal to get us an interview with the accused homeless. If he really wants to, he might claim that the guy was an old graduate of the school and find a reason to speak or guarantee for him.

BR005

Bobby looks at the professor. What can he say - that he just wants to do it - that he is not going to do no stinky project? Bobby needs to find a way - help - he has a strange feeling about the school. He never realized - but now he's starting to put things together. The professor blinks and smiled when Bobby hints to a reward. Great, Bobby now you make up a reward.

"Professor Ubik - I ..."

".. this college is strange. Mr. Perenti is strange. He made us.."

".. his assistant, Ms. Christina."

Bobby gulps a lot - not knowing how much to say.

"He took me, Tom and other friends - a weekend - in a hut in the woods - Ms. Christina was there. Professor - I can tell you more - in exchange for your help."

"This college is strange. I want something - to feel safer. We could have control on all doors - only me and you. I.."

Bobby is interrupted. A girl from his class opens the door - shrieking. "Bobby! Have you HEARD what happened to Tom?"

UR005 Meeting with Bobby

Bobby approached me last week, presenting of an elaborate study of the school locks. We met secretly at the basement of the school and, I must say, I was really impressed by the extent of his progress. He asked me of helping him override the security system so that he can obtain control of the electronic locks over the school.

I was certainly troubled by this request as if this is to be known, it could jeopardize my new position here. Out of professionalism I decided to help the student. What the heck, going into such trouble deserves of some reward. Though I am uncertain about his motivation, as well as, my employment status if this is all discovered. So I ask him to present of a legitimate excuse for asking for this kind of help. Would this be, in example, a rescue control system that would facilitate the evacuation of the school in case of a fire, by automatically opening the doors to make the escape root obvious to the panicking crowd? And, then, why does he need to obtain the ability to lock doors as well? Would this be part of a different security system that would contain a potential burglar until the police arrives? I ask him to get his story straight, so that there is a reasonable explanation, in case all this is revealed. I also ask him to present this as a summer project he has to do for being acquainted with the informatics behind automated control of building doors an, after all, promising professional endeavor for an engineering career.

I am just about to give him all the technical manuals that present the full operation of the door control system, plus something more valuable. The link to the discussion thread where technical staff discusses weaknesses of the particular door control system that Sandon has. This is basically a list for system administrators to be informed and prepared of weaknesses of the systems that they manage. With this information he will be able to obtain the control he seeks.

Bobby also mentioned something that happens to be my weak spot. Corruption. Is the guy trying to bribe me? What does he has to offer? So I end our discussion asking him to come visit me again with an offer ... in plain words "What am I going to gain for my help?"

BR004

Bobby has never studied this hard - motivation is everything - and he knows he is going to solve this one. Perhaps with a little help - he looks again at the drawing on his table at the many parts of the automatic locking system that he has removed around the school.

There is a software key - he's so near to it - but he knows that he cannot do it alone. He's spending nights trying testing modifying. But the solution remains far away.

Bobby decides - what the hell - he is going to know this one - everyone here is corruptible - power is what he seeks. He approaches the new informatics teacher, saying that he wants to show him a prototype - he meets him in a basement - shows him pages and pages of notes - the locks - all of them are perfectly automated - and the remote control he has built, on the right frequency, missing only the software key.

"I want to find the key - professor - please, look I have already an application developed. We will be the only ones - to share the secret - it will be fun"

Bobby looks in the eyes of the teacher. "Locks - are made to be broken - showing that we can do is - a need."

F021. Eventful Friday.

I'm lucky that I've told Mr. Ubik that "the nurse disappeared." Because today when I was arriving at the school, Christina tapped my shoulder softly with surprise on her face. I turned to see Ms. Muromachi nonchalantly walking inside the school. I have tried to talk with her but I had to walk away before strangling her. A strangled nurse. Not a good publicity for the school. I had a detective team looking for her and she just says "you-know-what activity, I cannot give details". Unsufferable.

I should have told her about the plans for Grace, Mr. Ubik and all the rest. But she made me so upset that I could not bear to see her anymore. Instead I moved on with the plans for Grace. The kid has a busy week in front of her.

I've finally seen the report from Mr. Ubik. He found out what I guess is simply Circle money. Much more than I get. The part about spying on me could be just natural, meaning he's reporting on me to the Circle, or it could be something more worrying. I cannot do anything but wait for things to happen.

UR003 Weekly paiments

The first data that come of the decrypting process refer to bank transactions. Mr C had been receiving large amounts of money on a weekly basis. Though the sender of the money is not shown. There is more. Mr C had also a folder with the daily schedule of the principal and notes on his daily habits. Either the dude was learning to be a principal, perhaps in the principle's position (?), or he is stalking the principal. There might be more. Several files were not decrypted in my first effort and I have to search for better tool to read them.

I compile the present findings into report and mail it to the principal, informing him that his inquiry is ongoing and reassuring him of that the confidential status of this inquiry is maintained. I inform him nothing about the network usage, considering if I would tell him if when we meet.

G007. Bad boys

Dear Diary,

Someone scribbled something nasty in my notebook today. I just went to the ladies and came back to class. There it was on the next page written in ink. I looked around but nobody seemed to care, or know who did it.

The French teacher asked me what I was up to. I said 'nothing Sir'.

Someone had written, "I want a handjob too. Suck me slut cheerleader."

I suspect Bobby did this. He sits just two seats away from me in French class. Tom must have told his friends. This is so humiliating.

Wish they would leave me alone.

g

BR005

Bobby keeps fiddling with the door controllers - he makes a few online searches - tries to find out what radio frequencies they are on. He walks cautiously - every door now seems dangerous. Bobby starts to look at the school in a systematic way.

There are cameras - cleverly hidden - he finds a few. Bobby wonders if he should talk with somoeone about his discoveries. He buys tools at the local electronic store - Tom is laughing of him - and tests, tests, tests.

Bobby fantasizes about talking control of the doors - he could become the secret master of the school - lock the principal's assistant in a maze whose only exit is thorugh him. He needs that woman - Christina - waits to see her every day she drives the principal - no way to get nearer to her yet...

A new teacher of informatics. Bobby listens with attention. He is completely sure the new teacher would know how to hack the doors' controls - but Bobby cannot be sure - what is beyond the surface of the school - people disappear here - perhaps, Bobby fears, because they discover something under the surface of the school

UR002 Hard drive

I took MR C's disk the disk from the principal an analyzing it. The files fall into 2 categories, encrypted or not. Un-encrypted data includes his web history. The guy was booking airline tickets, 1st class with Singapore airlines to Bankong. This is an expensive ticket to buy on a teacher's salary. Is he really one? And since the guy would knows how to encrypt his data, why leave only this piece of information unprotected?

The rest of the data will take some time to decrypt until my PC matches multiple candidate encryptions of dictionary words against the encrypted text (well I hope the guy was writing in English, cause otherwise it would take so much time to try ALL dictionaries). I start writing up my report to the principal with what I have for now and plan to complete it, when the PC spits out the deciphered text. Upon the principle's request, I speak to no one about this.

I am reluctant to report to him the skype activity I noticed. He did not ask for this check or even bother to listen about the condition of the network at the school. He seemed quite preoccupied. I cannot know the content of the skype sessions, as this data is not stored. Anyhow now that I know that the calls are occurring, I set up a sniffer to copy all packets and intercept the next session. I am wondering what this is all about. Some afternoon sessions have a regular bandwidth usage. Evening session consume barely an audio packets. Seems that there is visual but very little talk. What is this skype-pantomime?

G006. Can't sleep

Dear Diary,

A click. Not very loud but I heard it. My eyes wide open.

Nothing happened. But I can't fall asleep, so I am writing to you.

Sometimes the floor boards creak like someone is walking around, but they say it's because the building is old and the wood contracts at night.

Back to the click. It reminds me of last year. Like it was all happening again.

First Mr. Fairbanks transferred my room mate to another room. Said I deserved my own room.

I was in bed one night, then next thing I knew, he was there standing beside my bed. He entered my room. I did not know how, because I locked the door from inside. But I knew what he wanted. He left after he was satisfied. He also said I should not wash my mouth until noon the next day so the boys would keep away.

The next night, I heard the click. The door would just unlock. No key turning. He came in, quietly. I pretended to be sleeping. But he shook me to wake me up. This time he gagged me. Said that this is so I wouldn't wake up Celina sleeping next door. He came in me. He told me what a dirty girl I was.

Gosh, it is late. Back to bed, I have to get up early tomorrow morning.

g

F020. Monday again.

I arrive late, directly to the school. It's sunny but I have black, stormy clouds on my head. I don't want to think about the weekend and I don't want to think that it's still one month before my next break.

I check things - nothing new, Mr. Rayna has settled himself and from his traces he's already checking on the students. He should starting to intercept skype calls, and consequently discover what Silvia is doing in her room, soon enough.

I haven't had the time to run a deep check on Mr. C's hard disk, so I call Mr. Ubik and ask him to; I only tell him the teacher disappeared in uncertain circumstances, making no reference at all to the nurse. I press for discretion.

When I'm back home, Christina is all smiles. something that irritates me to the utmost. I raise my hand to hit her. Then everything seems so senseless and I just let her go. At least she's stopped smiling.

UR001 Setup

Moved all my stuff from my previous teaching job to my office at Sandon today. It was pretty generous of the college to pay for all my moving expenses; books are heavy and expensive to transport and I have a lot of them. I met Grace at the school today. She was very helpful and offered to show me around. She seems good hearted, but I will have to see. Maybe she is aiming at an easy grade, as she told me that she is not keen on studying. Or maybe she has something to hide, in which case she is in deep waters. In any case though, I will provide with an extra help with her studies... a quid pro quo.

I wonder what my previous boss wrote about me in his reference letter. He had always an eye on me, the old scumbag. Nevermind the jerk, he was incapable of proving the slightest of what he was suspecting. Ha! if only he knew how minute were his suspicions, compared to what was going on ... so, it seems that what happened there is gonna stay there.

Also completed the setup of my office, which I like it a lot: clean, spacious with a large window and a magnificent view. Very different compared to my other office, which I doubt that anybody has dug deep enough to know that I maintain downtown. I like the risk of availing just a small opportunity for someone to be suspicious. I hang a Helmut Newton photograph on my wall. Not one of his kinky ones. Just a plain portrait he so artfully used to shoot. It is just a small hint for the visitors of my office. And, at the same time a test for the them. If their eye falls on the picture and stays the for just a split second more, I know that they recognized the photographer. And then I know that (s)he has see the rest of his photos...

Back to work. It seems that several of the users engage some, say, extra-curricular uses of the WWW. I found out student account traces of frequent skype calls, as well as, some interesting pictures on the school's Web server proxy: somebody among the students is reading Von Gotha's illustrated novels ... nice taste, though professionally speaking, completely inappropriate use of the school's equipment.

I am curious to find out what was the investigative stuff the principal asked me about when we talked the other day on the phone. Would it be about this mystery I heard about regarding the dissappearing of two persons, or is it related to the other affairs of the school? Anyhow, I guess he will tell me when he needs to and, after all, this has been my bread and butter for quite a while in the past. The principal seems like a nice guy and something tells me he is like-minded. So if he asks me to be a bit nosy, I will certainly help him out.

F019. Back Home.

One month is over now. I'm packing a quick suitcase; Christina offered to help but I've dismissed her quickly. The week seemed interminable, and now it's over. A plane and I'll meet my wife for the first time since I've started this job. I'm sure my persecutors laugh beyond my shoulders. I could not care less.

The investigators came and left but the mystery is still unbroken. No trace of either missing staff. I have a new teacher, though; is CV was good but even better was the letter of recommendation, that I've immediately filed as secret. I'll wait and see as he moves. The school network looks as a normal system but it contains - to my knowledge, at least, but nothing strange if there are more - countless honeypots and three levels of chroots. The adquate measures for a Circle safehouse. I'll wait to see if we catch him or not.

The cams are giving interesting news. I've seen our delicious Silvia naked in her room for no reason. Well, no reason until I read her Skype trace. And Bobby was tinkering with the locks - I guess he has just understood that they are all centrally controlled. Will he try something with them?

Right now, when Christina speeds me to the airport, I really could not care less.

G005. Dirty

Dear Diary,

Sorry I have not written. Terrible thing happened last week. I was mugged outside the diner, together with Tom.

That was not all. The mugger made me do things. I feel dirty.

He saw that I was pantiless. He saw Tom trying to kiss me. He made me give Tom a handjob. Tom came all over my hand. And he let us go.

Some of the girls found out. They told Miss Ziki. I was told to see the school nurse after. She spent an hour talking to me, then gave me some meds to help me sleep. That was all.

I was exempted from going to class for a few days. That was a good thing. I couldn't bear the thought of seeing Tom.

g

BR004

The week ends with no further surprises for Bobby. No invitations from the principal this time! Bobby is reckless, roaming the school - hoping to meet some of the girls - but no luck. Studying is the only thing he manages to do - the library with his silence.

Bobby is walking back to his room in the late afternoon when he hears a sequence of clicks from the doors around him - click click click - he tries the door at the end of the corridor - locked. Locked? He's never seen that door locked. He walks back - locked - tries the doors of the labs - all locked.

Bobby nearly panics - then another series of clicks - and all the doors are open!

Bobby returns to his room - starts to research about remote controls and building controls. The night, when Tom is sleeping, he removes the lock from his door and starts to study it. What with that %$££$%& corridor?

F018. Weekend Of Nothing.

It's nearly one month. As I look back, it feels nothing and it amounts to nothing. The years are still there, heavy and unscrutable in front of me. But hell, I've started.

I make a quick balance. I have two students under processing. Still months before I can start to make them work. I need a trainer.

My hold over the school is strong. I have my men, and I have the dorks gang now. A gamble that worked. They will be very useful, and perhaps some of them will be Circle material.

I have a mystery. What happened to Mr. C? What happened to Venturi? The blood in the car was hers. Traces of cordite. She's been shot inside the car. Chances are that she's dead, but I have the feeling she's not. Tough material, that woman. I think I'm better without her.

Then my wife, Maci. What's she been doing? Our phone calls have already grown scarce and formal. Next week I'll be home. I miss her in everything I do. I keep dreaming about burning the school and running away. A suicidal dream.

Nothing. I'm going to do nothing all the weekend. I've sent Christina away and I'll just sleep, drink by myself and watch TV. A weekend of nothing.

F017. Grace and Tom.

Two people from the Circle have come to check the car. They are in Abu's range, so I have not seen them. They will let us know whose is the blood on the car. And something more I hope. Perhaps this was an attack aimed to them specifically? Or to one of them and the other got involved? I'm lost in speculations.

A nice surprise today when one of my men called for a mugger in town. I checked the cams on the diner - I normally avoid them - and here they were, Tom the less dorky of the dorks, the pretty Grace, and this guy with a mask. No sense in having him shot, all he did was to take a bit of money and to have Grace jerk Tom.

In fact, Grace will be wondering what I know, and it's been too long. I will talk with her. She needs to move to the next step of her training soon.