Disclosure (43 page)

Sanders said, “These are al about the acquisition.”

More notes came out. Nichols was pul ing them quickly, one after another.

“He's looking for something specific.”

Nichols stopped. He had found what he was looking for. His gray computer image held it in his hand and looked at it. Sanders read it over his shoulder, and said certain phrases aloud to Fernandez: “Memo dated December 4, last year.

`Met yesterday and today with Garvin and Johnson in Cupertino re possible acquisition of DigiCom . . .' bla bla . . . `Very favorable first impression . . .

Excel ent grounding in critical areas we seek to acquire . . .' bla bla . . . `Highly capable and aggressive executive staff at al levels. Particularly impressed with competence of Ms. Johnson despite youth.' I'l bet you were impressed, Ed.”

The computer-generated Nichols moved down the hal to another drawer and opened it. He didn't find what he wanted and closed it. He went on to another drawer.

Then he began reading again, and Sanders read this one, too: “ `Memo to John Marden. Cost issues re DigiCom acquisition' . . . bla bla . . . `Concern for high-technology development costs in new company' . . . bla bla . . . Here we are. `Ms.

Johnson has undertaken to demonstrate her fiscal responsibility in new Malaysia operation . . . Suggests savings can be made . . . Expected cost savings . . .'

How the hel could she do that?”

“Do what?” Fernandez said.

“Demonstrate fiscal responsibility in the Malaysia operation? That was my operation.”

“Uh-oh,” Fernandez said. “You're not going to believe this.”

Sanders glanced over at her. Fernandez was staring down the corridor. He turned to look.

Someone else was coming toward them.

“Busy night,” he said.

But even from a distance, he could see that this figure was different. The head was more lifelike, and the body was ful y detailed. The figure walked smoothly, natural y. “This could be trouble,” he said. Sanders recognized him, even from a distance.

“It's John Conley,” Fernandez said.

“Right. And he's on the walker pad.”

“Which means?”

Conley abruptly stopped in the middle of the corridor, and stared. “He can see us,” Sanders said.

“He can? How?”

“He's on the system we instal ed in the hotel. That's why he's so detailed. He's on the other virtual system, so he can see us, and we can see him.”

“Uh-oh.”

“You said it.”

Conley moved forward, slowly. He was frowning. He looked from Sanders to Fernandez to Nichols and back to Sanders. He seemed uncertain what to do.

Then he held his finger to his lips, a gesture for silence.

“Can he hear us?” Fernandez whispered.

“No,” Sanders said, in a normal voice.

“Can we talk to him?”

“No.■

Conley seemed to make a decision. He walked over to Sanders and Fernandez, until he was standing very close. He looked from one to the other. They could see his expression perfectly.

Then he smiled. He extended his hand.

Sanders reached out, and shook it. He didn't feel anything, but through the headset he saw what looked like his hand gripping Conley's.

Then Conley shook Fernandez's hand.

“This is extremely weird,” Fernandez said.

Conley pointed toward Nichols. Then he pointed to his own eyes. Then to Nichols again.

They crossed the gateway, past the barking dog, and came back into the Victorian library. Fernandez sighed. “It feels good to be home again, doesn't it?”

Conley was walking along, showing no surprise. But then, he had seen the Corridor before. Sanders walked quickly. The angel floated alongside them.

“But you realize,” Fernandez said, “that none of this makes any sense. Because Nichols is the one who's been opposed to the acquisition, and Conley is the one pushing for it.”

“That's right,” Sanders said. “It's perfect. Nichols is having it off with Meredith. He promotes her behind the scenes as the new head of the division. And how does he hide that fact? By continuously bitching and moaning to anybody who wil listen.”

“You mean, it's a cover.”

“Sure. That's why Meredith never answered his complaints in any of the meetings. She knew he wasn't a real threat.”

“And Conley?” she said.

Conley was stil walking alongside them.

“Conley genuinely wants the acquisition. And he wants it to work wel . Conley's smart, and I think he realizes that Meredith isn't competent for the job. But Conley sees Meredith as the price of Nichols's support. So Conley has gone along with the choice of Meredith-at least for the time being.”

“And what are we doing now?”

“Finding out about the last missing piece.”

“Which is?”

Sanders was looking down the hal way marked OPERATIONS. This wasn't real y his area of the database, except in specific places of overlap. The files were marked alphabetical y. He went down the row until he found DIGICOM/MALAYSIA SA.

He opened it up and searched the file section marked STARTUP.. He found his own memos, feasibility studies, site reports, government negotiations, first set specifications, memos from their Singapore suppliers, more government negotiations, al stretching back two years.

“What are you looking for?”

“Building plans.”

He expected to see the thick sheets of blueprints and inspection summaries, but instead there was just a thin file. He opened the first sheet, and a three dimensional image of the factory floated in the air in front of him. It was just an outline at first, but it rapidly fil ed in and became solid-looking. Sanders, Fernandez, and Conley stood on three sides of it, looking at it. It was like a very large, detailed dol 's house. They peered in through the windows.

Sanders pushed a button. The model became transparent, then turned into a cutaway; now they could see the assembly line, the physical plant. A green line the conveyor belt-started moving, and the machines and workers assembled the CD-ROM drives as the parts came down the line.

“What are you looking for?”

“Revisions.” He shook his head. “This is the first set of plans.”

The second sheet was marked “Revisions 1/First Set” with the date. He opened it up. The model of the plant seemed to shimmer for a moment, but it remained the same.

“Nothing happened.”

The next sheet was marked “Revisions 2/Detail Only.” Again, when he opened it, the plant shimmered briefly but was unchanged.

“According to these records, the plant was never revised,” Sanders said. “But we know it was.”

“What's he doing?” Fernandez said. She was looking at Conley.

Sanders saw that Conley was slowly mouthing words, his facial movements exaggerated.

“He's trying to tel us something,” she said to Sanders. “Can you see what it is?”

“No.” Sanders watched a moment, but the cartoonlike quality of Conley's face made it impossible to read his lips. Final y Sanders shook his head.

Conley nodded, and took the keypad out of Sanders's hand. He pushed a button marked RELATED and Sanders saw a list of related databases flash up in the air. It was an extensive list, including the permits from the Malay government, the architect's notes, the contractor agreements, health and medical inspections, and more. Al together, there were about eighty items on the list. Sanders felt sure he would have overlooked the one in the middle of the list that Conley was now pointing to:

OPERATIONS REVIEW UNIT

“What's that?” Fernandez said.

Sanders pressed the name and a new sheet fluttered up. He pushed a button marked SUMMARY and read the sheet aloud: “ `The Operations Review Unit was formed four years ago in Cupertino by Philip Blackburn to address problems not normal y within Operations Management purview. The mission of the Review Unit was to improve management efficiency within DigiCom. Over the years, the Operations Review Unit has successful y resolved a number of management problems at DigiCom.' “

“Uh-huh,” Fernandez said.

“ `Nine months ago, the Operations Review Unit, then headed by Meredith Johnson of Cupertino Operations, undertook a review of the proposed manufacturing facility in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The immediate stimulus for the review was a conflict with the Malay government over the number and ethnic composition of workers employed at the proposed facility.' “

“Uh-oh,” Fernandez said.

“ `Led by Ms. Johnson, with legal assistance from Mr. Blackburn, the Operations Review Unit had outstanding success in resolving the many problems facing DigiCom's Malaysian operation.' “

“What is this, a press release?” Fernandez said.

“Looks like it,” Sanders said. He read on: “ `Specific issues concerned the number and ethnic composition of workers employed at the facility. The original plans cal ed for seventy workers to be employed. Responding to the requests of the Malay government, Operations Review was able to increase the number of workers to eighty-five by reducing the amount of automation at the plant, thus making the facility more suitable to the economy of a developing country.' “

Sanders looked over at Fernandez. “And screwing us completely,” he said.

“Why?

He continued: “ Ìn addition, a cost-savings review generated important fiscal benefits in a number of areas. Costs were reduced with no detriment to product quality at the plant. Air-handling capacity was revised to more appropriate levels, and outsourcing supplier contracts were real ocated, with substantial savings benefit to the company.' “ Sanders shook his head. “That's it,” he said. “That's the whole bal game.

“I don't understand,” Fernandez said. “This makes sense to you?” “You're damned right it does.”

He pushed the DETAIL button for more pages.

“I am sorry,” the angel said, “there is no more detail.”

“Angel, where are the supporting memos and files?” Sanders knew that there had to be massive paperwork behind these summary changes. The renegotiations with the Malay government alone would fil drawers of files.

The angel said, “I am sorry. There is no more detail available.”

“Angel, show me the files.”

“Very wel .”

After a moment, a sheet of pink paper flashed up:

THE DETAIL FILES ON

OPERATIONS REVIEW UNIT/MALAYSIA

HAVE BEEN DELETED

SUNDAY 6/14 AUTHORIZATION DC/C/5905

“Hel ,” Sanders said.

“What does that mean?”

“Somebody cleaned up,” Sanders said. `Just a few days ago. Who knew al this was going to happen? Angel, show me al communications between Malaysia and DC for the past two weeks.”

“Do you wish telephone or video links?”

“Video.”

“Press V.”

He pushed a button, and a sheet uncurled in the air:

Date Linking To Duration Auth

6/1 A. Kahn > M. Johnson 0812-0814 ACSS

6/1 A. Kahn > M. Johnson 1343-1346 ADSS

6/2 A. Kahn > M. Johnson 1801-1804 DCSC

6/2 A. Kahn > T. Sanders 1822-1826 DOSE

6/3 A. Kahn > M. Johnson 0922-0924 ADSC

6/4 A. Kahn > M. Johnson 0902-0912 ADSC

6/5 A. Kahn > M. Johnson 0832-0832 ADSC

6/7 A. Kahn > M. Johnson 0904-0905 ACSS

6/11 A. Kahn > M. Johnson 2002-2004 ADSC

6/13 A. Kahn > M. Johnson 0902-0932 ADSC

6/14 A. Kahn > M. Johnson 1124-1125 ACSS

6/15 A. Kahn > T. Sanders 1132-1134 DCSE

“Burning up the satel ite links,” Sanders said, staring at the list. “Arthur Kahn and Meredith Johnson talked almost every day until June fourteenth. Angel, show me these video links.”

“The links are not available for viewing except for 6/is.”

That had been his own transmission to Kahn, two days earlier. “Where are the others?”

A message flashed up:

THE VIDEO FILES ON

OPERATIONS REVIEW UNIT/MALAYSIA

HAVE BEEN DELETED

SUNDAY 6/14 AUTHORIZATION DC/C/5905

Scrubbed again. He was pretty sure who had done it, but he had to be sure.

“Angel, how do I check deletion authorization?”

“Press the data you desire,” the Angel said.

Sanders pressed the authorization number. A smal sheet of paper came upward out of the top sheet and hung in the air:

AUTHORIZATION DC/C/5905 IS

DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS

CUPERTINO/OPERATIONS EXECUTIVE

SPECIAL PRIVILEGES NOTED

(NO OPERATOR ID NECESSARY)

“It was done by somebody very high up in Operations in Cupertino, a few days ago.”

“Meredith?”

“Probably. And it means I'm screwed.”

“Why?”

“Because now I know what was done at the Malaysia plant. I know exactly what happened: Meredith went in and changed the specs. But she's erased the data, right down to her voice transmissions to Kahn. Which means I can't prove any of it.”

Standing in the corridor, Sanders poked the sheet, and it fluttered back down, dissolving into the top sheet. He closed his file, put it back in the drawer, and watched the model dissolve and disappear.

He looked over at Conley. Conley gave a little resigned shrug. He seemed to understand the situation. Sanders shook his hand, gripping air, and waved good-

bye. Conley nodded and turned to leave.

“Now what?” Fernandez said.

“It's time to go,” Sanders said.

The angel began to sing: “It's time to go, so long again til next week's show”

“Angel, be quiet.” The angel stopped singing. He shook his head. `Just like Don Cherry.”

“Who's Don Cherry?” Fernandez asked.

“Don Cherry is a living god,” the angel said.

They walked back to the entrance to the Corridor and then climbed out of the blue screen.

Back in Cherry's lab, Sanders took off the headset and, after a moment of disorientation, stepped off the walker pad. He helped Fernandez remove her equipment. “Oh,” she said, looking around. “We're back in the real world.”

“If that's what you cal it,” he said. “I'm not sure it's that much more real.” He hung up her headset and helped her down from the walker pad. Then he turned off the power switches around the room.

Fernandez yawned and looked at her watch. “It's eleven o'clock. What are you going to do now?”

There was only one thing he could think of. He picked up the receiver on one of Cherry's data modem lines and dialed Gary Bosak's number. Sanders couldn't retrieve any data, but perhaps Bosak couldif he could talk him into it. It wasn't much of a hope. But it was al he could think to do.