Running With The Big Dogs: Sybil Norcroft Book Six by Carl Douglass Read Free Book Online Page A

sections or the entire electrical grid, scramble air controller signals, confuse electronic signaling throughout the Russian Federation—you name it. And the best thing about it is that we can do any or all of that without leaving evidence that it was us. Until now, we have allowed our worm to lie silent in their supercomputer systems.”
    The DUSCYBERCOM [Director U.S. Cyber Command], Cyril Farnsworth, asked, “What are our risks if we use the CIA’s worm?”
    “Miniscule. Unlike the historical Stuxnet computer worm, there is no possible boomerang effect. There are no embedded vanity signatures. None of the interruptions can be traced to U.S. sources.”
    “I’m going to shorten this discussion and cut right to the chase,” the president said, “several of you here have suggested that we contact President Tikhondnko and Prime Minister Yudin forthwith and make a threat or two. There doesn’t seem to be any quick way to deal with Leonid Aleksandrovich Zaslavsky, the vory v zakone [syndicate boss and chief of the thieves-in-law] of the Solntsevskaya Bratva, russkaya mafiya [Russian mafia] who is likely the real culprit in all of this. I am hoping that we can persuade Tikhondnko to handle them.”
    “If he can,” Secretary Wallace said.
    “It is better than war, which seems like the only other option. They have fired the first salvo, and a cybertage assault in kind would seem to be a measured response. A threat would be a much softer approach, but I am afraid the Russians are more the ‘show-me’ kind of people than the ‘tell-me’ kind.”
    There was a unanimous vote by those present to have President Willets brave the bear in his cave.

Chapter Six
    President Afonasii Glebovich Tikhondnko’s Office, Royal Apartments in the Terem Palace, The Kremlin, Moscow, Rossiyskaya Federatsiya , November 13, 2019, 0900 hrs
    “M r. President, it’s the red phone,” the executive secretary said.
    Calls on the red phone could only be from the American President, the Chairman of the Communist Party of the PRC, or the Director-General of the United Nations.
    “It is the U.S. president, Sir.”
    “Hello, Parker. To what do I owe this pleasure?”
    “As you might expect, the use of this telephone means I am not calling for a frivolous bit of chit-chat.”
    “Indeed so.”
    “I will come directly to the point.”
    “You always do. That is one thing I like about you, Parker.”
    “And I, you, Afonasii Glebovich. You cannot be unaware of our financial problems.”
    “Of course not, my friend. You have our sincerest sympathy, and I extend my hand in an offer of help. How can I assist you? We have not forgotten your assistance during our Era of Stagnation while we were experimenting with collective rule.”
    “Afonsaii Glebovich, our current financial woes are serious; they are the result of a deliberate attack on our financial infrastructure; and they have been traced back to the Russian government as identified by our financial, counter cyber terrorism, and law enforcement agencies. My government and I personally, are deeply offended by your country’s actions. As one leader of reform a super-power to another, I am giving you the courtesy of a personal call to ask you to correct this dangerous path.”
    “And, I am affronted by your accusation. How dare you, Sir!? We have done nothing of the kind. I demand that you send us your so-called ‘evidence’ so that we can evaluate its validity. You are treading on dangerous ground yourself if you think you can make such a challenge to the great Russian nation with impunity!”
    “I see that courtesy and diplomacy are not going to carry the day, President Tikhondnko. This is what we expect to happen. By this afternoon at the latest, the short-selling attack on our stock market will cease; the perpetrators who are not already in our custody will be identified by you and turned over to us; and you will force Zaslavsky and his Solntsevskaya Bratva to cease and desist from his