Chapter 1 – Cover of Darkness
The night was just like any other night in the city of Oxford. Homeless slept on the streets and front porches, the few cars that were actually out this time of night swept by silently, and the stars from above were obscured by the streetlights below. But the man whose face was blocked by a mask and who was rendered nearly invisible by his dark clothing ignored all of this—his goal was far more important than trivial things like scenery.
This is almost too easy, he reflected as he continued down the streets. There was no security around the building, no MI5 or police on the streets—those who guarded this secret were very, very careful of placing security around it, for fear of discovery. And as the man stepped into the building, stopping briefly to turn his key and enter, he laughed out loud at the almost ridiculous ease with which he had gained entrance, remembering almost too late to remove his mask.
The night watchman was a man named Robert who was looking forward to a warm meal and warmer bed when he returned to his flat—he knew nothing of the absolute power that he was among the only security for. And, the man in the dark clothing thought, it did present an enormous advantage if you happened to work there.
The watchman's flashlight caught him in the face and caused him to blink furiously before Robert realized who it was and calmed down. "Oh, sorry," Robert said, slightly sheepishly. "Didn't recognize you for a second—go right through."
"Thanks, Robert," the man replied casually before pressing onward towards the elevator. He then pressed the button for the third floor and listened to the gentle whirr in the background until he arrived at his destination. The second watchman on this floor smiled at him and nodded him onwards.
The man continued on his way through the maze of hallways that he now found himself faced with. He always had hated the labyrinth that any visitors to his floor would end up having to navigate, but he pressed his petty concerns aside and continued until he reached the door he was looking for.
He stopped and peered at the doorknob for a moment before feeling through his pocket until he found his identification card, sliding it through the slot quickly and watching the light turn from red to green as the door unlocked. He pulled the knob and pushed gently inwards, feeling his pulse quicken at the closeness of the goal that he had been working towards for the past two years.
Calm down, calm down! He told himself. Now is not the time to make a mistake. Instead, with all the poise of a politician about to give an important speech, he quickly made his way straight to the main computer sitting in the corner of the room, ignoring all the useless trinkets that he found himself surrounded by. He knew exactly what he had come for.
He powered on the computer, then felt himself begin to sweat with anticipation as the screen flared up and filled with color. He removed his mask and wiped his brow with the palm of his hand, then turned back to the computer, which was now displaying a prompt asking for the first password. He confidently typed it in, then found himself confronted with a second password. He stopped for a moment before pulling a piece of paper out of his pocket—the word was so strange that he had made himself write it down, and now he was very grateful.
K-I-R-J-A-V-A, typed the man slowly before regarding the screen for a moment and then pressing enter.
The computer booted up completely, and a mother lode of files appeared in front of him. He removed the flash drive from his pocket and pressed a button—instantly the entire contents of the computer was transferred onto his drive, which glowed faintly for a moment before going dark and popping out of the computer's port.
The man's hands were damp with perspiration by this time, and he was literally shaking with excitement as he logged off and shut down the computer. He had activated the alarm—he now only had ten, fifteen minutes at best before the police arrived—plenty of time, he thought.
He transferred the flash drive to his pocket and exited the room, leaving the darkness behind him. Saying goodbye to the two night watchmen on duty, he exited the building and disappeared into the night. The only sign that he had ever entered in the first place was the door, which lay ajar, open because of the man's haste and excitement, its bronze inscription illuminated by the moonlight streaming in through the glass window.
Dark Matter Research Unit
Fifteen minutes later, flashing lights lit up the front façade of the office building where the masked man worked and shrill sirens cut through the calm of the night. When they arrived, however, they found nothing, no sign save the open door that an intruder had ever entered, and the door could have easily been left open by a forgetful employee. Knowing nothing of what they were protecting and having only the testimonies of the two night watchmen to guide them, they concluded that the man's sudden visit had concluded so quickly that he needed to use the computer and forgot to turn off the alarm and close the door behind him, an honest mistake for a scientist making a sudden discovery. The next day the man's associates waited for him to come to work, but they never saw him again.