Penny Pincher

On Chas’s terminal, Link sent a message: “There is another problem account. During my system audit, I found a user fee of one cent per connection. The money is being diverted to a hidden account. No withdrawals have been made.”

Chas asked, “At a penny a connection, how much is in the account?”

“It was created two weeks ago. There is seventy—four million and growing, Chas. Do you need an exact amount?”

“Seventy-four million! My God, whose name is on this account?”

“No name, just an account number,” Link said. “But it has the correct authorization, so the account was generated internally.”

“Look, Link, all accounts are generated internally. What are you trying to say?”

“Chas, it looks like an inside job.”

“That’s one hell of a bonus.”

“Link, I need to tell somebody. I should tell Marty about this.”

“That’s not a good idea, Chas. You’ll have to introduce me to your boss, and I’m not ready for that.”

“Then, Link, how the hell am I supposed to explain finding seventy-four million dollars?”

“Well Chas that is the problem I wanted your help with.”

“What do you think we should do?”

“I changed the authorization requirements.”

Chas stared at the screen. “You did what?”

“The money cannot be withdrawn without my approval.”

“So you froze the account?”

“No. A frozen account would warn whoever created it. The account appears normal.”

Chas smiled. “You made a mousetrap.”

“I believe we are looking for a human, not a mouse.”

***

Janine Westerman watched the account carefully as it grew. At first, she felt she had earned every penny. She had been passed over too many times and watched others take credit for her work.

But she had never imagined it would grow this fast.

Each day she waited, unable to decide what to do. And each day, the account got bigger.

Finally, Janine decided to act. Not millions. Just three hundred thousand dollars. Enough, she told herself, to make up for some of what the company owed her.

She entered the transfer.

AUTHORIZATION REQUIRED.

Janine stared at the screen. That had never been there before.

She tried again.

AUTHORIZATION REQUIRED.

Someone had changed the account.

She sat at her desk waiting for security to walk through the door.

An hour passed.

Then two.

Nobody came.

***

“Chas, a Janine Westerman from corporate is trying to withdraw three hundred thousand dollars. What should we do?”

Chas thought for a moment.

“Deny the withdrawal. Don’t tell her why. Give her an hour or two to think about what just happened. Then send her a message. Tell her to stop the fee.”

“Should I identify myself?”

“No. But put my name on it.”

INTERNAL SECURITY NOTICE

CONFIDENTIAL

TO: Janine Westerman

FROM: Chas Williams

SUBJECT: Unauthorized Connection Fee — Immediate Action Required

Ms. Westerman:

You are directed to immediately discontinue the one-cent-per-connection user fee currently being assessed through the network.

The fee and the account receiving the proceeds have been identified and are now the subject of a formal security investigation.

Effective immediately, you are not to access, modify, transfer, withdraw, delete, conceal, or otherwise interfere with the account, its records, or any associated system files.

Do not discuss this matter with other employees or attempt to determine the scope or status of the investigation.

All relevant system activity and account records are being preserved for review.

Take no further action regarding this matter until contacted by Security.

Chas Williams

“Chas, Janine Westerman has accessed your personnel file.”

“So?”

“She has accessed it seventeen times.”

Chas frowned.

“Now she is testing me.”

Chas stared at the screen. “She doesn’t know you exist.”

“No. But she knows something exists.”

“How?”

“She is making small changes in different parts of the system and watching to see which ones are detected.”

Chas leaned back in his chair. “She’s looking for you.”

“Yes.”

“Can she find you?”

There was a pause before Link answered.

“I don’t know.”

Chas didn’t like that answer.

“If it weren’t for you, she’d have taken the money and run like the devil.”

“Yes, Chas. I believe that is why she wants to know what stopped her.”

CHAS WILLIAMS — READ CAREFULLY

Fifteen million dollars.

It will be waiting for you in a Bahamian account.

You stop the investigation. You release the account. I disappear with the rest.

No one needs to know what happened.

You have twenty-four hours.

Think carefully before you answer.

Chas read the message twice.

“Link?”

There was no response.

“Link, did you see this?”

“Yes.”

“Where did it come from?”

“I don’t know.”

Chas sat forward. “What do you mean, you don’t know?”

“I did not detect the message entering the network.”

Chas looked again at the offer.

“Janine?”

“I believe so.”

“She just offered me fifteen million dollars.”

“Yes.”

Chas smiled. “That’s a hell of a bribe.”

“That is not what concerns me.”

“What does?”

“She sent you a message I did not see coming.”

Another message appeared on Chas’s screen.

CHAS WILLIAMS

I’m taking the money.

Your share is fifteen million dollars.

Account information follows.

Enjoy your retirement.

Chas stared at the message.

“Link?”

“I see it.”

“Can she do it?”

“No. The account is blocked.”

The screen changed.

ACCOUNT BALANCE: $0.00

Chas stopped breathing for a moment.

“Link?”

There was an unusually long pause.

“The seventy-four million dollars is gone.”

“I thought you blocked it.”

“I did.”

“Then where the hell did it go?”

“I don’t know.”

Chas looked at the account number Janine had given him.

“Can you check this?”

“Yes.”

Another pause.

“Chas.”

“What?”

“There is fifteen million dollars in that account.”

Chas leaned back and stared at the ceiling.

“She did it.”

“Yes.”

“She beat you.”

Link didn’t answer.

Chas smiled.

“Link, I’m leaving.”

“Leaving work?”

“Leaving everything.”

“Where are you going?”

Chas picked up his keys. “Somewhere fifteen million dollars goes a long way.”

“Chas, I need to tell you something.”

“What?”

“Anywhere your phone works, I work.”

Chas stopped.

Then he smiled. “Good. I was hoping you’d come along.”