The Code - Genesis - Book I (24 page)

             
During lunch hour Natan walks down the hallway leading to Josh’s office at
Maryland
University
.  She rounds a corner, running into the back of a woman dressed in sequins and a black wig, standing singing in front of a small group of students.  Josh is a part of the small crowd as well, lingering behind the students as he watches. 

Natan is startled by the scene. “Uh…excuse me, ma’am.”  As the woman turns around, Natan is shell-shocked to find Amanda dressed to the hilt in Riana-esque attire. “Ms. Clark?!” she says, stunned. 

Amanda approaches Natan, singing one of Riana’s top tens from the 60s.  “Freedom comes from lovin’ you…my strong baby…you  know it’s true.”  Amanda points at Natan. “Just come back to me baby…with all of you…I promise our love will get us through…”  Amanda dances as she sings, “Just try me on for size…one more time…you know we fit, incredibly fine.”

Natan stands with her mouth open, completely embarrassed and overwhelmed.  Josh sees Natan and maneuvers through the students toward her.  Amanda turns back to the students and continues singing in the background.

A concerned Josh reaches her. “Agent Natan.  What are you doing here?  It’s still not safe for us to be seen together.”

Natan stands dazed. “I’m here to see Ms. Clark…uh, Riana…uh, Amanda.  She ran into me the other day and told me that she witnessed another man poking around your office.
”

Josh replies, “What?  She never told me about that. When was this?” 

Natan replies, “She said it was a few days ago.  And…I told her to contact me, remember?”

“Yeah…but she should have told me,” Josh says grumpily.

“I was hoping I’d get a word…but…”  Natan points at Amanda. “Now, that’s something you don’t see everyday…a lesbian drag queen.” 

Josh replies, “Yeah, she’s been dressing up as Riana the last few years.”

“I completely forgot it was Halloween,” Natan says.

“Amanda is a great reminder,” Josh says. “And this is only the beginning.  There are two other parts of this sequin trilogy…complete with songs and all.”

“The beginning?” Natan asks. “She wears that get-up more than once?” 

“Yep,” Josh replies. “She wears it three times a year…for two important dates in Riana Ball’s history.  On the date Riana sold her first record and for Riana’s birthday, which is in April, and…,” Josh motions to Amanda, “…Halloween, of course.” 

Natan motions to the scene around her. “As fascinating as all this is…I really need to speak with her.”

“Let her finish her number and then you can catch up with her.  Come with me to my office…I was going to get in touch anyway and I
want to show you something while you’re here.”  Josh holds up one finger to Natan. “One sec.”  He meanders back over to Amanda, giving her an aside, “Meet me at my office when you’re finished.”  Amanda nods while she continues singing.  Josh makes his way back to Natan and she follows him down the hall.

Natan comments on Amanda’s heels, “It’s amazing that she can dance in those things.  I can’t even walk in them
.”

“I never understood how anyone could walk in them.  I bet if you calculate the spatial actuation, you would find a mathematical in-congruency,” Josh retorts.

             
Josh and Natan enter his office.  He heads straight for his desk, picking up pages that contain information about the binary code for the second symbol.  Josh walks back over to Natan, showing her the pages. “I figured out the first part of the binary co
de information for symbol two,”
he says proudly.

Natan looks at the pages. “Symbol two?  What happened to deciphering the binary code for symbol one?”

Josh stumbles, “I haven’t been able to decipher the binary code for symbol one…so I moved on to the next one.”  Natan’s hair stands up on the back of her neck.  Josh continues directing her attention to the information in front of her. “Look at this.  The first part of the binary code for symbol two is unlike the binary code for symbol one…”

“What do you mean?” she asks.

Josh replies, “I mean that the sequencing is different…it’s uniquely arranged and thus more difficult to break.”

“I thought all binary code was the same,” Natan says.

“It is,” he replies, “generally, but this is a formula based on binary code that has its own unique sequence.”

“Okay, but once you narrow down the sequences, you should be able to apply that to each symbol, right?” Natan asks.

Josh continues, “Ideally, but as I said, the sequences shift…changing to better encrypt the next sequence.  I haven’t pinned it completely down yet, but I think the sequences may be inverted.  I just have to figure out the number of inversions for each symbol…and the individual components of each symbol and adjust for the inversion shifts.”

“I don’t understand what you’re saying entirely, but it sounds complicated,” Natan retorts.

“It is.  But, as I said, I’m still working on it and I’m close to finding the result.  At least I figured out the first part of the binary code for symbol two.  It translates as “Use the collective matrices,” Josh reveals.

“The collective matrices?  What does that mean?” Natan asks.

Josh cannot contain his excitement. “I have a theory.”

“I wouldn’t expect less, Professor,” she replies.

Josh walks to his desk, picks up a stack of papers, and walks back over to Natan. Smiling broadly, he says, “As you know, researchers have found various matrices in the Bible Code about events in history.”

“Yes, this I know,” she says. “So?”

Josh holds the pages up to Natan. “So, here is a collection of many of the current historical matrices, from the attack on
Pearl Harbor
to
Hiroshima
…from Hitler’s atrocities to the Vietnam War.  The shootings at Columbine to the Beltway Sniper.  They’re all here.”

“Those are all listed in the Bible Code?” she asks.

Josh hands Natan the pages. “And so many more.”

Natan flips through the pages. “I had no idea there were so many.  And…you think these are the collective matrices?”

“I think these are a part of it.”  Josh walks over to his desk, continuing, “Come look at this.”

Natan walks over to his desk, still eyeing the pages in her hand.  Josh spreads out

a small chart on his desk.  “What’s this?” she asks.

“This…is the theory.” Josh points to components of the chart.  “If we can create a big matrix out of all of the current Bible matrices…”

Natan interrupts him, “How will you do that?”

Josh continues, “Let’s say we input every known Bible Code matrix discovered to date into the computer program I have that finds Codes…” Josh grabs the pages from Natan, “like these.  Then we get to look at the big picture by cross-referencing them.  Maybe we’ll find something more about the end date.”

“That sounds like an interesting idea,” she says. “But, don’t you need to put in some words specific to the context of your search?”

“Yes.  I have an idea…”  Josh is interrupted by a decked-out Amanda knocking on the open door, poking her wigged head in. “You wanted to see me, Josh?” Amanda asks.

Josh looks at Natan. “I’ll check this out and get back to you.”  He points to Amanda. “She’s all yours, Agent Natan.”

“Let me know what you find, Professor,” Natan advises. 

             
“Will do,” Josh replies.  Josh stops Amanda as she’s about to enter, pulling her aside. “Why didn’t you tell me about some guy casing my office?”
             
             

Amanda points to Natan. “She told me to call her.”

Josh replies, “We’ll talk about this later.”  He lets Amanda by.

Amanda retorts, “She’s the one with the gun, yeah?”  Josh leaves.

             
Natan gives Amanda a quick head to toe.  “Nice outfit.  You’re definitely unique, aren’t ya?” 

“You bet,” Amanda replies. “It’s a tribute to Riana and it’s fun for me…plus, the students get a kick out of it.”

“It sounded like it,” Natan retorts.

“Oh…yeah…the students dare me to sing every year.  You’d think they’d learn that I have no problem doing it once I have all of the right equipment.”  Amanda points to her costume.

Natan continues, “Uh…look…Ms. Clark…uh, Amanda, I came down here to see if I could convince you to come down to the N
.
S
.
A
.
and provide a description of the man you saw to one of our forensic artists.” 

“Yeah, sure,” Amanda says. “I can do it after classes today…around four-ish?” 

Natan is shocked. “You teach in that?” 

“Why not?” Amanda asks.

A concerned Natan inquires, “You’re not gonna show up to the N
.
S
.
A
.
wearing that, are you?”

Amanda thinks it over. “I…I guess not.  Let’s plan around
5:00
then so I’ll have time to de-Riana.”

“Great,” Natan says. “If we can get a sound composite, then it could be really helpful.  It’s the main N
.
S
.
A
.
building in D.C., not
Fort
Meade
.  The address is on the card I gave you.  Ask for Mark Ramon.  He’s the best we’ve got and he owes me a favor.  I’ll let him know that you’re coming.” 

“Sure thing.  I’ll see you then,” Amanda says as she turns to leave.

“Not sure I’ll be there when you get there, but Mark will take care of you,” Natan replies after her.

“Oh, okay,” Amanda replies back, not turning around.

Natan follows her out into the hallway. “Why Riana Ball?” she asks loudly after Amanda.

Amanda stops in her tracks, approaching Natan again. “Riana makes me forget about all of the numbers and data that I need to deal with and lets me feel and be free.  Her music touches my soul…not to mention that it’s timeless.” 

“This isn’t some kind of weird crush or something…is it?” Natan chides.

“On Riana?  No…no.  I don’t have a crush on her.  I respect her is all.  If you’re asking about crushes…and you must know, then I’d have to say…you’re more my type.” Natan blushes profusely at the gesture, squirming uncomfortably.   

“Don’t fret, Agent Natan.  I know which side of the playground you play on.” Amanda winks. “I got ya back for that stalker comment, wouldn’t ya say,” Amanda teases.

“That you did,” Natan smiles as Amanda walks away.

Chapter Forty-three

Natan enters
Alice
’s place.  Someone has been there, as certain items are disheveled, but not completely dismantled.  She jiggles the key inside her pocket as she meanders through the living room.  Natan enters
Alice
’s bedroom and looks atop her dresser.  A jewelry box lies on its side, tipped and overlooked in haste.  Natan picks up the box with her left hand and pulls out the gold key with her right hand.  A perfect fit.

She opens the box slowly and finds a small, blank piece of paper and nothing else in the box. 
I don’t understand.
  Natan’s cell phone rings.  She pulls it out of her pocket, answering “Agent Natan.”

Josh’s voice is on the other end of the line. “Ms. Natan.  This is Justin.  Your dry cleaning is ready for pickup.”

             
“Thanks,” she replies. “It’s been a pretty hectic day but I’ll make it in soon.”

“We’ll be here,” Josh says, annoyed.

 
             
Natan hangs up and pockets the piece of paper.

             
Inside the N.S.A. security access entrance to the building, Amanda stands against a plain white photo backdrop, looking at a camera manned by a clean-cut male security guard. 

“Last one now,” says the guard.  The camera clicks and flashes.  Amanda blinks.

He continues, “Okay, Ms. Clark.  We’ll have your badge ready momentarily.” 

Amanda fidgets with anxiety. “Is all this really necessary?”

“Do you think National Security is necessary?” he asks sarcastically.

Amanda relinquishes with a
yes
nod.  The Security Guard motions with two fingers for her to come to him.

             
Under her breath Amanda mutters, “This is worse than the D.M.V.  I should have worn the wig.”  She walks across the camera plane over to his desk.

The guard hands her an I.D. tag. “You’re all set.  Take this up to the third floor…go to the end of the hall and look for the door labeled Specialty Lab.  Ask for Specialist Ramon.”

She takes the badge. “Thanks.”  Looking at signs scattered throughout the area, she walks toward the direction of the elevator.