False Witness

Prologue THE PROFESSOR Courage is fear that has said its prayers. Dorothy Bernard If anything happened to this kid, the professor would never forgive himself. The young man was more than just a brilliant protege; he was like a son. He reminded Professor Dagan so much of himself at that age. Too much, sometimes. Except that Chow was brasher, bolder than Dagan had ever been. Chow Zhang possessed his mentor's gift for complex mathematical theories, but he had something more. At heart, Chow was a businessman. A capitalist. A risk taker. He had grown restless as a teaching assistant at the university; Dagan could see that. Chow stayed out of respect for the professor. When Professor Dagan told his protege about the Abacus Algorithm, the young man's eyes burned with entrepreneurial fire. To Chow, it was more than a math formula. It became an opportunity to piece together a historic agreement that might help millions of his fellow Chinese countrymen and women. He proposed the plan with such zeal and attention to detail that the professor couldn't say no. This meeting was the culmination of Chow's plan. Dagan said a prayer, his head bowed as he sat in the driver's seat of the Ford Windstar rental van. He had a bad feeling about this meeting, something he just couldn't shake. He had insisted on elaborate security precautions to protect the algorithm. "You worry too much, grasshopper," said Chow from the passenger seat, trying hard to inject a worry-free tone into his voice. Dagan had once asked Chow about the grasshopper reference; it was an allusion, as best Dagan could remember, to some old American movie or television show, the type of thing that didn't interest Dagan in the least. "That the birds of worry fly above your head, this you cannot change," the young man continued, with mock solemnity. "But that they build nests in your hair, this you can prevent." Dagan did not smile. He was known for being jovial and outgoing, having a type of mad-professor personality, which, he had to admit, was a reputation he did little to dispel. But this was not a time for smiles. Chow had never been one to pick up on subtle unspoken messages. He ran a hand over his own shaved head. "No worries here," he said. "Be careful, my son," Dagan said. This time, Chow took the cue, wiped the smile from his face, and instantly became the earnest young businessman. He looked professional in his dark blue suit, white shirt, and red tie. Professional, and almost American. Still, he was so inexperienced to be handling such a sensitive transaction. Dagan wanted to give Chow a lecture, one of Dagan's patented professorial pep talks, more about life than about academics. But Dagan sensed that the young man had already surpassed his teacher in so many matters of life and faith. The time for lectures had passed. "God be with you," Chow said. "And with you." The young man climbed out of the van, grabbed his briefcase, and strode confidently toward the MGM Grand. He did not look back to see the lines of worry etched into his mentor's face, the birds beginning to nest in the professor's hair. "Protect him," Dagan prayed. He pulled away from the front of the casino, cutting off other drivers and ignoring their horns. Twelve minutes later, Dagan entered his apartment, breathless from his climb up the outdoor steps. He disabled the alarm system, locked the deadbolt, and pulled the chain lock into place. The living room and dining area, one long, L-shaped open space, was littered with twenty-four interconnected desktop computSinger, Randy D. is the author of 'False Witness ', published 2007 under ISBN 9781400073344 and ISBN 1400073340.