Point of Contact

41

As promised, Lian delivered Paul and Jack back at Dalfan by three o’clock, just in time for their appointment on the fourth floor with the head of the department, Dr. Melvin Heng.

Unlike the other two research floors, this one was nearly as quiet as a library, with no sounds other than the click of keyboards and soft whispers between computer stations. Several of the young coders wore thickly padded noise-reduction headphones, heads bobbing to unknown rhythms as they attacked their keyboards.

Dr. Heng led them to his own small office. “Coffee? Tea? Anything to drink?”

“We just ate, thank you,” Jack said, as he and Paul took their seats.

Heng took the seat at his desk, brushing his long, graying hair behind his ear. “I apologize that my floor isn’t as interesting or fun as the other two research departments. It’s almost like a funeral parlor in here, but the silence is more conducive to our efforts. How may I serve you?”

“As you know, we’re here conducting a very informal audit in order to sign off on a final document that will complete the merger contract between your company and Marin Aerospace.”

Heng smiled. “We’re very excited about the merger, especially the senior management.”

“Senior management stands to profit handsomely,” Paul said.

“The beauty of capitalism.”

Paul pushed on. “Is that why you left your research post with the Centre for Quantum Technologies at the National University?”

“Technically, I retired from the CQT in order to start the department here.”

“Your research specialty was quantum cryptography.”

“Precisely. That’s the reason why Dr. Fairchild hired me. Is there a problem?”

“Not at all. We’re just trying to get the big picture. Along those lines, we’ve been sample-auditing various departments and we found a few files that we believe are linked to your department,” Paul said. “Specifically, we found a file marked ‘QC,’ which I originally assumed was the abbreviation for ‘quality control,’ but your department is developing quantum cryptography, correct?”

“Exactly. We’re primarily focused on the software side of QC. Quantum algorithms, in particular.”

Jack leaned forward. “What exactly is quantum cryptography?”

“That’s a very good question, and it requires a very long and complicated answer — unfortunately, it’s mostly technical jargon. Let me see if I can put it in some perspective.” Heng leaned back in his chair. “I’m sure you’re both aware that cyberwarfare is the new battlespace that the great powers are racing into. Financial markets, transactional commerce, energy infrastructures, military forces — virtually every aspect of modern societies is controlled, maintained, or directed by networks of computers that communicate with one another and, increasingly, with other computer networks, globally.

“If a hostile nation or terror group wants to destroy a modern industrial economy like the United States or its military forces, the most vulnerable points of attack are the computer networks, and this is why so many resources are being deployed into cyberwarfare.”

“Where does Dalfan play in all of this?” Jack asked.

“I’m coming to that, if you’ll indulge me for just another moment.” Heng gathered his thoughts. “Cyberwarfare is the latest offensive technology being deployed by the great powers and, to a lesser extent, smaller state actors like Iran, and even non-state actors like criminal gangs and terror groups. But history teaches us that every new offensive technology gives rise to a defensive countermeasure, and quantum cryptography is the defensive countermeasure against cyberwarfare. The country that first masters it will have a strategic advantage over those actors who haven’t, and the quantum-cryptography arms race is raging in full force. I’m proud to say that Dalfan is on the cutting edge of that race.”

“I’m sorry, Dr. Heng, but I’m still somewhat unclear as to what quantum cryptography exactly is,” Jack said.

Heng smiled, embarrassed. “I apologize. I’m not used to speaking with non-industry people anymore, only physicists and software engineers. Are you familiar with the basics of quantum mechanics?”

“The Heisenberg uncertainty principle, Schrödinger’s cat, and all of that?”

“Precisely. Until recently, the best defense we could come up with against cyberattacks was complicated mathematical algorithms — essentially, passcodes. But mathematicians and coders came up with even more aggressive attacks, including the use of Shor’s quantum algorithm to solve these highly complex mathematical passcodes. So now we’re turning away from mathematical defenses to the world of physics — using quantum mechanical means such as entanglement to establish and maintain secure communications networks.”

“Entanglement?” Jack asked.

“Yes, as it turns out, we’ve known since the 1930s that certain pairs of particles seem to ‘know’ each other.” Heng pointed the ends of his two index fingers at each other, manipulating them to illustrate his point. “They are entangled in such a way that when one of them is measured for, say, spin in one direction, the other particle will register spin in exactly the opposite direction at the exact same moment.”

“How is that even possible?”

“I can show you the equations that prove it. I can even show you experiments that demonstrate how you can change the state of one entangled particle in the future and it will change the state of a particle in the past, even after the first one has been destroyed.”

Paul shook his head. “I’m sorry, but that doesn’t even sound real.”

Heng shrugged. “I know. That’s why Einstein called it ‘spooky’ science. But believe me, quantum entanglement is real. In fact, it’s so real that the Chinese just launched the very first quantum satellite into space last year. It’s testing not only quantum entanglement, but quantum teleportation for use in secure communications.”

Jack rolled his eyes. “Teleportation? You’re kidding, right?”

“Not like in Star Trek, where you’re beaming bodies up and down in transporters. Quantum teleportation is a fancy way of saying instantaneous communication. In other words, if two particles are entangled across a great distance, you can ‘talk’ to one particle on one end and you ‘hear’ on the other end at exactly the same moment. There’s nothing flying through the air to intercept, no software to hack. Best of all, there’s no time lost.”

“So if you had a quantum radio transmitter on Jupiter you could speak to a quantum receiver on earth with no lag time,” Jack said.

“Exactly, though that kind of device is many years away. But quantum entanglement is what will finally allow for an unhackable quantum Internet.”

Jack threw up his hands. “Okay, mind blown. What’s Dalfan’s role in all of this?”

“The Chinese are trying to build their quantum network, but there are still some big holes in it. In fact, all of the quantum networks have problems on two levels. We’re attacking some of those problems.”

“Be gentle with me, Doc, but explain to me in the simplest possible terms what problems you’re attacking.”

“On the first level, we’re developing new quantum algorithms. The truth of the matter is we don’t have the software we need to run the hardware. It’s all completely new stuff. Google’s new D-Wave quantum computer is thirty-six hundred times faster than the fastest supercomputer — a hundred million times faster, literally, than your laptop. But those superfast quantum computers and the quantum encryption we need to protect them with all run on quantum algorithms — something everyone is still trying to figure out, including us.” Heng smiled. “But we’re doing okay.”

“And the second level?”

“Right now, quantum networks depend on expensive equipment linked by fiber-optic cables. We’re many years away from a practical, ubiquitous quantum Internet.”

Heng opened a desk drawer and pulled out a smartphone.

“What the Chinese and the other quantum powers need is an ability to link their quantum satellites up there,” Heng said, pointing at the ceiling, “with quantum-encrypted cell phones down here.” Heng tapped the cell phone in his hand. “Only when that happens will you have a practical, working quantum network, because cell phones are now the primary device in use on the planet for communication and for Internet access.”

Jack pointed at Heng’s smartphone. “And you think eventually we’ll have quantum cell phones?”

Heng laughed. “No question about it. It’s a matter of when, not if.” He tapped his phone. “We’re developing the software that will enable that to happen, too, and that’s when the QC revolution really begins.”

“Are you selling any of this software to the Chinese?”

“No, of course not. Not only would that be completely illegal, it would be completely self-defeating. The Chinese will be our biggest competitors in this field. If we want to dominate the global market, we need to keep this technology to ourselves.” Heng leaned forward. “Why would you even ask me that?”

“We found evidence that Dalfan is selling cheap burner cell phones to the PRC at a helluva profit.”

Heng shrugged. “Don’t look at me. My department doesn’t sell anything, especially cell phones. We’re pure research. As far as I can tell, we’re a net drain on Dalfan’s balance sheet.”

“But you’re the tip of the spear in these technologies,” Jack said.

“And that’s why Marin Aerospace wants to buy Dalfan,” Paul said.

Heng smiled. “Exactly.”

“The Chinese must be very interested in what you’re doing here,” Jack said.

“Everybody is. At least, anybody who knows anything about QC.”

“And you’re completely confident in your operational security?”

“One hundred percent. As you probably know, humans are always the weak link in any technological system, including security. But I will vouch for any member of my team.”

Jack and Paul stood. So did Heng. “Thank you for your time, Dr. Heng, and for the information. You’re doing amazing work here.”

“I’m happy to show you around, but there really isn’t much to see. And if you have any more questions, don’t hesitate to stop by.”

They all shook hands and Paul and Jack left for their offices on the first floor.

Inside the elevator, Jack pulled out his smartphone, clicked on his White Noise app, and selected “Crowded Room.” Confident that their voices were now masked from anyone who might be eavesdropping, he asked Paul, “What did you make of all that?”

“The man or the technology?”

“Both.”

Paul shook his head. “Fascinating technology. I can’t even pretend to comprehend it. Quantum algorithms are a little beyond me.”

“And Dr. Heng?”

“He seems like he’s a straight arrow. But then again, if he is a Chinese spy he wouldn’t be worth much if he acted like one, would he?”

“I still think there’s a problem with that warehouse and those burner phones.”

“You don’t think they’re smuggling QC software on those phones, do you?”

“They wouldn’t need to. They could do that with a USB drive.” Jack locked eyes with Paul.

Paul’s heart raced. What was Jack implying? “That’s right. What was I thinking?”

“If anything, the burner phones are just a way to make illegal payments to whoever is stealing the QC software. The Chinese are the buyers. I need to get back into that warehouse to see if I can find out who the seller is.”

“The warehouse that Lian says she didn’t know existed?” Paul asked. “How do you plan on getting in this time?”

Jack shrugged. “I’ll try and find a hall pass somewhere.”

“I wouldn’t do anything illegal if I were you. You’re not even sure there really is a problem. It could all just be a coincidence.”

“That’s why I need to get my hands on one of those phones.”

The elevator dinged and they got off.

Paul told Jack, “I need to catch up on some work in my office.”

“Me too. Let’s break at five and head home.”