Cyberclipper Read online

  CYBERCLIPPER

  JASON O’NEIL

  AuthorHouse™

  1663 Liberty Drive

  Bloomington, IN 47403

  www.authorhouse.com

  Phone: 1 (800) 839-8640

  © 2017 Jason O’Neil. All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

  Published by AuthorHouse 04/21/2017

  ISBN: 978-1-5246-8874-5 (sc)

  ISBN: 978-1-5246-8876-9 (hc)

  ISBN: 978-1-5246-8875-2 (e)

  Library of Congress Control Number: 2017906067

  Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models,

  and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

  Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

  Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

  Contents

  1 Formation

  2 Incat

  3 Monaco

  4 Almaden

  5 The Deals

  6 Megayacht

  7 Sea Trials

  8 Celebration

  9 Ambulances

  10 Cabo San Lucas

  11 Bermuda

  12 Monaco

  13 Implants

  14 En Route

  15 Operation Houdini

  16 Discovery

  17 Interpol

  18 Blue Gene Gift I

  19 Blue Gene Gift Ii

  20 On The Trail

  21 Monaco

  22 Lyon

  23 Scuba

  24 Celebration

  25 Cold Case

  26 Gold Street

  Cast of Characters

  Prince Omar Khalid

  Member, UAE Royal Family

  Age: 41

  MBA, London School of Economics

  Cigarette boat racing enthusiast

  Palace in Dubai

  Looks Like: Omar Shariff, actor

  Ms. Dahlia Samira

  Prince Khalid’s personal assistant

  Age: 30

  BS in Computer Science, Cambridge University

  Loves all water sports

  Looks Like: Carla Ossa, supermodel

  Prince Yousif Latif

  Member, Dubai’s High Society

  Lifetime friend of Prince Khalid

  Age: 40

  PhD, Mathematics, UCLA

  Avid polo player with a string of ponies

  Looks Like: Young Pablo Picasso

  Tom “Catfish” Crowley

  Senior Megayacht Captain

  Age: 55

  Aeronautical engineer turned sea captain

  Lives in Hamilton, Bermuda

  Looks Like: Ernest Hemmingway, Author

  Anthony “Tony” Caselli

  Supertanker Captain

  Age: 48

  BS U.S. Naval Academy, Nautical Engineering

  Looks Like: Joe DiMaggio, Baseball Hall of Famer

  Tanner Jolie

  Captain, Carnival Cruise Lines

  Age: 50

  Nautical Engineer; Power plant specialist

  Cigarette boat racer in Miami, Florida

  Looks Like: Robert Redford, actor

  Dr. Adam Raviv

  Israeli computer whiz; Inventor of GSMem technology

  Age: 36

  B.S. Tel Aviv University, Computer Science

  Likes water sports

  Looks Like: Young Einstein

  Amy Grossberg

  Computer Scientist; Cyber Specialist

  BS; Summa Cum Laude, Tel Aviv University

  Age: 30

  Kung Fu Black Belt; Fitness Model

  Looks Like: Shlomit Malka; Israeli Fashion Model

  Amira Atara

  Computer Scientist

  M.S.; Columbia University; NYC

  Age: 34

  Lead Engineer in Computer Security Firm

  Consultant to the Banking Industry

  Hobby: Global Trekker

  Looks Like: Natalie Portman, actress

  Tom van der Heyden

  Communications Engineer; Wireless guru

  Age: 32

  B.S. Temple University, engineering

  Family man with 5 children

  Looks Like: Young John Glenn, astronaut

  Ann Nichols

  Retired Banker; Tour Guide in San Francisco

  Age: 55

  Married Tom Crowley’s brother

  MBA, University of Southern California

  Looks Like: Lauren Bacall, actress

  Audrey Goldman

  Retired Linguistics Teacher; Tour Guide in New York City

  Age: 49

  MS, Linguistics, Yashiva University

  Godmother to Adam Raviv

  Looks Like: Older Esti Ginsburg; Israeli Supermodel

  Monika Strassberg

  Austrian Countess; Ski Instructor

  Age 38

  Tall, striking blonde

  Looks Like: Maria Sharapova, tennis player

  Win Parker

  Harbormaster, Bermuda

  Age: 50

  Member, Britain’s America’s Cup Racing Team

  Avid sport fisherman

  Looks Like: George Clooney, actor

  Ben Myles

  Computer Operator; Software Analyst

  Age: 45

  MS, Cyber Security, Fresno State University

  Motorcycle enthusiast; mechanic

  Looks Like: Marlin Brando, actor

  Nigel Stark

  Senior Detective, Interpol, Lyon, France

  Age: 60

  BA; King’s College, Cambridge

  Leader: Sherlock Holmes Society in London

  Looks Like: Basil Rathbone, actor

  Foster York

  INCAT Plant Manager; Hobart Australia

  Age: 50

  MS, Maritime Engineering, Adelaide University

  Considered a hull design genius

  Avid Sailor

  Looks Like: Young Michael Caine, actor

  Dominique Villefranche (Nikki)

  Magayacht saleswoman in Monaco

  Age: 36

  Bikini Model

  Looks Like: Dominique McElligott, actress

  Bruce St. John

  IBM Supercomputer salesman; Blue Gene Model expert

  African American

  Age: 42

  MS, Computer Science; Carnegie Mellon University

  Looks Like: Sidney Portier, actor

  Katie Flynn

  Marina Manager; Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

  Age: 32

  Sailed solo from Mexico to Indonesia; Makes fitness videos

  Looks Like: Kathryn Budig; Fitness Instructor

  Nathan Kalish

  Porsche salesman in Redondo Beach, California

  Age: 39

  Trusted friend of Prince Latif from UCLA

  Looks Like: Steve McQueen, actor, race car driver

  Steven Goldberg

  Retired Stockbroker in NYC

  Age
: 49

  Husband of Audrey Goldman

  Trusted friend of Prince Latif

  Looks Like: Steven Segal, actor

  Jacques Malreau

  Audi car test driver

  Age: 34

  Based in Nice, France

  Looks Like: Mario Andretti, race car driver, in his prime

  1

  FORMATION

  Prince Omar Khalid, a member of the UAE Royal Family, has put out a call for a meeting in June at the Oberoi Hotel at 1 Bay Street in downtown Dubai City. The Prince has been involved with megayachts (over 200 feet long) all his life. He is an avid cigarette boat racer and loves speed on the water. At age 41, he has applied his MBA from the London School of Economics to accumulate a vast fortune. He has helped develop Dubai’s Maritime City and megaport. He is part owner of the Oberoi Hotel and other new buildings in Dubai.

  Much to the chagrin of other members of the Royal Family, the Prince remains a bachelor and is usually seen in public with his assistant, Dahlia Samira. Only age 30, Ms. Samira has the reputation as a ‘hot shot” computer scientist with a degree from Cambridge University north of London, England. The former Miss Dubai and swimsuit model, she serves as a Project Manager for the Prince.

  Prince Khalid’s confidant, indeed, right-hand man is Prince Yousif Latif. Prince Latif is a life-long friend of Prince Khalid and at age 40 is frequently seen in Dubai’s High Society. The Prince earned his PhD in mathematics from UCLA. He’s an avid polo player with several strings of ponies. He is a shrewd negotiator and buyer on behalf of Prince Khalid. His dark, piercing eyes remind one of Pablo Picasso.

  Today, the trio is in Prince Khalid’s suite on the 26th floor of the hotel awaiting three individuals who will be instrumental in executing one of the Prince’s bold undertakings. The first person to arrive is Tom “Catfish” Crowley. The 55 year-old megayacht captain with 30 years of experience on the high seas was trained as an aeronautical engineer but turned into a maritime sea captain. People in his home port of Hamilton, Bermuda often say he looks like Earnest Hemingway. As his taxi pulled up to the hotel, Dahlia was in the cool black and white marble lobby to greet and escort the Captain up to the Prince’s suite.

  As the elevator door opened into the suite with its dramatic 180 degree view of the new megacity, Prince Latif approached the Captain with an outstretched hand of greeting. Prince Latif was the first to speak: “Captain Crowley your reputation proceeds you. What an honor to meet you.”

  The Captain, or Skipper as he is sometimes called by peers, replied: “Thank you, Your Highness, it is truly a pleasure to be here.” “And, Captain, I have the pleasure of presenting His Highness Prince Khalid,” said Prince Latif. As they shook hands, the Captain bowed his head in respect. The Prince also warmly welcomed the seasoned voyager. He then motioned the Captain to be seated at a long ebony conference table and enjoy a cup of tea.

  Only five minutes later the elevator doors opened revealing Dahlia and a short, rotund man dressed in khaki slacks and a black Hawaiian shirt with large yellow Hibiscus blossoms. Prince Latif approached the man saying: “Tom van der Heyden, I presume.” “Yes, Your Highness, that would be me at your service,” replied the gentleman. The 32 year-old communications engineer known as a “wireless guru” with many publications in print, then said: “I don’t know how you found me on a remote island, but here I am and eager to learn about your project, Sir.” Tom took a seat at the table. Van der Heyden scanned the room intently as though he was searching for listening devices or “Bugs.”

  No sooner had van der Heyden taken a sip of his tea when the elevator doors opened. Dahlia motioned for the guest to step into the suite as she said: “Your Highnesses, please meet Adam Raviv. The 36 year-old Israeli computer whiz was warmly welcomed by the Princes and introduced to Crowley and van der Heyden. Van der Heyden immediately had a flashback of a young Einstein. Prince Latif introduced the inventor of many cyber sleuth technologies by saying: “Computers are not secure when Dr. Raviv is involved. He is the inventor of GSMen technology which you will learn about later.” It was quickly revealed that everyone at the table had a love for the ocean, even Raviv who raced on jet-skies and did blue water fishing to unwind from professional tension.

  Prince Latif opened the meeting by saying: “You are our guests for the weekend. You will learn of our project and enjoy Dubian hospitality. But first in order for you to do so, you must sign the Non-Disclosure and Pledge of Secrecy which Dahlia is placing in front of you.” Each of the guests was given a Montblanc Meisterstuck pen to sign the document. All three forms were signed, and the Prince said: “Very well. And you may keep the pen.” Smiles broke out around the room. The Prince continued: “Your visit will consist of two major briefings and opportunities to see our modern metropolis. You will also please me to be my guest for dinner at my residence,” said Prince Khalid. The guests nodded their approval. “And if you’re really quick learners, we’ll have time to go out on my go-fast boat,” joked His Highness. The strangers—soon to be a cohesive team- all laughed with a nod of approval.

  “Each of you has a vital role to play in our project, indeed, adventure. But let me warn you that there will be some danger in what we do. However, the reward will be huge. And you will each share in it,” stated Prince Latif. He continued: “You are free to go now, but once you are briefed, you’re committed. Is that clear?” Nobody got up from the table.

  “Very good,” said the Host. “You will now be briefed by Prince Latif on the first element of the project. Yousif, please proceed.” Dahlia turned on a laptop and closed the blinds at the end of the table to form a movie screen. Soon the screen was lit by a video showing a revolutionary trimaran megacraft. The 300 foot long boat was shown in a variety of configurations such as a car ferry, disaster-relief supply vessel and military applications including tanks and troop landings. Captain Crowley was quick to speak up: “I know that craft. It’s a High Speed Craft (HSC) made down under in Hobart Australia.”

  “Exactly, Skipper. You’re right,” said Prince Latif. “It’s made by a company called INCAT in Hobart, Tasmania, an island state off the south coast of Australia. There are about one hundred of them around the world serving difference purposes. America bought two for military demonstration purposes. Prince Khalid toured one of them last year when it visited our Maritime City. You can tell by the man standing on the dock in this view, that it is huge, 310 feet long and 88 feet wide. And as shown in the data package in front of you, it is very, very fast. One of its secrets is that the middle trimaran rides above the water and creates lift rather than drag.”

  “Captain Crowley. What do you think? Would you like to pilot one of these beasts?” asked the Prince. “It’s quite different than the cruise ships.”

  “It would be an honor, Your Highness,” replied the Skipper. “Will it be a ferry boat here in the Middle East?” inquired the Captain.

  “No, far from it, my new-found friend,” replied the Prince. “You’ll learn about its use during your stay here,” replied His Highness. “And you’re going to love its home ports!”

  “Ports?” asked Captain Crowley. “Did you mean plural, several ports?” asked the Captain.

  “I sure did,” replied the Prince. “You see, one will be based at your home port of Bermuda. But there will also be one in Cabo San Lucas and one in Monaco. You see, we’ll be buying three HSC’s in order to complete our mission, provided you and two other skippers are convinced it is the right craft for our project,” continued the Prince. “But, Captain Crowley, you and you alone will know the exact nature of our mission. The other two skippers will perform their duties without a need to know the ship’s real purpose. Do you understand, sir?”

  “Yes, Sir. I do!” replied the senior seaman.

  “Fine.” “Now let’s go over some of the details of this megayacht,” continued Prince Latif. But before we do, I want to make it perfectly clear that you Mr. va
n der Heyden and you, Dr. Raviv, must know every feature about this craft as though you own it. You will not be piloting it, but your role in our project requires you to understand this technology platform in great detail in order to perform what will be asked of you. Is that clear, gentlemen?” asked the Prince.

  The two men looked at each other and said in unison: “Yes, Sir!”

  For the next one and one-half hours, the INCAT documents were examined. Different configurations were each analyzed. Captain Crowley was particularly interested in the weight and balance calculations as well as the propulsion from the water jets. He examined some of the reliability statistics of the key subsystems. The group was impressed by the quality of the nautical-based questions and comments by the Israeli…maybe he is an Einstein. At noon, lunch was brought into the suite as the team continued to learn about the HSC and each other.

  Promptly at 2:00 PM Prince Latif said: “Gentlemen, it’s time for a break. Our car is waiting to take you on a tour of the new Maritime City, complete with covered wharfs where our HSC’s will be re-fitted for the mission.” Ten minutes later a Mercedes-Benz Maybach entered the wharf area. The Prince gave a walk-around briefing of the facilities and their capabilities. It was clear that he had played a vital role in the design, development and commissioning of this world-class drydock for the construction and retrofitting of megayachts, typically over 250 feet in length. The work force appeared to be primarily for the Far East and were housed in tall, modern apartment buildings, complete with retail and entertainment complexes. At 3:30 the three visitors were asked to return to the Maybach. Ten minutes later, the limo pulled up to the entrance of the Dubai Gold Souk. Each of the visitors was handed an envelope which contained $10,000 in Dirhum to be spent in the Souk.

  “Please accept this as a token of our appreciation for your participation in our project,” said the Prince. “Now go and enjoy the next hour as you pick out something for yourself or a loved one. The car will return at 4:30 to take you back to the Oberoi. You will have 2 hours to relax, perhaps visit the spa and dress for dinner. Proper outfits are already in your rooms. At 6:30 our car will leave for Prince Khalid’s residence for dinner and a question and answer session.”