Chapter 121
John’s POV
Federal Cyber Division Office – Early Morning
I woke up early and drove off to the Federal cyber division office to work with them over Fredrick’s evidence.
As I entered the hall, I saw rows of monitors glowing on both sides.
There were LEDs all over the walls displaying different surveillance angles.
On glancing at the screens, I noticed they were already working on this matter.
“John,” one agent called out.
“We managed to recover some hard drives from the warehouse p>
“Yes,” another one said. “Some encrypted servers were also broken down, and we have some external backups, I think we can find something useful in them p>
“What about the cloud storage records?” I asked.
“Cloud storage records?” one of them said, confused.
“We tried but we didn’t find any in his name p>
“Can I get access to a computer?” I asked.
“Sure,” one of them said, getting up. “Take mine p>
“Are you also going to try the cloud storage thing p>
“Yes, and I know why you didn’t find any,” I said as I began typing away.
“You probably used every possible assemble for Fredrick Harmon, Imelda Harmon, Adrian Harmon and Adrian Rollings p>
“Yeah we did,” he said.
“We used all birth dates, anniversary dates and major milestone dates p>
“Nothing worked p>
“What about a combo of all?” I asked, smiling.
“What?” he said, confused.
“Fredrick is intelligent, but…to a certain level p>
“He thinks he knows everything, and believes he erased everything when he left p>
“What about the dead files p>
“We managed to revive some of them, the rest will be done soon p>
Suddenly folders began to appear on my screen.
“What are these p>
A small laugh escaped my lips.
“This is exactly what I meant p>
“Look,” I continued.
“Financial reports from back as twenty years p>
“Emails, transaction logs p>
“And video footage p>
“There must be around a thousand deleted records here p>
“You can say that again,” I said.
“Years of hidden activity will soon surface p>
For the first time since I began after Charles’ arrest, I finally felt like we would finally have enough evidence to put him behind bars for life.
Just then a technician called out,
“We’ve managed to restore nearly fifty percent of the storage p>
“John,” one of them asked me. “How did you know he used a combo p>
“Fredrick is a con man,” I said. “He won’t use names or dates that anyone can guess p>
“So, I figured out for alphabets he could use the first three of each, and date also could be a combo p>
“So I made some combinations and finally got the exact one p>
“As for cloud storage,” I continued.
“It’s a common fact that every criminal thinks once the files are deleted from the computer or laptop, they are safe p>
“That’s because only a few really understand how cloud synchronization actually works p>
“They don’t know that every device, every backup, every hidden server always leaves traces back p>
“Fredrick did what everyone does, delete everything from his computers, laptops, and hard drives p>
“But they all leave traces behind p>
“The process may be slow and painstaking p>
“But the files we will get from these will only strengthen our case p>
I carefully studied the evidence list.
Each record or document made me feel like it was a step closer to Fredrick p>
I realized sometimes even arrogance can be your downfall, and that’s exactly what’s going to take Fredrick down.
“What do we have here,” I said as a folder popped up before me.
“Harmon medical holdings p>
Just then I saw Jonathan walk in carrying coffee, donuts and some files.
“You came at the right time p>
I said as the boys took the packets and files from him.
We didn’t bother with the greetings as since we began taking Charles down, we barely were apart for an hour or so.
I immediately began to review the gathered evidence with him, guiding him through the details.
I showed him everything that was recovered.
Financial transactions, medical licenses, shipping manifestations,
Jonathan arrives carrying coffee and fresh files.
Neither man bothers with greetings.
They immediately begin reviewing recovered material.
Corporate records, and several shell companies.
We dug deeper into the folders.
The deeper we went, the dirtier everything became.
I accidentally glanced at Jonathan’s face and noticed how exhausted he looked.
He had dark circles beneath his eyes.
I exhaled as I knew the investigation was consuming him,
And more than that was the fact he had to pretend to be indifferent towards Veronica.
“Keep looking,” Jonathan said quietly.
“I’m sure he must have made some major mistake p>
I nodded.
Just then some surveillance footage began to load.
One after another, they kept loading.
There was clinic entrance footage, warehouse loading footage.
Footage of some private offices.
Security footage of hotel corridors, and lobbies.
Doctors meeting businessmen at their homes, giving personal consultations.
Employees seen entering restricted areas.
Cash moving from one to another.
Initially, nothing looked out of place.
Until a pattern could be seen.
Certain faces visiting more than they should.
Always coming to meet the doctors after hours.
Always entering using the back door.
Always carrying locked storage boxes.
“John,” Jonathan said. “Bookmark these interactions p>
“Okay p>
I realized what Jonathan saw.
A pattern began to emerge.
Pattern criminals thought a normal person won’t notice.
“John,” Jonathan said leaning forward.
“Run these timestamps p>
“I want these identified p>
It had been about three hours since Jonathan had come, and everyone was clearly exhausted.
Just then the door opened and Adrian came walking in carrying some juice cartoons and sandwiches, and a lunch box.
“Dad sent me,” he said.
“Juice and sandwiches for everyone p>
“And, this is for you,” he placed the lunch box in front of Jonathan.
“Dad said, he knows you won’t eat properly so he told me to bring you some food p>
“Mom made it,” He said as he opened it.
Adrian grins.
“Honestly, it’s the same with you both dad’s p>
“You both are terrible on taking care of yourselves p>
“Are you sure you and dad aren’t brothers p>
I thanked Adrian as Jonathan smiled and took a bite of the steak Adrian brought him.
After everyone ate, we went back to our work.
For a while everything was back to work and I was about to tell Adrian to go back home,
But seeing him enjoying being part of the work, being able to be included as an adult, I let him stay.
I knew Adrian had spent sixteen years feeling unwanted and now even if it was a brief moment, it meant a lot to him.
Just then p>
“Okay,” he said. “I’ll take my leave and come back with some coffee p>
He was about to leave, he came back and stopped in front of a screen.
“Sir,” he said to the operator. “Could you go back p>
“Adrian,” Jonathan asked, concerned. “What’s the matter p>
I also noticed his eyes drifted towards one of the surveillance footage.
“Stop!!” He suddenly froze.
His smile disappeared the moment he saw the face,
The room grew quiet on seeing his reaction.
I got up and walked over to him as I noticed his reaction.
“Adrian,” I asked in concern. “What is it p>
I pointed towards the monitor.
His voice was almost uncertain.
“Him,” he said, pointing to a man.
“I know him p>
We all froze as he said that.
“What?” Jonathan said as the spoon fell from his hand.
“Can you zoom in p>
“Yes,” the operator said.
It was a middle-aged man exiting a BMW.
“Adrian,” I asked. “Do you know him?
I saw Adrian was staring at his face.
“Zoom in more, don’t distort,” I told the operator.
He zoomed in more.
“Yes,” Adrina said. “I’ve seen him p>
“And more than once p>
I saw the realization had clearly settled in him, meaning there was no doubt.
“I remember him,” he said.
“I used to see him at Grandpa’s parties and he used to visit home as well p>
“Grandpa never allowed mother to come in front of him p>
“Play the other footage,” I told the operator.
On seeing Adrian’s expressions, it was clear, he recognized more than one.
He kept identifying one after another.
“I’ve seen him in Grandpa’s parties p>
“I’ve seen her in Grandpa’s parties p>
What shocked me was when he recognized bodyguards, and drivers.
“Him,” he said, pointing to a driver.
“Dad!” Adrian called out.
As Jonathan came over,
“Dad,” Adrian said. “This diver, he used to drive Aunt Veronica over our home, and the time was always late night p>
“And this bodyguard,” he said. “He was posted outside Janet’s school p>
I also began to find their names, and found out their faces may not be that familiar to me, but their names definitely were.
“This driver,” Jonathan asked. “Are you sure p>
“Yes, dad,” he said.
“John,” Jonathan said. “Get someone to track him p>
I nodded.
“On it p>
“Adrian,” Jonathan asked.
“What else can you remember from back then p>
“Well,” he said. “Grandpa always had these late night parties p>
“They would begin around eleven and go long as three or four in the morning p>
“Me and mother weren’t allowed to come down p>
“And once the organizer asked if they could send Aunt Veronica to serve, but Grandpa said, “I clearly told you never to send Veronica to my home, send someone else p>
I noticed the more Adrian recalled,
The more uncomfortable Jonathan became.
“Adrian, what’s the matter?” Jonathan asked, seeing his face sadden.
“I only realized how how much was happening around me and I never understood p>
“I also harmed Aunt Veronica and Janet cause of mother p>
“Adrian,” Jonathan said in a warm voice. “I told you before and I’m telling you now,
“All that you did was cause of Imelda, it wasn’t you p>
I immediately began to create a list of the people Adrian had recognized.
“John,” Jonathan asked. “Can we get their names p>
I nodded and began to run the facial recognition software.
Slowly, but steadily p>
Results began to appear.
Money laundering, medical trafficking, fraud investigations, tax evasions, international smuggling.
We all got shocked as we found out every identified visitor had a criminal record.
Either they were under investigation, or nothing could be proved.
The room fell silent as everyone was in shock.
The faces Adrian remembered weren’t just harmless businessmen,
But criminals.
“This was never a bad decision,” I muttered.
“This was an organization and I think Fredrick was the boss p>
“And, if we can convict him, he’ll be taking them down as well p>
Just then another video began to play, that had a few glitches in playing before.
It was a fertility clinic.
It was nighttime, and some private conference was going on.
Several men were seated with a locked container before them.
A few doctors entered, and money got exchanged from one to another.
Documents got signed.
It seemed like everyone knew about the surveillance cameras as no one spoke in front of them or near them.
But the actions were obvious.
It wasn’t just buying medicine.
It was pure business.
An Illegal one.
We all felt sick on seeing how people trusted undercover illegal practitioners over legal ones.
Just then I noticed something.
“Zoom in on one container p>
A shipment label came visible.
“Jonathan,” I called on seeing the label.
“Do you remember the medical supplies, fertility records and research records from Lori’s notes p>
“Yes,” he said.
“The inventory numbers,” he continued.
“The payments, cash deposits, offshore transfers, anonymous accounts p>
“Some clients even deposited millions p>
“Those boxes contain specimens from the Livelane fertility clinic.” I said, shocking everyone in the room.
“You mean to say,” Jonathan said.
“The Livelane donor scam wasn’t for just a few lucky ones who found out p>
“But a business p>
“So, Fredrick was actually selling specimens p>
“Does selling specimens count as human trafficking p>
No one answered as everyone was in shock.
I began to review the system logs.
When I finally understood what was going on,
I exhaled as I finally understood what was going on.
Fredrick thought he had deleted every local server.
Every computer or laptop ever used.
Every storage drive ever used.
But years earlier p>
Before Fredrick or the corrupted doctor came along,
The clinic had already upgraded its backup systems.
Cloud synchronization was automatic.
Every file was copied remotely.
Fredrick did destroy the original files,
But the backup files p>
Survived.
And now,
Years later p>
The truth sat before us.
I saw a smile appear on Jonathan’s face.
The first since we began investigating.
“We finally got him,” he said.
Just then Adrian noticed one face.
“Dad,” he said.
“Not that I ever saw him,” he said.
“But his face comes across many footages p>
“At first I thought he was insignificant as I saw him in the party footages p>
“But now I saw him in the clinic and warehouse footage too p>
We all put our focus on the man.
He seemed to be an older man, always wearing expensive suits.
He didn’t look like an obvious rouse foole, but his face did appear over and over again.
He was practically involved in every major meeting, shipment, and transfer.
I quickly ran an identification on his face.
As the result appeared on the large screen,
Everyone froze.
“What??” Jonathan said in shock.
I didn’t answer right away.
I just stared at his face for a brief moment.
“He’s a foreign government official,
“He’s a current diplomat p>
“And is under diplomatic immunity p>
“Means he is protected by his government p>
The room fell silent after I explained.
I saw Adrian looked confused, but Jonathan clearly understood what I meant.
He was a man no one would just arrest.
The investigation that was to prove Fredrick was guilty p>
Expanded beyond local corruption.
It was now beyond Fredrick.
Beyond any businessman we recognized.
Because p>
It was beyond the country.
We realized the entire operation could be having international connections, meaning the specimens might have also been exported out of the country.
For the first time we all realized Fredrick’s empire was larger than anyone of us could ever imagine.