Metafire

It took Jack and Jill about two more days before they noticed the discrepancy in the Metafire encryption keys. Using a 'master' key to find a derivative key list in the files. There were three keys labelled, SF1, SF2, and SF3, that seemed to have nothing to unlock in the Metafire files.

The FBI had also obtained a court order to seize copies of the Metafire One and Metafire Two systems, but the capsules refused. Ferguson said, "They simply said no. They would be ready to die first."

"Boy, I've heard this one before," Jack said.

Ferguson, recalling the briefings, said, "These guys are pretty much a one song band." Then Ferguson looked out the window. It was a second floor window with a view of the river winding along the edge of the old town of Sante Fe. "You, know, I've got a feeling it wouldn't make much of a difference. I've got a feeling that if they had anything to hide, it's gone by now. We're going to have to come up with a different approach."

Jack had rarely experienced failure in getting what he wanted to out of the net. But this whole experience had been frustrating. These people, these Metafire people, were better than he had previously experienced. But Jack was still quick. Recalling his previous decision, but now with much more certainty, he spoke up. "I want to invade."