Dixon nodded. “The only reference I have for that word is the Praetorian Guard. Ancient Rome.”
Brodie considered that. The Praetorian Guard served as personal bodyguards for the Roman emperors. Were the tin men designed to be elite bodyguards, or was some dormant code installed in them to allow them to serve that function at a future date? And if so, how did that relate to one of them killing Major Ames and Specialist Kemp? And what was Bucky doing inside that room with Miller and Greer during that one particular training exercise that Major Ames was so interested in? Ms. Dixon had opened another chamber in this mystery box, but it was as dark and impenetrable as the rest. There was also still the possibility that she was making all this up, or if Praetorian was real, she herself was responsible for this rogue software and wanted to deflect blame before it was discovered by someone else.
“So,” said Howe, “what is the next step?”
“I will continue to work on the encryption,” said Dixon. “I have yet to exhaust my skills.”
Taylor asked, “Could such a day ever come?”
Dixon looked at her. “I know you think I am arrogant, Maggie. But I am responsible for a lot of the code that drives these bots, and I find it personally alarming and in fact offensive that someone, or some group, has meddled with my work and gone to extreme lengths to keep it secret.” She added, “I also need to go to the Vault and see if I can find this encrypted program on any of the remaining units.”
Howe said to Major Klasky, “Accompany Ms. Dixon to the Vault when she goes.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Brodie asked Dixon, “Can we assume you do not plan to tell your lab colleagues about your discovery?”
Dixon nodded. “I’m not sure who to trust.” She made eye contact with Colonel Howe. “Though I suppose keeping this information from the camp commander would have been negligent.”
“You’re right,” said Howe.
Brodie thought of something else and asked Howe, “Who has the body-cam footage from the training exercises?”
“I do,” said Major Klasky. “I’m in charge of all aspects of the after-action review system.”
“There’s footage we need to look at,” said Brodie.
Klasky nodded. “That shouldn’t be a problem.”
“The date in question is March twelfth. Or possibly the thirteenth. I can’t remember which, but I assume there wasn’t an exercise on both of those days.”
“They are rarely conducted back-to-back,” said Klasky. “I’ll look into it.”
“Thank you, Major,” said Brodie. “In the meantime, we are headed back to our residence.” He gestured to the wreckage on the parade grounds. “And we’d like that in a to-go box.”
“I’ll see to it,” said Klasky.
“First I need to see if anything is salvageable from the CPU,” said Dixon.
Klasky said, “If the agents don’t object. I will maintain a log of anything you remove.”
“That’s fine,” said Brodie.
Colonel Howe said to Brodie and Taylor, “I will summon you to my office after I have received the proper authorizations to transfer the D-17s.” She added, “While the camp lockdown does not apply to youtwo, I would urge you to stay put for the time being. We are in a moment of uncertainty here.”
That was an understatement. Brodie said, “I regret that tragedy has struck Camp Hayden once more. Let’s all see to it that something like this never happens again.”
They all agreed that was a good idea and went their separate ways. Once they were out of earshot, Taylor said to Brodie, “You gave him the wrong date. Klasky.”
“I know,” said Brodie. “If there is anything incriminating in the March twenty-first footage, and Major Klasky has something to hide, he could wipe or censor that footage. Let him think we’re barking up the wrong tree until we’re in the room with him.”
Taylor nodded. “Everyone’s a suspect.”
“Except the hot scientist.”
“Especiallythe hot scientist. Who, by the way, is sleeping with the woman who just took control of this camp under a very dubious pretext.”
“Do you think Caroline’s bisexual?”
