Strange Curved Line

{ The Present Time -- New York, United States}

Jack has reported back to NYPD. Jack is now being assigned to the records department. That's what the Police Chief wants him to do-- Learn to do different things without using his gun.

Jack's new seat is not too far from Bob. But Bob tells him: "Don't think now that you're in the same department as me, you can keep coming to my desk to to talk and chat."

Jack is kind of glad that he doesn't have much to do but learn about the filing system. And he's glad there's no one else but him and Bob.

An IT technician guy has come to teach him how to use the filing system. After he's done with the filing system training in the morning, Jack is starting to use the computer to look up things on his own.

This is a perfect chance. He really can't ask for a better re-assignment right now. Because if he was still a detective, he wouldn't have time to sit down and look for stuff.

He is supposed to look for that hacker's girlfriend.

So he's googling "The Waterfalls." and "The Snow Blind."

"What are you doing?" Bob approaches Jack from behind.

"Oh, I'm looking that hacker up." Jack spins his chair around. He is obviously very happy and relaxed.

"Did you ask Keith Hutchins why he needs you to find that hacker?"

"He said, that hacker is messing with the senator's business."

"What business?" Bob frowns.

"Oil business."

Bob rolls his eyes.

"Relax. I know you said I must be careful not to become a villain myself. I will not to be used by Keith and do bad things. But it sounds like, this Senator has some fuel partnerships and is a board member of some oil company. And that hacker has hacked into three thousands of gas stations across the country. All those gas stations stop functioning, making it impossible for people to pump gas. The hacker seems to be doing it as a prank, because he has not made any demand for money. He never said what it would take for him to stop. He just made three thousands of gas stations impossible for anyone to use for two days, creating panic, and then the gas stations went back to normal. Just like that."

"Oh. I think I've heard of that. There were people so scared and nervous, they went from gas station to gas station, and then even tried to pump some into containers to store the fuel."

"Yeah. So I'm thinking this Waterfalls or Snow Blind guy is kind of an asshole. Probably worth it for me to find him and teach him a lesson." Jack looks at Bob.

"I guess." Bob shrugs. "Did you find anything yet?"

"No. I'm just starting. I wanted to see if there are any discussion boards somewhere talking about this Waterfalls or Snow Blind guy."

"Ugh. This is so annoying that he has two names. Let's settle one name for him. Which one do you like?"

"I kind of like the Snow Blind for now? Because I think it's bad that he's not just hacking computer system, he was also hacking into the hardware, the equipment, and to cause physical discomfort. And it's also a name for him when he challenges people who want to find him. I am someone who wants to find him. I see this name, Snow Blind, as a challenge to me. See if I can track him down before he blinds me."

"OK. Good choice, actually. Snow Blind's traces might be a good start. It's always easier to find something that has actual physical traces. Since Snow Blind is who he is when he hacks into actual equipment and devices, we can see the physical addresses and locations for those hacking."

"Yeah."

"We can create a map to see if there's any pattern. Maybe there isn't any pattern, but we should see."

So Jack starts to use all kinds of search engines to search for Snow Blind attacks. He then also finds online bulletin boards, chat groups, and any thread that talk about Snow Blind.

By the end of the day, Jack has complied a list.

Jack doesn't have to even put them on the map to see that they are mostly government agencies. But, he still tries.

Bob is actually ready to go home for the day. He walks past Jack's seat and see Jack is using the NYPD's projector to project a map on the wall.

"Ah. I like it. World map?"

"Yes. World map. And, obviously, you can see that most of the attacks are in the United States. Mostly in Virginia, I assume where CIA and all those government agencies are. Which probably means where some Special Agents were trying to track Snow Blind."

"Yeah, I would guess so, too," Bob nods.

"But, so curiously, there seems to be a curved line, connecting cities in Eastern Europe."

Jack then changes to a different image on the computer. The projection on the wall then changes as well. It is now a map with white dots.

" I made those dots. Take a look."

As Jack described earlier, there are dots mostly in the United States. And then, very curiously, there are a curved line of dots connecting Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia.

"I think it looks like a skateboarding ramp. Or a ski slope." Jack says.

"Hmm. Funny you should say that. But that's obviously based on your life experience. Because I see it simply as a curve." Bob comments. He walks closer to the projection on the wall.

"I didn't say that based on my life experience," Jack laughs, "I don't skateboard nor do I ski. Geez. Who do you think I am."

"Oh. Sorry. You are more boring than I think then."

Jack laughs again. "OK. I'm kind of boring then. I don't know if it's a coincidence that there's a almost perfect curved line there. Because, look at the United States, it seems to make sense how the dots spread. But when it's on the Eastern European side, it doesn't seem like they are being attacked because someone is looking for Snow Blind."

Bob does find this strange. "Maybe it's not a coincidence at all. Can you tell if those locations in Eastern Europe are civilians? Businesses? Government agencies?"

"They are all normal regular people's home addresses."

"Well, then this Snow Blind guy is very annoying."

Jack agrees. He would not mind taking this Snow Bind guy down. He would not feel bad to kidnap him, either.

But first, he has to find him.

"Aren't you supposed to find his girlfriend, first?" Bob asks.