Free Apocalypse Drift by Joe Nobody Page A

service as well as with the general population. The programmers at MOSS showed a high level of interest in the system’s capabilities, too.
    For the past few years, MOSS had been investigating and probing the IRS’s systems. There were hundreds of questions that needed to be answered before any sort of operation could be mounted. Originally, the MOSS hackers started using trial and error methods. One of the most critical components to the plan involved discovering how the IRS monitored returns as they were processed, such as what metrics were reported and the reaction time after questionable data was discovered. The list of unknowns continued on and on and would have seemed daunting to most people, but not the Chinese. They had practically inexhaustible human resources available. They were patient, methodical, and tenacious.
    The breakthrough came when a MOSS agent managed to infiltrate the IRS’s data processing center. A complete volume of the source code was smuggled out of the facilities on a thumb drive without the IRS even knowing they had been victimized. 
    Once the source code was back in China, the game was over. Reverse engineering took a matter of weeks, and soon the programmers at MOSS understood every small detail of the IRS systems. Knowledge was power, and the plan had accelerated.
    After a complete analysis of the IRS’s software, the next step was to gather a database of information on US citizens. This part had been easy. A few strategic entities were hacked, producing volumes of files with names, addresses, social security numbers and other sensitive data needed for the operation.
    Over the last year, Analyst Wu had been gradually testing the IRS. The names of actual US citizens were used to file false tax returns electronically. Most of the fraudulent returns were configured to show a refund varying from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. Wu had been amazed when the checks were printed and mailed by the United States Treasury within a few days. They even mailed one to an address in Singapore and paid the international postage.
    Wu’s examination also revealed another weakness with the US system. Significant lag time existed between the death of a citizen and when the IRS’s computers recognized the fact. This nuance added a layer of opportunity to Operation Golden Mountain. A method was needed to retrieve the personal information of deceased Americans.
    The solution to build “the dead file,” as it was named, was an easy fix. The individual states all had on-line systems used to generate the necessary death certificates and other paperwork required when one of their citizenry passed away. Even a novice hacker would find these systems frighteningly simple to penetrate.
    Wu and several members of the Golden team were gathered around a workstation in the MOSS headquarters basement. After the third pass through the checklist, Wu turned to Supervisor Yangdong with a questioning look. The older man simply nodded, and Wu pressed a single button on the workstation’s keyboard.
    All across the globe, servers began to hum, firing their digital weapons. In the US, the IRS computers responded, but not in defense. They answered back with acknowledgements as the first few thousand bogus tax returns were filed in a matter of seconds. It was only a trickle at first. Wu had designed the software to gradually increase the volume of fake documents over time so as not to cause alarm.
    The computer screen flashed the simple message of “In process,” signaling th at The United States of America was under attack. Wu looked to gauge his boss’ reaction, and for the first time he could remember, Supervisor Yangdong was smiling.
     
    February 1, 2017
    Houston, Texas
     
    Morgan had the day off and normally would have slept in. Her discussion with Wyatt last night, combined with the cool air in their master bedroom, allowed her to sleep soundly, but wake early. As she made her morning coffee, Wyatt joined her in