Max Stealth: the Case of the Crooked Code
Another day means another crisis for your employer, the secretive GEO organisation. You push your way through the forensic team and gain privileged access to the basement room where the scenes of recent, lethal violence are all too apparent.
“So what do we think?” you mutter to the Chief who has taken up residence in a corner while the technicians continue their painstaking work.
“We think Pete was upstairs when he heard or saw the MUGL hit-squad arrive. He ran down here and locked himself in. With no time to call anyone, he just opened his email and started typing while the MUGL thugs were kicking their way in. He clicked on ‘Send’ to our guys and that was about it.
“Looks like he put up quite a fight but in the end, there were just too many of them.
“Pete was due to come in today and give us the whereabouts of a certain ammo can – one we can’t discuss... even here.” The Chief looked around at the others in the room with a frown. “They took the hard drive and everything but we’re not too worried – we can fry it remotely.”
The home office has been torn apart, the computer monitor smashed on the floor along with books, DVDs and papers scattered widely. A digital alarm clock still blinks away on a shelf over the now empty desk. You pick up a couple of books from inside the rubbish bin next to the desk: something about Africa by Hemingway and The Final Problem by A.C. Doyle. No more problems for Pete, you reflect glumly.
The Chief leads you up and away from the scene. “Maxie, you’ve done some great work with these things in the past, but I reckon this will be your toughest assignment yet.”
“Do we think he could have been a double-agent, Chief?”
“I doubt it, Max – Pete was no crook. In fact, if it turns out he was somehow able to tell us where to find that ammo can, I’d say we can call him a hero. Here’s what he sent us just before they got him.”
He hands you the printout:
qwsazxerfvtyhgbn wqaswsxedcvfdtyhn qazxsaswqrfvytghnb qwsazxredfvctyhn wqasxzredfvctgbnhg
“What the... That’s it?”
“I know it looks tough, but if anyone can crack it, you can, Maxie. It’s not Enigma so no need for the UKW:B this time, though we’ll have the KUW:A and the Cachebot going around the clock. He probably had the coordinates memorised so it could be anything. We have a dead agent and a missing ammo can... so it looks like it’s all over to you now, Maxie. We assume MUGL have the text too so you’d better get cracking.”
Your mind turns to a similar case (code number GC3W6BT) where brilliant agents were able to leave a final message to ensure the ultimate triumph of GEO. Making your way slowly from the scene, your task seems overwhelming. Where to start? With almost no time to prepare, what was Pete thinking?
This is a case for Max Stealth. Can YOU solve the puzzle or will YOU allow the hidden ammo can to fall into MUGL hands? Good luck!
