Lt. Duke LeJeune was sitting in his office staring at gruesome crime scene photos. \u00a0Because he was a homicide detective this was not unusual.\u00a0 He was deep in thought constructing theories about the murderer when his cell phone buzzed.\u00a0 After a short conversation, he turned to his young colleague Sgt. Adele Palmer, a cybercrime specialist, and said sourly, \u201cSeems like the Cheshire Cat is back at Gilgamesh, and the CEO is certain only we can save his company.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCheshire Cat\u2026you mean the anonymous group, The Friends of Lewis Carroll, is back with ransom demands?\u201d<\/p>\n
Duke scowled, \u201cYes. They\u2019ve hacked into Gilgamesh servers again and all their systems are locked.\u00a0 And like last time, they\u2019re threatening to steal Gilgamesh code to blackmail Gilgamesh customers, if they don\u2019t get what they want.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cVery serious, Duke. \u00a0Over a 100 banks use Gilgamesh programs.\u00a0 And what do they want?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cTo win the rematch with the beamish boy.\u201d<\/p>\n
Adele couldn\u2019t hold back a giggle at hearing the word \u2018boy<\/em>\u2019 applied to the brawny, ex-Special Forces lieutenant. \u201cYou mean they want a rematch with you, three riddles again?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes\u2026so let\u2019s go.\u00a0 And this time maybe we can trace the hackers.\u201d<\/p>\n The CEO and CTO, both late-thirties, both former coders, both looking grey, were waiting for them in the conference room.\u00a0 A large monitor connected to a laptop \u00a0displayed a grinning cartoon calico cat wearing black bushy eyebrows, black-framed glasses, a black bushy mustache and a prominent nose.<\/p>\n \u201cGreat, the Cheshire Cat dressed up as Groucho Marx,\u201d Duke muttered.<\/p>\n \u201cGroucho who?\u201d the CTO and Adele asked simultaneously.<\/p>\n \u201cNever mind.\u00a0 Just look it up.\u201d Duke replied curtly.<\/p>\n As they watched, a cartoon paw came into view and waved not a cigar, but a fat brown roll labeled \u2018Bitcoin\u2019<\/em>.<\/p>\n \u201cCan\u2019t happen.\u201d Adele said. \u201cBitcoins don\u2019t physically exist.\u201d<\/p>\n Below the Cat was the command: \u2018Enter your name but only if you are the beamish boy<\/em>.\u2019<\/p>\n Duke typed \u2018Duke LeJeune\u2019.<\/em><\/p>\n Excellent. Hello Copper. First riddle.\u00a0 Fill in the blanks with the same letters in the same order. \u00a0\u00a0The _____ Red Queen said to Alice, \u201cI\u2019m _____ to have you to tea.\u00a0 I\u2019ve _____.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Duke stared at the monitor for a moment, then entered: The notable Red Queen said to Alice, \u201cI\u2019m not able to have you to tea. I\u2019ve no table.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n The Cat\u2019s grin widened and showed some pointy teeth. \u2018So, at least you\u2019re a literate Copper. Are you also a betting man? Suppose you play this simple card game.\u00a0 Every time you draw you bet $11 in the hope of winning $10 when you draw red.\u00a0 If you draw black you lose the $11. At the end of 42 cards, you\u2019re even. How many reds did you draw?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Duke wrote 10 and 11 on a page in his notepad then glanced out the window at the city fifteen stories below. He wished he was back at his desk, working on the murder case. \u00a0He doodled for a moment then typed \u201822\u2019.<\/em><\/p>\n The Cat\u2019s eyebrows rose and the wide grin became more sinister. \u2018Tsk-tsk! So very familiar with sports gambling? Copper, do you have a secret vice? \u00a0No matter.\u00a0 Last round. \u00a0You return from a car chase, and check your vehicles. \u00a070% have lost the left front wheel, 75% have lost the right front wheel, 80% have lost the left back wheel and 85% have lost the right back wheel. What is the smallest percentage of cars that have no wheels, and the maximum percentage.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Duke turned to Adele. \u201cPlease confirm my addition that 70+75+80+85 equals 310.\u201d<\/p>\n When Adele nodded Duke smiled and entered, \u201810% and 70%<\/em>\u2019<\/p>\n The Cat\u2019s eyebrows bounced up and down while the Cat’s face expanded to fill most of the monitor. \u201cSo, you know your Lewis Carroll. <\/em>Then the Cheshire Cat slowly faded away. The black mustache and the toothy smile were the last to disappear.<\/p>\n A message flashed, \u2018You have done much too well, beamish Copper.\u00a0 Next time the Bandersnatch<\/em>.\u201d \u00a0Then the screen went black.\u00a0 The CTO\u2019s assistant rushed in and shouted that all systems were unlocked and behaving normally.<\/p>\n Duke looked at Adele.\u00a0 \u201cSorry Duke, they\u2019re using TOR.\u201d<\/p>\n The CEO wheezed, \u201cNext time?\u00a0\u00a0 Bandersnatch?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Lt. Duke LeJeune was sitting in his office staring at gruesome crime scene photos. \u00a0Because he was a homicide detective this was not unusual.\u00a0 He was deep in thought constructing theories about the murderer when his cell phone buzzed.\u00a0 After a short conversation, he turned to his young colleague Sgt. Adele Palmer, a cybercrime specialist, … Continue reading Duke and the Cheshire Cat: Round Two<\/span>