INT. OBCO CONFERENCE ROOM - DAY

ALAN, AGENT JONES, AGENT HARRISON, and a couple more FBI agents sit around a conference table. The agents have big folders with papers in front of them through which they are flipping and reading.

AGENT JONES

Alan, based on reports so far, it seems that only vehicles using the ObCo system have stopped working, and almost all vehicles with the system have stopped working. A few are still operational.

AGENT HARRISON

A preliminary attack analysis indicates that ObCo is the only common factor in the failed vehicles. We do not yet know whether it is a technical problem, a criminal attack, or a terrorist attack.

ALAN

I would assume it is not a technical problem. We have not heard of anything to indicate a failure of our system.

AGENT JONES

At the moment, we must assume a terrorist operation. Can you think of a way in which the attack might have been made without involving ObCo? From the outside?

ALAN

No.

AGENT HARRISON

The simplest assumption is that it was done from within ObCo.

ALAN

Why would ObCo want to shut down the system?

AGENT HARRISON

It might have been just one employee. Have you fired anyone lately?

ALAN

Yes, as it happens, yesterday, but he did not have the access to do anything like this. All updates to the vehicle software must go through a central system to which only five people have access.

AGENT JONES

Why is that the only option?

ALAN

The vehicles only accept code signed by a digital key, and the key exists only on one computer, plus backup copies. The backup copies are in bank vaults and require at least three company officers to sign for it, and one of them must be me.

AGENT HARRISON

So you're saying that one of those five must have been involved? Who are they?

ALAN

Me, Carl X, Vera Y, Adam Smith, and Albert Onestone. Smith and Onestone are in Europe now.

AGENT HARRISON

Could they have done it via the Internet?

ALAN

No, the machine is not online. You need physical access. You have to walk to it. We take security seriously here.

AGENT JONES

So we need to concentrate right now on you, and these two others, Carl and Vera.

ALAN

Right.

AGENT JONES

Tell me about them.

ALAN

Carl is thirty, and he's been with us for five years. He's conscientious, and he never makes any trouble, except by following the rules too strictly. Vera has been with us for seven years, she's a Russian immigrant, came over with her parents as a child, and our best programmer.

ANONYMOUS AGENT
(Looks up from and offers his laptop to JONES)

Sir, we have a file on her.

AGENT JONES reads the laptop screen for a moment.

AGENT JONES

Connections to the Russian mafia, eh? That's suspicious. Alan, where is she? Or that Carl fellow, for that matter?

ALAN

I haven't seen Vera today. She was on call last night for customer emergencies, so she's not required to come to work today. Carl is out there, standing next to a wall.

An anonymous FBI agent knocks and walks into the room, and whispers to AGENT JONES and AGENT HARRISON.

AGENT JONES

Put out a warrant for Y's arrest, immediately.

AGENT HARRISON

Yes. We found evidence that she modified the code on your vehicle software distribution server.

ALAN

I can't believe Vera would do that. Are you sure?

AGENT HARRISON

We are certain enough for now. Full forensics analysis will take longer, of course, but we can't let her run free in case she is the culprit.

AGENT JONES

You continue the forensics, my team will look more into her background. Still, no-one is in the clear yet, she might not have worked alone. That means you too, Alan.

AGENT HARRISON

While we wait for her arrest, could you explain why some vehicles stopped exactly at noon, and why some are still working?

ALAN

If it was a timed attack, it might not have taken into account that the clocks in the vehicles are not perfectly synchronized. While many are close to the right time, some are very much not.

AGENT HARRISON

So then those vehicles will stop working once their clocks say it is noon.

ALAN

Right.