herestartawholenewsoftwareprogrammeisinstalled.HeusesInterExplorer.ThenexttimehestartsExplorer,he’sreallystartingawholedifferentprogrammethat’sinvisibleonhisdesktopandlooksandfunctionsjustlikeExplorer,butitalsodoesalotofotherthings.Firstittakescontrolofhisfirewallandmakessurethateverythingisworking.Thenitstartstoscantheputerandtransmitsbitsofrmationeverytimeheclicksthemousewhilehe’ssurfing.Afterawhile,againdependingonhowmuchhesurfs,we’veaumulatedapletemirrorimageofthecontentsofhisharddriveonaserversomewhere.Andthenit’stimefortheHT.”
“HT?”
“Sorry.PlaguecallsittheHT.HostileTakeover.”
“Isee.”
“Thereallysubtlethingiswhathappensnext.Whenthestructureisready,Wennerstr?mhastwopleteharddrives,oneonhisownmachineandoneonourserver.Thenexttimehebootsuphisputer,it’sactuallythemirroredputerthat’sstarting.He’snolongerworkingonhisownputer;inrealityhe’sworkingonourserver.Hisputerwillrunalittleslower,butit’svirtuallynotnoticeable.AndwhenI’mconnectedtotheserver,Icantaphisputerinrealtime.EachtimeWennerstr?mpressesakeyonhisputerIseeitonmine.”
“Yourfriendisalsoahacker?”
“HewastheonewhoarrangedthetelephoapinLondon.He’salittleoutofitsocially,butonthehe’salegend.”
“OK,”Blomkvistsaid,givingheraresignedsmile.“Questionnumbertwo:whydidn’tyoutellmeaboutWennerstr?mearlier?”
“Youneveraskedme.”
“AndifIneverdidaskyou—let’ssupposethatInevermetyou—youwouldhavesathereknowingthatWennerstr?mwasagangsterwhileMillenniumwentbankrupt?”
“NobodyaskedmetoexposeWennerstr?mforwhatheis,”Salanderrepliedinaknow-it-allvoice.
“Yes,butwhatif?”
“Ididtellyou,”shesaid.
Blomkvistdroppedthesubject.
SalanderburnedthecontentsofWennerstr?m’sharddrive—aboutfivegigabytes—ontotenCDs,andshefeltasifshehadmoreorlessmovedintoBlomkvist’sapartment.Shewaitedpatiently,answeringallthequestionsheasked.
“Ican’tunderstandhowhecanbesofuckingdimtoputallhisdirtylaundryononeharddrive,”hesaid.“Ifitevergotintothehandsofthepolice…”
“People