itforonenight.Whenshewasaloneshetookalookaround.ShehadadazzlingviewofLakeZürich,whichdidn’tinterestherintheleast.Butshedidspendclosetofiveminutesexaminingherselfinthemirror.Shesawatotalstranger.Big-bustedMonicaSholesinablondepage-boywig,wearingmoremake-upthanLisbethSalanderdreamedofusinginawholemonth.Shelooked…different.
At9:30shehadbreakfastinthehotelbar:twocupsofcoffeeandabagelwithjam.Thecostwas210kronor.Arethesepeoplesoftinthehead?
Justbefore10:00MonicaSholessetdownhercoffeecup,openedhermobile,andpunchedinthenumberofamodemuplinkinHawaii.Afterthreerings,thehandshakingtonebegan.Themodemwasconnected.MonicaSholesrepliedbypunchinginasix-digitcodeonhermobileandtextingamessagecontaininginstructionstostartaprogrammethatSalanderhadwrittenespeciallyforthispurpose.
InHonolulutheprogrammecametolifeonananonymoushomepageonaserverthatwasofficiallylocatedattheuniversity.Theprogrammewassimple.Itsonlyfunctionwastosendinstructionstostartanotherprogrammeinanotherserver,whichinthiscasewasaperfectlyordinarymercialISPofferingInterservicesinHolland.Thefunctionofthatprogramme,inturn,wastolookforthemirroredharddrivebelongingtoHans-ErikWennerstr?mandtakemandoftheprogrammethatshowedthecontentsofhisapproximately3,000bankaountsaroundtheworld.
Therewasonlyoneaountofanyinterest.SalanderhadnotedthatWennerstr?mlookedattheaountacoupleoftimeseachweek.Ifheturnedonhisputerandlookedatthatparticularfile,everythingwouldappeartobenormal.Theprogrammeshowedsmallchanges,whichweretobeexpected,basedonnormalfluctuationsintheaountduringthepastsixmonths.Ifduringthenextforty-eighthoursWennerstr?mshouldgoinandasktohavethefundspaidoutormovedfromtheaount,theprogrammewoulddutifullyreportthatithadbeendone.Inreality,thechangewouldhaveourredonlyonthemirroredharddriveinHolland.
MonicaSholesswitchedoffhermobilethemomentsheheardfourshorttonesconfirmingthattheprogrammehadstarted.
ShelefttheZimmertalHotelandwalkedovertoBankHauserGeneral,acrossthestreet,whereshehadmadeanappointmenttos