Hidden - Laura Griffin Page 0,66
about it.” He sat forward eagerly. “We collect information about where people spend time, who they spend time with, where they spend money. Think of how valuable that information is.”
“And this information is being monetized?”
“Absolutely.” He tapped into a new screen. “We break it down by age group whenever possible. Look at this. This is our largest tranche of records, and it’s eighteen-to-thirty-four-year-olds—a coveted consumer group. We have three hundred fifty million faceprints in that age bracket alone.”
“Where did you get them?”
“We started with driver’s license databases and built out from there. Not all jurisdictions will share the data, but some have, willingly or unwillingly, and we built on that foundation.”
“Unwillingly? Are you saying some images were stolen?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know that for sure, but I can speculate. We somehow managed to amass a shit-ton of records in the last two years, and Lucinda’s been vague about specifics.”
He leaned forward again and tapped into a new file. Another long list of numbers popped up. “This is our second-largest tranche. We have more than two hundred sixty million minor faceprints.”
“Minor as in—”
“Individuals under eighteen. These kids can’t even vote yet, and their images are being collected and cataloged and sold to marketers.”
“Where did you get them all?”
“Some are driver’s license photos or passport images. But given the age, a lot more of these come from cams in the wild. Those are surveillance images. Parks, shopping malls, sporting venues. Pictures posted on social media.”
“Social media platforms hand over these images?”
“There are ways to get them. And we have.” He nodded. “This collection is growing every day as we amass more and more images.”
Bailey looked at the computer screen, where numbers scrolled. She felt dizzy. And slightly sick, too. Seth tapped the mouse and made the scrolling stop.
“You’re telling me you’ve collected more than two hundred sixty million images of children. Without their knowledge.”
“That’s right.” He leaned back in his chair and folded his arms over his chest.
“But why would . . .” Bailey looked at the screen. Something niggled at her. Something Seth was trying to tell her, but not telling her.
Her skin chilled as realization dawned. “Oh my God.” She turned to Seth. “She’s looking for her daughter.”
CHAPTER
TWENTY-TWO
HE NODDED.
“So . . . she got her company to undertake this project as part of a personal quest?”
He nodded again.
Bailey shook her head, dazed by the implications.
“At first, I didn’t know,” Seth said. “About a year into it, I started to have my suspicions. But by then, the company was making money hand over fist, and there was no stopping it. We started to vacuum up more and more images from more and more places, and the whole thing gained momentum.”
“I assume what they’re doing is illegal?”
He made a pained face. “That’s a gray area. I mean, some things definitely would be, such as hacking into state DMV databases and stealing records. But I don’t have any proof of that. It’s definitely unethical, which is why there’s so much secrecy surrounding the project. Very few people working here even know about Ruby, even though the project’s success is funding their paychecks.”
“No one knows?”
“A few people have to know, but I haven’t figured out who they are. Lucinda has the whole thing walled off.”
“And you’re sure she’s the one running this?”
“Absolutely. Bailey, she’s obsessed. I’m telling you, she’ll do anything—break any law, rationalize any consequence— if there’s even the slightest chance that what she’s doing will locate her daughter. Lucinda is convinced Avery was kidnapped by a pedophile, and she believes Avery’s alive somewhere. She latched on to that idea years ago, and she’s never given up hope. But she’s desperate. Which means she’s the last person who should have control over the biometric records of millions of people.”
“Why is it called Ruby?” she asked. “Is that someone’s name?”
“Not that I know of. Lucinda came up with that. I’ve always thought it was a reference to The Wizard of Oz.”
Bailey looked at the screen. “The ruby slippers,” she murmured. “‘There’s no place like home.’”
“Exactly. Like I said, this is deeply personal to her, and she thinks it will bring her daughter back. It’s a mission now, and nothing else matters. Not laws or ethics or even the long-term future of the company. She’s consumed with this project and has been for years.” He glanced over Bailey’s shoulder. “Oh, shit. Don’t turn around.”
Her heart skittered. “What’s wrong?”
He turned toward the computer and clicked out of the screen. “Don’t turn around. Levon’s here. I didn’t