Salt 2

 

 

 

 Based on the movie SALT (2010) by Phillip Noyce
Idea: jmurdoch
Texte: jmurdoch
Images: Chat GPT Sora
Videos : KlingAI

 

 

    In the mountains of Kyrgyzstan, Evelyn Salt, in exile for several years, single-handedly infiltrates an abandoned K.A. base, her former network of Russian sleeper spies. Despite fierce resistance, Salt remains determined and manages to confront and kill all the soldiers stationed there. Heavily armed, Salt is discreetly supported by the man who helped her escape. Peabody, a counterintelligence agent, understood Salt's thirst for revenge.

    Salt had learned that a military camp was conducting a new indoctrination operation targeting young prodigies who, after being brainwashed, would infiltrate wealthy American families as sleeper agents. Salt wanted to put an end to it all. This base was the last on her list. But she suspected another secret project was underway, and that she would find some of her answers in one of the base's computers. She was over the place, because it was much more heavily guarded than the last bases she had managed to dismantle. 

    She had no mercy. Every soldier she encountered was eliminated without warning. The soldiers knew Salt by reputation. They gave her no chance. Salt advanced cautiously through the base's corridors. She was well-prepared, having identified the layout, the number of soldiers on each floor, and their weapons. She herself was heavily armed and protected by a thick bulletproof vest. She was a sharpshooter and never missed her target.

    Among the soldiers, she noticed different uniforms. Certainly assigned to their posts, she bent down over one of the corpses and searched the soldier for a pass. She knew the computer room was locked and protected by a badge system that few soldiers possessed. The search didn't take long; she quickly found what she was looking for. She silently thanked the dead soldier, lying on the floor with a bullet in his head. The computer room couldn't be far now.

 

    Once inside the room, still heavily guarded by three soldiers who didn't resist for long, Salt began typing on the main computer. Although it was written in Russian, she spoke and understood it perfectly, as it was her native language. On a hard drive, she discovered a project called "Mirror Protocol." She shuddered when she saw the name of the project's initiator: Viktor Orlov Jr. She remembered that her mentor, Orlov, had had a son, but she had believed him dead years ago. Clearly, it had been a life filled with lies, secrets, and deceit. Viktor's photo appeared on the screen. He looked remarkably like his father. In fact, he looked just like her father, only younger. She downloaded the entire folder onto a USB drive. She had to share this information with Peabody as quickly as possible. She detonated multiple explosive charges she had hidden throughout the base.

 

    Mason Reiss had been notified by phone that a crime had been committed in the CIA parking lot. Having been an agent with the agency for over 20 years, he was already on the scene. He only discovered the victim's identity once he arrived. He recognized Peabody immediately and was deeply affected by the murder. Peabody, being a counterintelligence agent, was often at CIA headquarters. He had had several opportunities to discuss their ongoing investigations. Mason found him straightforward, honest, conscientious, and quite funny once you got to know him. 
    Mason began questioning the witness: A woman had reportedly discovered the body as she returned to her car. A simple executive assistant, who had no connection whatsoever with the victim. Peabody had been killed by a high-caliber firearm. A bullet to the heart. No signs of violence or a struggle. Mason assumed that Peabody knew his victim. Being in a government building under heavy security, Mason looked around to see if a security camera might provide more information, perhaps even catch a glimpse of the killer's face. Yes, there was a camera, perfectly positioned. What intrigued him immediately was that a professional killer would deliberately choose a different angle to kill without seeing the victim. Given the body's position and the force of the impact, the killer must have been very close to Peabody. He would therefore inevitably see the camera, which remained intact, revealing the murderer's face. 
    The only troubling clue was the presence next to the body of a photograph of a pretty young brunette woman. The photo was half-burned. Could it be a picture of the murderer? What connection did this woman have with the victim? The face didn't seem unfamiliar to Mason. He had the impression of having seen it somewhere before. A case he might have followed? In any case, it would be obvious that Mason would have an interest in questioning this person.

    Vanessa Shaw, a flight attendant on the route from Russia to the US, was having a pretty quiet day. For once, she didn't have any difficult passengers to deal with. The plane was halfway there. She continued to attend to the passengers' various needs. A young brunette woman, traveling alone, had started chatting with her every time they interacted. The young woman called her over for a pillow, then a glass of champagne. They were in first class. The young woman then asked her for something to read; she wanted a newspaper to catch up on current events. Vanessa gave her the paper and couldn't help but read the headline: "Mystery Murders.".

"So much violence in this world!" exclaimed the passenger.
"Yes, we live in sad times!" replied Vanessa.
"I read in the international news. There's been a massacre at a military base in Russia," said the passenger with a curious smile that surprised Vanessa.
"Let's hope it has no consequences. Let's hope it doesn't worsen relations between the two countries."

    The passenger closed the newspaper, noticing that Vanessa was bringing her a meal tray.

"Here's the meal you ordered!"
"Oh, thank you, I'm starving!"

    The passenger positioned her tray table, and Vanessa placed the tray on it, exclaiming:

"Enjoy your meal, Madam!"
"Oh, call me June," replied June with a lovely smile.
"Pleased to meet you, June, my name is Vanessa."

    Later, after the meal was finished, Vanessa came to collect the tray, then continued to chat a little with June, enjoying the tranquility that the other passengers offered her.

 

    Upon arrival, the cabin crew and passengers disembarked the plane. Vanessa didn't accompany the crew as is customary, but stayed behind to chat with June. They got off the plane and continued talking about current events. June asked her many questions about Vanessa's job. June loved to travel, so she found the job of flight attendant fascinating. Vanessa explained that she never had time to truly enjoy the destinations. When Vanessa asked June questions about her work, she remained strangely evasive, even somewhat contradictory in her choice of answers. They exchanged phone numbers and said goodbye. Vanessa Shaw wanted to relax for a while before checking into a hotel. She headed towards a café across from the airport.

 

 

   On the walk to the café, Vanessa lost the smile she'd worn throughout the journey. Her features hardened, became colder. She grew more serious. She ordered a coffee at the counter and absentmindedly glanced at the television screen behind it, which was showing a news channel. A news anchor was announcing the death of a counterintelligence agent. A photo of Peabody appeared on the screen, along with a picture of a young brunette woman. 
    Seeing the photos, Vanessa looked utterly shocked! She put down her cup and asked the bartender to turn up the volume, which he did, seemingly charmed by Vanessa's appearance. She still didn't smile, for she seemed distraught. The news anchor was announcing that an agent named Peabody had been coldly murdered by a young brunette woman, who might be Evelyn Salt. Already wanted for murder, suspected of attempting to assassinate a Russian president, she had strangely reappeared safe and sound. Then there was the alleged attempt to assassinate the President of the United States. Again, the journalist explained that there was still a great deal of uncertainty surrounding these stories.

 

 

    Vanessa immediately headed to the first motel she came across. She wanted a quiet, secluded place to take stock of the situation. 

    At reception, Vanessa Shaw asked for a room, just for one night; she knew for sure she wouldn't be staying long. She took the key the receptionist gave her and headed towards her room. She entered the room. It was small, but comfortable enough.

     Vanessa placed her suitcase on the bed and unpacked some of it to reach a laptop, which she picked up and placed on the small desk. She immediately turned it on and began to connect to the internet. She launched various encryption and security tools. A terminal appeared, and she typed in a series of commands that opened a browser window displaying the CIA website. She searched for Peabody. She found no more information than what she had already heard on television. She learned only that an agent named Mason Reiss was in charge of the investigation into Peabody's death.

    Vanessa sighed, then was overcome by a wave of sadness that brought a smile back to her face. Vanessa Shaw was just a facade. Vanessa Shaw was actually Evelyn Salt. For several months, Salt had created this fictional persona of Vanessa Shaw, a young, single flight attendant working for one of the largest airlines. This cover allowed her to travel the world discreetly.
    Salt could never have done all this without Peabody's help. Several months after managing to escape the authorities with Peabody's assistance, they had re-established contact and were meeting discreetly and regularly. Salt had only one thing on her mind: revenge. And Peabody saw it as a simple and unexpected opportunity to destroy this Russian terrorist cell. The deaths of Orlov and Ted were just the first cogs in a larger machine.
    Peabody had supported Salt in her quest, providing her with all the help he could: weapons, documents, equipment. Salt, having not been cleared of the charges against her, absolutely had to remain anonymous for a while. Before, she was alone without equipment; her disguises were rudimentary: hair dye, contact lenses, false dentures. Facial recognition had made great strides. Salt had obtained a device to create very convincing, realistic masks. She could now create new identities, even assume the identities of existing people.

    Salt read as much information as she could about Mason Reiss. She managed to obtain his entire career history, his military training, his various missions for the CIA, and even details of his personal life. Mason was a good agent, decorated several times for his service to his country. He seemed to be of high integrity. He was also married to a young woman named Jennifer, and they had no children. He was an only child. A true patriot. 
    Salt picked up the phone and performed a few steps to make an encrypted call. Given the late hour, Salt called Mason at his home. 

    Mason had recently returned home. He had apologized to his wife, Jennifer, explaining that he needed to finish a report and therefore still had work to do. His wife understood the importance of his job and said nothing. She went about her business while Mason wrote his initial notes on Peabody's murder. When the phone rang, Mason was surprised to see the call was from an unknown number. In his line of work, any number was fair game. His own home phone was also monitored. He answered. A soft, female voice, which he didn't recognize, began to speak: 

"Mason Reiss?" asked Salt, who had kept his voice-masking device on and was therefore still speaking with Vanessa Shaw's voice.
"Is that him on the line?"
"I'm Evelyn Salt. Don't try to trace this call. I won't be staying here long. You are in charge of the investigation into the death of... Peabody."

    Salt almost shed a tear when he mentioned that name. Mason could hear the distress in Salt's voice.

"Listen, Salt! You'd better surrender. You have a lot to tell us. Agent Peabody's death has only increased the pressure to find you!"
"I didn't kill Peabody. It's a setup! Why am I being accused?"
"We have evidence: surveillance video."

      Salt was still logged into the CIA website and continued looking at the attachments that accompanied Mason's notes. She saw that there were several video files. She opened them. At first, the camera images appeared blurry. 

     But then Salt's face and silhouette became visible. She was shocked when she saw the footage. How was this possible? The date and time were clearly marked on each video. At that time, Salt wasn't in the United States. It couldn't be her. Yet, it was indeed the building's parking lot where Salt and Peabody managed to meet discreetly.

 

    The next video showed Salt threatening Agent Peabody, who appeared surprised. Then came the gunshot to the heart. Peabody collapsed to the ground. The assassin stared at the camera with a huge smile, as if she were fully aware she was being filmed. The scene saddened Salt even more, and he remained speechless for a few moments.

"Are you still there?" Mason asked on the other end of the line.
"Yes... Yes... I understand how I was accused so quickly. But you have to believe me. I'm innocent. I have to clear this up!"
"I can help you, Evelyn. Let's meet. It will be easier for everyone. I'll listen to you."
"How could those images have been leaked to the press so quickly? Besides, do you think I'm stupid enough to expose myself like that in front of the cameras? This... This woman isn't me! She's deliberately trying to frame me..."

    Salt continued to think at breakneck speed. She couldn't trust anyone; she was alone again.

"I'll get back to you..." Salt then hung up immediately.
"Salt, hold on..."

     Jennifer, having remained in the same room as Mason, had overheard the entire conversation. Mason put down his phone and seemed annoyed.

"Oh, darling! Is everything alright? Who is this Salt?" she asked him.
"She's the prime suspect in a crime I'm working on," Mason replied.

    Jennifer approached him and stroked his hair. This gesture often had the effect of relaxing Mason. Then Mason took her by the hips and sat her on his lap. Jennifer hugged him. Mason turned off his computer and kissed his wife. He smiled for a moment. Then he thought of Salt. He had a job, supported by other competent agents. He also had a life with his wife. Salt was alone. He remembered that Salt was suspected of having tried to kill the Russian president. The latter had been declared dead, curiously, from a spider bite. He remembered that Salt's husband was a spider expert. It couldn't be a coincidence. Just like the suspicion of having tried to kill the president in his bunker. Another agent working with Salt who was present in the bunker turned out to also be an undercover Russian agent: Ted Winter. This whole story was too murky for him.

 

    After hanging up, Salt continued to ponder her conversation with Mason. Could she trust him? She thought of Peabody. Without admitting it, she realized she had, in a way, become friends with Peabody. She was alone again. She took a photo from her suitcase and sat down on the bed. She removed Vanessa Shaw's mask. She hadn't noticed she was still wearing it. She had been wearing it for hours. She had finally forgotten about it, as if it were a second skin. 

      Salt began to shed a tear and exclaimed upon seeing her wedding photo with her late husband, Mike Krause, who was killed by a member of Orlov's organization.

"I miss you, honey. I will avenge you."

    Once her tears were dry, Salt grabbed Vanessa's mask and headed back to the bathroom. She needed to know more about this Mirror Protocol project. From the data she'd retrieved from her USB drive, she discovered that a diplomat likely had more information on her cell phone. All the details of the project should be there. She had to understand who this fake Evelyn Salt was and what Orlov Junior's plan was. This diplomat was scheduled to attend a diplomatic reception in Berlin.

    It was time for Vanessa Shaw to check in as staff for the project trip to Berlin. Salt put her Vanessa mask back on and changed her contact lenses, which had fallen out in her grief. In front of the mirror, she tried to recapture Vanessa's charming smile.

    The next day, Evelyn Salt, portrayed by Vanessa Shaw, landed in Berlin. That evening, a diplomatic reception brought together important diplomats from around the world. Salt's objective was to meet a Russian minister and his advisor. They were mentioned in documents Salt had managed to extract from computers at the Kyrgyzstan base.

    In Berlin, arriving on the same plane as Salt, Dr. Clara Weiss, an Austrian physicist, was invited to the same diplomatic reception on cybersecurity. She checked into a prestigious hotel near the reception venue. The journey had exhausted her, but she showed no signs of it. She remained a stunning blonde woman with a radiant smile. The hotel receptionist handed her the key with a broad grin. She couldn't wait to get to her room, finish her speech, and then take a shower. She felt dirty and sweaty from running through the airport, having almost missed her flight.

    Clara didn't even bother unpacking her suitcase once she got to her room. She simply took out her laptop, placed it on the small desk, and turned it on. The screen displayed a Word document containing her speech, which she had partially written on the plane but hadn't had time to finish. She began rereading it and picked up where she had left off. She knew she didn't have much time left. This speech had to be ready before tonight's reception.

    After her speech, Clara headed to the hotel bathroom. She appreciated the comfort of the hotel's bathrooms. She was used to staying in the same hotels during her travels. She regularly gave lectures. She liked to take a nice, hot shower before facing the crowds at receptions. She took out a conservative outfit and hung it on a hanger in the bathroom. She didn't want anything too flashy or sexy. She knew she was attractive, but wanted to capture everyone's attention with her words, not her appearance. Then she undressed and stepped into the shower.

    She stayed there for a good 20 minutes. The shower was spacious and modern. She would have liked to enjoy it longer. But she thought about switching to television, or perhaps ordering a snack, not knowing what she would find to eat at the reception desk. She got out of the shower, put on the hotel bathrobe, took a towel, and began to rub her hair to dry it.

    Clara was lost in thought, rehearsing her speech in her head, when there was a knock at the door. She asked :  

"Who is this?"
"Room service, Ms. Weiss. May I come in? The room hasn't been fully cleaned. I won't be long."

     Clara looked around, examining the room. Curious, she found it rather spotless. The bed was neatly made, towels, bathrobe, slippers, iron... Nothing seemed to be missing. She approached the door and peered through the peephole. She saw a rather elderly woman dressed as a maid, near a trolley filled with cleaning supplies and towels.

"Just a moment, please," Clara cried.

    Clara checked that her bathrobe was properly closed, then opened the door.

"Please excuse us. The hotel is very busy, and we're running late. We're very particular about the quality of our service if we want to maintain our 5-star rating."
"I understand. Please come in. I'll just finish getting ready."

     Clara let the old woman in and looked her up and down. She couldn't say how old she was, but she didn't find her attractive. Clara hoped she would age much better than her. Clara was amused to note that they were the same height. The chambermaid pulled her trolley with impressive strength, without any difficulty. She must be able to defend herself. It just goes to show you shouldn't judge a book by its cover; Clara would have thought her, at her age, weak and frail. Clara had a curious thought. In this hotel chain, she didn't remember having such an elderly woman on staff. What did it matter? She continued drying her hair, no longer paying any attention to the chambermaid.

    Innocently, Clara chose a spray bottle and a large cloth and began to polish the furniture. Then the maid sprayed a generous amount of liquid from the bottle onto the cloth. With her back to her, Clara didn't see the maid approach quietly from behind her. Clara was about to yawn when she saw a hand holding a cloth in front of her. Before Clara could react, the woman pressed the cloth under her nose. She recognized a very strong smell of chloroform. Before she could react, Clara fell asleep instantly and fell backward. The elderly maid was strong enough to support her and help her gently fall back onto the bed.

     The maid gently laid Dr. Clara Weiss on the bed. Clara slept soundly. And she would for several hours. She would most likely wake up with a terrible headache. The product she had sniffed was very effective and almost instantaneous. The maid touched Clara's face and examined her. She gently opened her eyelids to confirm the color of her eyes. She then continued to examine Clara's entire body.

     The first stage of infiltration was a success. Evelyn Salt noticed a complete outfit, strict and elegant, hanging on a hanger. Clara had helped her choose her next outfit for the evening. Salt removed her mask. She was prouder of this result. She could have kept the Vanessa Shaw mask for the role of the maid, but she would have been taking a risk. A traveler who happened to take the same flight might have been surprised to see the same beautiful woman dressed as a maid in a prestigious hotel. 

    Salt had created a new, temporary identity. The disguise was longer and more elaborate than Vanessa's. A silicone-treated layer on her arms gave the impression of aged, wrinkled skin. The mask and wig completed the disguise.

     Hidden in the cart, Salt retrieved her laptop and a disassembled 3D printer. She placed everything on the desk and assembled the printer. When she turned on the PC, the screen displayed a 3D replica of Clara Weiss's face. She pulled out a complete file on Clara Weiss, thanks to hacked connections to the CIA website. She had all the information she needed on the Weiss file: her biography, her resume, her connections. Everything was there. Salt had an excellent memory, so she memorized as many details as possible while the printer began generating the silicone mask. She silently and sadly thanked Peabody for providing her with the equipment.

    Salt undressed and went to take a shower, making sure to remove all the makeup that had allowed her to play the role of the elderly maid. But she knew she wouldn't be Salt for very long. The reception was about to begin. She dressed in the outfit Dr. Weiss had chosen. Salt had selected the woman who was closest to her height and measurements from the guest list she had managed to hack. Luckily, this Dr. Weiss had a very similar physique to Salt. Perhaps with a slight difference, Salt had a slightly larger bust than Dr. Weiss. No matter! She wouldn't be impersonating her for long.

    The mask was ready and perfect. It was an exact replica of Weiss's face.

     Salt began by tying her hair back; she would have to wear a blonde wig, in addition to the mask that would cover her entire face.

    Once the mask was properly positioned and her hair was in place, Salt gently pulled at her cheeks to position her mouth correctly. She would have to speak, to talk. The mask absolutely mustn't create any creases. She would be quickly unmasked.

    Salt completed her transformation into Clara Weiss with subtle touches of makeup. She wanted to be able to distract her future interlocutors with a hint of charm, but above all, a discreet one. She was tasked with retrieving information from a phone about a Russian minister or his possible advisor. She learned that they were both susceptible to feminine charm, particularly blondes. Salt knew, therefore, that she would have to charm these gentlemen.

    As the final step in the preparation, Salt put on a very special bracelet. It was connected to a tablet for configuration. This bracelet allowed the transfer of data from a mobile phone to a microSD card over a certain distance. She configured the connection on a very specific mobile phone. The bracelet should connect to the phone if she was close enough. If the bracelet flashed, the connection was established and the transfer was underway. The problem was that the phone could only be in the hands of the minister or his advisor. She had to identify the right person and then stay with him long enough for the transfer to complete.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TO BE CONTINUED