Between Master and Slave (Manxman, Mature)

Faraday's box

"What do you mean by, you lost him?" The person at the other end of the line sounds sleepy, the inspector checks his watch, 8 local time, 1 in the morning in Italy. The IT technician was probably sleeping already.
"When I log on Francesco, the pad tells me 'Signal Lost'".
"OK, maybe he is in an elevator or something."
"For eight hours?"
"I don't know, you told Mr. Romano to disappear. So what did you think it was going to happen?"
"Point is, how did he do it?"
"Not sure, do you really need to know this at ..." there is a small pause, "One! One O'clock in the morning!" The voice raises a couple of octaves. The inspector cringes, he will hear about the call the minute he steps back in the office. However he is not ready to concede for now, so he carries on.
"If I could have waited I would not have called you now, would I?" Actually, he called now because he misjudged the time difference, yet, the information is important to plan his next move.
"OK, let's see." the IT replies somewhat subdued, "What could Mr. Romano do to hide the kid. You did check the elevators? Did you?"
"Giovanni, please. Sometimes, you IT guys are clueless. But yes, I did check the elevators, what else?"
"I don't know, I'm not there. You told Mr. Romano that the organization fund out what we did and they have to run for their lives, they have to disappear, basically."
"In a nutshell, yes."
"Just look for other places where you can loose the signal and you'll find them." He answers back logically.
"I don't know where else you can loose the damn signal. That's why I called you. You are the IT guy." Sleeping or not, the young technician is really testing his patience.
"Look around, the implant works pretty much like a cell phone. Where would you normally loose signal on your cell? Did you try the basement?"
"The hotel doesn't have one. Besides, running means mobile, whatever he did must be something that can be moved around."
"What could block waves?" The technician asks himself aloud. "A bunker? It would have to be at least 1/2m concrete wall."
The inspector is about to reply with a snarky comment when he realizes that the younger man is simply thinking aloud and not giving him an answer.
"Unless," the technician continues on, "rebar help divert the signal. The concrete could be thinner. Of course, how did I not think of it." He finishes triumphantly.
"Don't tell me Mr. Romano is going around with a bunker on his back."
"No, Faraday's box."
"What, Mr. Romano put the kid in a box?"
"No, not necessarily. Basically a sealed metal box would block all waves from passing."
"So, he is dragging the kid in a metal box, not very practical. Maybe a truck." Now the inspector is thinking out loud. "Maybe even a tuk tuk, like the Ape 50 with a container at the back."
"Not even," interjects Giovanni, "the metal can be quite thin, it does not have to be heavy. Also, only the device would have to be covered. Probably his chest area would be good enough."
"Like a body armor. Wouldn't it drag attention? Still, at least he can move. Hell, kid is strong, maybe he could even run."
"Actually, when I say thin, I mean thin. I was reading the other day about a courtain made of silver threads. We are talking about something that is more fabric then armor."
"A curtain made of silver? It would cost a fortune. Who would buy such a thing?"
"People that are affected by radio waves. With all the electronics today, a lot of electromagnetic waves are generated. Some people are intolerant to them and get sick. They buy these kind of materials. A well fitted t-shirt would be very effective in stopping the signal."
"I underestimated Mr. Romano." The inspector replies astounded.
"He did have a communication and IT company in the states. He would probably know something about it."
"So he puts the t-shirt on and off they went. They have been gone about eight hours. Hell they can be anywhere by now."
"Oh God." Giovanni's alarmed voice draws the inspector back to the present.
"What now?"
"If he used silver thread, the signal disappears because it is reflected back. In this case, back at the kid."
"So?"
"So it's like a microwave oven, and I don't have to tell you what happens in there. The more waves the kid receives, the more he can be affected by it. If he is wearing such a thing is like being placed in a microwave oven. He could even get cancer. I don't have to tell you that the longer he wears the thing, the more he is at risk of developing some sickness."
"What passed in Mr. Romano's head to do something that stupid?"
"Possible death vs Certain Death." The technician continues without loosing a beat. "You better find them soon. We can place the kid somewhere safe until this thing is resolved. Tomorrow I'll modify the software to ping the device every second. We'll know where he is as soon as the t-shirt lets anything through."
"Tomorrow? Do it now!"
"1:30 in the morning?"
"I am not complaining, am I? Just do it now!"