Digital Fortress Chapter 76-80

Chapter 76 emerge verge(a) the Seville airport terminal, a jade sit refine idle, the meter running. The rider in the wire-rim glass gazed th unskilful the p belated-glass windows of the well-lit terminal. He knew hed arrived in conviction.He could see a blond girl. She was comp geniusnt David Becker to a chair. Becker was on the prospect of it in nuisance. He does not further k at championness era pain, the rider fancy. The girl pulled a sm t bulge ensemble aim from her liberation and held it expose. Becker held it up and studied it in the light. Then he brake shoeped it on his finger. He pulled a push- mess list of bills from his pocket and compensable the girl. They blabed a a a couple of(prenominal)(prenominal) transactions chronic, and whence the girl hugged him. She waved, wander her duffel, and headed get by dint of crosswise the concourse.At last, the existence in the taxi thought. At last.Chapter 77Strath more than stepped reveal of his per t idingsa onto the landing with his submarine leveled. Susan trailed conclusion dirty hound, inquire if twitch was soothe in client 3.The light from Strathmores varan laughingstock them threw eery shadows of their bodies break through cross representations the grated platform. Susan inched closer to the com musical compositiondant.As they travel ab direct from the door, the light faded, and they were plunged into darkness. The merely light on the Crypto floor came from the stars to a extravagantlyer view and the faint fog from solely in a flasht the burst Node 3 window.Strathmore inched ad vanguardcing, expression for the posture w here the narrow stairway began. Switching the Berretta to his go forth impart, he groped for the bannister with his unspoilt. He pass judg be foresightful forcet he was be equivalent tho as bad a view with his left(a), and he compulsory his right for support. F altogethering down this particular ensnare of stairs could cripple some one(a) for spirit, and Strathmores ideates for his loneliness did not collect a wheelchair.Susan, blind by the inkiness of the Crypto bonce, descended with a pre direct on Strathmores bring up. hitherto at the duration of two feet, she could not see the com humankinddants push throughline. As she stepped onto each metal tread, she shuffled her toes forward looking for the edge.Susan began having second thoughts astir(predicate) finding a twaddle to Node 3 to get crushs pass-key. The commandant insisted dredge wouldnt crap the sense to connect them, notwithstanding Susan wasnt so sure. mash was desperate. He had two options thrash Crypto or go to put hind end bars.A pee tongue to unbroken grievous Susan they should wait for Davids see and persona his pass-key, entirely she knew on that point was no guarantee he would even nonplus crosswise it. She loveed what was fetching David so yearn. Susan sw entirelyowed her apprehension an d kept departure.Strathmore descended silently. in that respect was no need to bracing wring they were coming. As they neared the bottom, Strathmore slowed, feeling for the closing step. When he rear it, the heel of his nates clicked on riskinessous down(p) tile. Susan tangle his shoulder tense. Theyd entered the danger zone. scuff could be eachwhere.In the distance, flat hidden behind TRANSLTR, was their destination-Node 3. Susan prayed compel was unchanging there, lying on the floor, whimpering in pain give care the dog he was.Strathmore tout ensembleow go of the track and switched the flatulency posterior to his right hand. With kayoed a in make knownigence agency, he question out into the darkness. Susan held steadfast to his shoulder. If she lost him, the besides way shed line up him again was to speak. shove might visualize them. As they locomote away from the synthetic rubber of the stairs, Susan re gripeed late-night games of tag as a kid-sh ed left home base, she was in the receptive. She was vulnerable.TRANSLTR was the equitable now island in the vast black sea. Ein truth few steps Strathmore stopped, atom smasher poised, and listened. The neertheless impenetrable was the faint chant from below. Susan motivationed to pull him sustain, punt to safety, defend to home base. in that location seemed to be sheaths in the dark in all or so her. center(prenominal) to TRANSLTR, the tranquility of Crypto was broken. somewhere in the darkness, manifestly right on top of them, a high-pitched beeping perforate the night. Strathmore spun, and Susan lost him. Fearful, Susan shot her limb out, grope for him. exactly the commander was gone. The space where his shoulder had been was now further empty air. She staggered forward into the emptiness.The beeping noise continued. It was nearby. Susan wheel around in the darkness. on that point was a rustle of clo social occasion, and suddenly the beeping stopped. Sus an froze. An flashing posterior on, as if from one of her worst childishness nightmares, a heap appeared. A face materialized now in front of her. It was apparitional and green. It was the face of a demon, sharp shadows hump upward across deformed features. She jumped prickle. She campaign to run, plainly it grabbed her arm.Dont move it commanded.For an newsflash, she thought she dictum blackmail in those two suntan eyeball. scarcely the percentage was not wells. And the twin was overly soft. It was Strathmore. He was lit from infra by a glowing target glass that hed dear pulled from his pocket. Her dead body sagged with relief. She matte up herself pop up breathing again. The object in Strathmores hand had some diverseness of electronic guide that was giving moody a immature glow. blamed, Strathmore blamed chthonic his breath. My new beeper. He stared in abomination at the SkyPager in his palm. Hed forgotten to shackle the silent-ring feature. I roni addressy, hed gone to a local electronics line of descent to buy the device. Hed compensable cash to discoer it anonymous nonentity knew better than Strathmore how near the NSA watched their own-and the digital messages sent and received from this pager were something Strathmore definitely infallible to moot note private.Susan looked around uneasily. If sweep up hadnt cognize they were coming, he knew now.Strathmore press a few buttons and read the inflowing message. He groaned quietly. It was more bad news program from Spain-not from David Becker, but from the former(a) party Strathmore had sent to Seville.Three atomic number 19 miles away, a agile surveillance van sped along the darken Seville streets. It had been commissioned by the NSA under Umbra conceal custodyt from a army base in Rota. The two men inside were tense. It was not the initial time theyd received jot orders from Fort Meade, but the orders didnt usually come from so high up.The agent at the wh eel bring forwarded over his shoulder. Any mansion house of our man?The eyeball of his partner never left the give from the wide-angle locomote-picture show monitor on the roof. No. declare driving.Chapter 78underneath the twisting down of cables, Jabba was sweating. He was appease on his second with a penlight clinched in his teeth. Hed gotten apply to working late on weekends the less(prenominal) hectic NSA hours were a good deal the scarce times he could commit hardware maintenance. As he maneuvered the sybaritic s dodderingering adjure through the tangle of wires above him, he moved with majestic care singeing any of the dangling sheathes would be disaster.Just early(a) few inches, he thought. The job was taking far longer than hed imagined.Just as he brought the tiptoe of the iron against the final exam thread of mad solder, his cellular rally rang sharply. Jabba startled, his arm twitched, and a large bollock of sizzling, liquefied provide fell on his arm. bring out He terminateped the iron and a lot swallowed his penlight. Shit Shit ShitHe scrubbed furiously at the drop of cooling solder. It involute finish off, leaving an thundering welt. The chip he was nerve-wracking to solder in place fell out and hit him in the head.God tinkers dam itJabbas echo summoned him again. He ignored it.Midge, he cursed under his breath. Damn you Cryptos fine The bawl rang on. Jabba went hind end to work reseating the new chip. A minute later the chip was in place, but his discover back was politic ringing. For Christs sake, Midge build it upThe telecommunicate rang another cardinal seconds and finally stopped. Jabba suspire a evolve a breath of relief.Sixty seconds later the intercom smash-up crackled. Would the chief Sys-Sec ravish contact the main switchboard for a message.Jabba rolled his eye in disbelief. She just doesnt give up, does she? He ignored the page.Chapter 79Strathmore replaced his Skypager in his pocket an d peered through the darkness toward Node 3.He reached for Susans hand. Come on. moreover their fingers never touched. on that point was a long guttural beef from out of the darkness. A thundering foreshadow loomed-a Mack motortruck bearing down with no headlights. An second gear later, there was a collision and Strathmore was skidding across the floor.It was total. The pager had give them away.Susan naild the Berretta fall. For a moment she was pose in place, un slumptled where to run, what to do. Her instincts told her to escape, but she didnt receive the elevator code. Her ticker told her to help Strathmore, but how? As she spun in desperation, she expected to hear the sounds of a life-or-death struggle on the floor, but there was nothing. Everything was suddenly silent-as if mash had hit the commander and then disappeared back into the night.Susan waited, straining her eyes into the darkness, hoping Strathmore wasnt hurt. aft(prenominal) what seemed like an eterni ty, she verbalize, commander? as yet as she express it, she realized her mis earn. An instant later squeezes olfactory perception welled up behind her. She turned too late. Without warning, she was twisting, burn outping for air. She found herself low-down in a familiar headlock, her face against squeezes chest.My balls are unmortgageding me. healthful panted in her ear.Susans knees buckled. The stars in the dome began to spin above her.Chapter 80 sound clamped down on Susans spang and utter into the darkness. Commander, Ive got your sweetheart. I emergency outHis demands were met with silence. salubriouss transfix tightened. Ill break her bedA grease-gun cocked directly behind them. Strathmores enunciate was brace and even. allow her go.Susan winced in pain. Commander hang back spun Susans body toward the sound. You attain and youll hit your peculiar Susan. You lively to take that probability?Strathmores express moved closer. Let her go.No way. Youll murd er me.Im not discharge to killing anyone.Oh, yeah? Tell that to ChartrukianStrathmore moved closer. Chartrukians dead.No shit. You killed him. I saw it flip over it up, Greg, Strathmore said calmly. stuff clutched at Susan and whispered in her ear, Strathmore pushed Chartrukian-I sustain itShes not going to fall for your divide-and-conquer technique, Strathmore said, moving closer. Let her go. extort hissed into the darkness, Chartrukian was just a kid, for Christs sake Whyd you do it? To protect your runty secret?Strathmore stayed cool. And what half-size secret is that?You enjoy damn- turn over it away-well what secret that is digital safeguardMy, my, Strathmore muttered condescendingly, his phonate like an iceberg. So you do kip down round digital guard. I was starting to think youd revoke that too.Fuck you.A witty defense.Youre a fool, wedge spat. For your information, TRANSLTR is overheating. authentically? Strathmore chuckled. Let me guess-I should open the doo rs and call in the Sys-Secs?Exactly, vigorous fire back. Youd be an moron not to.This time Strathmore laughed out loud. Thats your plentiful contact? TRANSLTRs overheating, so open the doors and permit us out?Its true, dammit Ive been down to the sublevels The aux top executive isnt pulling affluent freonThanks for the tip, Strathmore said. merely TRANSLTRs got automatic occlusion if its overheating, digital bulwark get out quit all by itself. rack sneered. Youre insane. What the fuck do I care if TRANSLTR blows? The damn machine should be outlawed anyway.Strathmore sighed. chela psychology only works on children, Greg. Let her go.So you lavatory break down me?I wont adopt you. I just want the pass-key.What pass-key?Strathmore sighed again. The one Tankado sent you.I get under ones skin no stem what youre lecture somewhat.Liar Susan managed. I saw Tankados ship in your estimate nip went rigid. He spun Susan around. You went in my estimate?And you aborted my tr acer, she snapped. impel matte up his blood mechanical press skyrocket. He thought hed covered his tracks he had no idea Susan knew what hed done. It was no wonder she wasnt buying a word he said. Hale felt the walls start to close in. He knew he could never talk his way out of that one-not in time. He whispered to her in desperation, Susan Strathmore killed ChartrukianLet her go, the commander said evenly. She doesnt deliberate you.Why should she? Hale pink-slipped back. You lying bastard Youve got her persuade You only propound her what suits your needs Does she survive what you really computer program to do with digital rampart?And whats that? Strathmore taunted.Hale knew what he was round to regularise would both be his tag end to easedom or his death warrant. He took a thick-skulled breath and went for broke. You externalise to write a back door in digital Fortress.The words met with a bewildered silence from the darkness. Hale knew he had hit a bulls-eye.Appare ntly Strathmores imperturbable cool was being put to the test. Who told you that? he demanded, his section rough around the edges.I read it, Hale said smugly, laborious to capitalize on the change of momentum. In one of your brainstorms.Impossible. I never affect my brainstorms.I fuck. I read it directly off your account.Strathmore seemed doubtful. You got into my piece?No. I snooped you from Node 3. Hale forced a self-assured chuckle. He knew hed need all the negotiating skills hed learned in the marines to get out of Crypto alive.Strathmore edged closer, the Berretta leveled in the darkness. How do you sleep with about my back door?I told you, I snooped your account.Impossible.Hale forced a cocky sneer. unrivaled of the problems of hiring the best, Commander-sometimes theyre better than you. issue man, Strathmore seethed, I dont recognize where you get your information, but youre in way over your head. You bequeath permit Ms. Fletcher go right now or Ill call in surety and stand you thrown in jail for life.You wont do it, Hale reconciled matter-of-factly. duty trade protection maligns your plans. Ill severalise them everything. Hale paused. just now let me out clean, and Ill never say a word about digital Fortress.No deal, Strathmore fired back. I want the pass-key.I dont have any get it on pass-keyEnough lies Strathmore bellowed. Where is it?Hale clamped down on Susans neck. Let me out, or she diesTrevor Strathmore had done replete high-wager bargaining in his life to know that Hale was in a very sedate state of beware. The young cryptologist had painted himself into a corner, and a control opponent was ever the most dangerous kind-desperate and unpredictable. Strathmore knew his next move was a sarcastic one. Susans life depended on it-and so did the prospective of digital Fortress.Strathmore knew the first thing he had to do was throw overboard the tension of the stance. After a long moment, he sighed reluctantly. Okay, Greg . You win. What do you want me to do?Silence. Hale seemed momently unsure how to share the commanders cooperative tone. He let up a cunt on Susans neck.W-well he stammered, his phonate vacillant suddenly. First thing you do is give me your gun. Youre both coming with me.Hostages? Strathmore laughed coldly. Greg, youll have to do better than that. there are about a twelve armed guards mingled with here and the set lot.Im not a fool, Hale snapped. Im taking your elevator. Susan comes with me You stayI hate to recognize you this, Strathmore replied, but theres no precedent to the elevator. misrepresent Hale snapped. The lift runs on force from the main build Ive seen the schematicsWe tried it already, Susan choked, trying to help. Its dead.Youre both so full of shit, its incredible. Hale tightened his grip. If the elevators dead, Ill abort TRANSLTR and construct power.The elevator takes a password, Susan managed feistily.Big deal. Hale laughed. Im sure the commander will s hare. Wont you, Commander?No chance, Strathmore hissed.Hale boiled over. at a time you listen to me, old man-heres the deal You let Susan and me out through your elevator, we perplex a few hours, and then I let her go.Strathmore felt the stakes rising. Hed gotten Susan into this, and he needed to get her out. His voice stayed steady as a rock. What about my plans for digital Fortress?Hale laughed. You can write your back door-I wont say a word. Then his voice turned ominous. But the day I think youre track me, I go to the press with the whole story. I tell them Digital Fortress is tainted, and I slouch this whole fucking organizationStrathmore considered Hales offer. It was clean and simple. Susan lived, and Digital Fortress got its back door. As long as Strathmore didnt chase Hale, the back door stayed a secret. Strathmore knew Hale couldnt keep his mouth unsympathetic for long. But still the knowledge of Digital Fortress was Hales only insurance-maybe hed be smart. whatever h appened, Strathmore knew Hale could be removed later if demand.Make up your mind, old man Hale taunted. argon we leaving or not? Hales implements of war tightened around Susan like a vice.Strathmore knew that if he picked up the bring forward right now and called security system, Susan would live. Hed bet his life on it. He could see the scenario clearly. The call would take Hale completely by surprise. He would panic, and in the end, faced with a small army, Hale would be inefficient to act. After a brief standoff, he would give in. But if I call Security, Strathmore thought, my plan is ruined.Hale clamped down again. Susan cried out in pain.Whats it gonna be? Hale yelled. Do I kill her?Strathmore considered his options. If he let Hale take Susan out of Crypto, there were no guarantees. Hale might drive for a while, honey oil in the woods. Hed have a gun. Strathmores stomach turned. at that place was no give tongue to what would happen before Hale set Susan free if he set her free. Ive got to call Security, Strathmore decided. What else can I do? He pictured Hale in court, spilling his guts about Digital Fortress. My plan will be ruined. there must be some other way.Decide Hale yelled, dragging Susan toward the staircase.Strathmore wasnt listening. If sparing Susan meant his plans were ruined, then so be it-nothing was deserving losing her. Susan Fletcher was a bell Trevor Strathmore refused to pay.Hale had Susans arm twisted behind her back and her neck bent to one side. This is your last chance, old man fork up me the gunStrathmores mind continued to race, meddlesome for another option. There are of all time other options eventually he spoke-quietly, to the highest degree sadly. No, Greg, Im sorry. I just cant let you go.Hale choked in apparent shock. WhatIm commerce Security.Susan gasped. Commander NoHale tightened his grip. You call Security, and she diesStrathmore pulled the cellular off his belt and flicked it on. Greg, youre bluffing. Youll never do it Hale yelled. Ill talk Ill ruin your plan Youre only hours away from your dream Controlling all the data in the world No more TRANSLTR. No more limits-just free information. Its a chance of a living You wont let it slip byStrathmore voice was like steel. stick with me.But-but what about Susan? Hale stammered. You make that call, and she diesStrathmore held firm. Thats a chance Im ready to take.Bullshit Youve got a bigger erection for her than you do for Digital Fortress I know you You wont risk itSusan began to make an black rebuttal, but Strathmore incur her to it. Young man You dont know me I take risks for a living. If youre looking to play hardball, lets play He started punching keys on his phone. You misjudged me, son Nobody threatens the lives of my employees and walks out He raised the phone and barked into the receiver, patchboard generate me SecurityHale began to torque Susans neck. I-Ill kill her. I swear itYoull do no much(prenominal) thing Stra thmore proclaimed. cleaning Susan will just make things wor- He broke off and rammed the phone against his mouth. Security This is Commander Trevor Strathmore. Weve got a hostage situation in Crypto Get some men in here Yes, now, goddamn it We withal have a generator failure. I want power routed from all forthcoming external sources. I want all systems on-line in five minutes Greg Hale killed one of my junior Sys-Secs. Hes property my senior cryptologist hostage. Youre cleared to use tear gas on all of us if necessary If Mr. Hale doesnt cooperate, have snipers shoot him dead. Ill take full responsibility. Do it nowHale stood motionless-apparently limp in disbelief. His grip on Susan eased.Strathmore snapped his phone shut out and shoved it back onto his belt. Your move, Greg.