Digital Fortress

"Hale…" Susan whispered. "He's North Dakota."

There was more silence as Strathmore pondered Susan's words. "The tracer?" He seemed confused. "It fingered Hale?"

"The tracer isn't back yet. Hale aborted it!"

Susan went on to explain how Hale had stopped her tracer and how she'd found E-mail from Tankado in Hale's account. Another long moment of silence followed. Strathmore shook his head in disbelief.

"There's no way Greg Hale is Tankado's insurance! It's absurd! Tankado would never trust Hale."

"Commander," she said, "Hale sank us once before-Skipjack. Tankado trusted him."

Strathmore could not seem to find words.

"Abort TRANSLTR," Susan begged him. "We've got North Dakota. Call building security. Let's get out of here."

Strathmore held up his hand requesting a moment to think.

Susan looked nervously in the direction of the trapdoor. The opening was just out of sight behind TRANSLTR, but the reddish glow spilled out over the black tile like fire on ice. Come on, call Security, Commander! Abort TRANSLTR! Get us out of here!

Suddenly Strathmore sprang to action. "Follow me," he said. He strode toward the trapdoor.

"Commander! Hale is dangerous! He-"

But Strathmore disappeared into the dark. Susan hurried to follow his silhouette. The commander circled around TRANSLTR and arrived over the opening in the floor. He peered into the swirling, steaming pit. Silently he looked around the darkened Crypto floor. Then he bent down and heaved the heavy trapdoor. It swung in a low arc. When he let go, it slammed shut with a deadening thud. Crypto was once again a silent, blackened cave. It appeared North Dakota was trapped.

Strathmore knelt down. He turned the heavy butterfly lock. It spun into place. The sublevels were sealed.

Neither he nor Susan heard the faint steps in the direction of Node 3.

Chapter 60

Two-tone headed through the mirrored corridor that led from the outside patio to the dance floor. As he turned to check his safety pin in the reflection, he sensed a figure looming up behind him. He spun, but it was too late. A pair of rocklike arms pinned his body face-first against the glass.

The punk tried to twist around. "Eduardo? Hey, man, is that you?" Two-Tone felt a hand brush over his wallet before the figure leaned firmly into his back. "Eddie!" the punk cried. "Quit fooling around! Some guy was lookin' for Megan."

The figure held him firmly.

"Hey, Eddie, man, cut it out!" But when Two-Tone looked up into the mirror, he saw the figure pinning him was not his friend at all.

The face was pockmarked and scarred. Two lifeless eyes stared out like coal from behind wire-rim glasses. The man leaned forward, placing his mouth against Two-Tone's ear. A strange, voice choked, "Adonde fue? Where'd he go?" The words sounded somehow misshapen.

The punk froze, paralyzed with fear.

"Adonde fue?" the voice repeated. "El Americano."

"The… the airport. Aeropuerto," Two-Tone stammered.

"Aeropuerto?" the man repeated, his dark eyes watching Two-Tone's lips in the mirror.

The punk nodded.

"Tenia el anillo? Did he have the ring?"

Terrified, Two-Tone shook his head. "No."

"Viste el anillo? Did you see the ring?"

Two-Tone paused. What was the right answer?

"Viste el anillo?" the muffled voice demanded.

Two-Tone nodded affirmatively, hoping honesty would pay. It did not. Seconds later he slid to the floor, his neck broken.

Chapter 61

Jabba lay on his back lodged halfway inside a dismantled mainframe computer. There was a penlight in his mouth, a soldering iron in his hand, and a large schematic blueprint propped on his belly. He had just finished attaching a new set of attenuators to a faulty motherboard when his cellular phone sprang to life.

"Shit," he swore, groping for the receiver through a pile of cables. "Jabba here."

"Jabba, it's Midge."

He brightened. "Twice in one night? People are gonna start talking."

"Crypto's got problems." Her voice was tense.

Jabba frowned. "We been through this already. Remember?"

"It's a power problem."

"I'm not an electrician. Call Engineering."

"The dome's dark."

"You're seeing things. Go home." He turned back to his schematic.

"Pitch black!" she yelled.

Jabba sighed and set down his penlight. "Midge, first of all, we've got aux power in there. It would never be pitch black. Second, Strathmore's got a slightly better view of Crypto than I do right now. Why don't you call him?"

"Because this has to do with him. He's hiding something."

Jabba rolled his eyes. "Midge sweetie, I'm up to my armpits in serial cable here. If you need a date, I'll cut loose. Otherwise, call Engineering."

"Jabba, this is serious. I can feel it."

She can feel it? It was official, Jabba thought, Midge was in one of her moods. "If Strathmore's not worried, I'm not worried."

"Crypto's pitch black, dammit!"

"So maybe Strathmore's stargazing."

"Jabba! I'm not kidding around here!"

"Okay, okay," he grumbled, propping himself up on an elbow. "Maybe a generator shorted out. As soon as I'm done here, I'll stop by Crypto and-"