Page 59 of Clive Cussler's Quantum Tempest

“So what does she know about us?”

“Only that we are a cargo vessel hauling on a contract basis. I told her she’d be safe here.”

“And she is. But she’s not an idiot, is she?”

“One of the best computer scientists I ever studied with.”

“And what does she think you do on this ship being perhaps an even better computer scientist? Clean the bilges?”

“I told her I ran comms and maintained the electronics because I needed a career change, and the only computer stuff I do anymore is gaming.”

“And she believed you?”

Murph grinned, and pointed at his wrinkled concert T-shirt. “Do I look like a weapons officer on the world’s most advanced espionage ship? Or a goofy gamer?”

Juan shook his head. Hard to argue with that.

“And what’s her story?”

“She works at a German computing firm and the MSS thinks she’s a traitor, so they tried to kill her—me, too, by the way.”

“Why did they think she was a traitor?”

“She was explaining it to me when the bad guys started cutting loose with their gats.”

“ ‘Gats’? What are you, Dashiell Hammett now?”

Murph shrugged. “Been watching a lot of noir detective movies lately.”

Juan sighed through his nose, thinking. Something wasn’t quite right, but he couldn’t put his finger on it.

“You trust her?”

“Totally. Question is, do you trust me?”

“Of course I do. But the truth of the matter is she doesn’t have security clearance. Neither does my sweet ninety-two-year-oldabuela, and I wouldn’t grant her access to the lower decks, either. So just like we agreed, she can stay on board, but only up here. By the way, did you confiscate her phone?”

“Soon as we got on the plane. I told her it was for her own protection. She didn’t have a problem with it. I already ran a diagnostic onit while she slept. It’s clean.” Murphy pulled her phone from his pocket and handed it to Cabrillo.

“I’ll hold on to this for the duration. Go grab some grub, and take her to the guest cabin. It’s already been made up. Does she need anything else?”

“She hardly packed anything. Maybe some clothes?”

“If some of our ladies can’t find a wardrobe for her, I’ll have Nixon put something together.”

“That’s more than I could ask for.”

“She’ll be confined to her cabin, even her meals. Understood?”

“Perfectly.”

“How long do you think she’ll be with us?”

“Depends on how soon she can find a place to hide. She has to be careful how she reaches out. The MSS will be monitoring all of her known contacts. It will be a few days at least. Is that a problem?”

“I briefed you on theGolden Lotus—and you know about Linc and Raven. I’m not expecting any serious problems, but if things get kinetic, she’s exposed up here. She can’t know what we’re doing, but her life is technically at risk. Are you willing to take responsibility for that?”

“She’s safer here than anywhere else. So yeah, I’m comfortable with that.”