Page 88 of Clive Cussler's Quantum Tempest

“I just received a disturbing contact from a hacker identifying himself as ‘Eidolon.’ He claims to know where there is an AGI computer that is about to be launched any day now.”

“You think he’s legit?”

“He displayed incredible skill breaking through my own security systems. How he found me is beyond comprehension. It’s not like I’m listed in the Yellow Pages.”

“Sounds like a scam to me. He’s either a Nigerian prince or a thirteen-year-old Romanian girl. Nobody’s close to achieving AGI anytime soon.”

“Apparently someone is.”

“And you believe him?”

“If it was a scam he would have asked for money.”

“Then what does he want?”

“He needs to be rescued from his current location in the Darién Gap. Immediately.”

“Who else knows about this?”

“Only the people Eidolon stole the information from. He believes they’re dispatching a snatch team to get him even as we speak. Your people are nearly right on top of his location. They’re his best chance of getting out of there alive.”

Overholt was right. The terrain was too rugged to parachute into or drop in by helicopter. The only way to reach the heart of the Darién was by foot.

“I’m sending you the coordinates now. Pass them along to your people.”

“Doesn’t sound like you’re asking.”

“Do I need to? You fully understand the implications of AGI falling into the wrong hands.”

Cabrillo hesitated. It would be a cataclysmic disaster if the Chinese or the Russians acquired AGI first.

But he’d already put Raven and Linc through the ringer. No telling what condition they were really in, and what kind of oppo they might encounter on this snatch and grab.

But Linc and Raven were pros. They knew the risks that came with the job, and they’d understand the stakes. They’d also realize they were this guy’s best chance to survive—and likely his only one.

“I’ll issue the order. Tell your hacker friend Eidolon my people are on the way.”

“Excellent. Keep me posted.”

48

Linlin couldn’t believe her eyes. TheOregonhad all of the accoutrements of an actual cargo ship. But her exploration of each camera deployed in nearly every cabin, compartment, and storage space peeled away the clever veneer.

TheOregonwas actually a highly sophisticated intelligence-gathering operation—perhaps the greatest one ever assembled. Peng De would be jealous beyond imagination, she thought.

In addition to advanced electronic surveillance systems, she discovered a moon pool in the belly of the ship, perfect for operations with the three submersible vehicles suspended above it.

Shore operations would be supported by an incredible collection of vehicles including rigid inflatables, Jet Skis, and what appeared to be a version of an armored Mercedes-Benz Unimog.

But if all of that wasn’t remarkable enough, she also discovered the vessel deployed an array of weapons worthy of a science fiction novel. She was well aware of her government’s most advanced military research projects. None of them had yet reached this level of sophistication. When she stumbled upon the laser cannon, she suddenly realized why brilliant Mark Murphy was on board the vessel. There were rumors from former classmates that he had joined a top secret weapons development program after MIT, but she could never confirm it. TheOregonwas now all the confirmation she needed that his advanced computer programming and engineering skills were indeed fully utilized.

Perhaps she had underestimated the boy.

But high-tech weapons weren’t the prize. She was on the hunt for an organoid computer with AGI capabilities, and Murphy was the clue that had brought her here. Were the Americans working on a weaponized version of AGI? The thought terrified her—spurring her on to even greater effort.

Her espionage software had sifted through the labyrinth of directories on the mainframe, but found nothing directly related to organoid computing. The closest she got was finding Murph’s one article on organoid software interfaces—the one she had already read and reread.

Having exhausted the databases, Linlin returned to searching the vessel via cameras for any additional clues. She switched over to the room on the list labeledArmory.Inside she saw Chairman Cabrillo. He was speaking out loud with someone over the ship’s intercom. She caught the tail end of the conversation.