Page 89 of Clive Cussler's Quantum Tempest

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

“Excellent. Keep me posted.”

Linlin gasped. She breathed the name.Eidolon…

The name evoked an almost divine reverence among her peers. Eidolon was truly the ghost in the machine, haunting the digital universe with godlike impunity—the Platonic ideal of the perfect hacker. His capture would be nearly as valuable as the AGI.

Why should she be surprised that a mystical presence like Eidolon would suddenly appear at such a critical juncture in human history?

More important, was it possible Eidolon was connected to her objective?

It was time to dig in deeper. Perhaps there was information on Eidolon on the Cray computer she had missed. Her fingers brushed the keys when her cabin door rattled with a couple of heavy thuds.

“Linlin! It’s me, Murph!”

Linlin rolled her eyes.Not now!she wanted to scream.

But she didn’t dare drop her legend of the sad, frightened girl waiting to be rescued. She’d brush him off quickly with some excuse and get back to work.

“Coming!”

She closed her search program with a couple of quick keystrokes, then swept the mini hacking rig into the mouth of her backpack before bouncing over to the door and flinging it open.

The scruffy genius beamed with pride as he showed her his prize. Murphy held a wide pizza pan aloft in one hand and a six-pack of Guinness in the other. He’d used the steel toe of his combat boot to knock on the door.

“Hawaiian pizza. Still your fav, I hope.”

Linlin forced a wide smile. “Oh, yes. Awesome.”

Murph pushed his way in past her and set everything down on her table.

“Hope you’re hungry.”

“Well, actually I—” But Linlin saw the disappointment that began welling up in his eyes and she caught herself. “I feel kinda grungy. Let me go wash my hands first.”

“Hurry, before the pizza gets cold and the beer gets warm. We’ll eat and hang out. I know how bored you get down here. I’ve got four hours before my next shift.”

“Four hours?”

“Yeah.”

“Awesome.” Linlin swallowed her aggravation behind a gleaming smile. She headed to the bathroom to wash her hands and face and stifle a silent scream. Her Eidolon search would just have to wait. She couldn’t blow it now.

Besides, who knew what Murphy might accidentally give up after a few beers? The lovelorn fool had always been such a lightweight on the liquor.

49

El Salvador

It was a bright, clear morning in the mountain highlands where the Lenca people lived.

The newly constructed rural hospital stood like a small glass jewel on the flat, emerald plain nestled beneath the forested hills above.

A crowd of over six hundred Indigenous local people dressed in colorful native garb had gathered in front of the elevated dais for the morning’s festivities. Two dozen local officials were also there, along with the hospital’s staff of white-coated doctors and uniformed nurses.

President Olmedo had just finished his speech commemorating the Peace and Unity Hospital and how it proved his government’s war on corruption and violence was paving the way toward a future of prosperity and peace for all.

Ever the showman, Olmedo saved his best rhetorical flourish for the finale. He spoke his last words in the Lenca tongue, promising continued unity, health, and peace for all of El Salvador, “especially her first sons and daughters, the Lenca people, gathered here today.” The audience exploded with grateful cheers and applause.