lem of 'King,' the enigmatic leader of the world's most feared hacker collective, Tartarus

a public challenge to Tartarus. The

ess, a firewall of staggering complexity. The si

stakable-brilliant, aggressive, and laced with a familiar, infuriating arrogance

. Not intereste

But our re

n in Veridia City

window, the dec

-

overlooking the city, Carlyle Hart winced as

an dislocation and a non-professional but surprisingly e

brick, and the girl's blazing eyes. A slow, involuntar

w. "A girl? You got t

ed, his voice low. "And then tried t

He answered, his tone shifting instantl

ed the source of the attack. A mercenary group. Our int

ial calm. "Keep digging. I want to know why they're suddenl

hun

ssion serious. "Investigating your mentor's death is one th

nd the truth. And I will find her daughter." He remembered Dr. Beaumont's last, frantic cal

gain. A text from

as declined her challenge for the Prometheus data. Intel suggests Ki

the world who could match him, move for move. Here

rm to the phone. "Hey, maybe your litt

he fierce, desperate girl in the alley and the calculating, untou

il

l from the alley. Check all hospital and clinic admissions for a young woman wit

-

ached a forged transcript-good enough to be plausible, but not good enough to raise qu

the school's server. She found her application file a

e side, the burning crown of King. On the oth

ities. On

two people: a girl in an al

e was looking fo