Part 139 (1/2)

Scott's ery of Miles' creative phraseology The naht, but the charac- ter was the same

”You know,” Scott said as the two stood on the deck, drinks in hand, soaking up the brisk lake air ”I really don't understand you”

”What's to understand?” Miles' gaze remained constant over the moonlit water

”I see that you weren't overly detained the other evening”

”No reason to be It was a terrible mistake They must have me confused with someone else” Miles played dead pan

”You knohat I'ed Scott ”The Spook and all that”

”fuck you!” Miles turned and yelled with hostility He placed the glass of Glenfiddich on the railing and pointed his forefin- ger in Scott's face ”You're getting what you want, so back the fuck off Got it?”

Scott's blood pressure joined his fight or flight response in panic Was this the Mr Hyde of Miles Foster? Or the real Spook? Had he blown it?

Just then, the sliding glass door fro room opened and Sonja and Stephanie shi+vered at the first cool gust of wind

Miles instantly swept Stephanie in his ared froer, no trace of displeasure The sinister Miles was ically transformed into Miles the lover

He had had no chance to respond to Miles' outburst, so Scott was caught with his jaw hung open

”You boys finish shop yet?” Stephanie said nuzzling at Miles'

ear

”We were just discussing the biographical inconsistencies in the annotated history of Alfred E Neulanced over at Scott with a wise cracking diree on the exact date of his second bris”

Incredible, thought Scott The ulti suits, so Sonja helped out ”That's right up there with the bathing habits of the Ja at Miles ”It's chilly out here”

Duirls weren't looking Whatever you want It's your gaht it is'

The re

Except coht lead to either of the first two no-nos They dined elegantly, drank expensive French wine and overindulged in Mar- tel It was the perfect social evening between four friends

Chapter 28

Sunday, January 24 New York City Times

HARDWARE VIRUSES: A NEW TWIST By Scott Mason

In conversations with the Spook, the enius behind the homosoto Invasion, I have learned that there are eventypes of computer viruses than those coraht into the electronics

The underground coners of hardware viruses Chippers It should co was a practice exploited by homosoto and his band under the wizardry of the Spook

Chippers are a very specialized group of what I would have once called hackers, but whorated circuits, chips, the brains of toys and coned to either si, cause intentional randoe to other elec- tronic circuits