A Masterpiece of Lies, A Love's Price

n Mark's mind. It was an absurd, nonsensical claim. He dismissed it as the ramb

te-controlled room where Linda's core servers were

emanded, his eyes scann

ir. The new algorithm she ingested... it's like a virus. It's beautiful on the surface, but it's

ata from the source, from Chloe,

e this. The mute data-slave in the basement had tried to de

ecurity. "Take a team down to the R&D unit. I want her to feel this. Full sensory ove

ed, his face impassive,

y activated the room's emergency failsafe systems, flooding the small, sterile space with strobing light

g. The body on the bed, covered by a sheet, didn't mov

ase. He had expected a reaction. A scream, a seizure, some sign of the su

mself than anyone else. A seed of doubt, the one

tinged with a confusing disquiet. He barked

up the heat in her room. B

still, silent form on the monitor, the white-hot spike of his migraine returned with a vengeance, more intense tha