"Dan Brown - Digital Fortress (v2.0)" - читать интересную книгу автора (Brown Dan)

DIGITAL FORTRESS
Dan Brown

For my parents... my mentors and heroes

A debt of gratitude: to my editors at St. Martin's Press, Thomas Dunne and the
exceptionally talented Melissa Jacobs. To my agents in New York, George Wieser, Olga
Wieser, and Jake Elwell. To all those who read and contributed to the manuscript along
the way. And especially to my wife, Blythe, for her enthusiasm and patience.
Also... a quiet thank you to the two faceless ex-NSA cryptographers who made
invaluable contributions via anonymous remailers. Without them this book would not
have been written.

PROLOGUE

PLAZA DE ESPA╤A
SEVILLE, SPAIN
11:00 A.M.
It is said that in death, all things become clear; Ensei Tankado now knew it was true. As
he clutched his chest and fell to the ground in pain, he realized the horror of his mistake.
People appeared, hovering over him, trying to help. But Tankado did not want help--it
was too late for that.
Trembling, he raised his left hand and held his fingers outward. Look at my hand! The
faces around him stared, but he could tell they did not understand.
On his finger was an engraved golden ring. For an instant, the markings glimmered in the
Andalusian sun. Ensei Tankado knew it was the last light he would ever see.

CHAPTER 1

They were in the smoky mountains at their favorite bed-and-breakfast. David was smiling
down at her. "What do you say, gorgeous? Marry me?"
Looking up from their canopy bed, she knew he was the one. Forever. As she stared into
his deep-green eyes, somewhere in the distance a deafening bell began to ring. It was
pulling him away. She reached for him, but her arms clutched empty air.
It was the sound of the phone that fully awoke Susan Fletcher from her dream. She
gasped, sat up in bed, and fumbled for the receiver. "Hello?"
"Susan, it's David. Did I wake you?"
She smiled, rolling over in bed. "I was just dreaming of you. Come over and play."
He laughed. "It's still dark out."
"Mmm." She moaned sensuously. "Then definitely come over and play. We can sleep in
before we head north."
David let out a frustrated sigh. "That's why I'm calling. It's about our trip. I've got to
postpone."
Susan was suddenly wide awake. "What!"
"I'm sorry. I've got to leave town. I'll be back by tomorrow. We can head up first thing in
the morning. We'll still have two days."
"But I made reservations," Susan said, hurt. "I got our old room at Stone Manor."
"I know, but--"
"Tonight was supposed to be special--to celebrate six months. You do remember we're
engaged, don't you?"