Free The Quantum Brain (Pulse Science Fiction Series Book 2) by John Freitas Page B

Kell and then turned the chair toward the screen again. “Not exactly, sir. We created an encryption to handle the uplinks for Dr. Kell’s projects. We also created an algorithm that sorts data more quickly for his projects. I was able to use that to collect what you needed, but it does not allow me to see any of it because my temporary clearance is not high enough. Yours will allow you to see everything. If you’ll tell me where you want the data sent, I’ll do that and then once you confirm you got it, I can sponge it from the system.”
    “No one else will be able to retrieve it even from within CDR?” Miles Decker asked.
    “Only you will have it after we complete the transfer,” Mark Spencer said.
    “You are in her laptop now?”
    “Yes, sir.” Mark swung back toward the desk.
    “I’m sending the address for the data transfer through an instant message to the Iron Ladybird account.” Decker took out his phone and typed with one hand while holding his scotch with the other.
    “I have it, sir. Transferring now.” Mark Spencer stood up and walked back around the desk.
    “What about erasing it from the system?” Decker asked.
    “You’ll get a command icon once you open the data,” Mark said. “Then, your code will allow you to authorize the erase automatically from CDR’s system.”
    “Well done,” Decker said. “Both of you. Now, stay there until this is done. I’ll send in the crew to pack her things once it is finished and you can go back to your other tasks then.”
    The screen went blue and then black. The painting motored slowly back into place.
    “It must be a real trip working here every day,” Mark said.
    Thomas sighed and turned away. “I’m supposed to be handling pure research. My job is drifting further and further away from that every moment into whatever this is that we are doing.”
    Mark shrugged. “Wealthy people and their secrets.”
    Dr. Kell laughed and choked it back down thinking that having a laugh over a dead woman’s desk wasn’t the best idea. He thought Calvin Hall in the outer office might hear through the door and not take kindly to it.
    “Would you ever work for a place like CDR?” Dr. Kell asked.
    “I am working for CDR right now,” Mark said. “I’m doing work they don’t even want their own IT guys to know about.”
    “Right.” Dr. Kell shook his head. “That’s not exactly what I meant. I meant would you ever consider working for a place like this all the time? Coming here morning after morning?”
    Mark shrugged. “Not much advantage to the illusion of a steady paycheck. The money is better in contracting. Not so much between contracts, I suppose. You have to sign away your rights same as me for that steady paycheck. They are always threatening to fire everyone if you aren’t looking scared and submissive enough. Then, if they do fire you, you can’t even get a job in your field for two years. So, you can’t afford to quit. You can’t even afford to look for other work. When I’m done here, I’ll take my money … I’ll take what’s rightfully mine and I’ll walk away a free man. So, I guess that’s the long way of saying I wouldn’t be interested in being beholden to a place like CDR or a man like Miles Decker … or Hazel Conrad’s ghost. No offense to either one if they are listening in right now.”
    Mark looked up at the ceiling.
    Thomas Kell laughed and didn’t make an effort to stifle it this time.
    Dr. Kell said, “Maybe I should think about joining you. We could be a team and get work as …”
    Thomas Kell staggered and grabbed hold of the desk as a wave of dizziness took hold and wouldn’t seem to let go.
    “What’s wrong, Doctor?” Mark asked.
    Dr. Kell didn’t know how to answer. He needed to get a good night’s sleep in an actual bed, he thought.
    He looked up and opened his mouth to try to explain, but the words caught. He saw the small china cups of the tea set lift off the table behind Mark and spin slowly in