Digital Fortress Chapter 48

â€Å"What?† Midge sputtered in disbelief. â€Å"Strathmore claims our data is wrong?† Brinkerhoff nodded and hung up the phone. â€Å"Strathmore denied that TRANSLTR's been stuck on one file for eighteen hours?† â€Å"He was quite pleasant about the whole thing.† Brinkerhoff beamed, pleased with himself for surviving the phone call. â€Å"He assured me TRANSLTR was working fine. Said it was breaking codes every six minutes even as we speak. Thanked me for checking up on him.† â€Å"He's lying,† Midge snapped. â€Å"I've been running these Crypto stats for two years. The data is never wrong.† â€Å"First time for everything,† he said casually. She shot him a disapproving look. â€Å"I run all data twice.† â€Å"Well†¦ you know what they say about computers. When they screw up, at least they're consistent about it.† Midge spun and faced him. â€Å"This isn't funny, Chad! The DDO just told a blatant lie to the director's office. I want to know why!† Brinkerhoff suddenly wished he hadn't called her back in. Strathmore's phone call had set her off. Ever since Skipjack, whenever Midge had a sense that something suspicious was going on, she made an eerie transition from flirt to fiend. There was no stopping her until she sorted it out. â€Å"Midge, it is possible our data is off,† Brinkerhoff said firmly. â€Å"I mean, think about it-a file that ties up TRANSLTR for eighteen hours? It's unheard of. Go home. It's late.† She gave him a haughty look and tossed the report on the counter. â€Å"I trust the data. Instinct says it's right.† Brinkerhoff frowned. Not even the director questioned Midge Milken's instincts anymore-she had an uncanny habit of always being right. â€Å"Something's up,† she declared. â€Å"And I intend to find out what it is.†