Terminal Logic

A killer with no address. A killer with no physical presence at all.

And yet this killer reacts, strategizes, adapts.

Thinks.

Last time, the FBI relied upon Ethan Hamilton to catch a killer with an almost superhuman ability in the online world of GlobeNet.

This time, they call upon Ethan to go up against a killer that can't be found, can't be reasoned with...

...and has just gained access to a ring of killer satellites.

Terminal Logic is book 2 in the Ethan Hamilton series of near future cyberthrillers.

* Virtually Eliminated
* Terminal Logic
* Fatal Defect

** These novels were originally published in 1996–8. **

EXCERPT FROM TERMINAL LOGIC

Ethan pushed Play. Speakers hidden in the walls began to hiss with static. Then a man's voice, Middle Eastern to judge by the accent, emerged. He sounded angry.

"Jerry Wright?"

Another voice, much clearer and with aircraft prop noise in the background, answered. "Who is this?"

"Are you Jerry Wright?"

"Who is this?"

Ethan strained to listen. It was difficult to separate the voices from the engine noise.

"Ben-Deker," the first voice said, "you are the murderer of my relative, Azel of Beth-Haran. I am Magdeil, kinsman-redeemer."

Ethan mouthed kinsman redeemer? to Gillette. The special agent touched his ear.

Jerry Wright's voice came from beyond the grave. "Meecham Tower, I'm getting communications from an unknown source here. Nobody there's playing with the flight radio, are they? Over."

"Ah, that's a negative, Bravo Adam. We're all behaving at the moment.

Gillette leaned over. "This is where it gets real interesting."

"Hey, Magdeil," Jerry Wright's voice said, "are you a robot from Sword of the Patriarchs?"

The bot's voice said: "I claim the right of the kinsman-redeemer."

"You do that," said the deceased.

Ethan heard the point at which Jerry Wright's plane began to dive. He shut his eyes, listening to the man's final screams. The hiss faded from the speakers. The disc spun to a halt in the player. Ethan opened his eyes and found Gillette watching him.

"So," Gillette asked, "what do you think?"

Ethan rubbed his face. "I think it's a horrible way to die."