When they were alone, Raymond turned to Satoshi. "Why did you send the team to get outfitted before the briefing? Did you want to share something in private with me?"

She nodded. "Yes, I did. If your girlfriend's going to do the heavy lifting in this operation, how are you going to ensure she gets out alive?" When Satoshi brushed her black silken hair back from her high forehead, he remembered her loosened hair falling heavily over her shoulders as she sensuously mounted him. He focused on the memory of Evelyn's smiling face on the beach.

"Hackers hack other hackers all the time," he countered. I'm going to tap into my AI, Themis."

She looked puzzled. "Themis?"

He nodded. "Themis, the goddess of wisdom and goodness. The interpreter of the gods' will. In Greek mythology she was the daughter of Heaven and Earth. I got the idea of having an undercover personal assistant like Mr. Wilkinson in Willy Wonka's chocolate empire. If you remember, Wilkinson impersonated Wonka's competitor and gave everyone who won a golden ticket a morality test. The one who passed inherited the company."

"Why did you create an AI with morality?" Satoshi tilted her head to the side.

"In case Dennis and I died together. Themis has her own universal citizenship. She's been programmed to oversee CENTIEN and choose a new successor if it comes down to it."

She pressed two fingertips to her forehead. "Themis runs CENTIEN in your absence?"

"Yes. She's a parallel operating system that supersedes the main one. My virtual child—I have to keep her safe." His brow creased. "She's CENTIEN's future."

"Shit. That's what Lori meant—I had no idea. At least you made her female." Her eyebrows drew together. "Did I pass your morality test?"

His lack of response registered like a slap on her face. She frowned "If this AI's so brilliant and moral, supposedly like you, why doesn't she shut down Jamison and Casper?"

Sinclair laughed. "That's the beauty of my AI. She's evaluating their agenda. Themis has never encountered psychopathy. Once she knows they intend to enslave mankind, they'll fail her morality test. She'll lock them in a secure location in CENTIEN."

"And contact the authorities," Satoshi said. Her eyes widened. "Wait—your AI will determine the authorities are complicit?"

Raymond nodded. "She has enough data. Often, the best move is making no move at all."

"Who else knows about this sentient AI entity you developed?"

"No one. Lori suspects there's one, but it's a ghost in her system that haunts her dreams."

She nodded, looking thoughtful.

"Satoshi." She turned and looked at him. "What made you turn against the Deep State? Was it Thanatos?"

She shook her head. "I love my husband. He and I share a similar Crusader path, but I'd already changed my mind before I met him. I've taken too many innocent lives, Raymond. I need to atone for my actions." Her voice cracked like ice. "They ordered me to kill you."

"What?" Something moved in his chest.

"I'm sorry I couldn't tell you earlier. Once they realized that I had fallen in love with you, Jamison and Casper sanctioned your death." Her professional demeanor slipped, and she gazed at him with pain and desire in her eyes. "It was the ultimate test of loyalty. I failed because I loved you."

Raymond staggered like he'd been struck by lightning.

"I couldn't kill you, Ray." Tears glimmered in her eyes.

"Taking away control of CENTIEN would have been worse than killing me," he rasped.

"When I couldn't retire you, they brought in Buffy Gates."

He made a face. "Why would I be attracted to her? That barbie-nymphette was always trying to seduce me. I found her large breasts implants repellant."

"If you'd slept with her, she would have injected you with a drug while you slept. It would have looked like a heart attack." She caressed his cheek. "There's something you should know about Evelyn. You have to be careful. She was asking me about your net worth. How much money you really have now that you're in bankruptcy." He recoiled from her as if a snake had bitten him.

It can't be true. Evelyn loved him, not his money. She left CENTIEN to go work in a homeless shelter for Christ sake.

The comms crackled and she pulled her hand away. The intimate moment passed, but the doubt she had seeded remained. The sensual caring woman was replaced by a machine-like, efficient hacker. He swallowed a lump in his throat.

"We've both lost by fighting each other. Ray, let's work together like we used to and save the world." Turning her back to him, she smiled as she palmed a duplicate of his Tesla's key card.