Read Triple Threat for Free Online Page A

to one that is computable in something less than polynomial time.”
    “But, Kate, that will vary from location to location on the Internet. And the net itself is constantly changing.”
    “Just focus on the backbone, Josh.”
    “OK. I can handle that.”
    “Great.”
    Now for the stickler …
    “Josh…” She studied his face, his eyes.
    Josh’s face turned red and he averted his gaze. Some flirt he was.
    “Josh, look at me. I need you to listen carefully and consider everything before you answer me.”
    “OK.”
    “What we’re doing has so much potential for good by thwarting evil. It’s good for our nation. It’s good for our families. But there is potential danger for you and me.”
    Josh nodded. “Yeah. After Tuesday, I can see that.”
    Now for the bombshell. “There’s one more thing, and you’ve got to promise me you’ll tell no one about it until we both decide it’s the right time.”
    “What if we can’t agree about that?”
    “Then we don’t tell anyone until we do.”
    “I guess I can agree to that.”
    She took Josh’s hand and squeezed it. “Something really big is being planned by multiple jihadist groups. They have found a way to hide their collaboration. Well, it was hidden until I found the shooter.”
    “Before I commit to the dangerous stuff, can you tell me who you think is involved?”
    “You must not mention even these, my suspicions, to anyone. Do you understand?”
    “I promise, Kate.”
    “Hezbollah, Al Qaeda, part of the Muslim brotherhood, Hamas, and Boko Haram.”
    “I don’t know much about that last group, but this sounds scary. Remember what Peterson said about being cautious?”
    “Yes, I remember.”
    “When do you think you’ll go to the authorities with this?”
    “When we agree the time is right. But the things I told you are only my suspicions. I have no hard evidence.” She wrapped both of her hands around Josh’s. “Classes at the University end this week. As summer break starts, the servers in the lab will be mostly ours. In the evenings, we’ll have the whole lab to ourselves. In a week or two, we can probably flush out the participants, possibly determine who’s funding them, and find out what they’re planning to do.”
    “And how will we do all of this?”
    “First, are you in , Josh?”
    “What’s the biggest danger to us, Kate?”
    “That our probing leaves evidence which they can track back to us, if they’ve got the talent available. If they do, they’ll probably kill us.”
    “Is that all?” He paused. “You’ve already trusted me with a lot of information. Why did you do that?”
    “You are avoiding answering me.”
    “Answer me first, then I’ll give you my answer.”
    “I…uh…checked you out.”
    “What do you mean?”
    “I ran a background check on you through an agency that I trust. They gave me a lot of information. Stuff like Joshua West, tight end on a state champion football team. Your impressive GPA. You cost me fifty bucks, Josh. But you came out squeaky clean.”
     
    ****
     
    Kate had carefully selected him. A young woman like Kate trusted him and, in a sense, needed him. He looked at her wide, excited blue eyes. At that moment, he would’ve marched into hell for Kate Brandt, in the figurative sense. Heaven and hell were not real places, but he suspected Kate believed differently. Would that become a problem? Probably, at some point. But maybe a problem they could work through. Kate’s attraction was so strong that he had to get to know her better, and he loved his country. Helping Kate would help—
    “Josh? I need an answer.” Her eyes had turned to penetrating, blue steel.
    “I’m in, Kate.”
    Her eyes softened to sky-blue.
    Was he going to regret this? He scanned Kate’s beautiful, smiling face.
    No regrets. None at all.
     
     
     
     

7
     
    When Josh opened the door to the computer lab Friday morning, Kate stood inside facing him, hands on hips.
    “It’s about time. 7:15 AM.”
    “I