The Eternity Code (Artemis Fowl, #3)

by Eoin Colfer

“The C Cube undoubtedly has enormous potential. But it’s encrypted.” Spiro threw the olive at his head scientist. It was a humiliating experience for a Nobel Prize winner. “So break the encryption. What do I pay you guys for?” Pearson could feel his heart speeding up. “It’s not that simple. This code. It’s unbreakable.” “Let me get this straight,” said Spiro, leaning back in his oxblood leather chair. “I’m putting two hundred million a year into your department, and you can’t break one lousy code, set up by a kid?” Pearson was trying not to think about the sound his body would make hitting the pavement. His next sentence would save him or damn him. “The Cube is voice activated, and coded to Artemis Fowl’s voice patterns. Nobody can break the code. It’s not possible.” Spiro did not respond, it was a signal to continue. “I’ve heard of something like this. We scientists theorize about it. An eternity code, it’s called. The code has millions of possible permutations, and not only that, but it’s based on an unknown language. It seems as though this boy has created a language that is spoken only by him. We don’t even know how it corresponds to English. A code like this is not even supposed to exist. If Fowl is dead, then I’m sorry to say, Mr. Spiro, but the C Cube died with him.” Jon Spiro stuck a cigar into the corner of his mouth. He did not light it. His doctors had forbidden it. Politely. “And if Fowl were alive?” Pearson knew a lifeline when it was being thrown to him. “If ...