In a shocking moment of realization, Sabre’s eyes slowly raised to the screen tracking the object’s path. It looked as if the incoming object was headed for the same region. His years with the NSA had taught him there was no such thing as coincidence.
Sabre felt an anger welling deep within him. He glared at the general. “I’m going to need a couple of interceptors in the air right now!”
Archer stared at Sabre like he was crazy. “All our fighters are on Red Flag maneuvers out at Elmendorf, Alaska.”
Red Flag is an advanced 10-day aerial combat training exercise held up to four times a year. The realistic exercises are hosted by either Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada or Elmendorf Air Force Base in Alaska.
“Even if I was willing to give you a pair of fighters,” General Archer declared, anger simmering in his eyes, “shouldn’t the President be informed first?”
“The President doesn’t have a high enough clearance,” Sabre seethed.
The general was caught off guard by the comment. “The closest squadrons are either at Edwards or Creech, but we don’t possess anything that can catch up to whatever that Fastwalker is!”
Retrieving his phone, Sabre considered his remark for a brief moment then selected a speed dial number. His eye narrowed as he allowed himself a brief smile.
Actually, General, we do.
CHAPTER 65
A clear morning sky had stretched itself across the desert basin at Groom Lake, the original home of the SR71 Blackbird and the testing ground for the F117A stealth fighter. The runway lit up for the next generation of classified military craft. Sleek and angular, the Aurora looked more like the genetic offspring of the space shuttle than an advanced fighter jet. Powered by a battery pulse detonation wave engine fueled by liquid methane, the Aurora is capable of reaching speeds well in excess of eight times the speed of sound.
The worst kept secret in US military history, initially the SR-91 Aurora Project was managed by Lockheed Martin’s Advanced Development Programs, and had set out to achieve the holy grail of space flight; single stage to orbit launch capability. Its loud, deep rumbling engines were reminiscent of heavy-lift rockets and left the signature contrail that resembled smoke rings on a rope.
Twenty-six miles to the east of Groom Lake, perched on a mountain, two UFO enthusiasts were packing up camp at the last legal location with a view of Area 51 known as Tikaboo Peak.
Enthusiasts camp out at night due to daytime atmospheric heat distortions emanating off the desert floor, which make it difficult to differentiate the hangars from the desert surface. For this reason, night has always been the best time to witness advanced aircraft and test vehicles glide in and out of the restricted area.
This time, however, would be the exception. The clear morning had brought with it cool conditions with none of the atmospheric heat distortions that usually made observing from a distance difficult.
Alerted by the deep rumble of the Aurora’s engines, they fumbled over each other to find their binoculars and camera to steal a glimpse of the ultra-secret aircraft in the morning sunlight.
They watched in silent wonder as its afterburner jets parted ways with Groom Lake’s 4-mile long runway. They followed the top secret aircraft until it was a speck in the sky. It was then that they felt the ground tremble; their chests vibrated when they witnessed the fabled skyquake as the Aurora tore through the upper atmosphere.
CHAPTER 66
Jake hit the brakes, bringing the bike to a skidding stop.
They were in the middle of the desert now, having left the city limits miles earlier. Jake dismounted, leaving the engine running, and took a number of steps in their intended direction to survey the landscape. They had stopped a couple of miles short of a deep canyon that cut across their path. He looked in both directions; the sunburned canyons, crisscrossed by jagged ridges and sheer cliff faces, stretched out to the horizon as far as he could see to his left and right.
But there was something else. Jake felt a familiarity about the location. He didn’t know how, but he felt as if he knew the area. As if he had been there before.
It was when he turned back toward Natasha that it hit him.
I dreamt about this place. Was I supposed to find it?
He could make out a number of dark vehicles on the horizon in the distance. Plumes of sand and dust were being kicked up in their wake. Above the vehicles flew a contingent of helicopters.
He walked a short distance parallel to the canyon; there was no way out. The realization crashed over him like a wave – there was nowhere to run.
Slowly, Jake turned back to face Natasha, his eyes lifting to meet hers. “This has gone on long enough.”
She had dismounted and was now dusting sand off her boots, still shaken by the events that had transpired back at Jake’s house.
Leaning on the bike for support, she patted dust off one of her boots. “When they catch up to us, do you think we’ll be okay?”
Jake did not answer. Behind Natasha something drew his attention. When he saw the object in the distance, all the pieces fell into place. On the horizon a small white glowing disk, as bright as a flare, was ominously descending from the sky.
Jake stood stunned.
His eyes followed the slowly descending object until it disappeared from view into the distant ridge.
His tone turned pensive. “Hun…remember when you asked me what I believe?”
“Yeah,” she said, now working the sand and dust off her other boot.
“Well…what do you believe?”
Instantly Natasha stood upright, gazing at him with loving eyes. “I believe in you.”
The answer caught him completely off guard. Her words seemed to penetrate into his soul, shaking him from his fixated trance.
Jake stared; he was captivated by a beautiful vulnerability about her. She was magnificent; a vision of beauty on a backdrop of desolate emptiness.
Glancing back over her shoulder, she tried to find what had captivated his attention, but saw nothing. The glowing object had disappeared into the canyon below. Her hair seemed to dance on her shoulders as her warm eyes met his. A quizzical expression crept across her face, but behind it, all Jake could see was absolute devotion.
He felt himself momentarily lost in her strong gaze. In that moment, it all made sense: him, her and why they were there.
Jake had always stopped to appreciate life’s perfect moments. They were very rare; at any given time he would be able to recall only a handful: riding his bike for the first time, his first kiss, his first stolen embrace with Natasha. But whenever it happened, it was a moment in time he wished could last forever. As he got older he went on to believe that life’s purpose was to experience as many perfect moments the universe would permit. Feeling his heart grow heavy, he realized that this was one of those times. Jake knew this was the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with.
“You would follow me to the end of the world…and you have.”
He stepped toward her. Her quizzical look had now turned to confusion.
“What are you talking about, sweetheart?” she said with a soft smile.
Natasha had already been through so much – far more than any partner should be expected to endure. It was for that reason he could no longer drag her along his path anymore.
The black vehicles were getting closer. Jake’s ears pounded rhythmically along with the deep pulsing of the approaching chopper turbines. There was nowhere to run. If he was now going to find his answers, he could not take her where he needed to go.
He pulled her into a tight embrace and slowly kissed her. At the same time, and without her noticing, he plucked off the dog tags from around his neck.
The military vehicles were getting closer.
His arms now circling her waist, Jake slipped Reilly’s business card into Natasha’s back pocket.
Taking her by both hands, he took a step back. “YOU will be fine.”
Although confused, Natasha smiled and s
aid, “You’re not making any sense, sweetheart.”
The deep throbbing of the helicopter blades grew louder; their vibration could now be felt through the ground.
Jake felt there was so much he wanted to say; that he loved her, that he was lucky to have her in his life, that he didn’t ever want to leave her. But the words caught in his throat.
It was then that she noticed the small object he had placed in her hand.
Looking down, she opened her hand to find Jake’s dog tags, the identification tags that once belonged to his grandfather. It was something, she knew, he never parted with. They were his good luck charm when he rode.
Her smile slowly evaporated.
The helicopters were nearly upon them.
Jake let Natasha’s other hand go, and took a hesitant step back toward the idling bike. Struck with confusion, she slowly looked up at him, eyes welling, searching his eyes for an explanation.
She looked back at what was approaching, and a flash of realization raked her flesh. She felt a knot tighten in her stomach.
The canyon?!
The outlines of the fast-approaching ground vehicles were now evident. They were the same black SUVs that had pursued Jake before. The sky overhead roared; two choppers had now reached them and were hovering low, the downdraft whipping the loose sand around them into a frenzy.
Jake took another step back and shook his head. His eyes, too, were glazed, starting to well. Natasha got the terrifying message.
Her confusion turned into desperate panic. The tears overflowed, creeping down her cheek. Focused on Jake, Natasha didn’t register that the helicopters were directly above them.
“Jake…” she said desperately, “what are you doing?”
Jake took a last long look at her. He wanted to remember her in every detail. A deep emotion welled in his soul; he realized she had brought him happiness beyond measure.
“Jaaaake…?” Her voice was inaudible now above the sound of the thundering helicopter rotors. Rappelling rope dropped down in between them from one of the helicopters above.
Natasha stepped toward Jake, consumed by panic, moving as if in a dream. She didn’t notice brushing past the rope hanging from the chopper.
Natasha’s lips were moving. “What are you doing?!”
Black-clad figures poured out in synchronized motion from each side of the helicopter hovering directly above. Ropes dropped from a second helicopter nearby. Two more helicopters were closing in. The ground vehicles tore up dust and sand, spreading out as they drew closer. But Natasha was oblivious to the chaos around them.
He watched her lips again moving, muted by the thundering helicopter turbine: “JAAAAKE?!”
Jake gave his signature half-smile. He could have stood there forever with her.
She felt her chest sink. There was no way to hear him over the thundering drone of the helicopters above.
Jake’s four words ripped through her soul as she read his lips: “I have to know.”
The bulky figures had now rappelled most of the way down the ropes.
Out of time.
Jake spun around and lunged for the bike.
The first soldier to touch down leaped for Natasha, immediately restrained her from behind, and pinned her arms back.
“JAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAKE!” Her scream was primal to the core, this time audible above the thundering turbines.
Jake managed to jump clear of the second soldier touching down. Thrusting himself on the bike, he instantaneously set it in motion. The rear wheel spun, arching around until till he was pointing directly at his target. He let the throttle open full; the tires howled then clawed at the loose earth. The bike threw up a cloud of sand and dirt as it shot away with a high-pitched scream.
Beside him the desert floor tore by in a blur as he catapulted away from the aggressor’s hopeless efforts to neutralize him.
The armada of SUVs had now reached Natasha, shooting past her as they fanned out in pursuit of the speeding bike.
“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!” Natasha guttural cry was bone chilling.
Panicking, she struggled to free herself from the soldier now restraining her in the grip of his tightening bear hug. A dusty haze kicked up by the passing SUVs made it difficult for her to see Jake disappear into the distance.
Two more helicopters flew overhead. The chase was on for the bike that was now racing toward the ridge. Beyond that was a 130-foot sheer drop to the base of the canyon below.
CHAPTER 67
The bike’s tachometer dial swung passed 8000 rpm. Jake strained for more speed as his engine’s scream changed pitch from a bellowing roar to a mechanical scream as the needle entered the red zone. Before changing up into second gear he was already travelling at over 60 miles per hour.
*
From the helicopter flying over Natasha’s location, Mr. Sabre watched the bike accelerate toward the cliff in the distance, kicking up a line of sand that marked his path. In close pursuit was the formation of black SUVs.
Then something drew his attention to his far right.
A brilliant bright light was emanating from deep within the canyon. Despite his altitude, he still didn’t have a line of sight to identify the object. Yet, whatever it was, it illuminated the canyon walls from below and was approaching fast.
Focusing back on the bike, he could see that Jake would reach the canyon’s edge in only moments. And at his current speed, the bright light appeared as if it would reach the bike at the same time.
Sabre instantly connected the dots. Furious, he flicked the radio to an open channel.
With an injection of spite he ordered, “Drop the bike before it reaches the edge.”
A voice responded, “Sir, at that speed a shot at the target would mean instant…”
Sabre cut off the voice mid-sentence, intensifying his resolve. “Drop THAT bike before it reaches the edge. BRING ME MARCEL’S BODY!”
*
Sabre’s order resonated inside the lead SUV in close pursuit of Jake. Alpha looked back at his third in command, Charlie. Words weren’t necessary.
With robotic precision, Number Three switched off his assault rifle’s safety, lowered the window, hung halfway out the side of the SUV and took aim.
*
Jake shot a glance down at the speedometer: 85 miles per hour.
Packets of sand exploded just behind his rear wheel from gunfire, Jake didn’t notice. The edge of the cliff was getting closer.
Three gears to go.
100 miles per hour.
110.
The desert floor was now a blur. He was oblivious to the rifle rounds that were zinging past his head, missing by barely inches.
120.
Bullets buried themselves close behind his back wheel. His side mirror exploded in a mist of shards. The bike’s engine screamed in protest as he urged it faster toward the cliff.
135.
150.
The deep ridge that cut through the desert approached. He had no idea how far the cliff drop was to the bottom; all he could see was the cliff face on the other side of the gaping abyss.
At his right, something was illuminating the ridge walls from below. It was out of view, but Jake knew exactly what it was. It was the bright object he’d seen descending into the canyon and it was closing in on his location. He didn’t understand how, but something inside beckoned him to race toward the cliff and intercept that bright light. It was the same voice from within that reassured him he would be safe.
*
The driver of the lead SUV shot Alpha an ominous look; he realized now with fearful clarity that they would never catch the bike in time before it reached the cliff’s edge. If they didn’t start braking soon they’d be following the bike over the edge into the canyon.
Alpha acknowledged the unspoken request. Number Three ceased firing and sat back inside the speeding vehicle. The occupants of the lead SUV braced as the driver braked. The trailing SUVs followed, all braking in response.
Alpha watch
ed what was to follow in disbelief.
*
Jake knew what he was attempting was nothing less than suicidal, but for some reason he trusted the reassuring voice inside him.
160.
170.
180.
As Jake Marcel broke over the crest of the cliff he leaped as hard as he could off the bike, propelling himself into the air. Both Jake and the bike shot off the cliff’s edge.
As he catapulted through the air, with both arms reaching out in front, time seemed to slow down. It was then that he caught his first glimpse of what his grandfather knew to be real all along. The resplendent approaching object hugging the canyon floor was a disk, its diameter the length of two school buses. Its sleek silvery skin seemed to glow brilliant white from the inside out. An unexpected feeling of contentment and peace enveloped his body, penetrating every fiber of his being.
Jake had always thought that the expression of having your life flash before your eyes was just that, an expression. But it was then that he felt himself reel back in time.
In his last moments of consciousness he saw images from his life stream through his mind:
Playing as a young boy, laughing with his father;
Attending his grandfather’s funeral;
Watching his grandfather being lowered in the ground;
Holding his grandfather’s service tags;
Sitting next to Mark at school;
Sharing meals with his parents;
Meeting Natasha for the first time;
Riding his motorbike with his friends;
Looking at the stars with Natasha;
Their first stolen embrace;
Her smile, her touch.
The images now flashed past faster and faster:
Meeting Dr. Reilly;
The bike chase;
Natasha standing by the bike and smiling; her sparkling blue eyes…
The images now turned to the future, to what could have been:
Standing in a church;
Dressed in a suit before a priest;
Looking back to see Natasha in a radiant white wedding dress…
Then he was totally engulfed by an all-encompassing brilliant white light.
Disclosing the Secret Page 28