“Hi, short stuff,” he said as he saw several men and women passing by in the large hallway on Level 7, enough that any more intimate contact was out of the question.
“Colonel Collins,” Sarah said formally.
“What’s all this?” he asked, waving his hand at the armload of thick books.
Sarah didn’t answer at first and actually lowered her eyes before speaking.
“They’re nothing, geological stuff, far beneath your pay grade.”
Jack saw the look that said I can’t talk about it, and was about to comment on her shortened answer when the elevator arrived with a gentle air-assisted swoosh. He stepped back and allowed Sarah to enter first, and then he followed. A man in a white coat stepped up but saw the look on Jack’s face and the simple tilt of his head that suggested he should probably catch the next elevator. The doors closed.
“Level, please?” the computerized Europa asked in her Marilyn Monroe voice.
“Thirty-five,” Jack said, not caring what level Sarah needed. “Okay, what gives? You, Niles, and Virginia have been cooped up in the science departments for four straight days while the rest of us have been cooling our heels.”
Sarah watched the LED numbers beside the elevator doors descend as the air-cushioned ride accelerated.
“Europa, can you stop here please and secure the elevator?” Sarah asked, looking at Collins.
“Please state emergency,” Europa said, as the elevator came to an abrupt but gentle stop.
“No emergency,” Sarah said, as she took a deep breath and then went to her tiptoes. She gave Jack a deep, long kiss, so hard that neither noticed three of her books fall to the carpeted elevator floor. She pulled back and looked at him for the longest time. “We’re trying to get a handle on this mineral, but so far we’re having no luck at all. This afternoon we finally got a linkup with Jet Propulsion Lab and a chance to watch as they tried to bring the rover John back online. They’re hoping we can view the devastation inside Shackleton.”
“That’s not all there is. I know you, Lieutenant, and as nice as your kisses are, I’m not accepting the bribe for my silence. Now what’s going on?”
“Have Will and Jason received their orders yet?” she asked, reaching down to retrieve her fallen books. That was when Jack noticed a large manila-colored book that had nothing to do with geology: the NASA and United States Air Force training manual for space operations.
“What orders?” he asked, his eyes finally leaving the manual and locking on Sarah’s.
“All I know is that Ryan and Mendenhall are being assigned to my team. Nothing more than that.”
“Why do you need a security element in a lab?” he asked. His eyes bore so deeply into her own that Sarah had to turn away.
“Jack, I love you, and you know that, but I’m also an officer in the Army, just like you. You follow orders and so do I.”
“Okay, short stuff. Keep your little secret,” Collins said as he handed her the last fallen book. It was on the mineral properties of meteorites. “But keep in mind that whatever Niles and the president are cooking up, people are starting to die over this thing.”
“Jack, we know that, and I wish I could tell you everything, but I just don’t know. I do know you, though, and you can’t storm into Niles’s office and demand that I be kept safe. Whatever they have planned, if you want me to back away from my job, I’ll do it, for you. But it has to be me doing the requesting, not you.”
Collins reached out and hit the blinking Level 35 button again, overriding Sarah’s request for the car to stop.
“You know I won’t do that,” he said, his eyes cast down. He turned and smiled at McIntire. She smiled in return. “Not because you’re an officer in the Army, but because I love you too and would never ask you not to do your job because of that love.”
The elevator came to a stop and Europa announced that they had arrived. As the doors opened Pete Golding was standing there. He looked surprised to see both Jack and Sarah.
“Oh, hello, Colonel,” he said, adjusting the thick glasses on his nose.
“Pete,” Collins said, stepping out of the car. He looked back at Sarah as Golding stepped inside. He winked as the doors started sliding closed.
Before the door closed, Jack heard Pete say, “I’m glad I ran into you, Sarah. Europa wants your exact measurements. NASA needs them ASAP.”
“Damn it,” Jack said as he turned and went to find Niles.
* * *
Jack finally tracked Niles down in the astrophysics lab on Level 35. When he walked inside he saw that the entire division was present. Most of the technicians and scientists were sitting at computer consoles and the rest were studying virtual reality diagrams projected onto every inch of wall space. Collins saw designs he had seen as a kid from the Apollo program. These were being studied and modified by the people Jack knew as the best in the astrophysics business. He saw Niles in the far corner conferring with Virginia Pollock and when Compton finally noticed Jack standing at the door he nodded once to Virginia and excused himself.
Niles once more looked tired and ragged, his white shirt stained with ink at the front pocket and the slight rim of hair that circled his head uncombed and messy. He smiled as he stepped up and faced Jack.
“I figured you would come looking for me before too long,” he said as he removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes. “Jack, the president has more than enough to handle at the moment, Ecuador is really pushing Interpol to get that arrest warrant to the State Department.”
Jack remained silent as his eyes moved from Niles toward the far wall, where he saw the projected image of the Ares VII rocket. It was being moved by crawler to an assembly area at what looked like one of the Western Air Force bases. That meant it was either Vandenberg or March. His bet would be the Vandenberg launch facility in Central California.
“What in the hell is going on here, Niles?” he finally asked as a flurry of activity near one of the engineering stations drew his eyes. “I see the president’s not taking any chances like the Russians did.”
Niles placed his glasses back on and looked at the image of the giant Ares being moved toward the second assembly building at Vandenberg.
“The Chinese are only two weeks away from launch. We’ve learned from NSA and CIA resources that they have a totally viable system in the Chinese Lunar Exploration Program, or CLEP. They’re far more advanced than Western intelligence ever thought possible. They actually have two ready-to-go platforms and are capable of placing twenty men and women on the Moon.” Niles turned back to face Jack. “We’ve also learned that as many as fifteen of those may be Chinese Special Forces personnel, but we’re still gathering intel on that.”
“What you’re saying is they’re preparing to introduce armed force into this thing?”
“Yes. At least I’m convinced that they are. The president, not so much.”
“Are they fully capable?” Jack asked, remembering the books Sarah was carrying.
“The China National Space Administration has every intention of not only recovering the mineral and technology from the surface of the Moon, they intend to hold their ground with a series of launches, possibly creating a permanent or at least rotating presence on the Moon.” Niles took Jack by the arm and steered him toward an empty corner of the massive room. “The Chinese have adapted no fewer than six of their heavy-lift Long March launch vehicles for lunar operations. They have the landers and science to back this up. Everyone was caught off guard—again.”
“Jesus,” Collins muttered.
“In two weeks they plan to launch at least two systems from their Xichang Satellite Launch Center northwest of Xichang City. They really screwed the European Space Agency. They stole a lot of their hardware and software technology for the missions.”
“The damn world is going to turn the Moon into an armed camp,” Jack said, looking harshly at Niles. “You know what happens when you get a bunch of soldiers together in an intense environment and they all have
guns, don’t you, Niles?”
Compton rubbed his temples.
“People start shooting each other,” Jack said as he shook his head. “Tell the president the priority is on Earth, Niles. We have leads on where to find Columbus right here, so why risk the lives of people by sending them out there?” he asked, gesturing angrily toward the sky.
“Jack, the president is basing his decision on my recommendation, and there are elements that outweigh … well, we need to be in on this for reasons I can’t go into right now. That’s a presidential order—the hanging kind, if disobeyed.”
Collins was taken aback. He had never known Niles Compton to take the extreme measure before the practical. The look in the director’s eyes was one of determination, and Jack knew he had better not push the issue further, at least not yet. He hoped Niles wasn’t feeling power-hungry in a way that would taint his decisions.
“Do you think you’re using your influence with the president a little outside the lines of what’s proper, Mr. Director?”
Niles looked at Jack and his features were a cross between hurt and anger.
“I guess that’s for the president to decide, Colonel,” he answered, but he saw that Collins immediately regretted what he had said.
“I’m sorry, Niles,” Jack said. He took a step back and rubbed his eyes. “That was uncalled for.”
“Jack, what if we don’t find Columbus or if we can’t get into Ecuador even to search? What’s our backup?”
“That’s why the president has to allow me and a team to get our asses to Germany.”
Compton turned away from Jack and watched the harried activity around him. He smiled to himself and shook his head.
“Jack, Interpol will be on you like hounds. They’re taking this murder thing seriously. They want you and Carl pretty bad. The president suspects the Ecuadorians are being pushed by someone.”
“Better people than Interpol have wanted my ass before, Niles.” Collins watched Compton to see how he reacted to what he said next. “I noticed you didn’t include Mendenhall and Ryan in that statement. The last I knew they were with Carl and me in Ecuador.”
“You sneaky son of a—!” Compton paused. “What do you know?”
“Nothing, I just observe when I’m down here, that’s all.” Jack picked up a small electronic device. He looked it over and placed it back on the console.
“Okay, Jason and Will are being reassigned to a team being led by Lieutenant McIntire. That’s all I can say for now, Jack. This is a NASA thing, not mine.” He took Collins by the arm and looked into his eyes. “I can tell you that what you’re worried about is remote. There are two elements, or teams, ahead of hers.”
“We can stop all this madness, Niles. Let me and Carl get to Germany before it’s too late.”
“And what if you’re caught and extradited to Ecuador?” Niles asked with a tinge of anger in his voice.
“Well, we’ll need to go back there eventually anyway,” Collins said with a smirk. “All kidding aside, Niles, we may be able to prevent something really bad from happening. In case you hadn’t noticed, we have some very well equipped people out there who aren’t all that thrilled about outer space and what it has to offer.”
“I know that,” Niles said. He mentally surrendered and waved Virginia over to where they were standing.
“Jack,” she said, pushing her hands into her lab coat.
Collins nodded and looked at Niles, who had made a decision.
“Virginia, cut the colonel and Captain Everett orders releasing them from duty at the complex. They are on extended leave for the next five days.” He looked at Jack.
“Okay,” she said, turning to face Collins. “Going fishing again, Jack?” A smirk of her own stretched across her pretty face.
“Yeah, something like that. Look, since we won’t have Mendenhall, I need someone who’s good with Europa on a mobile terminal. Can you spare anyone?”
Niles lowered his head in thought. He looked at Virginia and then at Collins.
“We’re in the planning stages of what we need to do. I have the entire computing staff at my disposal and I have Virginia. That leaves our resident genius Pete Golding free. Take him.”
Collins looked from Niles to a surprised Virginia. Neither could hide their shock at the mention of Pete’s name.
“I appreciate the offer, but Pete has exactly zero hours in the field. This could get a little dicey.”
“I understand that, but with Pete you have a fighting chance of discovering something others would overlook. He’s the best, and you need every advantage you can get. He’ll dig up a starting point for you. Leave him on the plane if you have to, but take him.”
“Okay, Pete it is.” Jack knew that they did need someone good. They were going to Germany without really knowing who it was they were looking for. “I also want Doc Ellenshaw. He’s down in the Crypto Department doing absolutely nothing, and we just happen to be dealing with something that’s not just about the past but may be about our entire history. Ellenshaw irritates Pete to do better. And besides, I like the way the doc thinks out of the box.”
The director looked happy that Jack seemed satisfied. Then the happiness fled as Collins faced Niles and Virginia, focusing finally on the director.
“Can I ask a question that you probably won’t answer?”
“Of course.”
“Why did the president choose you to coordinate something this big when it’s obviously out of your area of expertise?”
Niles ignored Jack’s question. “You got Charlie and Pete and your orders. Good luck, Colonel.” Niles started turning away to get back to the amazing work going on in the science department. Then he stopped and turned back to face Collins. “Colonel, if you get caught, I don’t know if we can help you,” Compton said. He watched Jack, who had already turned for the door. “And take care of those two professors. I happen to like them.”
“Say good-bye to Lieutenant McIntire and tell her she better not do anything stupid while I’m gone.”
“Jack, did you hear what I said?” Niles asked. Collins reached the doorway and then turned and looked at both Niles and Virginia.
“Mr. Director, concentrate on the what if’s of getting those people back if you have to send them up there. That’s a little more unforgiving than being caught by Interpol.”
As they watched Collins leave the lab, Niles looked at his deputy director.
“He’s got a point, doesn’t he?”
“That’s one thing I’ve noticed, Niles,” Virginia said, as she watched the door closing behind Jack. “The colonel always has a good point.”
FAITH MINISTRIES, INC., LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
The meeting was as tense as McCabe had ever had with the billionaire head of Faith Ministries.
“I really don’t understand your anger,” he said to Rawlins. Rawlins’s daughter stood by the window without comment and without much expression during the whole meeting. “We have stopped the Russian project dead in its tracks with a minimal expenditure of men and material, and placed the blame on our friend the Mechanic just as planned. He’s none the wiser. We now know that this Compton is linked to the intrusion of Colonel Collins and his men down in Ecuador. We have the government of that nation on our side thanks to your bribes, so now we have the upper hand there also.”
“The point of my daughter killing this Compton was to send a message to the president, telling him in no uncertain terms that there is a growing groundswell of religious passion he has to deal with.” Rawlings spat the words. “Killing his front man would have given him pause. Just look at the thousands of God’s people who protest in front of the president’s home. He cannot ignore the facts any longer—going into space is not the Lord’s will.”
“I don’t know what world you live in sometimes, but the killing of one man rarely deters a president from doing what he needs to do. My intelligence people have linked the president with Niles Compton. They’re old school buddies. Killing him woul
d have had the opposite effect of what you desired. So please, allow me to conduct the operations as I see fit, or you can go about them alone.”
For the first time in the meeting, Rawlins was silenced. McCabe saw him take a breath and then his eyes wandered to Laurel’s back. Her arms were crossed and her body stiff.
“Your daughter’s desire for excitement, while dangerous, can be assuaged if she wishes. The last remaining man who can pinpoint the burial site for Columbus has been found in Munich and preparations for his elimination are progressing. If Laurel wishes, she can accompany the Mechanic when he goes to Germany to take care of this gentleman.”
Both Rawlins and McCabe turned their eyes toward Laurel. She finally turned and looked at McCabe. He saw that the storm in her features had not yet subsided.
“To watch as your little pet terrorist does the wet work?”
“Laurel, you’re still learning. Anything more at this time could get a little dangerous,” Rawlins said, standing and attempting to hug his elder daughter. She angrily threw his arms off and continued to stare at her now ex-lover McCabe.
The former Army officer finally smiled and stood.
“Okay. I’ll send you to meet with the Mechanic and I’ll order him to allow you to have your warped fun. Right now he’s in California making plans. Your plane leaves for Germany in eight hours.”
A smile crossed her face. She looked from McCabe to her father. He wasn’t smiling.
“I never imagined you were so dedicated to the Lord that you would offer yourself up as a sacrifice to his cause,” he said, placing his hands on her shoulders. He pulled her to him and hugged her. “I pray it’s not for the want of blood that you do these things.”
She maneuvered her head so she could see McCabe. He saw her smile, her eyes ablaze with passion—not for the Lord but for the thrill she was getting as she realized that she would soon have a man’s life in her hands, a life she fully intended to take.
Legacy: An Event Group Thriller Page 18