Deception Point Page 98

Jesus Christ.The control looked back at the pack of cards. Delta-Two still hung in the Tritons claws, only now the sub was suspended over a gaping gob in the deck. His feet dangled over the void. All Tolland had to do was release the claws, and Delta-Two would be next.Okay, the control barked into the CrypTalk. Hold on. Just hold onRachel stood below on the deck and st ard up at the Kiowa. Even from this height the dominance sensed the conciliate in her eyes. Rachel raised the CrypTalk to her m proscribedh. You still think were bluffing? she said. Call the main plugboard at the NRO. Ask for Jim Samiljan. Hes in P A on the nightshift. I told him everything ab kayoed the meteorite. He will confirm.Shes giving me a specific send for? This did not bode well. Rachel Sexton was no fool, and this was a bluff the controller could check in a intimacy of seconds. Although the controller knew of no iodin at the NRO named Jim Samiljan, the organization was enormous. Rachel could quite p ossibly be telling the truth. in advance ordering the final kill, the controller had to confirm if this was a bluff-or not.Delta-One looked over his shoulder. You sine qua non me to deactivate the jammer so you can cry (out) and check it out?The controller peered down at Rachel and Tolland, both in plain view. If either of them defend a function for a cellphone or radio, the controller knew Delta-One could endlessly reactivate and cut them off. The risk was minimal.Kill the jammer, the controller said, pulling out a cellphone. Ill confirm Rachels lying. Then well find a way to overprotect Delta-Two and end this.In Fair autotype, the operator at the NROs central switchboard was acquire impatient. As I just told you, I see no Jim Samiljan in the Plans and Analysis Division.The caller was insistent. Have you essay multiple spellings? Have you tried other departments?The operator had already checked, but she checked again. After some(prenominal) seconds, she said, Nowhere on s taff do we have a Jim Samiljan. infra any spelling.The caller sounded oddly pleased by this. So you are certain the NRO employs no Jim Samil-A sudden flurry of activity erupted on the line. Someone yelled. The caller cursed aloud and promptly hung up.Onboard the Kiowa, Delta-One was screaming with furore as he scrambled to reactivate the jamming system. He had do the realization too late. In the huge array of lighted controls in the cockpit, a tiny LED meter indicated that a SATCOM data planetary house was being transmitted from the Goya. But how? Nobody left the deck beforehand Delta-One could engage the jammer, the connection from the Goya terminated on its own accord.Inside the hydrolab, the fax machine beeped contentedly.CARRIER FOUND FAX SENT121Kill or be killed. Rachel had discovered a part of herself she never knew existed. Survival mode-a risky fortitude fueled by apprehension.What was in that outbound fax? the division on the CrypTalk de valetded.Rachel was relieved to hear confirmation that the fax had gone out as planned. Leave the area, she demanded, speaking into the CrypTalk and glaring up at the hovering chopper. Its over. Your privy(p) is out. Rachel informed their attackers of all the information she had just sent. A half 12 pages of images and text. Incontrovertible evidence that the meteorite was a fake. Harming us will only make your situation worse. there was a heavy pause. Who did you send the fax to?Rachel had no intention of answering that question. She and Tolland filmed to buy as very much conviction as possible. They had positioned themselves near the haveing in the deck, on a bear line with the Triton, making it impossible for the chopper to shoot without hitting the soldier dangling in the subs claws.William Pickering, the voice guessed, sounding oddly hopeful. You faxed Pickering.Wrong, Rachel thought. Pickering would have been her firstborn choice, but she had been forced to choose someone else for fear her attack ers had already eliminated Pickering-a move whose boldness would be a chilling testimony to her enemys resolve. In a moment of desperate decision, Rachel had faxed the data to the only other fax spot she knew by heart.Her arrives office.Senator Sextons office fax number had been painfully engraved into Rachels remembering after her mothers death when her father chose to work out many of the particulars of the soil without having to deal with Rachel in someone. Rachel never imagined she would turn to her father in a time of need, but tonight the man possessed two diminutive qualities-all the correct political motivations to release the meteorite data without hesitation, and enough clout to call the White House and blackmail them into calling off this kill squad.Although her father was most certainly not in the office at this hour, Rachel knew he kept his office locked like a vault. Rachel had, in effect, faxed the data into a time-lock safe. Even if the attackers knew where she had sent it, chances were slim they could get through the tight federal official security at the Philip A. Hart Senate Office Building and break into a senators office without anyone noticing.Wherever you sent the fax, the voice from above said. Youve put that person in danger.Rachel knew she had to speak from a position of power regardless of the fear she was feeling. She motioned to the soldier trapped in the Tritons claws. His legs dangled over the abyss, dripping blood 30 feet to the ocean. The only person in danger here is your agent, she said into the CrypTalk. Its over. cover song off. The data is gone. Youve lost. Leave the area, or this man dies.The voice on the CrypTalk laid-off back, Ms. Sexton, you do not substantiate the importance-Understand? Rachel exploded. I understand that you killed stark people I understand that you lied about the meteorite And I understand that you wont get away with this Even if you kill us all, its overThere was a long pause. Finally the voice said, Im coming down.Rachel felt her muscles tighten. advent down?I am unarmed, the voice said. Do not do anything rash. You and I need to talk face-to-face.Before Rachel could react, the chopper dropped onto the Goyas deck. The passenger verge on the fuselage opened and a figure stepped out. He was a plain-looking man in a black coat and tie. For an instant, Rachels thoughts went totally blank.She was staring at William Pickering.William Pickering stood on the deck of the Goya and gazed with regret at Rachel Sexton. He had never imagined directly would come to this. As he moved toward her, he could see the grave combination of emotions in his employees eyes.Shock, betrayal, confusion, rage.All understandable, he thought. There is so much she does not understand.For a moment, Pickering flashed on his daughter, Diana, wondering what emotions she had felt before she died. some(prenominal) Diana and Rachel were casualties of the same war, a war Pickering had vowed to fight forever. Sometimes the casualties could be so cruel.Rachel, Pickering said. We can still work this out. Theres a lot I need to explain.Rachel Sexton looked aghast, nauseated almost. Tolland had the machine gun now and was aiming at Pickerings chest. He too looked bewildered.Stay back Tolland yelled.Pickering stopped five yards away, focusing on Rachel. Your father is taking bribes, Rachel. Payoffs from private space companies. He plans to dismantle NASA and open space to the private sector. He had to be stopped, as a matter of national security.Rachels expression was blank.