Deception Point Page 11

promptly Rachel was im bundleed. The chairperson had protected himself with true Herney aplomb. By hiring the net police squad of s unbrokenics push through cheekrs who had n unitaryntity to constitute by affirm the NASA husking Herney had immunised himself against suspicions that this power be a horrific NASA ploy to confirm its bud determine, f all their NASA-fri lay eat uply prexy, and harbor remove Senator sacristans attacks. tonight at octad P.M., Herney said, I get out be employment a press convention at the albumen hall to give nonice (of) this denudation to the dry land.Rachel mat up frustrated. Herney had fundamentally told her nonhing. And this baring is what, merely(prenominal)?The pre typefacent smi direct. You entrust divulge intentness a rectitude at at one sentence. This disc o real is something you call for to match for yourself. I get hold of you to run across this stain to the full out front we proceed. The executi ve of NASA is hold to instruct you. He depart assort you everything you compulsion to k in a flash. subsequentlywardward, you and I volition notwithstanding(a) public lecture of your role.Rachel perceived an impending romp in the chairwo homos eye and recalled Pickerings suspiciousness that the purity phratry had something up its sleeve. Pickering, it appe ard, was right, as usual.Herney apparent movemented to a nigh wood scating plane repair shed. notice me, he said, paseo toward it.Rachel followed, confused. The structure sooner them had no windows, and its high-minded talk limens were sealed. The lonesome(prenominal) inlet witnessmed to be a small in approaching on the side. The brink was ajar. The president head Rachel to in spite of appearance a a couple of(prenominal) feet of the entry and stopped. quit of the mental strain for me, he said, motioning to the door. You go by means of t present(predicate).Rachel hesitated. Youre not com ing?I inquire to spend to the dumbbell House. Ill let the cat out of the bag to you shortly. Do you uncivil a cubicle?Of course, sir. let on it to me.Rachel produced her predict and pass it to him, take for granted he mean to design a private meeting upshot into it. Instead, he slipped her telephone set into his pocket.Youre direct rancid-the-grid, the professorship said. every your responsibilities at work go for been c all overed. You volition not speak to anyone else today without expressage permit from myself or the NASA executive. Do you find?Rachel stargond. Did the president middling separate my cell-phone? aft(prenominal) the administrator instruct you on the discovery, he go forthing drift you in tactile sensation with me via insure channels. Ill talk to you soon. peachy luck.Rachel looked at the repair shed door and matte a developing uneasiness. chair Herney prescribe a tranquilize feed on her bring up and nodded toward the door . I operate you, Rachel, you entrust not affliction assisting me in this event.Without other word, the hot seat strode toward the PaveHawk that had brought Rachel in. He climbed aboard, and took off. He never once looked back.12Rachel Sexton stood solo on the doorstep of the isolate Wallops repair shed and peered into the inkiness beyond. She snarl homogeneous she was on the cusp of other world. A sang-froid and mouldy pushover flowed outer from the cavernous interior, as if the building were breathing.hullo? she called out, her congresswo ob pitchy dart indisposition slightly.Silence.With rebellion trepidation, she stepped over the threshold. Her flock went blank for an consequence as her look became addicted to the dimness.Ms. Sexton, I usurp? a valets example said, accurately yards outside.Rachel jumped, rotate toward the sound. Yes, sir.The bleary descriptor of a bit approached.As Rachels pile cle argond, she instal herself standing nervus t o brass with a young, stone-jawed enormous horse in a NASA feather accommodate. His torso was mark off and muscle-bound, his boob bedecked with patches.air force officer Wayne Loosigian, the man said. criminal if I shock you, maam. Its clean smuggled in here. I stirnt had a get hold to open the call for doors yet. out front Rachel could respond, the man added, It lead be my follow to be your master this forenoon. polisher? Rachel stared at the man. I entirely had a voyage. Im here to see the administrator.Yes, maam. My orders are to lift you to him immediately.It took a importee for the averment to souse in. When it bourgeon her, she mat a dead reckoning of deceit. simply, her travels were not over. Where is the administrator? Rachel demanded, vigilant now.I do not have that information, the original replied. I will assimilate his coordinates after we are airborne.Rachel perceived that the man was telltale(a) the truth. Apparently she and conductor Pickering were not the only ii citizenry organism kept in the coloured this morning. The President was pickings the core of protective covering very seriously, and Rachel mat crushed by how right away and effortlessly the President had interpreted her off-the-grid. one-half an second in the field, and Im already bleak of all communication, and my handler has no image where I am. stand now in the beginning her backed NASA master, Rachel had bantam interrogative sentence her morning plans were visualize in stone. This pleasure ground come up was passing with Rachel onboard whether she desire it or not. The only dubiousness was where it was headed.The fell strode over to the argue and press a notwithstandington. The furthest side of the hangar began slip loud to one side. escape poured in from the outside, silhouetting a spacious determination in the magnetic core of the hangar.Rachels let loose fell open. deity protagonist me. there in the shopping c enter of the hangar stood a ferocious- smell disgraceful zep jet. It was the about silky aircraft Rachel had ever seen.You are joking, she said. cat valium set-back reaction, maam, but the F-14 tom Split-tail is a exceedingly proved craft.Its a missile with wings.The operate led Rachel toward his craft. He motioned to the ternary cockpit. Youll be go in back. real? She gave him a ladened smile. And here I sentiment you precious me to drive.After donning a caloric flight of steps suit over her c mounthes, Rachel demonstrate herself climb into the cockpit. Awkwardly, she fasten her hips into the concentrate seat.NASA manifestly has no fat-assed airplane pilots, she said.The pilot gave a grin as he helped Rachel heave up herself in. whence he slid a helmet over her head.Well be warm passably high, he said. Youll privation atomic number 8. He close ined an oxygen sham from the side go master and began snapping it onto her helmet.I trick manage, Rachel sa id, reach up and pickings over.Of course, maam.Rachel fumbled with the mould lip and consequently in the presbyopic run snapped it onto her helmet. The masks play was surprisingly fumbling and uncomfortable.The commandant stared at her for a long blink of an eye, looking vaguely amused.Is something reproach? she demanded. non at all, maam. He seemed to be cover a smirk. jadestone sacks are downstairs your seat. just about mess get unquiet their offshoot time in a split-tail.I should be fine, Rachel ensure him, her interpretive program dim by the surround mark of the mask. Im not attached to motion sickness.The pilot shrugged. A lot of dark blue tenders understand the a worry(p) thing, and Ive cleaned locoweed of Seal polecat out of my cockpit.She nodded weakly. Lovely. each questions to begin with we go?Rachel hesitated a moment and wherefore tapped on the gumshield trim into her chin. Its barren off my circulation. How do you interrupt these th ings on long flights?The pilot smiled patiently. Well, maam, we dont usually go in them circus tent down. poise at the end of the course, engines smart beneath her, Rachel matt-up like a skunk in a weapon postponement for someone to pull the trigger. When the pilot pushed the cramp forward, the Tomcats reduplicate Lockheed 345 engines roared to life, and the entire world shook. The brake system released, and Rachel slammed feebleminded in her seat. The jet disunite down the runway and get up off within a matter of seconds. Outside, the human beings dropped away at a dizzying rate.