Deception Point Page 80

Do you put on dogs, Dr. Harper?He glanced up. Im sorry?I just thought it was odd. You told me that shortly after this Canadian geologist radioed in the meteorite coordinates, his ride dogs ran blindly into a crevasse? in that location was a storm. They were off course.Gabrielle shrugged, letting her incredulity show. Yeah okay.Harper clearly sensed her hesitation. What are you saying?I dont know. Theres just a lot of coincidence surrounding this discovery. A Canadian geologist transmits meteorite coordinates on a frequency that only NASA can hear? And then his sled dogs run blindly off a cliff? She paused. You simply understand that this geologists death paved the flair for this entire NASA triumph.The color beat(p) from Harpers face. You think the administrator would kill over this meteorite.Big politics. Big m iodiny, Gabrielle thought. permit me talk to the senator and well be in touch. Is there a back way out of here?Gabrielle Ashe left a pale Chris Harper and descended a fire stairwell into a deserted alley behind NASA. She flagged d birth a taxi that had just dropped off more NASA celebrators.Westbrooke Place Luxury Apartments, she told the driver. She was near to make Senator Sexton a much happier man.94Wondering what she had concord to, Rachel stood near the entrance of the G4 cockpit, stretching a radio transceiver cable into the cabin so she could place her clamor out of earshot of the pilot. Corky and Tolland looked on. Although Rachel and NRO managing director William Pickering had planned to maintain radio silence until her arrival at Bollings channelise Force Base outdoors of D.C., Rachel now had information she was certain Pickering would imply to hear immediately. She had phoned his secure cellular, which he carried at all times.When William Pickering came on the line, he was all business. Speak with care, please. I cannot guarantee this connection.Rachel understood. Pickerings cellular, like most NRO guinea pig phones, had an i ndicator that detected unsecured incoming calls. Because Rachel was on a radiophone, one of the least secure communication modes available, Pickerings phone had warned him. This conversation would need to be vague. No names. No locations.My voice is my identity, Rachel said, using the standard field salutation in this situation. She had expected the directors response would be displeasure that she had risked fulfiling him, but Pickerings response sounded positive.Yes, I was about to make contact with you myself. We need to redirect. Im concerned you whitethorn have a welcoming party.Rachel felt a sudden trepidation. someone is watching us. She could hear the danger in Pickerings tone. Redirect. He would be blithe to know she had called to make that exact request, albeit for entirely different reasons.The hump of authenticity, Rachel said. Weve been discussing it. We whitethorn have a way to confirm or deny categorically.Excellent. There have been developments, and at least the n I would have straight ground on which to proceed.The proof involves our making a quick stop. wholeness of us has access to a laboratory facility-No exact locations, please. For your own safety.Rachel had no intention of broadcasting her plans over this line. Can you get us clearance to land at GAS-AC?Pickering was silent a moment. Rachel sensed he was trying to process the word. GAS-AC was an obscure NRO gisting shorthand for the Coast Guards Group air travel Station Atlantic City. Rachel hoped the director would know it.Yes, he terminally said. I can arrange that. Is that your final destination?No. We will require further helicopter transport.An aircraft will be waiting.Thank you.I press you exercise extreme caution until we know more. Speak to no one. Your suspicions have drawn deep concern among powerful parties.Tench, Rachel thought, wishing she had managed to make contact with the prexy like a shot.I am currently in my car, en street to fill the woman in question. Sh e has requested a private merging in a neutral location. It should reveal much.Pickering is tearaway(a) somewhere to meet Tench? Whatever Tench was going to tell him must be important if she refused to tell him on the phone.Pickering said, Do not discuss your final coordinates with anyone. And no more radio contact. Is that clear?Yes, sir. Well be at GAS-AC in an hour.Transport will be arranged. When you reach your ultimate destination, you can call me via more secure channels. He paused. I cannot overstate the importance of muteness to your safety. You have made powerful enemies tonight. Take appropriate caution. Pickering was gone.Rachel felt puree as she closed the connection and turned to Tolland and Corky.Change of destination? Tolland said, face eager for answers.Rachel nodded, feeling reluctant. The Goya.Corky sighed, glancing down at the meteorite sample in his hand. I still cant imagine NASA could possibly have He timid off, looking more worried with every passing mi nute.Well know in brief enough, Rachel thought.She went into the cockpit and returned the radio transceiver. Glancing out the windscreen at the rolling plateau of moony clouds racing beneath them, she had the unsettling feeling they were not going to like what they base onboard Tollands ship.95William Pickering felt an unusual solitude as he control his sedan down the Leesburg Highway. It was almost 200 A.M., and the road was empty. It had been years since hed been driving this late.Marjorie Tenchs raspy voice still grated on his mind. Meet me at the FDR Memorial.Pickering seek to recall the last time he had seen Marjorie Tench face-to-face-never a beautiful experience. It had been two months ago. At the White House. Tench was seated opposite Pickering at a long oak table surrounded by members of the national Security Council, Joint Chiefs, CIA, President Herney, and the administrator of NASA.Gentlemen, the head of the CIA had said, looking directly at Marjorie Tench. Yet aga in, I am before you to urge this court to confront the ongoing security crisis of NASA.The declaration took no one in the room by surprise. NASAs security woes had become a tired issue in the intuition community. Two days previously, more than three cardinal high-resolution satellite photos from one of NASAs earth-observing satellites had been stolen by hackers out of a NASA database. The photos-inadvertently revelation a classified U.S. military training facility in uniting Africa-had turned up on the black market, where they had been purchased by hostile intelligence agencies in the Middle East.Despite the best of intentions, the CIA director said with a weary voice, NASA continues to be a threat to national security. Simply put, our home agency is not equipped to protect the data and technologies they develop.I realize, the President replied, that there have been indiscretions. Damaging leaks. And it troubles me deeply. He motioned across the table to the do-nothing face o f NASA administrator Lawrence Ekstrom. We are yet again looking into ways to tighten NASAs security.With due respect, the CIA director said, whatever security changes NASA implements will be ineffective as long as NASA operations remain outside the umbrella of the United States intelligence community.The statement brought an uneasy rustle from those assembled. Everyone knew where this was headed.