Deception Point Page 92

Through the darkness, a staccato burst from the weave of the chop sent a torrent of bullets chewing crossways the Goyas fibreglass deck, slashing a line crossways the stern. Rachel dove for c over as well late and matte up the searing slash of a bullet graze her arm. She turn over the ground hard, then rolled, scrambling to liquidate behind the bulbous transparent noggin of the Triton submersible.A thundering of rotors exploded overhead as the chopper swooped past the ship. The noise evaporated with an eerie hiss as the chopper rocketed let forbidden over the ocean and began a wide bank for a guerrilla pass.Lying trembling on the deck, Rachel held her arm and looked lynchpin at Tolland and Corky. obviously having lunged to cover behind a storage structure, the two men were instanter staggering to their feet, their eyes scanning the skies in terror. Rachel pulled herself to her knees. The entire world all at once makemed to be moving in slow motion.Crouched behind the transparent curved shape of the Triton sub, Rachel looked in panic toward their only means of escape-the Coast sentry go helicopter. Xavia was already climbing into the choppers cabin, frantically waving for everyone to get aboard. Rachel could see the wing lunging into the cockpit, wildly throwing switches and levers. The blades began to turn ever so slowly.Too slowly. urge onRachel felt herself standing direct, preparing to run, wondering if she could make it across the deck before the attackers do another pass. Behind her, she heard Corky and Tolland dashing toward her and the waiting helicopter. Yes HurryThen she saw it.A hundred yards step up, up in the sky, materializing out of empty darkness, a pencil-thin beam of red demoralize slanted across the night, searching the Goyas deck. Then, finding its mark, the beam came to a stop on the boldness of the waiting Coast Guard chopper.The image took only an instant to register. In that horrific moment, Rachel felt all the act ion on the deck of the Goya bull into a collage of shapes and sounds. Tolland and Corky dashing toward her-Xavia motioning wildly in the helicopter-the ascetical red laser slicing across the night sky.It was too late.Rachel spun back toward Corky and Tolland, who were running full speed now toward the helicopter. She lunged outward into their path, implements of war outstretched trying to stop them. The collision felt like a train wreck as the three of them crashed to the deck in a tangle of arms and legs.In the distance, a flash of white light appeared. Rachel watched in disbelief and horror as a perfectly tasteful line of exhaust fire followed the path of the laser beam this instant toward the helicopter.When the Hellfire missile slammed into the fuselage, the helicopter exploded apart like a toy. The concussion wave of heat and noise thundered across the deck as flaming shrapnel rained down. The helicopters flaming skeleton lurched backward on its shattered tail, teetered a moment, and then fell off the back of the ship, crashing into the ocean in a hissing cloud of steam.Rachel closed her eyes, unable to breathe. She could hear the flaming wreckage gurgling and pop as it sank, being dragged away from the Goya by the heavy currents. In the chaos, Michael Tollands fathom was yelling. Rachel felt his powerful hands trying to pull her to her feet. But she could not move.The Coast Guard pilot and Xavia are dead.Were next.111The weather on the Milne scum Shelf had settled, and the habisphere was quiet. Even so, NASA administrator Lawrence Ekstrom had not even tried to sleep. He had spent the hours alone, pacing the dome, staring into the extraction pit, running his hands over the grooves in the giant charred rock.Finally, hed made up his mind.Now he taunt at the videophone in the habispheres PSC tank and looked into the weary eyes of the President of the joined States. Zach Herney was wearing a bathrobe and did not look at all amused. Ekstrom knew he wo uld be significantly less amused when he learned what Ekstrom had to see him.When Ekstrom finished talking, Herney had an uncomfortable look on his face-as if he thought he must still be too asleep to have dumb correctly.Hold on, Herney said. We must have a bad connection. Did you just give out me that NASA intercepted this meteorites coordinates from an emergency piano tuner transmission-and then pretended that PODS found the meteorite?Ekstrom was silent, alone in the dark, forgeting his body to awake from this nightmare.The silence clearly did not sit well with the President. For Christs sake, Larry, tell me this isnt trueEkstroms mouth went dry. The meteorite was found, Mr. President. That is all thats relevant here.I said tell me this is not trueThe hush swelled to a dull roar in Ekstroms ears. I had to tell him, Ekstrom told himself. Its acquittance to get worse before it gets better. Mr. President, the PODS failure was killing you in the polls, sir. When we intercepted a wireless transmission that mentioned a large meteorite lodged in the ice, we saw a come up to get back in the fight.Herney sounded stunned. By faking a PODS discovery?PODS was going to be up and running soon, tho not soon complete for the election. The polls were slipping, and sexton was slamming NASA, so Are you insane You lied to me, LarryThe prospect was staring us in the face, sir. I decided to take it. We intercepted the radio transmission of the Canadian who made the meteorite discovery. He died in a storm. nonentity else knew the meteorite was there. PODS was orbiting in the area. NASA needed a victory. We had the coordinates.Why are you telling me this now?I thought you should know.Do you know what Sexton would do with this teaching if he found out?Ekstrom preferred not to think roughly it.Hed tell the world that NASA and the White House lied to the American mass And you know what, hed be rightYou did not lie, sir, I did. And I will step down if-Larry, youre missi ng the point. Ive tried to run this presidency on truth and decency Goddamn it Tonight was clean. Dignified. Now I find out I lied to the world?Only a small lie, sir.Theres no such thing, Larry, Herney said, steaming.Ekstrom felt the tiny room closing in roughly him. There was so much more to tell the President, but Ekstrom could see it should wait until morning. Im sorry to have woken you, sir. I just thought you should know. crossways town, Sedgewick Sexton took another hit of cognac and paced his apartment with rising irritation.Where the hell is Gabrielle?112Gabrielle Ashe sit down in the darkness at Senator Sextons desk and gave his computing machine a despondent scowl. remove Password Access DeniedShe had tried several other passwords that seemed likely possibilities, but none had worked. After searching the office for any unlocked short pants or stray clues, Gabrielle had all but given up. She was about to renounce when she spotted something odd, shimmering on Sextons d esk calendar. Someone had outlined the date of the election in a red, white, and blue glitter pen. Certainly not the senator. Gabrielle pulled the calendar closer. Emblazoned across the date was a frilly, glittering exclamation POTUSSextons ebullient secretary had apparently glitterpainted some more positive thinking for him for election day. The acronym POTUS was the U.S. Secret Services edict name for President of the United States. On election day, if all went well, Sexton would become the new POTUS.Preparing to leave, Gabrielle realigned the calendar on his desk and stood up. She paused suddenly, glancing back at the computer screen.Enter Password_She looked again at the calendar.