“And she wants it all nicely contained at a location she has control over,” Uri said. He, too, was starting to have his doubts about LaForgue’s motives.
On their way to the officer’s quarters, Emily looked around. Not too much could be seen, now that it was dark, but one thing was apparent; complete lack of activity. She’d noticed that when they first arrived.
The hot air was just as stifling as earlier on.
“Not much seems to go on here,” she said to Uri.
“Don’t be fooled,” he said. “There are over two thousand scientists, technicians and military personnel actively engaged in a variety of tasks as we speak.”
She looked at him questioningly.
“Everything that goes on happens underground,” he explained. “Most of the hangars you see here are interconnected. Beneath us are over forty-five acres of workshops, factories and propulsion test labs. It goes down four levels with the most secure being the lowest. There are computer centres, accommodations, mess halls and gymnasiums. We also have a small shopping complex.”
“Four levels,” Nathan said. “Are you supposed to be telling us this?”
“It’s on public domain,” Uri said. “But listed as storage of old military hardware left over from the cold war.”
“Will we be working underneath one of the hangars?” Nathan asked.
“No,” Uri said, turning to face a distant building.
Nathan followed his gaze.
“You will be stationed there. It’s a two storey block but goes underground seven levels. You’ll be at Level-2.”
“Not being funny,” Nathan said. “But does that have something to do with our clearance?”
“You’ll find that we tend to take ourselves a little seriously,” Uri said. “But yes, that’s exactly what it means.”
“So, what’s at Level-7?”
“No idea,” Uri answered. “Wish I knew. Around here it’s known as the Tempest Crypt. I’m only cleared to Level-6.”
“Tempest?” Nathan said in thought. “That’s the codename given to national security’s certified intelligence and crypto division. The real spooks.”
“Really?” Uri said. “How did you know that?”
“Don’t mind, Nate,” Emily said to Uri. “His head is just filled with useless data.” In sudden distraction, she pointed to the small hill in the distance.
“Look,” she said. “Seems like the night-time conspiracy buffs have started to arrive.”
“And their number will triple in the next hour or so,” Uri said. “They’ll be there until sunrise.”
“If you’re building stealth technology,” Nathan said. “And I presume you are. How do you ever get to test any of it?”
“The operative word is stealth,” Uri said. “We have aircraft being developed now that you can’t hear or see when they take off at night. They all use the longer of the two runways and are unbelievably fast.”
“Surely they must see something,” Nathan said, referring to the watchful eyes on the hill.
“Only what we want them to see,” Uri said, lowering his voice slightly. “Keep this to yourselves. We have arrays of lasers scattered throughout Dreamland. The air is very dry here, so the actual shafts of light cannot be seen.”
“But if two or more laser points intersect,” Nathan interrupted. “They’d form a bright star-like apparition in the night sky.”
“Quite right,” Uri said. “We alternate the width and focus of the lasers at random intervals, giving a pulsating effect. The result, an instant unidentified flying object. We can also alter the light’s frequency, thereby changing the colour.”
Nathan laughed at the simplicity. “And all the cameras and telescopes immediately point to the UFO, giving your aircraft time to take off or land.”
“Simple sleight of hand,” Uri said. “We never have just one point of light, usually five or six, and they’re all kept in sync by computers. Watching several of these mysterious apparitions flying in formation and throbbing in time with each other is quite eerie to see if you don’t know what they are.”
“I can imagine,” Nathan said.
“When the aircraft is airborne and safely out of sight, and it only takes a few seconds, our bogus UFOs accelerate at lightning speed, disappearing over the distant horizon.”
“Eyes truly see what they want to see,” James commented.
“Exactly,” Uri said. “They want strange objects in the sky, then that’s precisely what we’ll give them. A colleague of mine got the idea after he came back from a Pink Floyd concert.”
Nathan looked up. “I’ve never seen so many stars,” he said, in wonder.
“No light pollution here,” Emily said, also looking up at the dazzling mosaic.
“You said a moment ago that no one can hear or see the experimental aircraft taking off,” Nathan said. “I don’t see how that’s possible. I can understand supressing noise, but how do you manage to cover up the blazing thrust of a jet engine?”
“That’s assuming it’s a jet powered by modified aviation fuel,” Uri said. “But it isn’t. Sorry, Nate, that’s all I can tell you.”
“Understood,” Nathan said. What he’d give to have a closer look at one of those. He suspected that James, with his passion for military aircraft and rockets, would be even more interested.
“Landing would also be no problem then,” Nathan concluded.
“None at all,” Uri said. “In fact, all our experimental stuff goes directly to Edwards. It never comes back here.”
“Obadiah,” James said, easing behind the others a little, and out of earshot. “I have a bad feeling about this. Keep a very close eye on Emily and Nathan. I don’t know what’s going to happen when the full content of that transmitted document is uncovered.”
“Yes, Mr. Clark.”
“You really don’t have to be so formal with me,” James reminded him.
“Yes, sir. But don’t you worry. They’ll be in safe hands.”
James had no doubts about that.
Chapter Twenty-Two
“James, this is where you will stay,” Uri said, handing over a second floor room key from a bunch he was carrying. “Your suite is the next one, Obadiah, and the one opposite has been reserved for you and Nathan,” he said, handing the last key to Emily. “I’m in the last suite at the end of the corridor.”
“Thanks,” she said.
“Also, the phone number is the same as the room number,” Uri said. “You can dial directly. Freshen up and I’ll come and knock on your doors in about forty-five minutes so we can get something to eat. Is that enough time?”
“Okay by me,” James said, looking at the others who were nodding in agreement.
“There’s no dress code,” Uri said. “So, feel free to put on something very casual.”
Emily opened their door and walked in with Nathan following. A small passage provided access to the bathroom on the left and a spacious bedroom with queen-sized bed on the right. Further in, their personal belongings had been placed on the side of a two-seater couch in the sitting room. A small, flat-screen TV, side tables, standard lamps and desk with adjoining office chair were neatly arranged.
Nathan poked his head around the corner where a small sink, microwave oven, coffee maker and bar-refrigerator were available for their convenience.
“How did they know we were together?” Emily wondered aloud.
“How did they take our photos in the Suburban without us knowing?” Nathan answered. “Welcome to the world of clandestine operations.”
“This photo of me is terrible,” she said, looking down at her badge. “I don’t really look like that, do I?”
Nathan put his finger under her chin and turned her face. “Nowhere near,” he said, giving her a quick peck on the cheek. “I was just thinking that if people looked like their official passport photos, no one would let them into their country.”