James’s curiosity piqued. “Obvious, in what way?”
“It has absolutely nothing to do with the location of the transmission,” she said, looking to each in turn. “It has to do with what else is buried there.”
“Shit,” Nathan said. “You’re absolutely right, Emily, and someone already knows what’s going on and is also searching.”
“You have a very smart young lady there, Nate,” Uri said. “Best you never let her go.” He gave Emily a friendly wink.
“I don’t intend to,” Nathan said, reaching over and giving her hand an affectionate squeeze. “Ever.” They hadn’t been apart for a single moment since moving in together.
Nathan was soon to learn that you don’t realise what you have until you no longer have it.
Chapter Thirty-Four
The group was sitting in reticence around the dinner table, each deep in thought; food and drink momentarily ignored. Each contemplating what had now become evident◦– that there was more to this other than just a transmission.
James interrupted the silence, “So, where do we go from here?”
“It’s not LaForgue,” Uri said. “She knows more than she’s telling, but why then get us involved? There would be no point. She has enough technology and military resources available to start a small war. Digging up the Mojave would hardly be a challenge, but my conclusion comes from the landmines. They’re of Russian origin and very old. The US has nothing like that in its arsenal.”
“Unless it’s something that she can’t get the OS involved in,” James said. He had no idea at that time just how accurate his assumption was.
“So, why don’t we go there and start digging?” Nathan suggested.
“Because I have a better idea,” Uri said. “Whoever got there before us, didn’t find what they were looking for. They’ll be back.”
“While we stand aside and watch,” Emily concluded.
“Who would possibly be prepared to hide in such unbearably hot conditions for who knows how many days?” Nathan said, shaking his head.
“Oh. We’re more civilised that that, Nate,” Uri said with a twisted smile. “As you’ve discovered, we do prefer Canadian beer.”
Nathan laughed. “So, what’s your plan?”
“First thing in the morning, I’ll have a drone sent up,” Uri said. “At sixty thousand feet it will be undetectable.”
“Will it be able to see enough from that height?” James asked.
“If anyone on the ground is wearing a nametag, the drone will be able to read where it was printed.”
“You guys have some scary technology,” Emily said.
“Changing the subject,” James said. “I still have a business to run. As far as I’m concerned, I’ve kept my end of the deal with LaForgue. If there’s nothing else that you need from me, can I ask for a flight back to New York?”
“I have no problem with that at all,” Uri said. “I take it Nate and Emily will remain here for a few days?”
“I’d like Obadiah to stay as well,” James said. “If the C-130 isn’t available, someone can give me a ride to Vegas. I’ll get a flight from there.”
“No need for that,” Uri said. “I’ll see what I can do. When did you want to leave?”
“Early as possible tomorrow,” James said. “I won’t bother telling LaForgue. She can contact me at SkyTech if she wants. I have no intention of listening to any more of her ‘need to know’ crap than necessary. If she wants my cooperation, she’s going to have to start coming clean.”
“Be careful with her, James,” Uri voiced with concern. “She’s not someone you want to provoke.” Just then, his phone vibrated. “Excuse me a moment.” He answered. “Lovinescu.” After a short pause, he replied. “Great, thanks for getting back to me. I’ll let them know.”
James looked at Uri with mild curiosity.
“That was the comms room,” Uri said. “I asked them earlier about that long-wave receiver you pointed out on our way back. They have no idea when it was installed. According to the operator, it’s always been there.”
“I ate too much,” Emily said, standing naked in front of the full-length bathroom mirror. “Do you think my breasts are starting to get a little saggy?” She pushed them out a bit and pulled in her tummy.
Nathan, who was standing behind, moved a little over to one side and looked at her reflection. “I don’t really know,” he said. “Of course, I’d have to examine them in a bit more detail.”
She turned around and looked at him. “And from what I can tell, you’re finally starting to conform to strict military protocol.”
He looked down. Yes, he was certainly standing to attention.
Emily gave him a passionate kiss, and then knelt, resting her buttocks on her heels. She steadied herself with her hands on Nathan’s hips and trusted that her gag-reflex wasn’t going to be triggered.
It wasn’t.
Chapter Thirty-Five
James struggled to regain consciousness. His head was as woozy as his stomach and it had taken his mind a few moments to comprehend exactly where he was.
His memory flashed back.
Uri had approached him shortly after breakfast and asked if he was ready to go back to New York.
“Give me ten minutes to collect my personal belongings, and I’ll be right with you,” James said. He had already arranged with Nathan that his electronics would go back with them on the C-130 Hercules.
A driver in an open-topped Hummer arrived and drove them the short distance to Lockheed’s Hangar-18. They jumped out the vehicle and walked inside.
“Your ride,” Uri said, gesturing with his hand.
James’s jaw dropped.
Standing in front of him was a Lockheed Martin SR-71 Blackbird long-range reconnaissance aircraft. In active service between 1966 and 1999, only thirty or so were constructed, at a cost of thirty-three million dollars each.
Painted pitch-black from nose to tail, it was incredibly long and sleek. Halfway along the delta-wings, the massive Pratt & Whitney J58 jets formed part of the wing assembly. The engines weren’t mounted below like the more conventional designs, and independent rudders extended from the aft of each. George Lucas probably got his idea for Luke Skywalker’s X-Wing from the SR-71, James thought.
Outfitted in a jumpsuit and holding a helmet in his right hand, James recognised the man approaching from further inside the hangar.
“Major Kovak?”
“Good to see you again, Mr. Clark,” Kovak said, with a broad smile. He extended his hand. “How are you?”
“Um… fine, thanks.”
“Major Kovak is Groom Lake’s chief test pilot,” Uri said.
“I have family on the East Coast,” Major Kovak said. “I caught a ride with you on your flight from New York.”
“Well, you certainly took very good care of us,” James said, still taken a bit by surprise.
“Figured I’d make myself useful,” Kovak said. “But yes, as Dr. Lovinescu said, this is where I’m based, testing billions of dollars-worth of the latest and greatest technology; and all at the expense of the tax-payer. For me, Groom Lake really is Dreamland.”
A ground technician came through a side door. “May I take your personal belongings, sir?” he asked James.
“Thank you, yes.” James had no idea where those would go.
The technician opened up a flap on the side of the Blackbird and put James’s bags inside.
“Ready to go when you are,” Kovak said.
James turned to Uri. “It’s been an absolute pleasure working with you, Uri.” They gripped each other’s hands firmly. “I’ll be in touch when I’m back in New York.”