2041 Sanctuary (Let There Be Light) (41 page)

Steiner didn’t reply.

‘Come now, Professor, we could help you save these people. Do you not see the opportunity we provide? You have been deposed from power, forced into a criminal act against your will. You have no direct power, no influence, and yet you still have the one thing that can shape the world.’

Steiner couldn’t understand how Bic seemed to know so much about him. And yet he couldn’t describe how little he cared. ‘And that is?’

‘Knowledge. The secrets you hold could save billions of lives, or at least millions. Is that not a worthy cause?’

‘Not if it endangers millions more.’ Steiner had a sudden thought, recalling what had previously eluded him. He looked at the slender figure of the woman from England. ‘Jessica Klein, the BBC newsreader. I thought I recognised the name.’

‘Former newsreader,’ she said, her tone bitter. ‘Your people at the GMRC saw fit to frame me.’

Steiner held Bic’s device before him. ‘And that’s your grand plan, to find out what I know and relay it around the world for all to see? Using this woman you’ve conned into your service as your conduit.’

‘I’ve conned no one, Professor Steiner. I leave that up to the GMRC.’

Steiner held Jessica Klein’s gaze. He could see doubt behind those eyes. ‘And yet it seems Ms. Klein feels otherwise.’

‘I said no such thing,’ the newsreader said.

Bic gave a chortle. ‘Ah, Professor Steiner, your quick wit is returning. Good. We will need you at your best in the days and weeks ahead.’

‘There is no “
we”
. If there’s one thing you should know about me,
Bic
, it’s that I never make the same mistake twice. I’ve already helped one terrorist; I won’t aid another, no matter what you say or do.’

‘Is that right, Professor Steiner?’

Steiner held his tongue again. He knew his time at the GMRC had ended as soon as Colonel Samson had fired his first shot in the FBI stronghold back in LA.
Or was it when Joiner turned on me back in USSB Steadfast?
he wondered. Either way, his power had gone, and with it his ability to influence anything in the grand scheme of humanity’s future.
I’ve done my part and I’m satisfied – no – proud. I can help no one now. Anything I do will lead to further loss of life. I have to accept saving those in USSB Steadfast is beyond my control, anything I do to bring attention to their plight would expose everything, would threaten all the plans I’ve worked half my life to achieve. They will have to find their own way and I’m so tired, so very tired
.

‘What if I told you I intercepted a military communiqué yesterday,’ Bic said, ‘a message that indicated a massive field of space debris and been tracked entering Earth’s atmosphere? What if I told you I have unearthed other such communications, all of which confirm the destruction of all four space stations that were orbiting the globe?’

Steiner felt his chest tighten. The GMRC’s Space Programme was the last hope the surface had. A slim chance of survival, considering their past attempts had failed so spectacularly, but still a chance, nonetheless, or perhaps a chance for billions to survive for a few years longer. He had always seen NASA’s effort to stem the flow of the approaching asteroids as a shot in the dark, a throw of the cosmic dice, a toss of the galactic coin – heads you win, tails you lose. But as all had come to accept, only a network of underground bases could guarantee humanity’s survival.

‘Are you still there, Professor Steiner?’

‘
He’s
listening,’ Brett said, ‘we all are.’

‘Yes,’ Bic continued, ‘this information will be of interest to you all. Do you know what else I found, Professor?’

Steiner watched the expression of Eric, eager to hear what this terrorist had to say. Jessica Klein looked wary but equally enrapt, while the FBI agent stood, arms folded, phone in hand, her face one of guarded hostility. ‘I’m all ears,’ he said.

‘I found a hidden message buried in the jumble of data that managed to penetrate the dust cloud.’

‘What did it say?’ Eric said, unable to contain himself.

‘It is too weak to comprehend in its entirety, but it’s a distress signal, of that I am certain. The curious thing is the process and frequencies used are quite old, in fact they predate the GMRC era by three decades, a twentieth century relic in analogue form. The sender has gone to a lot of trouble to hide their identity and location.’

‘Why is that weird?’ Jessica said.

Eric shot her a look of disbelief. ‘Because why would you want to hide a distress call?’

‘Eric is correct, Jessica Klein. The only reason I could discern for such a move would be to avoid detection by the GMRC itself, or those government agencies that work alongside it. It is a cry for help and we need to respond. If Professor Steiner is unwilling to help us, then perhaps whoever is behind this message will.’

Steiner knew the hacker could be making this up. In fact, it was more than likely a ruse to pressure him into spilling his secrets. A pity for them he was in no mood to comply. He closed his eyes, rested his head back and retreated into his battered body.
Bic can play all he likes; I’m not even in the game
.

♦

The GMRC man shut his eyes and leaned back against the truck’s interior while Jessica contemplated the hacker’s words. ‘How can we speak to them if the signal is so weak?’ she said.

‘There is one place that will be capable of retrieving the full message,’ Bic replied, ‘enough, anyway, that it can be pieced together.’

‘And where’s that?’ Jessica said.

‘It is a large cluster of radio telescope antennas called ALMA. The Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array in Chile, South America.’

Brett snorted. ‘And how you do you expect us to get there?’

‘There is an aircraft waiting for you on a runway two miles from your current location.’

‘Why am I not surprised?’ Jessica shook her head.

‘Because you know me too well, Jessica Klein.’

‘I think you’re missing something, Bic,’ Steiner said, his eyes remaining closed.

‘And what is that, Professor Steiner?’

‘No one is going to be able to reach your plane.’

Silence ensued before Bic spoke again. ‘Elaborate.’

‘How long since you called them?’ Steiner said.

There was no answer.

Eric looked at Jessica. ‘What’s he talking about?’

Steiner opened his eyes and looked at Brett.

The FBI agent considered him. ‘I didn’t think you were awake.’

Eric grasped Jessica’s arm. ‘What are they talking about?’

Jessica saw the phone in Brett’s hand. ‘You didn’t?!’

‘I did. The FBI has heard everything. Bic’s transmission will have been traced and you’ll all be going to prison for a very long time.’ Brett looked at her phone. ‘And according to this, they’re almost here.’

Chapter Forty Seven

‘You bitch!’

‘What can I say?’ Brett said. ‘I want my job back.’

Jessica rushed to the front of the truck, heart racing. In the distance the lights of a vehicular convoy approached at speed. Turning the key failed to start the engine and she tried again.

Nothing!

Brett appeared behind her. ‘Having trouble?’

Jessica turned the key again and the engine spluttered to life.

Something cold pressed against the back of Jessica’s head and she turned to see the barrel of a gun an inch from her eye.

‘I can’t let you go, I’m afraid,’ Brett said, as Eric approached the FBI agent from behind, the heavy canister of laughing gas raised to strike.

‘Take another step,
mein capitan
,’ Brett said, ‘and she’s dead and you’re next.’

Eric froze mid-step.

The lights drew closer before a roar of noise shot past overhead, closely followed by two more, the sound rattling the truck’s panels.

‘I didn’t know the FBI had fighter jets,’ Jessica said.

An oscillating ringtone emanated from Brett’s phone and she frowned. Keeping her gun trained on Jessica, she accepted an incoming video call.

A face appeared, one Jessica didn’t recognise, but judging by Brett’s expression, one she did.

‘Ah, Agent Taylor, isn’t it?’

‘What do
you
want?’

‘My my, agent – or should that be ex-agent? – I expected a less frosty welcome than this. I am in a position, after all, to restore your privileges and more besides.’

‘I don’t want anything from the likes of you.’

The angular face turned towards Jessica. ‘Ms. Klein, we meet again.’

‘I don’t believe we’ve had the pleasure.’

The man’s mouth contorted into a repulsive smile. ‘Forgive me. My name is Malcolm Joiner, I’m the GMRC Director of Intelligence. I have to admit, I had hoped you were dead, but it seems you just keep coming back – like a bad penny.’

‘My director will have your job for this,’ Brett said.

Joiner laughed. ‘FBI Director Flynn can’t tie his own shoes without help. And besides, you’ll all soon be six foot under and you’ve given me the greatest prizes of all, the cyber terrorist, and another chance to say goodbye to an old friend.’

A bullet tore through the windscreen to punch into Brett’s chest. Her gun fell to the floor and she slumped sideways.

Jessica slammed the truck into reverse and hit the accelerator. ‘Eric, grab Bic’s console!’

More bullets peppered the truck as they reversed at high speed. Keeping low, Jessica swung the truck round and floored it.

Eric returned to her side, device in hand, and Jessica glanced in her mirrors to see military humvees bearing down on them. ‘Bic, we need you!’

He didn’t answer.

‘Jesus Christ, where is he?!’

Eric pulled aside Brett’s shirt to reveal a bullet-proof vest. ‘She’s alive.’

The agent’s eyes blinked open.

‘And what were you thinking?’ Jessica said to Brett. She saw a sign with a picture of a plane on it and made a sharp right turn. The truck leaned and wheels screeched.

Brett winced and struggled into a sitting position. ‘You’re all terrorists, I was doing my duty.’

‘And look where that got you!’

A bright light appeared in the sky ahead.

Jessica slammed on the brakes and something hit them from behind, throwing them all forward.

‘Take a left turn!’ Bic’s voice said.

Jessica heaved on the wheel and the truck lifted onto two wheels. Moments later it dropped back down with a jolt.

‘Where have you been?!’ Jessica said.

The noise of helicopters above drowned out Bic’s reply. Blinding lights suddenly illuminated the brush and trees outside and a message appeared on Bic’s screen.

I’ve been preparing, Jessica Klein. Keep going straight, you’re almost there _

An explosion in the air turned into a fireball, followed by another. Black GMRC drones shot past overhead.

‘What’s happening?!’ Eric shouted.

Jessica didn’t know; scared out of her wits, she kept her foot to the floor.

Closed gates appeared ahead. Smashing through them, the coroner’s truck careered into the airport.

‘Where’s our plane?!’ Jessica said.

Straight in front of you _

‘You’re kidding, right?’

A sleek military jet waited on the dark runway.

It’s a hypersonic VIP drone transport. Hurry, you don’t have much time! _

Jessica drove up to the aircraft, slammed on the brakes and jumped out. Behind, five GMRC drones hovered in the air by the gates, guns blazing. The military that had been in pursuit took evasive action and returned fire. Bic had done it again, hijacking more UAVs to buy them time.

Running to the back of the truck, Jessica threw open the doors and jumped inside. Grabbing the disorientated professor, she helped him to the floor.

He grabbed her arm. ‘Leave me, save yourself.’

‘Don’t be stupid.’ She half-dragged him onto the tarmac. ‘Besides, you’re too valuable.’

He grimaced in pain. ‘I’m touched.’

‘Eric, get Bic’s device!’

With the old man leaning on her shoulder, Jessica stumbled toward the plane, the noise of the firefight driving her on. Eric appeared alongside with Brett following.

‘Where do you think you’re going?!’ Jessica shouted at the FBI agent.

‘With you.’

‘Like hell you are!’

Brett ran ahead to the plane and Jessica cursed.

A massive explosion shattered the air.

The coroner’s truck disappeared in a ball of flame, followed by the thunderous roar of a fighter overhead.

Their transport drone hummed to life, its engines whining to a crescendo.

No sooner had they hurried up its ramp than its hatch closed behind them. Sealed inside the cramped area, red lighting all around, the jet blasted forward and Jessica fell back against a wall.

Deafening noise made her ears ring while g-force pinned her arms to her sides. She gritted her teeth as the sensation increased. Her body felt like a five tonne elephant.

Seconds later the discomfort lifted and Jessica retrieved Bic’s console and, leaving the professor with Eric, went to seek out Brett. Squeezing past a bulkhead, she found herself in the craft’s cockpit. The duplicitous FBI Agent sat in one of the seats with a mind-boggling array of holographic screens all around her and a large head-up-display in the centre.

‘Who’s flying?’ Jessica said.

Brett looked round and pointed at Bic’s console in Jessica’s hand.

A message appeared on the cockpit screen.

You may want to sit down, Jessica Klein. We have company _

Three dots appeared on the screen’s radar image, closing fast. Jessica scrambled into one of the pilot seats and struggled into its harness. ‘I thought this was a drone?’ she said, seeing a joystick before her and a black-visored high-tech helmet suspended above.

It’s a dual system. Hang on. This may get bumpy _

A beeping alarm sounded and Jessica saw six more dots materialise from the first three. A message flashed on-screen.