Legacy (25 page)

“Jack, the president is basing his decision on my recommendation, and there are elements that outweigh … well, we need to be in on this for reasons I can’t go into right now. That’s a presidential order—the hanging kind, if disobeyed.”

Collins was taken aback. He had never known Niles Compton to take the extreme measure before the practical. The look in the director’s eyes was one of determination, and Jack knew he had better not push the issue further, at least not yet. He hoped Niles wasn’t feeling power-hungry in a way that would taint his decisions.

“Do you think you’re using your influence with the president a little outside the lines of what’s proper, Mr. Director?”

Niles looked at Jack and his features were a cross between hurt and anger.

“I guess that’s for the president to decide, Colonel,” he answered, but he saw that Collins immediately regretted what he had said.

“I’m sorry, Niles,” Jack said. He took a step back and rubbed his eyes. “That was uncalled for.”

“Jack, what if we don’t find Columbus or if we can’t get into Ecuador even to search? What’s our backup?”

“That’s why the president has to allow me and a team to get our asses to Germany.”

Compton turned away from Jack and watched the harried activity around him. He smiled to himself and shook his head.

“Jack, Interpol will be on you like hounds. They’re taking this murder thing seriously. They want you and Carl pretty bad. The president suspects the Ecuadorians are being pushed by someone.”

“Better people than Interpol have wanted my ass before, Niles.” Collins watched Compton to see how he reacted to what he said next. “I noticed you didn’t include Mendenhall and Ryan in that statement. The last I knew they were with Carl and me in Ecuador.”

“You sneaky son of a—!” Compton paused. “What do you know?”

“Nothing, I just observe when I’m down here, that’s all.” Jack picked up a small electronic device. He looked it over and placed it back on the console.

“Okay, Jason and Will are being reassigned to a team being led by Lieutenant McIntire. That’s all I can say for now, Jack. This is a NASA thing, not mine.” He took Collins by the arm and looked into his eyes. “I can tell you that what you’re worried about is remote. There are two elements, or teams, ahead of hers.”

“We can stop all this madness, Niles. Let me and Carl get to Germany before it’s too late.”

“And what if you’re caught and extradited to Ecuador?” Niles asked with a tinge of anger in his voice.

“Well, we’ll need to go back there eventually anyway,” Collins said with a smirk. “All kidding aside, Niles, we may be able to prevent something really bad from happening. In case you hadn’t noticed, we have some very well equipped people out there who aren’t all that thrilled about outer space and what it has to offer.”

“I know that,” Niles said. He mentally surrendered and waved Virginia over to where they were standing.

“Jack,” she said, pushing her hands into her lab coat.

Collins nodded and looked at Niles, who had made a decision.

“Virginia, cut the colonel and Captain Everett orders releasing them from duty at the complex. They are on extended leave for the next five days.” He looked at Jack.

“Okay,” she said, turning to face Collins. “Going fishing again, Jack?” A smirk of her own stretched across her pretty face.

“Yeah, something like that. Look, since we won’t have Mendenhall, I need someone who’s good with Europa on a mobile terminal. Can you spare anyone?”

Niles lowered his head in thought. He looked at Virginia and then at Collins.

“We’re in the planning stages of what we need to do. I have the entire computing staff at my disposal and I have Virginia. That leaves our resident genius Pete Golding free. Take him.”

Collins looked from Niles to a surprised Virginia. Neither could hide their shock at the mention of Pete’s name.

“I appreciate the offer, but Pete has exactly zero hours in the field. This could get a little dicey.”

“I understand that, but with Pete you have a fighting chance of discovering something others would overlook. He’s the best, and you need every advantage you can get. He’ll dig up a starting point for you. Leave him on the plane if you have to, but take him.”

“Okay, Pete it is.” Jack knew that they did need someone good. They were going to Germany without really knowing who it was they were looking for. “I also want Doc Ellenshaw. He’s down in the Crypto Department doing absolutely nothing, and we just happen to be dealing with something that’s not just about the past but may be about our entire history. Ellenshaw irritates Pete to do better. And besides, I like the way the doc thinks out of the box.”

The director looked happy that Jack seemed satisfied. Then the happiness fled as Collins faced Niles and Virginia, focusing finally on the director.

“Can I ask a question that you probably won’t answer?”

“Of course.”

“Why did the president choose you to coordinate something this big when it’s obviously out of your area of expertise?”

Niles ignored Jack’s question. “You got Charlie and Pete and your orders. Good luck, Colonel.” Niles started turning away to get back to the amazing work going on in the science department. Then he stopped and turned back to face Collins. “Colonel, if you get caught, I don’t know if we can help you,” Compton said. He watched Jack, who had already turned for the door. “And take care of those two professors. I happen to like them.”

“Say good-bye to Lieutenant McIntire and tell her she better not do anything stupid while I’m gone.”

“Jack, did you hear what I said?” Niles asked. Collins reached the doorway and then turned and looked at both Niles and Virginia.

“Mr. Director, concentrate on the
what if’s
of getting those people back if you have to send them up there. That’s a little more unforgiving than being caught by Interpol.”

As they watched Collins leave the lab, Niles looked at his deputy director.

“He’s got a point, doesn’t he?”

“That’s one thing I’ve noticed, Niles,” Virginia said, as she watched the door closing behind Jack. “The colonel always has a good point.”

FAITH MINISTRIES, INC., LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA

The meeting was as tense as McCabe had ever had with the billionaire head of Faith Ministries.

“I really don’t understand your anger,” he said to Rawlins. Rawlins’s daughter stood by the window without comment and without much expression during the whole meeting. “We have stopped the Russian project dead in its tracks with a minimal expenditure of men and material, and placed the blame on our friend the Mechanic just as planned. He’s none the wiser. We now know that this Compton is linked to the intrusion of Colonel Collins and his men down in Ecuador. We have the government of that nation on our side thanks to your bribes, so now we have the upper hand there also.”

“The point of my daughter killing this Compton was to send a message to the president, telling him in no uncertain terms that there is a growing groundswell of religious passion he has to deal with.” Rawlings spat the words. “Killing his front man would have given him pause. Just look at the thousands of God’s people who protest in front of the president’s home. He cannot ignore the facts any longer—going into space is not the Lord’s will.”

“I don’t know what world you live in sometimes, but the killing of one man rarely deters a president from doing what he needs to do. My intelligence people have linked the president with Niles Compton. They’re old school buddies. Killing him would have had the opposite effect of what you desired. So please, allow me to conduct the operations as I see fit, or you can go about them alone.”

For the first time in the meeting, Rawlins was silenced. McCabe saw him take a breath and then his eyes wandered to Laurel’s back. Her arms were crossed and her body stiff.

“Your daughter’s desire for excitement, while dangerous, can be assuaged if she wishes. The last remaining man who can pinpoint the burial site for Columbus has been found in Munich and preparations for his elimination are progressing. If Laurel wishes, she can accompany the Mechanic when he goes to Germany to take care of this gentleman.”

Both Rawlins and McCabe turned their eyes toward Laurel. She finally turned and looked at McCabe. He saw that the storm in her features had not yet subsided.

“To watch as your little pet terrorist does the wet work?”

“Laurel, you’re still learning. Anything more at this time could get a little dangerous,” Rawlins said, standing and attempting to hug his elder daughter. She angrily threw his arms off and continued to stare at her now ex-lover McCabe.

The former Army officer finally smiled and stood.

“Okay. I’ll send you to meet with the Mechanic and I’ll order him to allow you to have your warped fun. Right now he’s in California making plans. Your plane leaves for Germany in eight hours.”

A smile crossed her face. She looked from McCabe to her father. He wasn’t smiling.

“I never imagined you were so dedicated to the Lord that you would offer yourself up as a sacrifice to his cause,” he said, placing his hands on her shoulders. He pulled her to him and hugged her. “I pray it’s not for the want of blood that you do these things.”

She maneuvered her head so she could see McCabe. He saw her smile, her eyes ablaze with passion—not for the Lord but for the thrill she was getting as she realized that she would soon have a man’s life in her hands, a life she fully intended to take.

McCabe gathered his papers and headed for the door.

Soon he’d have to distance himself from these nuts.

JET PROPULSION LABORATORY, PASADENA, CALIFORNIA

They all watched the rover
John
as it used its drill arm and bucket carrier to right itself at the rim.

The camera angle shifted, it seemed to go crazy for a moment and then the picture stabilized. Loud shouts and cheers coursed through the control room as
John
had pulled off the miracle and righted itself. The view was once again spectacular and the technicians shouted praises to the telemetry team that had come up with the plan to use the complicated appendage system to correct the problem of
John
lying on its side.

Nathan looked to his left and the president nodded his head, mouthing the words, “Great job.”

No one but the closest Secret Service agent could see the small laptop in front of the president of the United States, nor the clear picture of Niles Compton as the president spoke to him in hushed tones.

“Okay. Let’s get ready to shut
John
down to recharge,” Nathan called out, as he waved for his people to sit back at their stations. “He’s got to be tired after all of that effort to sit up.”

The president was talking into his headset. Then he nodded to no one and placed a hand over the microphone. He leaned over and said a few words to the director of JPL. The man raised his brows and said a few words back to the president, but it seemed the president had said what he had to say and continued looking at the older man without blinking. He just nodded his head in the direction of Nathan.

“Cancel that order,” the director called out. “Bring
John
back to the edge of the crater. We need to get a view of the interior.”

“Wait a minute,
John
is starving for power. We need a recharge and if we’re not careful we could lose him. If he doesn’t receive his order in the right amount of time, he could go right over the edge.”

The president of the United States fixed Nathan with a calm look, and everyone could see that he was struggling to keep his cool.

“Mr. Nathan, that is an acceptable risk. Now please bring
John
to the rim of the crater,” the director of JPL ordered.

“Yes, sir,” Nathan answered, not understanding the willingness to risk the only Beatle left on the surface of the Moon. “REMCOM, shut down until we can get as precise a measurement as possible to the crater’s rim.”

Before the telemetry relay station could answer, the president stood and looked over the room below him.

“Ladies and gentlemen, you have done great work to this point. What I have to say is that I may know a few things you don’t. I’m sorry for the risk, but for the moment use your best guess. We just don’t have the time for any lengthy calculations. Get me a view of the inside of that crater—now.”

All eyes turned from the president to Nathan, who nodded his head. Not that he understood, but he had to follow the orders of the highest-ranking man in the space program.

“Julie,
John
’s your baby. Give it your best guess as to the distance from
John
’s current position to the edge of the crater. Utilize the boom as much as possible and when you’ve achieved a good view of the interior, shut down the tracks.”

The young technician quickly studied the camera view from
John
. She closed her eyes briefly. A minute later, the view changed as
John
panned its lens around. She made a few keyboard punches and then shook her head.