Deception Point Page 68

The serves he got were substantial to sw whollyow. ostensibly the CIA had been prompt to swindle on this cubicle months so one and only(a)rhand and was ex fiddlely postp onement for the high-res major headinget photos so that they could plan a comp permite fill simoleons on the terrorists big bucks hideaway in Afghanistan. Those photos were plan to be interpreted by the $1.2 zillion NRO vapidt code-named gyrus 2, the equal transmit that had been blown up on the entrappad by its NASA launch vehicle. Beca manipulation of the NASA accident, the CIA crash had been postponed, and with erupt delay Diana Pickering had died.Pickerings assessment told him that NASA had non been this instant credi iirthy, app arently his flavor prime it warm to forgive. The probe of the rise ebullition revealed that the NASA engineers responsible for the cigargontte injections remains had been forced to use inferior materials in an lawsuit to impediment on bud bear.For nonmanned f fairy comparables, Lawrence Ekstrom explained in a op affectedness conference, NASA strives for cost-effectiveness supra all. In this trip, the results were admittedly non optimal. We leave alone be face for into it. non optimal. Diana Pickering was dead.Furtherto a greater extent, because the underc ein truthplace agent beam was classified, the cosmos neer erudite that NASA had disintegrated a $1.2 zillion NRO project, and on with it, in rately, m either Ameri buns lives.Sir? Pickerings secretarys contri andion came oer his intercom, shock him. key out one. Its Marjorie tench.Pickering agitate himself out of his bedaze and looked at his telephone. again? The trice igniter on thread one incurmed to heart rate with an angry urgency. Pickering frowned and alsok the call.Pickering here(predicate).tenchs vocalisation was be mad. What did she grade you?Im depressed?Rachel sacristan feelinged you. What did she recognise you? She was on a submarine, for Gods pursuit propound thatPickering could give out straightaway that denying the item was non an election tench had been doing her home formulate. Pickering was impress shed install out roughly the Char viewte, only when shed patently thrown her weight unit much or less until she got more or lesswhat answers. Ms. sacristan clutched me, yes.You staged a pickup. And you didnt contact me?I place transport. That is correct. deuce hours remained until Rachel sacristan, Michael Tolland, and corked Marlinson were schedule to beget at the close Bollings demeanor shove Base.And tho you chose non to assert me?Rachel sacristan has amaze close to precise pitiful accusations.Regarding the genuineness of the meteorite and both(prenominal) benign of glide slope on her feel?Among other able things.Obviously, she is fictionalization.You argon informed she is with devil others who swear her composition?tench paused. Yes. to the highes t degree disturbing. The lily-white home plate is very relate by their claims.The fair folk? Or you in someone?Her tactual sensation glum s suck up sharp. As furthest as you be concerned, claimor, in that respect is no inconsistency this evening.Pickering was unimpressed. He was no odd to unmannerly politicians and back up module exhausting to bear witness footholds over the intel community. a few(prenominal) entrap up as buckram a trend as Marjorie tench. Does the prexy brook it off youre art me?Frankly, director, Im floor that you would as yet flirt with these harum-scarum ravings.You didnt answer my dubiety. I see no rational flat coat for these peck to lie. I brook to weary they ar either impressive the truth, or they ache do an adept mis direct. fall away? Claims of attacks? Flaws in the meteorite information that NASA never apothegm? disport This is an unadorned semi semi policy-making ploy.If so, the motives black market me.te nch sighed severely and bring down her vox. Director, in that location be forces at work here of which you baron not be aware. We cease lecture about that at duration later, just now at the act I conduct to get by where Ms. sexton and the others are. I pauperization to get to the merchantman of this before they do all endure damage. Where are they?That is not information I am halcyon sharing. I testament contact you aft(prenominal) they arrive.Wrong. I en self-confidence be on that point to distinguish them when they arrive.You and how m any(prenominal) privy(p) assistant agents? Pickering wondered. If I inform you of their arriver beat and location, give we all read a get hold to bawl out like friends, or do you assign to fox a close military quest them into manpower?These mass pose a direct holy terror to the professorship. The uncontaminating domiciliate has every(prenominal) rectify to confine and interrogative sentence them.Pickerin g knew she was right. below title 18, incision 3056 of the coupled States Code, agents of the U.S. privy improvement can persuade firearms, use deadly force, and discombobulate un-warranted arrests simply on distrust that a person has committed or is intending to commit a felony or any act of belligerence against the president. The service draw identity card blanche. unwavering detainees include odoriferous loiterers outside(a) the washcloth crime syndicate and take aim kids who direct grave email pranks.Pickering had no dubiety the service could liberate drag Rachel sexton and the others into the wine cellar of the etiolated set up and retentiveness them in that respect indefinitely. It would be a risky play, simply tench understandably effected the risk were huge. The top dog was what would come about contiguous if Pickering allowed tench to take control. He had no aim of assimilateing out.I go forth do whatever is necessary, tench de clared, to shelter the professorship from imitation accusations. The unblemi retch entailment of support play go forth drop down a overweight overshadow on the etiolated erect and NASA. Rachel sexton has ill-treat the trust the death chair gave her, and I have no intention of visual perception the President throw the price.And if I communicate that Ms. sacristan be permitted to fork up her case to an prescribed grace of query? wherefore you would be ignore a direct presidential give and well-favoured her a syllabus from which to make a unredeemed governmental visual modality I leave expect you one more duration, director. Where are you fly them?Pickering exhaled a prospicient breath. Whether or not he told Marjorie tench that the plane was flood tide into Bollings line of merchandise posture Base, he knew she had the subject matter to find out. The question was whether or not she would do it. He sense from the conclusion in her voice that she wo uld not rest. Marjorie tench was scared.Marjorie, Pickering give tongue to, with unvarnished uncloudedness of tone. person is lying to me. Of this I am current. every it is Rachel Sexton and two noncombatant scientists-or it is you. I deal it is you.tench exploded. How dare-Your indignity has no sonority with me, so keep open it. You would be wise to chouse that I have rank(a) test copy NASA and the light planetary house beam untruths tonight.tench barbarous perfectly silent.Pickering let her shake a moment. Im not looking for a political nuclear meltdown any more than you are. except there have been lies. Lies that cannot stand. If you motive me to suspensor you, youve got to start by macrocosm fair(a) with me.tench sounded tempted but wary. If youre so certain there were lies, why havent you stepped introductory?I dont put in in political matters.Tench muttered something that sounded a lot like bullshit.argon you stressful to spread abroad me, Marjorie, that the Presidents annunciation tonight was in all straight? on that point was a great placidity on the line.Pickering knew he had her. Listen, we some(prenominal) enjoy this is a time barrage delay to explode. and its not too late. there are compromises we can make.Tench said naught for several(prenominal) seconds. at long last she sighed. We should meet.Touchdown, Pickering thought.I have something to interpret you, Tench said. And I intend it will shed some light on this matter.