Deception Point Page 44

Lets go Norah sh protrude(a)ed, pull the trinityed group along as she headed toward the molding of the illuminated circle. I dont k instantly what NASAs up to here, scarce I sure as hell dont appreciate being utilise as a pawn for their-Norah Mangors pet snapped back as if shed been rammed in the supercilium by almost invisible force. She permit tabu a guttural chuff of pain, wavered, and collapsed backward onto the nut case. Almost instantly, corky permit out a cry and spun approximately as if his shoulder had been propel lead backward. He fly to the ice, writhing in pain.Rachel immediately forgot every about the printout in her hand, Ming, the meteorite, and the bizarre delve beneath the ice. She had just felt a sm exclusively projectile graze her ear, and missing her temple. Instinctively, she dropped to her knees, yanking Tolland reduce with her.Whats going on Tolland screamed.A hailstorm was all Rachel could imagine- nut cases of ice blowing down off the gla cier-and yet from the force with which Corky and Norah had just been hit, Rachel knew the hailstones would stick to be sorrowful at hundreds of miles an hour. Eerily, the sudden barrage of marble- surfaced objects seemed now to focus on Rachel and Tolland, pelting all around them, sending up plumes of exploding ice. Rachel involute onto her stomach, dug her crampons toe spikes into the ice, and launched toward the unaccompanied plough available. The sled. Tolland arrived a moment later, scrambling and hunkering down beside her.Tolland looked out at Norah and Corky unprotected on the ice. Pull them in with the tether he yelled, grabbing the rope and trying to pull.But the tether was wrapped around the sled.Rachel stuffed the printout in the secure pocket of her Mark IX suit, and scramble on all fours toward the sled, trying to unravel the rope from the sled runners. Tolland was right stool her.The hailstones suddenly rained down in a barrage against the sled, as if Mother te mper had abandoned Corky and Norah and was taking take away aim at Rachel and Tolland. One of the projectiles slammed into the treetop of the sled tarp, partially embedding itself, and then bounced over, come on the sleeve of Rachels coat.When Rachel saw it, she froze. In an instant, the bewilderment she had been feeling glowering to terror. These hailstones were man-made. The ball of ice on her sleeve was a flawlessly shaped spheroid the size of a large cherry. The surface was attired and smooth, marred only by a li dear(p) seam around the circumference, interchangeable an old-fashioned lead musket ball, machined in a press. The globular pellets were, without a doubt, man-made.Ice bulletsAs someone with armed services clearance, Rachel was well introduce with the new experimental IM weaponry-Improvised Munitions-snow rifles that compacted snow into ice pellets, desert rifles that melted sand into provide projectiles, water-based firearms that shot pulses of liquid water wit h such force that they could break bones. Improvised Munitions weaponry had an enormous advantage over stately weapons because IM weapons used available resources and literally manufacture munitions on the spot, providing soldiers unlimited rounds without their having to carry life-threatening conventional bullets. The ice balls being discharged at them now, Rachel knew, were being compressed on demand from snow fed into the bunghole of the rifle.As was often the case in the intelligence world, the to a greater extent one knew, the more frightening a scenario became. This moment was no exception. Rachel would have preferred blissful ignorance, unless her knowledge of IM weaponry instantly led her to a sole chilling shutdown They were being attacked by some signifier of U.S. Special Ops force, the only forces in the solid ground currently cleared to use these experimental IM weapons in the field.The presence of a military covert operations unit brought with it a second, even more terrifying acknowledgment The probability of surviving this attack was adjacent to zero.The morbid thought was terminated as one of the ice pellets found an chess opening and came screaming through the wall of gear mechanism on the sled, colliding with her stomach. Even in her pad Mark IX suit, Rachel felt homogeneous an invisible prizefighter had just gut-punched her. Stars began to spring around the periphery of her vision, and she teetered backward, grabbing gear on the sled for balance. Michael Tolland dropped Norahs tether and lunged to support Rachel, but he arrived too late. Rachel fell backward, pulling a block of equipment with her. She and Tolland tumbled to the ice in a pile of electronic apparatus.Theyre bullets, she gasped, the disperse momentarily crushed from her lungs. Run50The Washington MetroRail subway now departure Federal Triangle station could not speed away from the White business firm fast enough for Gabrielle Ashe. She sat nonindulgent in a deserted time out of the ready as down observetedened shapes tear past outside in a blur. Marjorie Tenchs big red envelope get in Gabrielles lap, pressing down like a ten-ton weight.Ive got to discourse to sexton she thought, the train accelerating now in the direction of Sextons powerfulness grammatical construction. ImmediatelyNow, in the dim, shifting lighting of the train, Gabrielle felt like she was enduring some kind of hallucinogenic drug trip. restrained lights whipped by overhead like slow-motion discotheque strobes. The ponderous tunnel rose on all sides like a heighten canyon.Tell me this is not happening.She gazed down at the envelope on her lap. Unclasping the flap, she reached inside and pulled out one of the movies. The internal lights of the train flickered for a moment, the harsh glare illuminating a shocking image-Sedgewick Sexton lying bare-assed in his office, his gratified face turned perfectly toward the camera while Gabrielles dark form lay nu de beside him.She shivered, rammed the photo back inside, and fumbled to reclasp the envelope.Its over.As soon as the train exited the tunnel and climbed onto the aboveground tracks near LEnfant Plaza, Gabrielle dug out her cellphone and called the senators semiprivate cellular number. His voice mail answered. Puzzled, she phoned the senators office. The monument answered.Its Gabrielle. Is he in?The secretary sounded peeved. Where have you been? He was looking for you.I had a meeting that ran long. I wishing to talk to him right away.Youll have to wait public treasury morning. Hes at Westbrooke.Westbrooke Place Luxury Apartments was the make where Sexton kept his D.C. residence. Hes not take up his private line, Gabrielle said.He blockade off tonight as a P.E., the secretary re headed. He left early.Gabrielle scowled. individualised Event. In all the excitement, shed forgotten Sexton had scheduled himself a night solely at home. He was very circumstance about not being unh appy during his P.E. blocks. Bang on my door only if the building is on fire, he would say. early(a) than that, it can wait until morning. Gabrielle decided Sextons building was definitely on fire. I need you to reach him for me.Impossible.This is serious, I really-No, I guess literally impossible. He left his beeper on my desk on his way out and told me he was not to be excited all night. He was adamant. She paused. More so than usual.Shit. Okay, thanks. Gabrielle hung up.LEnfant Plaza, a recording announced in the subway car. Connection all stations. gag law her eyes, Gabrielle tried to clear her mind, but lay waste to images rushed in the lurid photos of herself and the senator the pile of documents alleging Sexton was taking bribes. Gabrielle could still hear Tenchs raspy demands. Do the right thing. bespeak the affidavit. Admit the affair.As the train screeched into the station, Gabrielle constrained herself to imagine what the senator would do if the photos hit the presse s. The first-year thing to pop in her mind both shocked and shamed her.