danbrown.deceptionpoint-第4部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　〃My　concerns　here　are　simple；〃　Pickering　said。　〃I　have　a　responsibility　to　protect　the　people　who　work　for　me；　and　I　don't　appreciate　even　the　vague　implication　that　one　of　them　might　be　used　as　a　pawn　in　a　political　game。〃
　〃What　do　you　remend　I　do？〃
　Pickering　sighed。　〃My　suggestion　is　that　you　meet　with　him。　mit　to　nothing。　Once　the　President　tells　you　what　the　hell　is　on　his　mind；　call　me。　If　I　think　he's　playing　political　hardball　with　you；　trust　me；　I'll　pull　you　out　so　fast　the　man　won't　know　what　hit　him。〃
　〃Thank　you；　sir。〃　Rachel　sensed　a　protective　aura　from　the　director　that　she　often　longed　for　in　her　own　father。　〃And　you　said　the　President　already　sent　a　car？〃
　〃Not　exactly。〃　Pickering　frowned　and　pointed　out　the　window。
　Uncertain；　Rachel　went　over　and　gazed　out　in　the　direction　of　Pickering's　outstretched　finger。
　A　snub…nosed　MH…60G　PaveHawk　helicopter　sat　idling　on　the　lawn。　One　of　the　fastest　choppers　ever　made；　this　PaveHawk　was　emblazoned　with　the　White　House　insignia。　The　pilot　stood　nearby；　checking　his　watch。
　Rachel　turned　to　Pickering　in　disbelief。　〃The　White　House　sent　a　PaveHawk　to　take　me　fifteen　miles　into　D。C。？〃
　〃Apparently　the　President　hopes　you　are　either　impressed　or　intimidated。〃　Pickering　eyed　her。　〃I　suggest　you　are　neither。〃
　Rachel　nodded。　She　was　both。
　　
　Four　minutes　later；　Rachel　Sexton　exited　the　NRO　and　climbed　into　the　waiting　helicopter。　Before　she　had　even　buckled　herself　in；　the　craft　was　airborne；　banking　hard　across　the　Virginia　woods。　Rachel　gazed　out　at　the　blur　of　trees　beneath　her　and　felt　her　pulse　rising。　It　would　have　risen　faster　had　she　known　this　chopper　would　never　reach　the　White　House。
　
　　
　5
　The　frigid　wind　battered　the　fabric　of　the　ThermaTech　tent；　but　Delta…One　hardly　noticed。　He　and　Delta…Three　were　focused　on　their　rade；　who　was　manipulating　the　joystick　in　his　hand　with　surgical　dexterity。　The　screen　before　them　displayed　a　live　video　transmission　from　a　pinpoint　camera　mounted　aboard　the　microrobot。
　The　ultimate　surveillance　tool；　Delta…One　thought；　still　amazed　every　time　they　powered　it　up。　Lately；　in　the　world　of　micromechanics；　fact　seemed　to　be　out…pacing　fiction。
　Micro　Electro　Mechanical　Systems　（MEMS）…microbots…were　the　newest　tool　in　high…tech　surveillance…〃fly　on　the　wall　technology；〃　they　called　it。
　Literally。
　Although　microscopic；　remote…controlled　robots　sounded　like　science　fiction；　in　fact　they　had　been　around　since　the　1990s。　Discovery　magazine　had　run　a　cover　story　in　May　1997　on　microbots；　featuring　both　〃flying〃　and　〃swimming〃　models。　The　swimmers…nanosubs　the　size　of　salt　grains…could　be　injected　into　the　human　bloodstream　à　la　the　movie　Fantastic　Voyage。　They　were　now　being　used　by　advanced　medical　facilities　to　help　doctors　navigate　arteries　by　remote　control；　observe　live　intravenous　video　transmissions；　and　locate　arterial　blockages　without　ever　lifting　a　scalpel。
　Contrary　to　intuition；　building　a　flying　microbot　was　even　simpler　business。　The　aerodynamics　technology　for　getting　a　machine　to　fly　had　been　around　since　Kitty　Hawk；　and　all　that　remained　had　been　the　issue　of　miniaturization。　The　first　flying　microbots；　designed　by　NASA　as　unmanned　exploration　tools　for　future　Mars　missions；　had　been　several　inches　long。　Now；　however；　advances　in　nanotechnology；　lightweight　energy…absorbent　materials；　and　micromechanics　had　made　the　flying　microbots　a　reality。
　The　true　breakthrough　had　e　from　the　new　field　biomimics…copying　Mother　Nature。　Miniature　dragonflies；　as　it　turned　out；　were　the　ideal　prototype　for　these　agile　and　efficient　flying　microbots。　The　PH2　model　Delta…Two　was　currently　flying　was　only　one　centimeter　long…the　size　of　a　mosquito…and　employed　a　dual　pair　of　transparent；　hinged；　silicon…leaf　wings；　giving　it　unparalleled　mobility　and　efficiency　in　the　air。
　The　microbot's　refueling　mechanism　had　been　another　breakthrough。　The　first　microbot　prototypes　could　only　recharge　their　energy　cells　by　hovering　directly　beneath　a　bright　light　source；　not　ideal　for　stealth　or　use　in　dark　locales。　The　newer　prototypes；　however；　could　recharge　simply　by　parking　within　a　few　inches　of　a　magnetic　field。　Conveniently；　in　modern　society；　magnetic　fields　were　ubiquitous　and　discreetly　placed…power　outlets；　puter　monitors；　electric　motors；　audio　speakers；　cellphones…it　seemed　there　was　never　any　shortage　of　obscure　recharging　stations。　Once　a　microbot　had　been　introduced　successfully　into　a　locale；　it　could　transmit　audio　and　video　almost　indefinitely。　The　Delta　Force's　PH2　had　been　transmitting　for　over　a　week　now　with　no　trouble　whatsoever。
　　
　Now；　like　an　insect　hovering　inside　a　cavernous　barn；　the　airborne　microbot　hung　silently　in　the　still　air　of　the　structure's　massive　central　room。　With　a　bird's…eye　view　of　the　space　below；　the　microbot　circled　silently　above　unsuspecting　occupants…technicians；　scientists；　specialists　in　numerous　fields　of　study。　As　the　PH2　circled；　Delta…One　spotted　two　familiar　faces　engaged　in　conversation。　They　would　be　a　telling　mark。　He　told　Delta…Two　to　drop　down　and　have　a　listen。
　Manipulating　the　controls；　Delta…Two　switched　on　the　robot's　sound　sensors；　oriented　the　microbot's　parabolic　amplifier；　and　decreased　the　robot's　elevation　until　it　was　ten　feet　over　the　scientists'　heads。　The　transmission　was　faint；　but　discernible。
　〃I　still　can't　believe　it；〃　one　scientist　was　saying。　The　excitement　in　his　voice　had　not　diminished　since　his　arrival　here　forty…eight　hours　ago。
　The　man　with　whom　he　was　talking　obviously　shared　the　enthusiasm。　〃In　your　lifetime。。。　did　you　ever　think　you　would　witness　anything　like　this？〃
　〃Never；〃　the　scientist　replied；　beaming。　〃It's　all　a　magnificent　dream。〃
　Delta…One　had　heard　enough。　Clearly　everything　inside　was　proceeding　as　expected。　Delta…Two　maneuvered　the　microbot　away　from　the　conversation　and　flew　it　back　to　its　hiding　place。　He　parked　the　tiny　device　undetected　near　the　cylinder　of　an　electric　generator。　The　PH2's　power　cells　immediately　began　recharging　for　the　next　mission。
　
　　
　6
　Rachel　Sexton's　thoughts　were　lost　in　the　morning's　bizarre　developments　as　her　PaveHawk　transport　tore　across　the　morning　sky；　and　it　was　not　until　the　helicopter　rocketed　out　across　Chesapeake　Bay　that　she　realized　they　were　heading　in　entirely　the　wrong　direction。　The　initial　flash　of　confusion　instantly　gave　way　to　trepidation。
　〃Hey！〃　she　yelled　to　the　pilot。　〃What　are　you　doing？〃　Her　voice　was　barely　audible　over　the　rotors。　〃You're　supposed　to　be　taking　me　to　the　White　House！〃
　The　pilot　shook　his　head。　〃Sorry；　ma'am。　The　President　is　not　at　the　White　House　this　morning。〃
　Rachel　tried　to　remember　if　Pickering　had　specifically　mentioned　the　White　House　or　whether　she　had　simply　assumed。　〃So　where　is　the　President？〃
　〃Your　meeting　with　him　is　elsewhere。〃
　No　shit。　〃Where　elsewhere？〃
　〃Not　far　now。〃
　〃That's　not　what　I　asked。〃
　〃Sixteen　more　miles。〃
　Rachel　scowled　at　him。　This　guy　should　be　a　politician。　〃Do　you　dodge　bullets　as　well　as　you　dodge　questions？〃
　The　pilot　did　not　answer。
　　
　It　took　less　than　seven　minutes　for　the　chopper　to　cross　the　Chesapeake。　When　land　was　in　sight　again；　the　pilot　banked　north　and　skirted　a　narrow　peninsula；　where　Rachel　saw　a　series　of　runways　and　military…looking　buildings。　The　pilot　dropped　down　toward　them；　and　Rachel　then　realized　what　this　place　was。　The　six　launchpads　and　charred　rocket　towers　were　a　good　clue；　but　if　that　was　not　enough；　the　roof　of　one　of　the　buildings　had　been　painted　with　two　enormous　words：　WALLOPS　ISLAND。
　Wallops　Island　was　one　of　NASA's　oldest　launch　sites。　Still　used　today　for　satellite　launches　and　testing　of　experimental　aircraft；　Wallops　was　NASA's　base　away　from　the　spotlight。
　The　President　is　at　Wallops　Island？　It　made　no　sense。
　The　chopper　pilot　aligned　his　trajectory　with　a　series　of　three　runways　that　ran　the　length　of　the　narrow　peninsula。　They　seemed　to　be　heading　for　the　far　end　of　the　center　runway。
　The　pilot　began　to　slow。　〃You　will　be　meeting　the　President　in　his　office。〃
　Rachel　turned；　wondering　if　the　guy　was　joking。　〃The　President　of　the　United　States　has　an　office　on　Wallops　Island？〃
　The　pilot　looked　dead　serious。　〃The　President　of　the　United　States　has　an　office　wherever　he　likes；　ma'am。〃
　He　pointed　toward　the　end　of　the　runway。　Rachel　saw　the　mammoth　shape　glistening　in　the　distance；　and　her　heart　almost　stopped。　Even　at　three　hundred　yards；　she　recognized　the　light　blue　hull　of　the　modified　747。
　〃I'm　meeting　him　aboard　the。。。　〃
　〃Yes；　ma'am。　His　home　away　from　home。〃
　Rachel　stared　out　at　the　massive　aircraft。　The　military's　cryptic　designation　for　this　prestigious　plane　was　VC…25…A；　although　the　rest　of　the　world　knew　it　by　another　name：　Air　Force　One。
　〃Looks　like　you're　in　the　new　one　this　morning；〃　the　pilot　said；　motioning　to　the　numbers　on　the　plane's　tail　fin。
　Rachel　nodded　blankly。　Few　Americans　knew　that　there　were　actually　two　Air　Force　Ones　in　service…a　pair　of　identical；　specially　configured　747…200…Bs；　one　with　the　tail　number　28000　and　the　other　29000。　Both　planes　had　cruising　speeds　of　600　mph　and　had　been　modified　for　in…flight　refueling；　giving　them　virtually　unlimited　range。
　As　the　PaveHawk　settled　onto　the　runway　beside　the　President's　plane；　Rachel　now　understood　the　references　to　Air　Force　One　being　the　mander…in　chief's　〃portable　home　court　advantage。〃　The　machine　was　an　intimidating　sight。
　When　the　President　flew　to　other　countries　to　meet　heads　of　state；　he　often　requested…for　security　purposes…that　the　meeting　take　place　on　the　runway　aboard　his　jet。　Although　some　of　the　motives　were　security；　certainly　another　incentive　was　to　gain　a　negotiating　edge　through　raw　intimidation。　A　visit　to　Air　Force　One　was　far　more　intimidating　than　any　trip　to　the　White　House。　The　six…foot…high　letters　along　the　fuselage　trumpeted　〃UNITED　STATES　OF　AMERICA。〃　A　female　English　cabinet　member　had　once　accused　President　Nixon　of　〃waving　his　manhood　in　her　face〃　when　he　asked　her　to　join　him　aboard　Air　Force　One。　Later　the　crew　jokingly　nicknamed　the　plane　〃Big　Dick。〃
　〃Ms。　Sexton？〃　A　blazer…clad　Secret　Serviceman　materialized　outside　the　chopper　and　opened　the