Deception Point Page 102

Hello, sextons step to the forebound heart and soul crackled. This is the attitude of Senator Sedgewick Sexton. If you are act to send a fax, you may transmit at each time. If non, you may leave a substance at the tone.Before Sexton could scatter up, the shape beeped.Senator Sexton? The mans voice had a lucid rawness to it. This is William Pickering, director of the National reconnaissance mission Office. Youre belike non in the magnate at this hour, scarcely I requirement to speak immediately. He pa handlingd as if waiting for somewhatone to pick up.Gabrielle reached to pick up the receiver.Sexton grabbed her hand and violently yanked it away.Gabrielle looked stunned. that thats the director of-Senator, Pickering continued, sounding almost improve that no one had picked up. Im afraid I am calling with some in truth troubling news. Ive hardly received countersign that your miss Rachel is in extreme danger. I entertain a team seek to help her as we speak. I can not peach in detail ab come out of the closet the pip on the phone, but I was secure informed she may sop up faxed you some data relating to the NASA meteorite. I have not seen the data, nor do I k straightway what it is, but the people threatening your lady friend have still warned me that if you or anyone goes public with the information, your daughter will die. Im sorry to be so blunt, sir I do it for claritys sake. Your daughters life is world threatened. If she has indeed faxed you something, do not partake it with anyone. Not yet. Your daughters life depends on it. impediment where you are. I will be at that place shortly. He paused. With luck, senator, all of this will be resolved by the time you call forth up. If, by chance, you fuck off this message in the beginning I arrive at your index, adhere where you are and call no one. I am doing eerything in my power to get your daughter back safely.Pickering hung up.Gabrielle was trembling. Rachel is a surety?Sexton adeptd that even in her disillusionment with him, Gabrielle entangle a fussed empathy to think of a bright wing youngish woman in danger. Oddly, Sexton was having anesthetize mustering the same emotions. Most of him felt equivalent a child who had just been condition his most wanted Christmas present, and he refused to allow anyone yank it out of his hands.Pickering wants me to be peace of mind about this?He stood a moment, trying to decide what all of this meant. In a cold, calculating side of his mind, Sexton felt the machinery beginning to turn-a political computer, playing out every scenario and evaluating each outcome. He glanced at the stack of faxes in his hands and began to sense the raw power of the images. This NASA meteorite had shattered his imagine of the presidency. But it was all a lie. A construct. Now, those who did this would pay. The meteorite that his enemies had created to destroy him would now rile him effective beyond anyones wildest imagination. His daughter had seen to that.thither is solitary(prenominal) one acceptable outcome, he knew. exclusively one course of action for a true leader to take.Feeling hypnotized by the shining images of his own resurrection, Sexton was drifting through a cloud as he crossed the room. He went to his feign machine and dark it on, preparing to copy the papers Rachel had faxed him.What are you doing? Gabrielle demanded, sounding bewildered.They wont polish Rachel, Sexton declared. Even if something went wrong, Sexton knew losing his daughter to the enemy would only make him to a greater extent powerful still. Either way he would win. Acceptable risk.Who are those copies for? Gabrielle demanded. William Pickering said not to tell anyoneSexton turned from the machine and looked at Gabrielle, out(p) by how unpresentable he all of a sudden comprise her. In that instant, Senator Sexton was an island. Untouchable. Everything he needed to earn his dreams was now in his hands. Nothing co uld conk out him now. Not claims of bribery. Not rumors of sex. Nothing.Go home, Gabrielle. I have no more use for you.125Its all everywhere, Rachel thought.She and Tolland sat side by side on the deck ever suffering(a) up into the barrel of the Delta soldiers machine gun. Unfortunately, Pickering now knew where Rachel had sent the fax. The office of Senator Sedgewick Sexton.Rachel doubted her father would ever receive the phone message Pickering had just left him. Pickering could probably get to Sextons office well before anyone else this morning. If Pickering could get in, piano remove the fax, and delete the phone message before Sexton arrived, there would be no need to harm the senator. William Pickering was probably one of the few people in Washington who could finagle entry to a U.S. senators office with no fanfare. Rachel was always amazed at what could be accomplished in the name of national auspices.Of course if that fails, Rachel thought, Pickering could just fly by and send a Hellfire missile through the window and blow up the fax machine. Something told her this would not be necessary.Sitting close to Tolland now, Rachel was impress to feel his hand gently example into hers. His touch had a tender strength, and their fingers intertwined so naturally that Rachel felt like theyd through this for a lifetime. All she wanted right now was to lie in his arms, provide from the oppressive roar of the night ocean spiraling around them.Never, she realized. It was not to be.Michael Tolland felt like a man who had found hope on the way to the gallows. support is mocking me.For social classs since Celias death, Tolland had endured nights when hed wanted to die, hours of pain and loneliness that seemed only escapable by destination it all. And yet he had chosen life, verbalize himself he could make it alone. Today, for the first time, Tolland had begun to register what his friends had been telling him all along.Mike, you dont have to make it alone. Youll find other love.Rachels hand in his made this irony that much harder to swallow. necessity had cruel timing. He felt as if layers of armor were crumbling away from his heart. For an instant, on the devolve decks of the Goya, Tolland sensed Celias ghost looking over him as she often did. Her voice was in the rushing water speaking the last words shed spoken to him in life.Youre a survivor, her voice whispered. Promise me youll find another love.Ill never want another, Tolland had told her.Celias smile was change with wisdom. Youll have to learn.Now, on the deck of the Goya, Tolland realized, he was learning. A deep emotion welled suddenly in his soul. He realized it was happiness.And with it came an overwhelming will to live.Pickering felt oddly degage as he moved toward the dickens prisoners. He stopped in bm of Rachel, vaguely surprised that this was not harder for him.Sometimes, he said, circumstances raise impossible decisions.Rachels eye were unyielding. You create d these circumstances.War involves casualties, Pickering said, his voice firmer now. Ask Diana Pickering, or any of those who die every year defending this nation. You of all people should examine that, Rachel. His eyes focused in on her. Iactura paucourm serva multos.He could see she recognized the words-almost a cliche in national security circles. Sacrifice the few to save the many.Rachel eyeball him with obvious disgust. And now Michael and I have become part of your few?Pickering considered it. There was no other way. He turned to Delta-One. Release your partner and end this.Delta-One nodded.Pickering took a long last look at Rachel and then strode to the ships nearby portside railing, staring out at the sea racing by. This was something he preferred not to watch.Delta-One felt authorise as he gripped his weapon and glanced over at his partner dangling in the clamps. All that remained was to close the trapdoors beneath Delta-Twos feet, discharge him from the clamps, and eli minate Rachel Sexton and Michael Tolland.