Deception Point Page 5

Rachel nodded. She was both.Four transactions later, Rachel sacristan exited the NRO and climbed into the waiting helicopter. Before she had even buckled herself in, the craft was mobile, banking hard across the Virginia woods. Rachel gazed go forth at the blur of trees raven the stairs her and felt her pulse rising. It would have travel faster had she known this chopper would never reach the White phratry.5The frigid wind battered the fabric of the ThermaTech tent, but Delta-One hardly noticed. He and Delta-Three were focused on their comrade, who was manipulating the joystick in his hand with surgical dexterity. The pervade before them displayed a live impression transmission from a touch camera mounted aboard the microrobot.The ultimate surveillance tool, Delta-One thought, even so stunned every time they situati whizd it up. Lately, in the world of micromechanics, feature seemed to be fall out-pacing fiction.Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) microbots were the newest tool in high-tech surveillance zap on the wall technology, they called it.Literally.Although microscopic, remote-controlled robots sounded ilk science fiction, in fact they had been around since the 1990s. Discovery magazine had run a cover drool in May 1997 on microbots, featuring both flying and swimming models. The swimmers nanosubs the sizing of salt grains could be injected into the human bloodstream a la the depiction Fantastic Voyage. They were now being used by advanced medical checkup facilities to help doctors navigate arteries by remote control, observe live remainderovenous video transmissions, and locate arterial blockages without ever lifting a scalpel.Contrary to intuition, expression 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 starting signal flying microbots, designed by NASA as unmanned ex ploration tools for succeeding(a) Mars missions, had been several inches long. Now, however, advances in nanotechnology, precipitateweight energy-absorbent materials, and micromechanics had do the flying microbots a reality.The true breakthrough had come from the new field biomimics copying capture Nature. Miniature dragonflies, as it turned out, were the ideal prototype for these agile and in effect(p) flying microbots. The PH2 model Delta-Two was currently flying was only one curium long the size of a mosquito and employed a dual match of transp arnt, hinged, silicon-leaf wings, giving it unparalleled mobility and efficiency in the air.The microbots refueling mechanism had been some other 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 lay within a few inches of a magnetic field. Co nveniently, in ultramodern society, magnetic fields were ubiquitous and discreetly placed power outlets, information processing system monitors, electric motors, audio speakers, cellphones it seemed there was never any shortage of complex recharging stations. Once a microbot had been introduced successfully into a locale, it could transmit audio and video almost indefinitely. The Delta describes 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 structures massive central room. With a birds-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 diligent in conversation. They would be a telling mark. He told Delta-Two to drop raze and have a listen.Manipulating the controls, Delta-Two swi tched on the robots sound sensors, oriented the microbots parabolic amplifier, and reduced the robots elevation until it was ten feet over the scientists heads. The transmission was faint, but discernible.I still cant believe it, one scientist was saying. The excitement in his voice had not emaciated since his arrival here forty-eight hours ago.The man with whom he was talking seemingly shared the enthusiasm. In your lifetime did you ever think you would witness anything like this?Never, the scientist replied, beaming. Its all a magnificent dream.Delta-One had heard enough. Clearly everything inside was achievement as expected. Delta-Two maneuvered the microbot outdoor(a) from the conversation and flew it back to its hiding place. He lay the tiny device undetected near the cylinder of an electric generator. The PH2s power cells immediately began recharging for the next mission.6Rachel Sextons thoughts were lost in the mornings 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 equipment casualty direction. The initial flash of confusion instantly gave way to trepidation.Hey she yelled to the air insipid pilot. What are you doing? Her voice was barely audible over the rotors. Youre supposed to be victorious me to the White HouseThe pilot shook his head. Sorry, maam. 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.Thats not what I asked.Sixteen more miles.Rachel scowled at him. This guy should be a politician. Do you dodge bullets as hygienic 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, th e pilot banked northern 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 salutary clue, but if that was not enough, the roof of one of the buildings had been painted with two fantastic words WALLOPS ISLAND.Wallops Island was one of NASAs oldest launch sites. Still used today for major planet launches and testing of experimental aircraft, Wallops was NASAs 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 Islan d?The pilot looked dead serious. The President of the United States has an office wherever he likes, maam.He pointed toward the end of the runway. Rachel saw the mammoth shape glistening in the distance, and her fancy almost stopped. Even at three hundred yards, she recognized the light blue hull of the modified 747.Im meeting him aboard the Yes, maam. His home away from home.Rachel stared out at the massive aircraft. The militarys cryptic designation for this prestigious plane was VC-25-A, although the rest of the world knew it by another name Air draw off One.Looks like youre in the new one this morning, the pilot said, motioning to the numbers on the planes 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 u nlimited range.