there were two transmitters. Or Souris had developed a portable one. Or both. Looking out his window at the field of antennas and considering that the Ring might have designed a portable version of what was out there made him accept that the option of using Psychic Warriors to investigate was much more desirable than it had been. They were too close now to have a group of drug dealers screw things up.
He was still pondering the problem when the door to the room opened once more and two men, one dressed in civilian clothes, the other in the green uniform of the United States Army, walked in. Three stars adorned the officer's shoulders, and rows of medals were stretched across the left side of his chest. His face was well tanned, a curious anomaly here in the great white north. The civilian was a middle-aged, well-built black man with a shaved head. He wore a pair of dark slacks and a collarless black shirt buttoned all the way to the neck. A pair of thin metal glasses framed his eyes.
Boreas dismissed Dr. Woods and greeted the newcomers. "General Eichen, Agent Kirtley. Welcome to HAARP."
Eichen took Boreas's hand "Hell of a trip to get here. Great country you have. I imagine the hunting is spectacular."
Kirtley shook hands without comment.
"Depends on what you are hunting." Boreas turned to a small cabinet "Can I get you gentlemen a drink?"
"Hell, yes," Eichen said. "Scotch if you have it."
Kirtley declined. "No, thank you."
Boreas poured the general's drink, then his own. He sat down behind the desk and slid the glass across the pitted surface.
Eichen glanced at the window. "Busy as heck in there."
"Yes, they are."
"I've read the documents you sent the expenditure oversight committee," Eichen said.
Boreas steepled his fingers and considered the general. An investigator arriving now couldn't be coincidence; not with the project as close to completion as it was.
Eichen looked out the window. "HAARP. The High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program. Fancy name. Two billion dollars in research and development money over the last two years. And reading between the lines, nothing really accomplished."
"Reading between what lines?" Boreas didn't wait for an answer. "We've gathered valuable research information and-"
“The ultimate goal of HAARP isn't research, is it?" Eichen cut him off "You briefed the congressional oversight committee that this entire complex was designed to allow full-time strategic communications and data links with submerged ballistic missile submarines." The general paused to take a sip of his drink. "You and I know that was bullshit, correct?"
"A good cover story, don't you think?" Boreas said.
Eichen downed the rest of the scotch and slapped the glass back on the desk. "What is it really?"
"It's a weapon, of course," Boreas said.
"A weapon from radio antennas?" the general was skeptical.
Kirtley had yet to say a word, his dark eyes going back and forth between Eichen and Boreas like those of a spectator at a tennis match.
"A weapon beyond anything you could imagine," Boreas said. "With it the United States can control the world."
Eichen snorted. "A bold statement. I've been in uniform since I was seventeen and a plebe at the Academy. I've fought in the Gulf, Afghanistan and half a dozen other shitholes our President decided to send us. I heard my colleagues in the Air Force say the Stealth fighter and bomber would totally change warfare, but they didn't. They said smart bombs would do the job, but they didn't either, contrary to what CNN and the Discovery channel tout on their specials.
"There's always a new weapon that will change everything, but in the end it's always the poor grunt with a rifle in his hand who has to take the ground from the enemy, who determines the outcome of war. That's the ultimate weapon. Always has been, always will be."
"This weapon is different than those you mentioned. It targets here--" Boreas tapped the side of his head. "What is a soldier without a
He was still pondering the problem when the door to the room opened once more and two men, one dressed in civilian clothes, the other in the green uniform of the United States Army, walked in. Three stars adorned the officer's shoulders, and rows of medals were stretched across the left side of his chest. His face was well tanned, a curious anomaly here in the great white north. The civilian was a middle-aged, well-built black man with a shaved head. He wore a pair of dark slacks and a collarless black shirt buttoned all the way to the neck. A pair of thin metal glasses framed his eyes.
Boreas dismissed Dr. Woods and greeted the newcomers. "General Eichen, Agent Kirtley. Welcome to HAARP."
Eichen took Boreas's hand "Hell of a trip to get here. Great country you have. I imagine the hunting is spectacular."
Kirtley shook hands without comment.
"Depends on what you are hunting." Boreas turned to a small cabinet "Can I get you gentlemen a drink?"
"Hell, yes," Eichen said. "Scotch if you have it."
Kirtley declined. "No, thank you."
Boreas poured the general's drink, then his own. He sat down behind the desk and slid the glass across the pitted surface.
Eichen glanced at the window. "Busy as heck in there."
"Yes, they are."
"I've read the documents you sent the expenditure oversight committee," Eichen said.
Boreas steepled his fingers and considered the general. An investigator arriving now couldn't be coincidence; not with the project as close to completion as it was.
Eichen looked out the window. "HAARP. The High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program. Fancy name. Two billion dollars in research and development money over the last two years. And reading between the lines, nothing really accomplished."
"Reading between what lines?" Boreas didn't wait for an answer. "We've gathered valuable research information and-"
“The ultimate goal of HAARP isn't research, is it?" Eichen cut him off "You briefed the congressional oversight committee that this entire complex was designed to allow full-time strategic communications and data links with submerged ballistic missile submarines." The general paused to take a sip of his drink. "You and I know that was bullshit, correct?"
"A good cover story, don't you think?" Boreas said.
Eichen downed the rest of the scotch and slapped the glass back on the desk. "What is it really?"
"It's a weapon, of course," Boreas said.
"A weapon from radio antennas?" the general was skeptical.
Kirtley had yet to say a word, his dark eyes going back and forth between Eichen and Boreas like those of a spectator at a tennis match.
"A weapon beyond anything you could imagine," Boreas said. "With it the United States can control the world."
Eichen snorted. "A bold statement. I've been in uniform since I was seventeen and a plebe at the Academy. I've fought in the Gulf, Afghanistan and half a dozen other shitholes our President decided to send us. I heard my colleagues in the Air Force say the Stealth fighter and bomber would totally change warfare, but they didn't. They said smart bombs would do the job, but they didn't either, contrary to what CNN and the Discovery channel tout on their specials.
"There's always a new weapon that will change everything, but in the end it's always the poor grunt with a rifle in his hand who has to take the ground from the enemy, who determines the outcome of war. That's the ultimate weapon. Always has been, always will be."
"This weapon is different than those you mentioned. It targets here--" Boreas tapped the side of his head. "What is a soldier without a
Similar Books
