there.’
‘No, it doesn’t,’ Mitchell said, shaking his head. ‘The system uses a HAARP-style antenna array to draw in earth energy. But the array was also designed to put energy out - and it still can. Vaskovich could use the array to heat the ionosphere just like HAARP was designed to do - and then bounce the entire output of the generator off it in a single blast, and hit a target thousands of miles away. From the Arctic coast of Russia, he could destroy any target in the northern hemisphere.’
A chill ran through Nina. ‘Just how powerful is this thing?’
‘The force of a nuclear bomb, channelled through a lightning bolt,’ Mitchell told her. ‘And there’s no defence against it. No warning it’s coming, no way to stop it. And all Vaskovich needs to make it work is the right superconducting metal. Which is why I’m here.’ He straightened. ‘This is a matter of national security - not just for the United States, but for every country in the world. Dr Wilde, we want you to find Excalibur - before Vaskovich does.’
‘Me?’ said Nina, shocked. ‘Why do you think I can find it?’
‘You were the last person to speak to Rust. You said in your police statement that he told you where to find the pieces of Caliburn, which contain the location of Excalibur.’
‘He didn’t exactly give me map references,’ she protested. ‘He just told me he thought he knew where they were - and then he got shot!’
‘It’s all we’ve got. Now Vaskovich’s people have got Rust’s research, you’re the only person who stands a chance of beating them to the sword. After all,’ he said, with an encouraging flick of his eyebrows, ‘you’ve got some experience in this kind of thing.’
‘But what if Bernd was wrong?’
‘Then Vaskovich has nothing. But the United States can’t take the chance that he was right . If Vaskovich can make his weapon work, it’ll be the most destabilising threat to the world since the Cold War. Russia’s already rattling its sabre over the Arctic; this would give them the power to back up their threats by force.’ He stood. ‘I’d like you to come back to the embassy in London to work out a plan of action.’
‘Wait a minute,’ said Chase. ‘We work for the IHA, not DARPA.’
Again, Mitchell had clearly anticipated the objection. ‘The IHA has already agreed to co-operate with DARPA on this mission.’
Nina was surprised. ‘It has? But the IHA’s a civilian United Nations agency, not part of the US military.’
‘The IHA was set up to ensure historical artefacts didn’t fall into the wrong hands,’ Peach piped up. ‘I think this qualifies.’
‘It’ll officially be an IHA operation,’ said Mitchell. ‘But the United States, specifically DARPA, will be backing it. The director of the IHA has already authorised it.’
‘I’d like to discuss this with Hector myself,’ said Nina, tight-lipped.
‘I thought you would. That’s why he’s on his way to England right now - he might even be at the embassy already. You can talk to him in person.’
‘Bloody hell,’ muttered Chase. ‘Bit quick off the mark, aren’t you?’
‘Vaskovich’s people will be ready to move as soon as they figure out where the sword pieces are,’ Mitchell said. ‘So we need to move faster.’
‘Huh,’ said Nina. ‘I guess we’re going to London, then.’
Chase stood and looked out of the window at the limo. ‘We’d better take your car - ours is a bit knackered. Good job we took out the damage insurance . . .’
The American embassy dominated one end of London’s leafy Grosvenor Square. It was, Nina thought as the limo rounded the anti-terrorist security blockades to pull into a guarded side gate, a singularly unattractive structure: a brutalist block of concrete and glass, completely at odds with the elegant Victorian and Georgian townhouses nearby. But for all that, the sight of the Stars and Stripes flying outside gave her a momentary swell of pride. A piece of
‘No, it doesn’t,’ Mitchell said, shaking his head. ‘The system uses a HAARP-style antenna array to draw in earth energy. But the array was also designed to put energy out - and it still can. Vaskovich could use the array to heat the ionosphere just like HAARP was designed to do - and then bounce the entire output of the generator off it in a single blast, and hit a target thousands of miles away. From the Arctic coast of Russia, he could destroy any target in the northern hemisphere.’
A chill ran through Nina. ‘Just how powerful is this thing?’
‘The force of a nuclear bomb, channelled through a lightning bolt,’ Mitchell told her. ‘And there’s no defence against it. No warning it’s coming, no way to stop it. And all Vaskovich needs to make it work is the right superconducting metal. Which is why I’m here.’ He straightened. ‘This is a matter of national security - not just for the United States, but for every country in the world. Dr Wilde, we want you to find Excalibur - before Vaskovich does.’
‘Me?’ said Nina, shocked. ‘Why do you think I can find it?’
‘You were the last person to speak to Rust. You said in your police statement that he told you where to find the pieces of Caliburn, which contain the location of Excalibur.’
‘He didn’t exactly give me map references,’ she protested. ‘He just told me he thought he knew where they were - and then he got shot!’
‘It’s all we’ve got. Now Vaskovich’s people have got Rust’s research, you’re the only person who stands a chance of beating them to the sword. After all,’ he said, with an encouraging flick of his eyebrows, ‘you’ve got some experience in this kind of thing.’
‘But what if Bernd was wrong?’
‘Then Vaskovich has nothing. But the United States can’t take the chance that he was right . If Vaskovich can make his weapon work, it’ll be the most destabilising threat to the world since the Cold War. Russia’s already rattling its sabre over the Arctic; this would give them the power to back up their threats by force.’ He stood. ‘I’d like you to come back to the embassy in London to work out a plan of action.’
‘Wait a minute,’ said Chase. ‘We work for the IHA, not DARPA.’
Again, Mitchell had clearly anticipated the objection. ‘The IHA has already agreed to co-operate with DARPA on this mission.’
Nina was surprised. ‘It has? But the IHA’s a civilian United Nations agency, not part of the US military.’
‘The IHA was set up to ensure historical artefacts didn’t fall into the wrong hands,’ Peach piped up. ‘I think this qualifies.’
‘It’ll officially be an IHA operation,’ said Mitchell. ‘But the United States, specifically DARPA, will be backing it. The director of the IHA has already authorised it.’
‘I’d like to discuss this with Hector myself,’ said Nina, tight-lipped.
‘I thought you would. That’s why he’s on his way to England right now - he might even be at the embassy already. You can talk to him in person.’
‘Bloody hell,’ muttered Chase. ‘Bit quick off the mark, aren’t you?’
‘Vaskovich’s people will be ready to move as soon as they figure out where the sword pieces are,’ Mitchell said. ‘So we need to move faster.’
‘Huh,’ said Nina. ‘I guess we’re going to London, then.’
Chase stood and looked out of the window at the limo. ‘We’d better take your car - ours is a bit knackered. Good job we took out the damage insurance . . .’
The American embassy dominated one end of London’s leafy Grosvenor Square. It was, Nina thought as the limo rounded the anti-terrorist security blockades to pull into a guarded side gate, a singularly unattractive structure: a brutalist block of concrete and glass, completely at odds with the elegant Victorian and Georgian townhouses nearby. But for all that, the sight of the Stars and Stripes flying outside gave her a momentary swell of pride. A piece of
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