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FALLON, NEVADA:
Okana turns off the asphalt onto a well-maintained gravel road, and Alex enjoys the panoramic view of the open desert and the aroma of sage filling the air coming through the open windows. It’s a long drive to Essex’s compound, located south of the Naval Air Station in Fallon. Essex purchased the land and test sites from the government after the end of the Cold War. He is driven by his desire to design an economical means of space travel. More importantly, he wants to occupy and mine the moon.
Twenty minutes later, they arrive at the expansive facility. Alex looks around to see if anything has changed. The last time they were here, they arrived by parachute at night.
The ten foot tall, barbed wire fences still stretch out across the desert on either side, but the guard shack is gone, and the single pole across the entrance is replaced with a massive steel gate. ESSEX SPACE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION is stated in large stainless steel letters above the tan colored security building.
They drive past the employee parking area and stop at the empty space in front of the structure. Once parked, they climb out and stand in front of a video camera. Alex presses a small button below the speaker and notices Okana staring at him, a mischievous glimmer in his eyes.
Okana grins. “Do you think he’ll be glad to see us again?”
Alex chuckles. “Not likely. We caused him a lot of grief the last time we were here.”
“Yeah, well, his greed is what got him in trouble, not us. We just ruined his plans.”
“State your business,” says a brisk voice from the speaker.
Alex smiles at the camera. “We’re here to see our good friend, John Essex.”
“Is he expecting you?”
“No, we were in the area and decided to stop by to say hello.”
“What are your names?”
“I’m Alex Cave, and this is Okana.”
“Do you have a last name, Okana?”
Alex steps back when his friend leans toward the speaker.
Okana’s hands clench into fists at his side. “Yes, Okana, Okana. Got it?”
“Stand by.”
Alex thinks about the man who got them out of the facility the last time they were here. “I wonder if Jim got fired for helping us.”
“No, I can’t see how. Nobody saw us together. I’ll bet he’s still here.”
The door opens, and a serious looking man dressed in SWAT gear stepped out and put his hand on the butt of his sidearm. “You’ll have to leave any weapons in your vehicle. No one will bother them.”
Alex knew this would happen, and they already locked them in the console between the seats. “We’re good.”
“You’ll set off the metal detector if you’re lying.”
Alex stares back evenly. “I said we’re good.”
The man can tell Cave doesn’t like being called a liar. “No offense, sir.”
When the man steps aside, Alex enters the building and walks through the metal detector without issue, as does Okana. The guard stays back while they step up to the check-in desk, where a big man is waiting on their side of the counter.
Not wanting to arouse suspicion, Alex tries not to show any sign of recognition to the familiar face. “I’m Alex Cave and this is Okana.” He pretends to stare at the man’s nametag. “Mister Coburn. We’re here to see John.”
Jim suppresses a smile. “Yes, he’s expecting you.” He holds out two visitor badges. “Keep these with you. Follow me and I’ll drive you to his office.”
None of them speak when they step outside. Alex climbs into the front passenger seat of the SUV, with Okana directly behind him. Once they are driving away from the building, Alex smiles and reaches across to shake Jim’s hand. “It’s good to see you again, my friend.”
“You too, Alex. I never thought I’d see you guys again.”
Okana reaches over the seat to do the same. “I hope we didn’t get you into any trouble the last time we met.”
“Not at all. Essex was grateful that I understood his predicament. He has a new partner since you killed Sloan. I guess you noticed all the beefed up security measures.”
“Yes, I heard he’s working with Steve Preston on the SV1 project.”
“That’s right. Preston did an extensive background check on each one of us, but I knew my crew was vetted. He added three new men to my security team without even asking me if I wanted them.”
Alex notices Jim’s knuckles turning white on the steering wheel. “Okana and I are following a lead on two strange tornadoes in the Pacific Northwest. His project manager at the control center told me they happened while their SV1 was working. That’s how we ended up here.”
“I see. I’m sure Essex isn’t looking forward to seeing you again.”
“You’re probably right. I’m hoping he might let you show us around.”
“I’ll tell you what. If he won’t, I’ll do it anyway.”
“I appreciate the offer, but we don’t want to get you in trouble. Let’s just play it by ear.”
Jim parks in front of the glass-spired structure that is Essex’s office and living quarters. When they climb out, they are surprised to see a small man hurrying out through the front doorway.
John Essex stops in front of his visitors, and crosses his arms behind his back as he stares at Alex and Okana. “You have a lot of nerve, Cave. When I found out you were here, I called Preston. He warned me about what you two are up to.”
Okana grins and bends over to be even with Essex’s face. “Then why did you let us in?”
Essex smiles and tries to grab Okana’s hand to shake it. “Because I’m anxious to show you what I’ve accomplished since Preston became my partner. I am actually going to get into space! Isn’t that wonderful?”
Okana straightens up, but doesn’t take the little man’s hand. “You’re just full of surprises, aren’t you, Essex?”
Essex turns to Alex, but when he sees him shake his head no, he doesn’t reach out to him. “I’m really sorry about what happened. I wasn’t lying when I said she was going to kill me if I didn’t go along with her plan to kidnap your family. Anyway, let’s all get in so Jim can drive us around and I’ll show you what I’ve built.”
Essex starts to climb into the front passenger seat, but hesitates when Okana steps in front of him. “Fine. I’ll ride in back with Alex. It’s a short drive to the rail facility.”
On the drive through the vast compound, Alex listens to Essex’s excited descriptions of the various projects he is working on.
“I’ll tell you this much, Alex. After what happened with Sloan, I lost all my other contributors, and Steve helped keep me out of jail. Without his financial support, I would have lost my dream.”
Alex smiles when he notices the child like glimmer in Essex’s eyes. The man is on a mission of passion. “I understand you have a vehicle for collecting the space junk.”
“Yes, that’s where we’re headed. It’s in the last hangar.” He leans forward to Jim’s ear. “Go ahead and skip the rest of the tour. I can’t wait to show them my spaceship.”
Alex recognizes the elevated electro-magnetic launch system extending from the end of the hangar, but the other end is somewhere over the horizon. Jim pulls over next to a small door on the side of the large structure, and they all climb out.
Essex doesn’t stop smiling as he runs ahead to open the door. He’s like a little kid, excited to show his parents what he made all by himself. Alex follows him through the doorway into a massive open bay. He nearly runs over the little man when he sees the exotic looking machine perched on the magnetic launch platform. “Wow, she’s a beautiful craft, all right. Would you mind if we take a closer look?”
“Of course not. Please, go right ahead. Let me show you what I’ve built.”
Alex grins at Okana, whose mouth is still open, and climbs up the steps to a platform next to the cockpit. It’s a two-seater and looks more like a short-winged drone than a spacecraft. He looks down on his friends and then climbs inside. A moment later, he notices Okana’s smile can’t get any wider, as he climbs in beside him.
Okana studies the labels on the dark video screens built into the stylish console. “Too bad we can’t take it for a ride.”
“I hear you.” He looks up at Essex on the platform. “How do you overcome the extreme G-force on launch?”
“Pressure suits, of course, but we limit the acceleration to the max a fit person can handle. That’s why the track is ten-miles long.”
Okana studies Essex’s small frame, and he doesn’t appear to be fit for a maximum G-ride. He smiles up at him. “Need an astronaut?”
“No. Most of the work will be done with thrusters and robotic arms, so no space walking.”
“Hell, I’m your man, John. When is our first flight? Have you tested a launch yet?”
Essex puts his fists on his hips. “No, no, and no. I already have my copilot.” His fists open as he drops his arms, then he stares at the dashboard. “It’s a concession I had to give Preston as part of the deal. He insists she’s qualified, but I don’t know anything about her.”
Alex exchanges glances with Okana. “Is her name Rita?”
“Yes, Rita Harrow. A nice looking redhead.”
“That doesn’t surprise me. Take my advice and watch your back. She’s about as crooked as Sloan was. For that fact, the two could’ve been sisters.” Alex indicates to Okana that it’s time to get out, and they join Essex and Jim on the platform.
Essex gives him a puzzled stare. Tiny beads of nervous perspiration form on his forehead. “Why? Who is she?”
“Trouble. Let’s just leave it at that. So is it ready to fly?”
Shaking the nervousness aside, Essex beams at Alex’s interest in his spacecraft. “It’s been ready for a week. It just needs fuel. I’m waiting for the SV1 to create the first batch of material.”
Okana moves to the rear of the craft to study the dual rocket motor exhaust systems, and they are far smaller than the ones for the old space shuttle. “Hey, Essex. Are you sure these motors are big enough to get you into orbit?”
“Of course, but that’s not their main purpose. Their primary goal is to slow me down before I re-enter the atmosphere. The launch rail speed will be more than adequate to reach the stratosphere, and a small amount of rocket burn will put me in orbit. In order to have a direct shot at the material, launch timing is critical.”
Alex walks to the bulbous nose of the craft. “Can I see what’s inside?”
Essex smiles. “You’re gonna love this.” He reaches down into the cockpit and presses a small button, then stands and joins his new friends watching the top of the nose split in two out of the way. When they stop moving, he waves them closer and points at the open container, and then at the two mechanical arms tucked away against the inside walls. “The ball of material will be eighteen inches in diameter. That’s the maximum mass we can maneuver with the ship as a counter-weight. I’ll use the arms to capture it in a net and guide it into the re-entry canister.”
Okana has a mechanical engineering degree and knows it won’t work. “The mass is too heavy for re-entry.”
Essex huffs at the statement. “Of course it is. Once the ball is inside, I’ll seal the lid and fill the void with expanding foam. That will also help insulate the parachute in the lid from the flames roiling off the ablative re-entry shield.”
Alex feels his phone vibrate. “Excuse me while I take this.” He steps away and answers. “Hey, Doc.”
“Alex, all the metal frames in the vault where we store the device have melted.”
“What? When did that happen?”
“Yesterday morning.”
“Is it safe?”
“Yes, but I need to know what you want me to do about it.”
Alex rubs his temples and closes his eyes. “Until I find out how it happened, keep it locked in the vault. I’ll call when I know something.”
Alex moves back over to the group and looks at Essex. “You keep talking about material modules. What are they?”
“Part of the recovery process is to liquefy the different materials using controlled harmonic resonance frequencies, and make them spin to separate the hydrocarbons from the metals. When they cool, we have perfectly symmetrical spheres to place in the container.”
Alex’s gut tightens into a knot. If what he suspects is true, all the devices are activated at the same time, and that’s what melted the metal frames in the vault.
Essex smiles at his new friends. “The instruction manual for the SV1 device gave me a wealth of new engineering concepts. It’s amazing what you can do in the vacuum of space.”
Alex glares at the little man. “That’s Pandora’s Box you’re messing with, Essex. If I were you, I’d shut the lid before you create another weapon of mass destruction. We have enough of those already.”
“That is not my intent, Alex. I just want to go into outer space.”
“Now that you have your vehicle, I’d like my instruction manual back.”
“Your instruction manual?” Essex laughs. “I know about you, Alex. A small-time geology professor for a little college in Montana. These theories are far too complicated for the likes of you.”
“I didn’t say I wrote them. I’m . . .”
Okana grabs the front of Essex’s shirt and hoists the little man up. “Just give us the damn manual or I’ll wring your scrawny neck. How does that grab you?”
Essex feels pressure in his eyeballs as his tight collar cuts off his circulation. “Just stop, Okana. Please! It’s too late. Preston has the master copy!” When Okana lets go and steps back, Essex massages his throat. “I only have a copy to work with, but I don’t think he gave me everything.”
Alex knows Preston has a secret, and wonders what kind of information he is guarding from his lead scientist. “What makes you say that?”
“The data indicates there were four of these devices, but I’ve only seen the one in orbit.”
“Does Preston have any other research facilities?”
“Sure, right here on my property. He converted one of the hangars into a facility for reclaiming the precious metals from the material I send down.”
“Could we take a look at it?”
Essex shrugs. “Of course, but there’s nothing going on right now. The place has been deserted for the past two months.”
“I’d still like to see what he did.”
Essex looks up at Jim. “Take them wherever they need to go, and I’ll find a ride back. I have a few things to do here.”
Alex realizes Essex is just a pawn in Preston’s game plan. “Thanks for showing us around. I’ll keep in touch.”
Jim shows them the small foundry, but nothing looks out of place. Alex sits in silence on the drive to the security building, while Okana and Jim talk about the spacecraft. After saying goodbye to their friend, they climb into the sedan and head back to Reno.
“We need to find that device in the arctic,” says Alex. He explains about the urgent call he received from Henry earlier, and what had happened in the vault. “They were meant to work together, so I’m sure something happened to it as well.”
“How do you plan on finding them? Especially the one in the arctic?”
“I have an idea. Let’s head back to the Fallon Naval Air Station so we can get a ride to Groom Lake.”