"Robert Doherty - Area 51 - The Reply" - читать интересную книгу автора (Doherty Robert)

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really were part of the NSA. Why else, then, would she be sending the data to
both of them?
"NSA? We work for the university."
"Not right now we don't," Compton said. "Check the numbers," she ordered.
 Brillon grumbled something, but he sat down at his computer and did as she
ordered. "Numbers are verified," he announced. "Whatever is transmitting is
along that line." He cleared his screen and brought up a computer display of the
solar system. "And I'll bet you my paycheck it's coming from a spaceship heading
into our solar system on that trajectory. We've got to contact the university!"
he said. "Professor Klint will beтАФ"
"We can't contact anyone," Compton said. She was speaking from memory, seeing
the pale blond-haired man in her mind. "This data and this facility are now both
classified and closed by National Security Directive forty-nine dash twenty-
seven dash alpha."
"Bullshit," Brillon said, reaching for the phone. He turned to her when he
couldn't get a dial tone. "What did you do?"
"We're sealed off to the outside world, except for the NSA and STAAR," she
said.
"Screw you!" Brillon said. "You sold out to the government." He stood,
grabbing his jacket. "I'll drive and call it in on a pay phone, then. You people
aren't going to pull another Majestic!"
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Compton said in a surprisingly calm voice.
"Why not?" Brillon was tensed, his body leaning toward hers. "Are you going to
stop me?"
"No."

20


"Then screw you and your national security directive."
"I won't stop you, but I think they will." She pointed to the ceiling. They
could both hear the dull thud of helicopter rotor blades coming closer.
"Shit!" Brillon threw his car keys down.
Compton turned back to her computer and pulled up Brillon's display and looked
at it for a moment before typing in a few commands. In a second an electronic
green line reached out from the small dot representing Earth. It speared through
space and intersected dead-on with a red circle.
"Goddamn," Compton muttered. She looked up at Brillon. "Besides owing me your
life, you also owe me your paycheck. The message isn't coming from a spaceship.
It's coming from Mars!"

21

Chapter 3


The screen of the laptop was difficult to read even though it was in the