Three quarters of a mile later it came to an end. There was a concrete slab with a huge tube and grated cover in the side of the mountain protected by several rows of razor wire. It almost looked like a tunnel. Eller got out of the Hummer and walked up to the wire. It obviously ran deep in the mountain but what purpose did it serve? He picked up a handful of sand and tossed it in the air and watched as the cloud of sand and dust was sucked towards the opening. It was a fresh air supply line, but for what, he wondered? He noticed a door beside the tunnel and a card swipe reader was next to it. So how did they get through the wire to even swipe the card?
He looked around the razor wire perimeter but could see no way in. He went back to the Hummer and circled where he thought it was located on his map. He drove back to the main road and a mile later he came to another unmarked road leading off toward the mountains. He found the same thing at the end of this road as well and he marketed it on his map. It was repeated two more times until he came to the fifth unmarked road.
At the end of this road was one enormous pipe, larger than the other two put together. He didn’t have to guess what this was. He could feel the air coming from some source inside the mountain. He studied the map and realized that all of the tunnels were on the backside of where the S-4 facility was located. They must be the fresh air inlets and exhaust.
He sniffed the air but noticed no real discernible odor. It had to have a very effective filtering system to eliminate all of the cooking and other smells generated by the people and machinery operating at the various levels. When he headed back to the main road this time, a white Jeep Cherokee was parked across the exit. The two men in the Jeep got out and slowly walked over to his Hummer.
“You’re Mr. Eller, right?” one of the guards asked.
“That’s right. I have my badge right here,” holding it out the window so they could see it.
“Where are you headed Mr. Eller?”
“Actually, I’m not sure. I was just exploring the general area,” he replied.
“You know that can be dangerous. You are heading toward the bombing target area and once they release their bombs, well, you become dead meat,” he said leaning against the window with his arm on the roof.
I didn’t realize I was that close,” Eller said, looking down at the map.
It’s only a few miles further up the road. That may seem like a long way off, but every once in a while, a bomb hangs up and releases late. In seconds it can pass she range and land almost any place.
“I see. Well, thank you for letting me know. I think I have gone far enough anyway. It’s starting to get late and I should get back.”
“Yeah. This is a bad place to get caught out at night. All kinds of things can happen. A person could accidentally get shot at night out here,” he said, stepping back.
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Good thing to do,” the guard said.
Eller waited until they moved before turning left back on the main road. He drove back to the S-4 facility and sat studying the map. He was sure that the tunnels he had found were connected to this facility somehow. He decided it was time to check-in with the President and his office.
He took the elevator to Level–5 and went to his new ‘pod’. He hated the fact that cell phones could not be used in Nellis Range area. All cell phones were strictly prohibited.
The claim was that it could cause potential problems for aircraft and other high security equipment. It was more likely so they could monitor the calls, he decided. He dialed the special White House number he had been given and he was immediately put through to the President.
“Raymond, how’s it going out in sunny Nevada?” he asked.
“Couldn’t be better. I have a great tan from sitting around the pool all day.
“Well, maybe I should come out and visit myself,” he joked.
“Actually it has been quite a visit. A couple of new developments. One of the scientists, a Dr. Lynn Yurris finally figured out how to activate the anti-matter flux propulsion reactor. It is quite a breakthrough. They have been working on this problem for sixty years.
“Incredible. Does this mean we will be able to actually use the technology for space exploration?”
”In theory and in time. They still have a lot to do, but it is one of the biggest advancements since this facility was established.”
“Dr. Yurris?”
“Well sir that is the cover name she was given here. Her real name is Doctor Lynn Allen,” he said.
“How do you spell that?”
Raymond spelled her real last name for him.
“I’ll send her a letter of commendation for this achievement.”
“That will be well received. Make it to Dr. Allen but address it in care of Dr. Yurris. The other major news is that the Su-11 crash has been solved. It had to do with a latching mechanism on the shuttle bay door. They expect have a fix very soon and anticipate having the Su-12 out here for sorting out and final fitting within the next month or two.”
“So Pilot error had nothing to do with it?”
“Correct.”
