The Armageddon Machine Read online

Chapter Five

  In the air over California

  May 27 -- 07:36 UTC/12:36 am local time

  “We’ll be landing in Los Angeles in ten minutes,” the flight attendant informed the aircraft’s only two passengers.

  The flight attendant walked back toward the front of the plane, leaving Daniel alone with Agent Marquez. Agent Marquez drank the last of her ginger ale and buckled herself in; David buckled himself in as well. They were flying over California in a Learjet C-21, courtesy of the NTRA.

  “I’m exhausted,” David said. “I’m assuming we’ll be given accommodations after we land?”

  “I will. You can sleep on the flight.”

  “What flight?”

  “I’m staying in L.A., but you’ve still got quite a ways to go.”

  “Where am I going?” he asked.

  “To Seoul.”

  “Korea?”

  “Yes. You’ll be embedded with the National Intelligence Service there. You’ll be working with them, and reporting back to us.”

  “Christ. When I woke up this morning I never imagined that by day’s end I would be headed to South Korea to try and save the world. Life is funny sometimes.”

  As they began their descent David peeked out the window to get a look at the airport. He could tell immediately that it wasn’t LAX; it was far too small. He thought of asking Agent Marquez about it, but decided that it didn’t really matter. He leaned back in his seat. It was a bumpy landing, after which the plane taxied into a large hangar before coming to a stop. David and Agent Marquez disembarked, and David walked around a bit, stretching out his legs. A door at one end of the hangar opened and a man came striding in, walking towards where David and Agent Marquez stood near the plane. As the man came closer David recognized him. It was Agent Norwalk.

  “Hey, Norwalk; good to see you again,” David greeted him. “How’s the other guy, whatever his name was?”

  “Agent Greeves is doing fine,” Agent Norwalk responded.

  “Except for the nose of course.”

  “Except for the nose.”

  “I see that I don’t have to introduce you gentleman,” Agent Marquez said.

  She turned to David.

  “Agent Norwalk will be accompanying you to Seoul,” she said.

  “Great,” David said. “How are we getting there? I know this thing doesn’t have the range.”

  He cocked his head at the Learjet.

  “There’s a C-32 waiting for us,” Agent Norwalk answered. “We can be off as soon as you’re ready.”

  Agent Marquez held out her hand.

  “It was good meeting you, Mister--excuse me, Agent Diehl.”

  David shook her hand.

  Agent Norwalk cleared his throat.

  “Shall we get going?” he asked.

  “Just lead the way,” David said.

  The two men started to walk away.

  “Wait,” Agent Marquez said.

  David stopped and turned back.

  “I nearly forgot to give you this,” Agent Marquez said.

  She pulled an ID badge out of the pocket of her blazer and handed it to David. He looked the badge over--it identified him as Special Agent David Diehl, of the FBI.

  “FBI?” he asked.

  “It’s a cover,” Agent Marquez said. “You probably won’t ever need it. Have a safe trip.”

  She walked away.

  David watched her for a moment, and then turned to follow Agent Norwalk, who was waiting patiently. Norwalk led David back out through the door he had just entered through. The Boeing C-32 was waiting for them on the tarmac.

  “How long is the flight to Seoul?” David asked as they boarded the craft.

  “Oh, only about thirteen hours,” Agent Norwalk said.

  “Christ,” David exclaimed, not for the first time that day.

  One on the aircraft they buckled themselves into plush blue seats. They were the lone passengers, surrounded by rows of empty seats. Unlike a commercial airline there were no flight attendants. A serious-faced soldier came back from the front of the plane to check their identification, looking from the ID’s to the men and back again. Satisfied that they were not imposters he gave them back their ID’s and disappeared toward the front of the plane.

  “Nice guy,” David said.