Shadow Catcher: A Novel by Hannibal James R

Author:Hannibal, James R. [Hannibal, James R.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: thriller, Adult
ISBN: 9781101618394
Amazon: B00C1N92XA
Goodreads: 17844941
Publisher: Berkley
Published: 2013-10-01T07:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 31

We need to get cracking on our mission plan,” said Nick as the group stepped onto the elevator. “We don’t have time for games.” He didn’t like surprises, and Amanda had refused to tell him why she’d interrupted his meeting with McBride or why she was taking them up to Romeo Seven’s hangar.

“Don’t worry,” replied Amanda, ignoring his tone. “Scott thinks you’ll want to take a look at this before you plan the rescue, and Colonel Walker agrees.”

The group fell silent for a moment. Then Nick turned to McBride. “I need you to keep digging into that picture from ten years ago. Find out who . . .”

“This way, boys,” said Amanda, cutting him off as the elevator came to a stop. She ushered them out into the dimly lit hangar. The M-2 Wraith filled up half of the massive structure. With its contoured form and curved beak, the great black aircraft looked like a sleeping dragon, guarding its treasure in a darkened cave.

“I hate to break it to you,” said Drake, “but we’ve already seen this one.”

“No. I don’t think you have,” replied Walker, emerging from the shadow beneath the Wraith’s wing, followed closely by Quinn and Molly. The colonel pulled a remote control from his pocket and pointed toward the fenced hole in the floor, the shaft for the vehicle elevator from Scott’s lab.

The dark pit lit up with yellow light. A loud buzzer sounded, and red lights flashed. Then the huge chains that lifted the elevator clattered to life, turning on their spindles. A smooth black shape emerged from below, like an otherworldly creature, breathing in cadence with the rotation of the red lights. Finally, the lift jerked to a stop, and the hangar fell silent again.

“This is better than Christmas,” Drake exclaimed, breaking the reverent atmosphere.

Scott stepped out from behind the new aircraft. “And here I am without my reindeer.”

“You finished the infiltration craft,” said Nick in astonishment.

The group walked over to the lift, and Nick began to circle the little jet. The composite aircraft sat low on tricycle landing gear, so low that the apex of its frame barely came to the top of Nick’s head. The whole thing was only slightly larger than a Humvee.

Nick lightly ran his fingers along the smooth black surface. Much like the Wraith, this craft seemed to be one uniform piece. There were no discernible wings. Instead, the fuselage thinned progressively from the center outward, terminating in a razor’s edge. From above, it resembled a diamond, except that the forward point had been lengthened to form a nose, and the rear point had been cut off, replaced with a sawtoothed exhaust. Its profile sloped quickly up and then tapered gradually away like a teardrop. “I thought she wasn’t going to be ready for another month,” said Nick.

Scott shrugged. “If engineers didn’t pad their estimates, how would we appear to work miracles?”

“Would someone mind catching me up on what’s going on?” asked Quinn.

Scott smiled at the young airman. “This is Shadow Catcher, Major Baron’s concept and my design.

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