The Darwin Elevator by Hough Jason M

Author:Hough, Jason M. [Hough, Jason M.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Action & Adventure, thriller, Fiction, Science Fiction, Hard Science Fiction, Fantasy
ISBN: 9780345537133
Google: 8Q_u8uvl4RoC
Amazon: B00BABT9VY
Goodreads: 17255247
Publisher: Del Rey
Published: 2013-07-13T07:00:00+00:00

Gateway Station

4.FEB.2283

AFTER AN HOUR of lockdown, security finally came for Neil Platz.

He’d spent the time in his private office, running scenarios through his mind. What if the pilot Skyler hadn’t made it off the station? What if he failed to report back? A backup plan would be needed for inspecting the Aura’s generator deep below Nightcliff.

Neil toyed with the idea of explaining it to the council. Hell, even to Russell Blackfield. In the end he’d discarded that line of thought. If others knew of the generator’s existence, word would spread. Blackfield would be tempted to go poke around, perhaps making things worse. He might even do it on purpose.

All it took was one nutcase to go down there and set off a crude bomb, just as Sandeep had done to Foreshadow.

Neil was still struggling with his options when he heard a commotion in the lobby beyond. Shouts, and tension thick as fog, came through the closed doors.

He stood and pressed the wrinkles from his slacks. After one last long look at Earth, he strode to the double doors and threw them open.

“What the devil is this about?” he roared.

His secretary stood behind his chair, pressed against the wall in the face of a squad of armed security guards.

“Search the entire place,” Alex Warthen said at the head of the group.

“Do no such thing,” Neil said.

The guards ignored the conflicting order and streamed by.

“This is an outrage,” Neil added.

Alex Warthen, pale-faced, mouth drawn in a tight line, stepped forward until he was just a few centimeters from Neil. He spoke in a quiet, deliberate tone. “What’s outrageous is the size of your damn testicles. You brought smugglers aboard my station under false circumstances.”

“I have no idea—”

“Enough, Neil. You’ve gone too far this time. You leave me no choice. I have four dead guards lying in the infirmary, along with two of your scavenger friends. One’s in the brig, and once she’s ready to talk, she’ll confirm what we already know.”

“This is all news to me,” Neil said. Two of the scavengers, dead. One captured. All he could think was whether Skyler had escaped. Warthen’s trigger-happy idiot brigade might have doomed everyone, and they’d never know it.

“We know one of them was here,” Alex said. “We have security cameras on the station, as you may be aware.”

“I can’t control every jackass who comes to this door. Present company included.”

Alex shook his head. He turned and waved to a guard behind him. The man came forward and handed Alex a portable terminal screen. Pad in hand, Alex tapped away for a moment before turning it to allow Neil to see.

“Watch,” Alex said.

“What is this?” Neil asked.

Alex produced a sad smile. “The earpieces my guards wear have cameras. This was recorded by the poor fellow assigned to escort the smugglers.”

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