Regan's Reach (37 page)

"You have Bill Thomas in on this?"
she looked surprised.

"Sure have, when I realized we wouldn't
get to ten percent ourselves I got our broker to dig around. He found that Bill's
group held four and I contacted him. When he heard what you were up to it was
like a light went on for him. We haven't put anything in writing but he won't
sell, it's a handshake deal. The whole takeover thing has stalled. We've been
holding things up for weeks."

Regan walked over to him and planted a kiss
on his lips. "Marcus Jackson, I knew I did the right thing when I took you
on as my lawyer."

"Hey, I took you on if you remember; you
couldn't even pay me in the beginning."

"And I won't forget it. Let's get a
coffee and I'll tell you what I want to do with those shares." She
continued talking while walking to the kitchen.

"You'll need to reserve time Tuesday
morning around nine a.m. to call the Chinese buyers so book the call in with
them. Tell them we're thinking of selling up, that should see them make the
time available, oh and let Bill know everything I'm about to tell you, I'd hate
him to think we'd break a handshake deal. Now, listen carefully my friend, here's
the plan . . . "

An hour later and exhausted she looked at
her watch, still on home time after eight months and intergalactic time zones,
it was two a.m. [I'm done Ham, what's Marin up to?]

[He's in the Transport . . . the Saucer,
doing another interview with the BBC. I think he's rather enjoying it.]

[Guide him to the guest room when he's done
will you, and if you can release something to help me sleep that would be sweet.]
She made her way to her bed and collapsed, out in an instant.

An injection of thought broke into a
dreamless sleep.

[Regan.]

She yawned and stretched. [How long was I
out?] She could see the sun was well up.

[Nine hours and it's late morning. I
thought I needed to bring you up to date]

[What's up Ham?]

[The Prime Minister has respectfully
requested that the John F Kennedy remain outside New Zealand waters. Your
country is nuclear free apparently.]

[Yes, that's going to be interesting isn't
it, exotic matter and all that!] Regan stretched and rolled off the bed. [So
how did they respond?]

[Reluctantly they have complied and are
skirting up toward Fiji. It seems to me they'll remain near the edge of the
economic zone within easy air range.]

In the bathroom she started the shower. [Is
that a problem for us?]

[Not really, I just thought you should
know. They'll have jets in the air twenty four seven now but the Pod will
easily outrun anything they have.] [And I have another thought.]

[It can be dangerous to think too much Ham.]
She rotated in the flow, massaging her scalp.

[The ADF; I've been looking at its flight
performance and it's pretty impressive, not like anything we can manage but
pretty good nonetheless.]

[Yes, so where is this heading?]

[It's a New Zealand plane, perfectly
entitled to be in your airspace, and it's computer operated.] he let the
thought hang.

She could see where this was headed. [You
want to buzz them?]

[I couldn't have put it better myself.]

[Can you fly it?]

[Is the Pope a Catholic?]

[Have your fun Ham, just don't start a war,
and check it out with Steph first!]

[Wahoo!]

She felt a draught on her back and turned,
it was Marin the media star. He picked her up and pressed her back against the
wall. Reaching out she shut off the water, her legs curled around his waist. "Marin,
you know the rules."

He smiled and carried the Girl Scout, still
wet, into the bedroom.

*

Sunday one p.m. in the war room and this
time just 'the family' for lunch. Rested and relaxed Regan watched as people
rotated around Marin, watching quietly for their turn and then slipping in
quickly to talk with him whenever they could.

[Your mother doesn't seem quite so
impressed Regan.]

[Hmm, bless her; she's never been too
impressed with celebrity.]

She walked over to Kevin, dutifully looking
after Jean. "Hey, I see you two managed to fight your way through the
media scrum."

Outside the crowds had swelled to around
twenty thousand, filling the park. People were pouring in from around the
country to see the flying saucer and hopefully get a look at an alien. Regan wondered
how long it would last; not too long she hoped.

She turned on the big screen and called
out. "Sorry people, you carry on, I want to catch this."

Kev and Jean joined her on the couch as the
screen lit up and the FBC Business Focus logo played across the screen.

As the logo faded away leaving the odious
John McCall Regan scowled loudly. She was joined by jeers and boo's from around
the room.

"Welcome to this Business Focus
special, Seven on Saturday. I'm John McCall and we're joining you tonight to
focus on Monday's Congressional hearing, a hearing that will finally bring to
task the cyber terrorists STEIN. Those of you following this case will know all
the background but for those who don't a brief summary is coming up. But first,
what's happening on Monday? Well, the number three executive from Stein, Chief
Financial Officer Mary Coleman, will front the Committee hearing which we've
just heard will be chaired by none other than the President of the Senate
presiding, Vice President Jim Walker. He's understood to be livid about the use
of USDynamics as a vehicle to attack China Air and especially about the damage
Stein have done to our great nation's reputation. That Regan Stein herself isn't
here facing the blowtorch is a tragedy. As you know she's yet to make herself
available preferring instead to let her employees take the heat. I'm not
surprised. But first, let's bring you up to date with a summary of how we came
to this sorry point, and then we may even take calls from viewers. I'll hand
you over to Sylvia Holmes our business analyst, Sylvia?"

Regan muted the sound, no one needing to
hear the bullshit again. The room was mostly quiet but those who did turn to
see Regan's reaction were surprised to see her smiling. Kevin looked concerned.
The chatter quickly picked up again in the background.

"She's going to be fine Kev,"
Regan knew he was taking this badly. "I know you feel responsible as the
boss but she wanted to go. We'll have her out of there by Tuesday afternoon, I
promise."

He looked doubtful. "It's not that
Sis, we all feel responsible in a way. I just want to get her out of there."

"We will, bro."

They chatted with Jean, Regan keeping one
eye on the screen until McCall reappeared and she hit the sound.

Kevin tried to dissuade her. "Don't
listen to him Regan, he's just a prick, leave it."

"I just want to hear what he has to say
now; it'll only be a minute."

"Welcome back viewers. What a tragic
tale of corruption and incompetence. We're going to go to the lines and hear
what some of our viewers think. Line one, are you there?"

"Hello John . . ."

"Hi there, who am I speaking to and
what would you like to say?"

"Just call me Ham, John, and my
question is, where do you get all this speculative information?"

"Ah Ham," he laughed, "you
know I can't reveal my sources . . ."

"Well I could." The caller
interrupted,

"I'm sorry?" McCall shifted
uncomfortably.

"I'm saying I could, John. I know your
sources. How much do you think you'd be sued for if it came out that this was
all speculative and false?"

"Who is this?"

"It's 'Ham I am' John and I can answer
the question for you. You'll be sued for your net worth, eleven million five
hundred thousand and forty seven dollars. The network of course will settle for
a lot more than that. They'll have to so they can survive."

Viewers could see McCall making desperate
gestures to someone off screen to cut, but nothing was happening.

"Something tells me you're headed for
another bloody nose John, brace yourself." Somehow, seamlessly the picture
became a recording from the earlier program with McCall stumbling backwards,
blood pouring from his nose.

The screen went blank.

"What the hell?" Kevin turned to
Regan as the room erupted in cheers, she simply shrugged.

"Well, he deserved it; I'd punch that
man's lights out myself!" Jean Stein sounded like she really meant it.

Regan laughed and hugged her.
It's good
to be back!

*

Ham was having a fun day. Talking with
McCall as he flew shotgun just inside New Zealand's exclusive economic zone
filled in a few boring moments between dodging F Twenties. They were trying to
pressure him to leave but had no chance against the little ADF.

What a buzz,
he thought,
like flying an aerobatics plane after a Jumbo.
He tossed the
little ADF around, easily outpacing and maneuvering the latest US fighter
bombers. He knew there would be alarms sounding on the aircraft carrier.

After repeated warnings from the ship to
leave, he pointed out this was a New Zealand plane in New Zealand territory, they
should be the ones to move. It was immature he knew, but what the hell? As one
by one the jets returned to ship to refuel Ham knew he had enough data to
delight Steph and turned for home.

Back in the Wairarapa base Hayden and his
team followed the whole engagement on screen, breaking into cheers as the ADF
banked away from the carrier. If they had wanted confirmation that they were on
the right track this was it and Hayden was on the phone to Stephanie in
Wellington as soon as Ham started his run for home.

"Steph, it was incredible! The ADF was
untouchable; they're going to be seriously worried they've fallen so far
behind. How that guy piloted from orbit so well . . . honestly, it was
stunning! I've got to meet that guy."

*

The Stein Traveler hung in space, small
adjustments constantly repositioning the ship so that it appeared completely
stationary from Earth. A considerate subject, Ham knew such a small object
would be hard to capture in images if he allowed too much movement.

Those watching at that very moment would
see a small section sliding out of the sphere and dropping into atmosphere. It
would certainly get people talking and left a coin slot in the surface of the
craft, subject for further analysis and discussion.

Two hours later after a leisurely drift
over the dark Pacific Pod One made a silent vertical drop to the roof of
Riverside settling gently beside the Saucer. Two tall figures in black emerged
from the roof exit, made their way to the craft and entered through the rear.
Again, silently, the Pod lifted, climbing slowly to around five hundred meters
before seeming to disappear in a blink.

Air traffic control followed the path
briefly until Ham interfered with the signal and they disappeared off screen.
It would be a two hour journey. Regan wanted to arrive in darkness.

*

Eight a.m. - it was morning in Washington.
The man slipped out the old mobile and keyed it on, the cracked screen lighting
up with the familiar apple.

"Fucking thing’s indestructible!"
he waited while the system reloaded, then punched to dial. Four rings and the
familiar voice answered so he went straight on the attack.

"Where have you been all weekend! I've
been trying to get you. Did you see the McCall interview on Saturday?"

"Whoa! You've been trying to get me?
We agreed, no more contact."

"Don't get all righteous with me, this
is urgent for both of us; did you see the McCall interview?"

"Yeah, I saw it. You're talking about
the caller?"

"Yes I'm talking about the fucking
caller. Is there any chance he was right? Are you sure your guy covered his
tracks?"

"I wasn't there but he's not an idiot.
Yes I'm sure. Look you're making me nervous now, I've done my bit, don't call
me again!" The call disconnected.

The man cursed, stuffed the phone back in
his jacket pocket and stormed to the hotel bathroom to shave.

*

"Gotcha," A voice no one could
hear . . . in orbit.

*

The two US Capitol Police officers on guard
at the entrance of the Rayburn Office Building were deep in conversation and
looking upward as the Vice President’s car pulled in. They quickly attended to
security and directed the driver to the secure underground car parking.

Looking back at the side of the building
they resumed their conversation. "I say it's too big for an air duct."