Free Revolution of the Gods: The Battle for Sol Book One by W.R. Hobbs Page B

remain at Lewis McChord. Go ahead and assume command of the base when you arrive. Begin preparation for a scaled down Ark Protocol. The briefing is rescheduled for 2200 hours. We are initiating a revised Operation Goliath at 0100 tomorrow. I will contact you again at 1600 with more info.”
    “I take it you had a meaningful conversation with Dr. Hauer,” Straka prodded, his image projecting back to Bracken from the V33’s console camera view.
    “
We are up against way more than we originally planned. I’m going to let Dr. Hauer tell you guys directly what he explained to me. The primary directive of Goliath no longer focuses on just the NAU Command structure… I need to get to work on the new plan,”
Bracken digressed, contemplating the forthcoming load of events.
    “Yes Sir! I will await your next communication at 1600. Straka Out.”

Jackson Laboratories - Sacramento, CA
    The progress bar finally reached 100% and Dr. Leroux’s data compilation was now complete. She had been fully prepared for the briefing on short notice but never imagined it would be necessary to compile all of her database immediately thereafter.
    The geneticist had provided only the veneer of her team’s results in her concise introduction to the military. She had not been afforded the time to present the entirety of their findings.
    “Dr. Leroux, I need to speak with you,” Pennington alerted as he stood outside her lab door.
    Leroux was both startled and irritated at the same moment, “Yes Director?”
    “Dr. Leroux, General Straka has sent an order for you to report to the Dugway Facility. I know this is very short notice Courtney and they haven’t told me anything about why they need you so urgently or how long you may be there,” Pennington compassionately confided.
    “Can…Can I have some time to get my things together here?” Leroux asked in a foggy state, now blankly gazing past Pennington.
    “Sure. Be upstairs by 12:00 p.m. They have arranged your transportation,” he replied.
    “Thank you, sir,” Leroux barely responded.
    Why the hell do they want me at Dugway without my team? The Ark Protocol would have at least five scientists reporting from Jackson,
the young doctor contemplated with only a cursory knowledge of the one thing that made any sense at the moment.
    The Ark Protocol was a contingency plan to protect certain high priority individuals with their relocation to strategic regional underground facilities in the event of a catastrophic global threat. Only its participants knew of the protocol and that was the reason Leroux had knowledge of it. Since there were no apparent imminent world threats and they only asked for her alone, Leroux dismissed the possibility of Ark being activated. As she sat back down at the lab desk, her curiosity and fear battled over the possible reasons for her departure.

CHAPTER 12
Las Vegas - Nevada
    T aon’s first few hours of freedom had been filled with one escape after another – the chamber – the facility – and then the outskirts of Las Vegas, where he was forced down at 6 a.m. local time. The Griffin’s cold plasma shield was disrupted by the single hit from Dugway’s cannon. The shield utilized an extremely high density plasma to withstand various particle beam weapons, but not at the range Taon’s ship was located when exiting the hanger.
    The cannon shot breached the plasma plating above the fighter’s rear engine repulsion compartment. Shortly after takeoff, the shield completely dissipated and the outer hull breach became susceptible to the Griffin’s high velocity shear. The plating began peeling off the aft section causing the graviton repulse engine to disable and the power systems soon followed. Taon was not able to maintain more than Mach 2.8 before he found himself hurdling toward the ground at almost 1800 mph.
    Ejecting at such a speed and low altitude was a violent ordeal that found Taon lying on his side, semi-conscious. Taon landed about 350 yards away