Extermination Day by William Turnage Page A

Congressman, we’re not making weapons here. Although I suppose some of the technology we’ve developed could be weaponized, just as almost any technology could be, if in the wrong hands. No, the black holes never get large enough to do any damage and they’re held in a very stable containment field. It’s what happens when you get them stable and spinning in unison that is the real breakthrough.” He rubbed his hands together as his lips slowly curled into an egotistical sneer.
    “You see, we’re surrounded by the largest particle accelerator in the world. The accelerator is basically the engine that generates power for the entire machine. Of the many particles it creates, we are interested primarily in the subatomic black holes which serve as fuel for the device. Those black holes are collected in the dome you see before you. Without going into too much of the science and engineering behind it, inside that dome, the unstable black holes are stabilized and set spinning close to the speed of light. The spinning and the immense warping of gravitational forces generated by millions of mini black holes create a vortex that bends space and time. And that vortex creates a gateway, an opening, if you will.”
    “An opening to what, another dimension?” Jeff asked.
    Chen rubbed his hands again. And then he smiled.
    “Yes, an opening to the fourth dimension. You see, Congressman, what we’ve created here is a time machine.”

Chapter 5
 
    2 am EST, January 16, 2038
    Air Force One Flying Over Richmond, Virginia, USA
     
    “Mr. President, we’re running low on fuel.” said the pilot of Air Force One, tension clear in his voice. “There’s no response from air support and no refueling tankers are queued. We’ll need to land soon.”
    “How far can we go, Colonel?” Paulson asked.
    “We can continue flying for another two hours, sir. After that I’ll have no choice but to put her down. Do we have a destination yet?”
    “I’ll get back to you on that one. Maintain your current heading for now.”
    Paulson knew that if they landed, got out of the plane, and started breathing the air, they would die. But they couldn’t keep flying much longer. They needed to land and refuel or enter a secure location, one with a sealed air supply. But where the hell would that be?
    “Cameron, can you come in here please?” Paulson said into his intercom.
    Moments later Secretary of State Cameron Farrow entered the office. Paulson had known Cameron for years. He was of mixed Asian and Caucasian ancestry, in his early seventies but looked at least twenty years younger, tall and fit. His dark hair was touched with a single streak of white, straight down the middle. He was a self-made man, starting from virtual obscurity and building a private government contracting business, while still in his twenties, into a powerhouse by the late 1990s. He had incredible, almost clairvoyant vision and a negotiating ability that allowed him to acquire contracts and place his business interests in the right places at the right times.
     
    When he merged his company with Bechtel in the early 2020s it went from earning thirty billion a year to more than double that. Then just a couple of years later he gobbled up Halliburton, and earnings went into the stratosphere, making him one of the richest individuals in the world. Cameron served as Chairman and CEO until he moved into politics in the early 2030s, serving as Secretary of Commerce for four years, then as Secretary of State in the Diaz administration.
    Paulson had a lot of respect for him, but they’d never been close, instead keeping a distant working relationship. This was fine with Paulson because there were many people he loved having a beer with but would never work with. Farrow was stern, professional, and a man to get things done.
    Secretary Farrow had been briefed, as had everyone on the plane. Paulson felt they should know almost everything. There was no more need for national secrecy