New Earth: Project O.N.E.

R.D. Ph.D. Pittman

Description

This book is the first of a trilogy, set in the year 2015 about a government cover-up of an impending worldwide disaster. But as the reader will find out the coverup is actually a cover for another more insidious coverup. It will prompt the reader to consider the following;

What if the unthinkable were about to happen, which should you fear more the upcoming apocalypse, or your government's efforts to keep you from finding out too soon?
If the end was near for all mankind who would you trust to tell you the truth?
If the government has a secret list of ideal survivors of a potential cataclysmic incident, who made those decisions and who is on the list?

Alex Hanken is to become the most important man in history to the American people.....but there are those that will fear him more than the coming apocalypse.

It's a story about a people, a way of life, and the choices they make when faced with their own mortality.

Sujets

• Thrillers
• Fiction

Informations

• Publié par: eBookIt.com
• Date de parution: 21 février 2013
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781456603526
• Langue: English

Extrait

New Earth: Project O.N.E.
by
R.D. Pittman
 


Copyright © 2011 Two Pitts Publishing LLC
 
Published in eBook format by eBookIt.com
http://www.eBookIt.com
 
ISBN-13: 978-1-4566-0352-6
 
Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise), without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.
 
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Fiction Caveat
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used factiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental
 
Rickard D. Pittman
[e-mail]
 
 

Acknowledgements
The New Earth Trilogy
These trilogies are a work of fiction; nonetheless, I strived to be as accurate as possible when utilizing facts and figures, to lend more credence to the stories. To that end, I should note that all of the military references were obtained from the official websites of the various armed services. The Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine websites were invaluable in providing detailed information regarding force strengths and mission imperatives, as well as historical perspectives. I would like to thank the Public Affairs office of Nellis Air Force Base for its assistance and input. Much thanks to the US Department of Agriculture and the Bureau of Land Management for their website content that enabled me to provide realistic portrayals of agriculture and mining related issues that formed the basis of a significant part of these books.
My editor, Dave King, of Dave King Editorial Services was no less an important part of this effort than I was as the writer. While his editing was professional, it was also comfortable. His ideas about character and plot development were invaluable, and his patience was greatly appreciated. I can’t imagine what it would have been like without his input and guidance.
No writer can ever freely admit that he or she did it on their own. There are always one or more persons that have a significant impact on the finished novel. Mine continues to be my best friend in life, someone I’ve known for forty-four years, and loved from the beginning…my wife Sharon. There was never a moment that she didn’t praise me, remind me to take a break, rub my neck and back, put drops and warm hand towels on my eyes, and give me those wonderful loving hugs and kisses. Even when she wasn’t there…she was there.
 
To my very best friend, my soulmate, my wife Sharon,
I lovingly dedicate this book.
 
Chapter 1
We Are in Crisis Mode
Alex was on his way home to Sacramento after having looked at an investment property in Pasadena. It was in a neighborhood that was already on its way to recovery, but he thought it was still priced low enough to leave room for potential upswing. It wouldn’t make a killing, but at his point in life, he didn’t need to make a killing. A comfortable profit was enough. He tapped the button that woke up the voice-activated phone system in the dash of his rented Smart Car.
“Call Curt” The phone ring seemed odd, like a violin out of tune, and then “That’s right, at Mauna Kea. It was the Keck, last Thursday’s scan.”
That wasn’t his son Curt, unless Curt had picked up the phone without realizing there was an incoming call. But Mauna Kea? The Keck? Why was that familiar?
“Eldon I’m absolutely positive, I got the data yesterday. At least a couple of dozen, maybe more, hitting over six days. They’re coming, and there is nothing we can do about it.”
There was panic in the voice. Whatever he had dropped in on, it was serious.
Then another voice. “Listen, get off this phone, meet me at the office—no meet me at Coco’s at, say, three o’clock.”
“The one in Glendale?”
“Yes.”
“Okay see you at three…This is unbelievable, I just can’t—
“Jeffrey, shut up and get off the phone now.”
The line went dead.
Alex pulled off the highway, turned off the ignition and sat there for a moment. Whatever it was he’d overheard, it had unsettled him so much he couldn’t remember ever feeling this unnerved. Not since Iraq. That was what had gotten him so rattled—he remembered hearing exactly that tone of voice from field commanders who were coming under fire when they didn’t expect it.
After taking several deep breaths he switched his in-dash information center to the Internet and queried Mauna Kea and Keck. The Keck Observatory was part of the Mauna Kea observatories in Hawaii, jointly run by Cal-Tech. He then queried staff at Cal-Tech, the science division, and put in a search for first name Eldon—how many could there be? It came back Eldon Huart, Chair, Astrophysics Department. He then queried Jeffrey, Astrophysics Department and found Jeffrey Macklin, Professor and Director of something called the NEO Project. Alex queried NEO, Astrophysics Department and got NEO or Near Earth Object. The NEO project was a program that scanned for comets and asteroids that crossed the earth’s orbit.
They’re coming, and there’s nothing we can do about it.
Now he wasn’t rattled. He was scared.
It was 2:16 p.m. when Alex started his car, pulled back on to the freeway and looked for the nearest exit to take him to Glendale. As he raced down the Pasadena freeway he saw the sign, —Coco’s next exit. As Alex pulled into the restaurant parking lot, he saw a white four-door hybrid with a Cal-Tech logo on the door pulling into a parking spot.
 
Alex pulled next to it and shut the car off. He had to compose himself. His heart was pounding again he could feel it in his temples, a level of adrenaline he hadn’t experienced in more than ten years. He glanced at the clock. About fifteen minutes to the meeting. Should he approach these two people and tell them he overheard their entire conversation? But why should he get involved? Also, it could have just been some kind of sick fraternity joke, couldn’t it? Alex wasn’t a man to jump to conclusions, his career in the Air Force had taught him to carefully consider a situation, to weigh all the facts and then make an informed decision.
No, if this is for real he had to know, there were too many loved ones at home potentially at risk.
The man who got out of the Cal-Tech car was tall and thin, sparse gray hair, kind of stooped over. He looked like a college professor. Alex got out of his car and followed the man into the restaurant.
When the hostess asked if the two of them were together, Alex almost jumped in and said yes, but thought better of it.
“How many in your party?” she asked the professor.
“I’m supposed to meet another gentleman here at three.”
“Oh, are you Professor Huart?”
“Yes.”
“Your party is already here. He wanted a secluded place to sit, so follow me.”
Alex watched as she walked Professor Huart into a far corner of the restaurant where another man sat alone, then led both of them to a private dining room with double doors. It was secluded, all right. She then seated Alex well away from the private dining room. Alex gathered his thoughts, after a few minutes he got up, and pushed through the double doors.
Professor Huart looked up and stopped talking to Professor Macklin.
“Yes, can I help you sir?”
“My name is Alex Hanken, Professor Huart, and you must be Professor Macklin,”
Macklin looked nothing like a professor. More like a linebacker.
“Excuse me, uh Mr. Hanken was it? We’re having a very private conversation.”
Alex leaned forward with his hands on their table. “I know, I was driving down the Pasadena Freeway, trying to call my son in Sacramento, and my car phone system inadvertently picked up your conversation.”
“And what conversation was that Mr. Hanken?” Huart asked.
“The one about a near earth object event that was picked up by the Mauna Kea Observatory, and how it’s coming at us. Professor Macklin you seemed extremely confident and also in a complete panic.”
“Are you a reporter Mr. Hanken?”
“No I’m a retired Air Force Major General from Sacramento.”
“Then how did you get our names? We didn’t mention our names?”
“Look, there is not much you can’t find on the internet Professor Huart. Or should I call you Eldon?”
“Give it up Eldon,” Macklin said. “He knows.”
Huart seemed to collapse. “Sit down Mr. Hanken.”
“Please call me Alex.” Alex slid into a seat. “I’m not here as an adversary or to gain an advantage. I’m involved whether any of us likes it or not.”
“Okay,” Huart said. “To start with Jeffrey and I both hold top-secret clearances because of the nature of the work we do, I could call the appropriate authorities and have you detained indefinitely. You know that, don’t you?”
“Of course that would take some doing I’m not a former two striper, but I have no plans to run out of this restaurant and start yelling the sky is falling. I’ve flown combat missions during Desert Storm, so I’m not easily scared, but the conversation I overheard between you two gentlemen is more than a little disturbing.”
“Mr. Hanken, I need your full name and address.” Huart pulled out a Blackberry and began entering text. “If someone wishes to give you additional information beyond what you think you know you will be contacted. We are under no circumstances going to discuss this with you. I hope you understand.”
Alex nodded. “I understand. I also hold a top-secret clearance. Here’s my card with my address and phone number, gentleman good day.” Alex turned and walked out of the r