***
“What can you tell me about the incidents leading up to the power outage in the Northwest?” Director Reynolds asked the four suited men sitting across the conference table.
“It wasn’t a solar flare,” Admiral Jennings spoke confidently. “The NOAA hasn’t observed any significant solar activity in more than two weeks.”
“Ground and space radar didn’t pick up anything larger than a bird preceding the incident,” Admiral Beck added curtly. “The epicenter of the disturbance is the home of a coma patient on the outskirts of Seattle.”
“Coma patient?” Director Reynolds prompted with a raised eyebrow.
“Aria,” Admiral Beck nodded.
“What do we know about this coma patient,” Director Reynolds asked with a deep frown. “And I don’t mean her ability to heal with songs. What kind of results were obtained from her lab work at the hospital before she was discharged?”
“All of the lab results were lost after a data-bomb was set off on the hospital network just before her departure,” Agent Smith informed him with a grimace. “It looked like clandestine work.”
“God-damned spooks,” Director Reynolds growled. “This might be even more urgent than anyone realizes if those bastards have been tampering in the medical field again. Get a team out there and find out what’s going on at ground zero. I’m going to give Director Grier a call and see if I can wring some answers out of his oily hide.”
Director Reynolds frowned as he watched Vice President Davis leave the office just as quietly as he had been throughout the whole meeting. There had been unmistakable sweat beading on his brow after Aria was mentioned.
Still Alive Page 22
