The Project 05 - The Tesla Secret

the superior judgement of a powerful man.
    Vysotsky laughed, a deep belly laugh. "Very good, Elizabeth. But I know you better than that. You mustn't try to use your considerable charm on me."
    In Moscow, Vysotsky couldn't see her smile. "It was worth a try."
    "I would have been surprised if you had not."
    Choose your words with care. "Alexei, I will be frank. In your place I would want to eliminate Ogorov and keep the weapon intact. But it must be destroyed."
    "Oh?"
    "If Russia gets this weapon it will have bad results."
    "If we had told you there would be bad results, would that have made a difference when you built your atomic bomb?" She could hear annoyance in his voice.
    "Of course not, but that was a different time. There is no defense against this weapon. It will destabilize everything. There are people here who will see it as an unacceptable threat. I am certain it will lead to war if we do not act together, a war neither of us can win. Both our nations will be destroyed."
    She waited. When he spoke again, there was resignation in his voice.
    "There are elements here as well that would not hesitate to use such a device."
    "So far, no one knows Ogorov has built this thing. I believe Adam wants us to work together because it is the only way my government can be certain the threat is eliminated."
    "You mean your President."
    "I have to tell Rice what Ogorov is planning. I know the President. He doesn't want another war, certainly not with Russia. He will not act against you if there is another way to ensure our security. I need your assurances. If I tell him my team is going in and will verify destruction of the weapon, he will wait and take no counter measures. He will prepare them, but he will not use them."
    "You are putting me in a difficult position, Director."
    "Once this weapon is operational, the entire world is hostage. Adam has told me that AEON sent up twelve satellites in the last year that can relay the beam back to earth. They form a targeting grid that covers the globe. Neither the White House or the Kremlin is safe."
    "If Adam, whoever he is, is correct. What if this is disinformation?"
    "The satellites are there, I have verified it. As can you. I remind you that Adam prevented a disaster for the Federation. Why would he mislead us?"
    "There are always hidden agendas."
    "Neither one of us is comfortable with him, I admit. But my gut says we have to trust him on this. We know Ogorov is part of AEON. The pyramid is there. It all adds up. Plus there's more."
    "More?"
    Elizabeth told him about the Mafra Library. She told him about Mexico. She told him about Tesla's experiments with Telluric currents.
    "All of that confirms Adam's information. Ogorov is building a design that uses the unlimited power of the earth's magnetic field. We believe he found something in Mexico to help him amplify that power and make Tesla's design work."
    "What was it?"
    "In Mexico? I don't know."
    "Ogorov has powerful friends. I cannot move openly against him."
    "Then we must move secretly. A small strike team, experienced. My people and yours. Nick and Korov work well together. What do you think?"
    Rice was waiting to hear the outcome of this conversation. If Vysotsky didn't agree, things were going to get complicated in short order. Complicated and dangerous.
    "All right," Vysotsky said. "But Korov will command the mission."
    "Agreed."
    They talked until they had the outlines of an operational plan. The team would leave for Russia as soon as Vysotsky had made his preparations. They agreed on communication protocols between them and ended the conversation.
    The team. She thought about Selena. No one else on the team spoke Russian. Damn it, why did she have to get herself shot?
    Elizabeth felt guilty for the thought. It looked like Selena would recover. Her body would heal, but what about her mind? She'd almost died. How would she come back from that? And then there was Nick. Since Mexico he'd been even more taciturn than usual. Moody. Trouble between him and Selena could affect his judgement. Affect the team. How would he resolve it? How would Selena?
    Elizabeth didn't know. If she could have read Selena's mind at that moment, she would have realized that Selena didn't know either.

Part Three

CHAPTER FIFTY-T HREE

    Korov looked inside the small box Vysotsky handed him. It contained shoulder boards with the two stars of a Lieutenant Colonel, a significant promotion, difficult to gain.
    "Thank you, sir."
    "You earned it,