Amplitude Read online

  Yeah, right…

  Shaking his head, Randy looked up from the now quiet devices. He stood in the center of Second Street, the road that connected to both Mission Control and Chamber A. From where he stood, the street continued northeast, offering Randy an unobstructed view as he gazed in that direction. He knew that soon, bright light would likely obscure that horizon. That was the direction from which the white, aurora-like curtain of energy would approach. However, for the moment, the only thing visible at the road’s far end was the trees that lined Mud Lake beyond the Space Center’s northeast boundary.

  Standing in the center of the road, Randy was in no danger of being run over. An eerie silence had descended over Johnson Space Center. He’d released all non-essential personnel, told them to go home, be with their families. The parking lots had emptied in a bevy of frenzied activity and roaring engines, but now, not a single car haunted its grid of lonely streets.

  Randy’s wandering thoughts went to his many friends who had been in Budapest, Hungary. Had he not been assigned as the current director of Mission Control, he likely would’ve been at the Planetary Congress with them. He didn’t know whether to pity his friends or himself. At least they’d had the bliss of ignorance. It had likely ended before they knew it had started.

  The street’s oppressive silence weighed heavily on Randy. It seemed to press down upon him.

  His pulse raced loudly in his ears.

  Aside from the lack of vehicles on the street, everything else appeared normal. Houston’s oppressive humidity was turning the early spring day muggy. However, the scattered clouds that dotted the otherwise blue sky meant that he would have a good line of sight for the coming event.

  “Front fucking row.”

  Dragging his eyes from the horizon, Randy looked at the handheld radio clutched in his right hand and the two phones grasped awkwardly in his left. He used a free finger from the side that held the communicator to press a button on the face of his smartphone.

  “Please, ring.”

  He closed his eyes and sighed as the damned three-tone all-circuits-busy jingle blared from the thing’s speaker again.

  “Shit!”

  He turned and looked toward the entrance of Johnson Space Center. In the distance, he could see cars racing down NASA Road 1, the thoroughfare that ran along the southern boundary of JSC. However, none of the vehicles were turning to enter the main gate. All the cars were running in opposite directions, their occupants madly dashing about in hopes of going anywhere but here, he guessed.

  “Where are you, Betty?”

  He tucked the chamber communicator into his back pocket. With his hand freed up, he began to peck the screen of his smartphone, typing out a quick message. Then he pressed send. A blue progress bar marched from left to right across the top of the screen but then froze three-quarters of the way through the motion. A moment later, he got a message-failed announcement.

  Hanging his head, Randy closed his eyes.

  The handheld communicator stuffed in his back pocket sparked to life. Wing Commander Bingham’s muffled voice shattered the street’s odd silence. “Vacuum cycle shows ninety percent complete. Any chance we can get that briefing now, Director?”

  Randy sighed. After giving his phone another longing glance, he dug the communicator from his pocket and raised it to his lips. “Roger. Sorry for the delay, guys. Been a little distracted out here. Are you all set in there?”

  “Yeah. Rourke had a bit of trouble getting up here, but Rachel has him squared away now.”

  The young man’s plaintive voice broke into the conversation. “No, I didn’t. I just had a little trouble with my balance. This thing weighs a ton.”

  “Anyway,” Bingham said, “what do you say you fill us in, Director?”

  Randy nodded. “I’ve been waiting on a phone call—”

  The wireless handset for his office phone suddenly rang. Seeing the area code, Randy raised his eyebrows. “Hang on. I think this is it.”

  Releasing the communicator’s press-to-talk button, he reached over and accepted the call. “Director McCree here … Is this Lieutenant Colonel Hennessy?”

  A long, static-filled silence greeted his question.

  “Mark, is that you?!”

  “Uh … Y-Yes, it is, Director.”

  A second voice chimed in. “Oh, thank God. He must’ve spoken with her.”

  Randy nodded. “Yes, Captain Singleton. I have.” Pausing, he swallowed hard and then gave a short nod. “I-I take it the light hit Cleveland?”

  Captain Singleton’s voice returned. “Yes, sir. I’m afraid it did. We’ve lost contact with everyone on this end. Just … Just like last time.”

  Closing his eyes, Randy released a long sigh. After a moment, he nodded again. “Okay, then. Standby. I’m going to conference in Commander Brown from the station.”

  Just as Angela had predicted, Randy had indeed found a way to use his smartphone’s camera to place a video call to the space station. One of his hackers had shown him an app they’d been working on. It used the Center’s Wi-Fi network to create a secure video conference with other NASA locations as well as the space station. The app hadn’t been released yet. It was still in beta, but they had assured him that it would work for his purposes today.

  Randy had already queued up the app. He activated it, and a few moments later, Commander Brown’s anxious face filled the device’s screen.

  “Director McCree?”

  Looking into the lens, he pressed his lips together and then nodded. He moved the two devices closer to each other. “I have someone that I think you’re going to want to hear from.”

  “Vaughn?!”

  “Angela! Oh, thank you.” The man’s voice cracked with emotion. “I was worried that I had … had lost you, or that you wouldn’t remember any of it … or me.”

  “I’m here, Vaughn.” Emotion choked Angela’s words as well. Even though the only thing she could see through Randy's phone was the wireless headset, she reached toward the camera lens as if to touch it, a sad smile on her face. “And I remember everything.”

  “Me, t—” Vaughn’s voice hitched. Then he coughed. “Me, too, Angela.” He released an unsteady breath.

  Her forehead furrowed, and her eyebrows peaked. “It didn’t work. I couldn’t stop it from happening again.”

  “It’s not your fault, Angela. We’re lucky to be alive, to be here … now.”

  Randy watched her slowly shake her head. “Maybe, but I saw something in that computer. It gave me an idea, but I’ll tell you about that later.”

  “Oh … Okay.” Vaughn paused for a moment and then continued. “Sure … Later. It’s so goddamn good to hear your voice. Are you okay?”

  “Ha.” She released a short, humorless laugh. “Same as I was last time you saw me.”

  “Yeah, me, too. Still in my spacesuit over here, but everything feels the same.” He chuckled. “Still got this beard, and it smells like something died in my suit.”

  “I hate to interrupt the family reunion,” Randy said. “But I kind of have a pressing issue here.”

  Angela blinked and then looked at him through the lens. “Sorry, Randy. How are things going there? Are you in the chamber?” She paused, and then her eyes went wide. “Wait. Why aren't you in a spacesuit?!”

  “There’s been a change of plans.”

  Randy paused as he stared at the smartphone. His hackers had told him that while the app was in use, it would block messages and phone calls, so if Betty managed to get an open phone line, she and the kids wouldn’t be able to reach him.

  “I’m putting all my faith in you, and from what little you’ve told me about what might lie ahead for you, I think the last thing you need is a busted-up, old test pilot slowing you down. I won’t be going with you on this.”

  “No, no, no, you can’t do this, Randy!”

  He held the communicator so she could see it. “I found a group of people that I think can help you. They are in the chamber now. Th
e vacuum cycle is almost complete.”

  “But, sir—”

  “It’s done, Commander,” Randy said, cutting her off. As he stared into the camera lens, he softened his gaze. “What do you say we use the little time left to make some introductions. You need to brief the candidates on what you’ve seen and where you want to meet up.”

  “Candidates? … You got ass-cans in there? That’s all you could find?”

  Randy frowned. “Yes, and yes. But I really don’t have time to go into the why and the how right now. Besides, I know somebody who was an ass-can herself not too long ago.”

  He checked his watch. “If the light hasn’t slowed, we only have another twenty minutes or so before it reaches Houston.”

  Seeing more protests forming on her lips, Randy held up the communicator again and shook it. “It’s time for you to brief them, Angela. They really don’t know much yet other than that there’s some type of light heading this way and that it won’t affect them if they’re in the chamber. They’re standing on scaffolding, and we’ve padded the floor to cushion their landing.”

  Angela furrowed her brow. “How will they know when to …?” She faltered. Then understanding dawned on her face. “Oh God, Randy.” Her eyes darted as she studied the Cupola’s monitor screen. “You’re outside … you’re going to—?”

  “Yes.” He cut her off. “I’m going to watch the light approach and give them a countdown.”

  Angela stared at him, her face awash with emotions.

  Randy gave her a wan smile. “You being back here after all you’ve obviously been through gives me hope, Angela, hope for my family, hope for the world.” He glanced northeast and then held up the communicator. “But it’s time to brief your team.”

  Her face now pale, Angela stared at him for a moment longer and then nodded. “Okay, let’s do this.”

  Chapter 8

  Activating the Chamber A communicator, Randy spoke loudly enough to ensure that his voice registered on all three of the devices in his hands. “Listen up, folks. I’ve opened a three-way conference call. I have Commander Brown on the horn from the space station. Also, Lieutenant Colonel Mark Hennessy and Captain Vaughn Singleton are with us. They are in the vacuum chamber up in Cleveland at the moment. Here in Chamber A, I’ve assembled a team of five individuals headed up by Wing Commander Chance Bingham. First things first. Let’s make sure everyone is hearing me. Commander Brown?”

  “Got you loud and clear.”

  Randy nodded. “Colonel Hennessy? Captain Singleton?”

  Mark Hennessy’s thin voice came through the office telephone wireless handset. “Five-by-five, Director.”

  “What about you guys here in Chamber A? All of you reading me alright, Commander Bingham?”

  “Uh, yes, sir.” The man sounded thoroughly confused. “Getting a little feedback, but you’re readable.”

  “Okay, Commander Brown.” Randy tilted his head toward her image on his smartphone. “You have the floor.”

  Angela chewed her lip for a moment. Then she nodded at Randy and cleared her throat.

  “I’m Commander Angela Brown aboard the International Space Station. I know you don’t have a lot of time, so I’ll cut to the chase. We are under attack. I’m sure you’ve heard that there’s something coming, but you probably don’t know that it started in CERN, at the supercollider. What you also don’t know is that it’s no accident. An external operator is trying to wipe life from our planet.”

  Randy drew in a sharp breath. After some of Angela’s earlier statements, he’d had his suspicions, but this was the first time she’d said definitively that they were under attack.

  The wing commander’s voice erupted from the communicator. “Commander Brown, how could you know that? I mean … bloody hell, McCree …! That’s one giant leap.”

  Randy raised the communicator. “Chance—”

  The man cut him off. “Please tell me you didn’t junk the telescope and jam us in here based on the word of a nutter. External operator?! Utter bollocks!” he scoffed. “What the bloody hell is she talking about?!”

  Angela’s voice returned, cold and hard. “Listen, Commander. I don’t have time to go into all of it, but you need to trust—”

  “Director McCree! The woman has obviously lost the plot—!”

  “Bingham!” Randy said through clenched teeth, cutting off the man. “Hear her out.”

  “No! I’m sorry, Director, but you’re out there, intent on riding out this thing, while we have to leave our—!”

  “Riding it out?!” Angela blurted over the smartphone. “He’s not riding out anything. The man is going to die just like everyone else!”

  “Ah, shit,” Randy muttered under his breath as he shook his head. He hadn’t told them that yet.

  Angela continued her rant. “McCree could have taken one of your spots, but he’s sacrificing himself to give you a chance to survive this, to give us a chance to fight for him and his family.”

  Sudden quiet fell across all of the devices clutched in Randy’s now white-knuckled hands.

  After a moment, Rourke’s unsteady voice came from the communicator. “Everyone? … Everyone is going to die, ma’am?”

  Angela blinked and then nodded. “Yes, the light that’s sweeping across the planet … it … well, it’s sending everyone it touches somewhere … somewhere else.” She held up a hand. “I know how crazy that sounds, but trust me, if you're connected to any portion of the planet when that light passes your location …” She paused for a moment and then shuddered visibly. “Suffice it to say that if you don’t jump when the Director says jump, you’ll end up in a place that isn’t compatible with life.” Staring off into the distance, she shook her head. “Not for long anyway.”

  Beneath her thousand-yard stare, Angela’s too skinny face turned another shade paler.

  Randy felt his do the same. His insides suddenly felt like Jell-O as thoughts of his family crowded out all others. “Oh God,” he said in a hoarse whisper.

  Angela’s eyes refocused on the camera. “I’m so sorry, Randy.”

  Before he could reply, Commander Bingham’s increasingly annoying voice returned. “Are you having me on, McCree?! You didn’t tell us that everyone is dying!”

  Randy heard the rustle of movement coming through the man’s microphone.

  Rachel Lee’s channel activated. “Where are you going, Chance?”

  “I’m getting out of here. Going to spend what time we have left with my family.”

  Randy’s eyes widened. “No, Bingham! Even if you use the airlock, you’ll let in enough air molecules to endanger everyone!”

  Angela held up her hands. “Wait, Commander Bingham. You didn't let me finish.”

  “You’ve already told me all I need to know.”

  “No, I haven’t. We can save your family.”

  The sound of movement coming through Bingham’s line ceased. “What? H-How?”

  “We can’t right now, but we can stop the invasion. Once we’ve done that, I’ll reset the timeline. And before you ask, I know I can because I already did a partial reset once.”

  “You reset time.” Bingham’s voice dripped with sarcasm. The sound of movement resumed. “Oh, sorry, didn’t realize NASA had a time traveler on the payroll.”

  Major Rachel Lee’s voice exploded from the communicator’s speaker. “Goddammit, Bingham.” She sounded ready to pummel the man. “Get your uptight, British ass back up here before I jump down there and shove a fifty thousand-dollar spacesuit boot up it and turn you into a human popsicle!”

  A deep, male voice came from the speaker of Randy’s smartphone. “Chance, this is Bill Peterson.” The major’s ebony face drifted into the image as he floated into the Cupola and pulled up next to Angela. “You and I go way back. Now, I don’t know all the details, but I can tell you that Commander Brown is one hundred percent on the level.”

  The rustling sound ceased. “Bill …?” Labored breathing filled the Commander’s channel. Finally,
his voice returned. “Bill, it’s good to hear you, but you don’t understand. We’ve left our families alone based on what—”

  “Dammit, Chance! My family is there, too. Listen, I felt just like you do. I had my doubts. You know me, and you know I’d have a damned good reason to believe Angela! And I do! I’ve seen the proof. I mean, salt my nuts, after a two-hour spacewalk, the woman came out of her suit with hair a foot longer than when we started, and she’d lost twenty pounds!” He looked at her and shook his head. “Wearing clothes that weren’t even on the station!” The major wrinkled his nose. “And don’t get me started on the smell. If those clothes had passed within a mile of this space station, I’d have smelled the damned things.”

  Major Peterson stared back into the camera lens and lowered his voice. “Chance, bottom line: I believe she’s offering us the possibility to do something about this and maybe save our families, but if you don’t shut up and listen to her, you’re going to piss it away.”

  After a moment, the sound of movement started to come through the communicator.

  Randy raised it and opened his mouth to speak, but then Chance’s voice returned.

  “I’m climbing back up. Commander Brown, please …” He sighed. “Please, continue.”

  “Thank you, Commander Bingham. There’s not nearly enough time to go over everything we’ve learned, so I’m just going to tell you what you need to know so that you can survive the light’s passage and its aftermath, although, for that last part, I’ll let Captain Singleton in Cleveland brief you on what to expect and what to avoid. We’ll save the rest for after we link up.”

  Rachel Lee’s voice returned. “You have our undivided attention, Commander.”

  Angela gave a melancholy smile. “Thank you. It’s good to hear the voice of another woman … It’s been months. Who is this?”

  “I’m Army Major Rachel Lee. There’s one more of us in here, but we can wait on the introductions. Please, continue, Commander Brown.”

  Angela gave a short nod. “Alright, listen, you’re only going to get one chance at this. Timing is paramount. The energy wave apparently propagates through our planet’s molecular field. It’s already passed Cleveland. The only reason Vaughn and Mark survived was because they were hovering a secret thruster module inside the new vacuum chamber up in Glenn Research when the light passed. No one else survived.”