Space Chronicles The Beginning

Chapter 5B

McCarran airport at Las Vegas is the fourth busiest airport in the USA, mostly because of the steady influx of gamblers, but Marty and Angie were not in Sin City for fun and games. They were here to go to Area 51. Nobody drives to the top-secret base that the government does not even admit to. Day workers fly there from a private terminal, known as the Janet terminal, which no visitor ever sees.

Marty gave the official at the main desk a half smile. “Martin Sinclair and Angelina Sarasota reporting for duty, sir.”

“ID’s,” he said without a smile on his young but weathered face.

Marty and Angie handed their newly created passes to the man. He looked them over, glancing back up at them.

“Step over to the retinal scanner, please.”

They took their turns allowing the scanner to check their retinas. When the match was completed each placed his or her hand on a finger print scanner.

“No electronic devices are permitted, including laptops, cell phones, PDA’s, MP-3 players, cameras, recorders, etc.” He paused to crack a smile. “You also have to be searched.”

Angie flashed an ornery grin at Marty. He returned a frown.

Later, when Marty joined Angie in the terminal waiting room, he wasn’t his usual chipper self.

“Now you know what I went through at NASA headquarters,” she said with a grin.

“Man, I can’t believe that they’re that concerned about security.”

“Fun, isn’t it?”

“Not!”

He sat down and sighed. “I hope that this is the last of it.”

“I agree,” she said. “I’m not really surprised by all of this. This new ship is probably the most significant craft that they’ve ever tested at Area 51.”

“Hell, it’s the most advanced machine in human history.”

She smiled. “And we’re the first to fly it.”

“Hopefully, we won’t be the last.”

She frowned. “Surely you’re not getting cold feet, are you?”

“Me? No way. This is why I was born. This is what I’ve dreamed of doing all of my life.”

She gave him a cocky grin. “What? To go where no man has gone before?”

He grinned back. “Or woman.”

She returned his grin, but soon settled into a slump. “I feel like I’m back in the Air Force being assigned to a new base. All I have is a duffle bag, and worse of all, my family doesn’t know where I am or where I’m going.”

He shook his head. “No one gives a damn where I am.” He looked at her. “I’ve seen you more than I ever saw my ex-wives or my children for that matter.”

"From this point on it won't make any difference. It'll be as if we vanished off the face of the Earth."

He offered her a soothing smile. "In a way, we will have."

She sighed. 

###

The trip to Groom Lake was swift, but neither Marty nor Angie could see anything. The plane's windows were shuttered. After the landing, they were greeted by a familiar face.

"General Wilson," Marty said, saluting.

"Welcome Martin," He turned to Angie. "Angelina."

She nodded.