Crow's Gambit, page 6
part #1 of Sylphan Revelations Series
Cassie found the Puma terminal without further incident. She had avoided open spaces as much as possible on the way and took several detours, including a much-needed restroom stop. Working under the assumption the two were FBI or railroad agents, it was likely they would be able to have the internal security cameras scan for her. The hooded sweatshirt might throw them briefly off, but it would still be easy to pick out her bag.
The more she stayed in areas not under heavy surveillance the better. Hopefully, they wouldn’t know she was taking the Puma and be waiting for her there. The cost of a Puma ticket was well beyond her normal means, so logically they wouldn’t look for her there first. Assuming she didn’t make a mistake like in Minneapolis again.
It would be too easy for them to find her if she used the ticket in her name. She needed to cover her tracks first. Moving to an automated kiosk Cassie made a connection with her Implant Processor Unit, or IPU.
The IPU consisted of biologically embedded electronics coded to her body. Kind of like a personal computer that was always with you. A random identification code, or token, was sent by it to the kiosk. In turn, it attached that to a newly generated token for her ticket. A record of the interaction got uploaded to a rotating series of database servers.
To the ticketing system she was just a long random number only her IPU knew. The FBI wouldn’t be able to trace her through the boarding records now.
Timing her arrival at the security checkpoint, she was one of the last in line to board. While security checks for the regional Amtrak lines were still simple, the Puma was considered a higher value target for both domestic and international terrorists. Security here was tighter and included added high-resolution scans.
She had set her bag on the scanner before a thought occurred to her. The folding knife. It was still in her bag. Surely that would set off an alarm and draw attention to her, but it was already passing through the scanner.
Cassie walked through the body scanner and waited on the designated spot. She knew the scanner had just queried her IPU for the anonymized ID token to verify her ticket. Now if she could just get on the train fast enough maybe she could avoid being spotted on the cameras.
Her heart stopped as the light on top of the baggage scanner changed from green to red and the conveyor stopped. The agent running the machine talked briefly to another agent checking his computer tablet. The conveyor started again, and the light returned to green. She was waved through and the agent handed her bag back to her.
“Was there a problem?” Her heart was still beating rapidly.
“No problem, miss. Your priority clearance is valid. However, in the future you might want to mention the knife. It will speed things up. Have a nice trip.”
“Of course, thanks.” She nodded and walked on before the agents spotted her confusion and got suspicious. She had heard of the priority clearances before but had never known anyone who could afford one.
Only those who worked in certain levels of government, law enforcement, or the corporate world had access to priority clearances. Which raised an interesting question: Just how important was she to Peter Darrow?
Chapter 9
THE PUMA BOARDING AREA was more modern and orderly than a normal Amtrak station. It sparkled in its newness and futuristic design. Each passenger had an assigned car whose door only opened for those assigned to it. A minimum number of boarding agents watched the flow of passengers, ready to answer questions, but mostly people found their way on their own.
Cassie’s car was number ten, a little past the mid-point of the train. Each car had a sleek, streamlined surface. While the cars were double decker, the decks were rounded and compact making the total height shorter than a conventional train. A stylized icon of a puma was stenciled on each one
Approaching car ten, the train scanned her IPU and the door swooshed open. Cassie stepped into a low-ceilinged area which appeared to be the steward’s kitchen area. Several stewards were stowing food trays and preparing drinks for passengers already on the train. She took a small stairwell up to the second level.
The top deck was not what she had expected. She imagined there would be rows of tightly packed seats with a small aisle between them, like the old passenger jets. With limited trains and routes, it had to be important to get as many people as possible into each car. It also improved profitability.
What Cassie found was extravagant by comparison.
The car was divided into a small handful of compartments. Each one had two cushioned leather seats which faced a small leather couch. The back of the couch seemed made to fold down into a worktable. Behind it on the wall was a flat paneled holo-monitor which could be used for entertainment or work. She assumed it also had a connection to the train’s high-speed data network. This was not Economy class.
Cassie found an empty compartment, stored her bag below the seat and got comfortable. A stewardess appeared and she ordered a cola with ice. Several other passengers trickled in taking seats in other compartments. Just as she was getting comfortable a man slipped into the compartment, pulling the screen shut, and sat down in the seat next to her. It took her a second to recognize him.
“Neil. You didn’t mention you would be on the Puma.” She hadn’t expected him to meet him on the way. However, looking around at the leather chairs and the surrounding décor again, it became obvious now he had been on the Puma when she talked to him before. The compartment was more than just a seating area. It was a VR suite.
“A happy coincidence actually. I was in Chicago conducting some business and I’m on my way home. I’m pleased to meet you in person, Miss McIntyre. Although I’m a little surprised to see you so soon. My impression was you were going to turn down our offer.”
Cassie shrugged. “Turns out I didn’t have anything else going on this week.”
There was a soft knock and the security screen was slid open by a steward. “Would either of you like a late dinner or an early breakfast? Coffee?”
“The Puma omelets are exceptional,” Neil commented. “I’d recommend the Mediterranean. It has Greek olives and feta.”
Her stomach growled in response. “Sounds good. I’ll have one of those please.”
The stewardess took Neil’s order as well and left. The two sat silently staring at each other for a moment.
Cassie thought over their earlier conversation and decided to take the offensive for a change. In particular, she wanted to know why Neil had mentioned her grandfather when they had talked. “The last time we spoke, you mentioned my Grandpa. You said I was ‘Bill McIntyre’s granddaughter’ like it meant something specific—something important to the job. What does my grandfather have to do with anything?”
“Ah, well, yes. I did know your grandfather, you know. At least, I met him a couple times.” Neil scratched his beard for a moment. “I doubt he would have remembered the first time we met. He spoke at a conference I attended as a graduate student. It was after he retired from NASA. I asked him a question afterwards. A lame question. He was very gracious not to make a point of my stupidity.”
“Grandpa always appreciated questions. Kept the mind fresh, he said.” Cassie smiled at the memory. “So, what? You think you owe me because he was nice to you?”
“No.” Neil rolled his eyes. “But I do give you credit for having been raised by him. You know, I still have an autographed copy of his book from that talk. It says ‘To Neil. Keep looking at the stars.’ He was one of my role models. Your grandfather was Chief Engineer for NASA’s Space Technology Directorate during some of the biggest missions and technology developments in the hundred-year history of the agency. His talk helped encourage me to work for JPL.”
She reappraised him. “You worked at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory?”
“Yes, until the Sylph arrived. I’m sure you know that with the economic collapse the government eventually had to shut down programs that weren’t needed anymore. NASA. The Federal Aviation Administration. The Air Force. JPL survived because many of their divisions did other work that was needed for the recovery. Unfortunately, my division was not one of them.”
“And what division was that?”
“I was project manager on the Merlin project.”
“Wasn’t that a probe or something?” Cassie remembered hearing the name but couldn’t place it. Historical details about air and space travel weren’t focused on much in the current educational standards. The public had a high paranoia where flying was concerned. No one wanted to start round two.
“Not just a probe, but an engineering marvel.” Neil leaned forward with a grin. “Its brain consisted of a specially designed radiation hardened parallel processing computer. The control system incorporated an advanced artificial intelligence program that could make basic mission decisions on its own. Its radioisotope power source had a design life over forty years and supplied more power than any similar source ever had. And its new ion propulsion system gave greater flexibility than any probe before.” He thumped back in his seat. “It was a thing of beauty.”
“So, it was a reusable probe that could go anywhere in the solar system and think for itself? And what happened to this wondrous invention of yours?”
The grin faded from Neil’s face. “Abandoned when NASA shut down. Just another piece of space junk.”
“And now you work for Peter Darrow?”
A knock announced the return of the steward. He folded the couch down then delivered two omelets, a pot of coffee, and a Bloody Mary for Neil.
“Let’s leave that question until after we eat. Wouldn’t want the food to get cold.”
Her fork paused with the first bite on it, however. “You know, I’m not my grandfather.”
“Good.” Neil’s mouth was full of egg. “He was a great engineer, but I don’t think he was a good enough pilot for what we want to do.”
Cassie took a bite and it was amazing. She did know one thing about Neil, he had excellent taste in omelets. They finished their breakfast in silence as she tried to determine what herbs they had used. Basil? No, tarragon. In time, the steward returned and removed their plates.
Neil watched her for a moment then pulled a remote out of the pocket between the seats. “I want to show you something. It might help explain why we’d like to hire you and why we think you’d like this job.”
She wasn’t done with her questions, but she’d listen.
The monitor across from them came to life. Neil made a few selections on the remote then input a PIN when the monitor requested it. A data dashboard appeared.
Cassie was familiar with the type, if not this specific format. It was surprisingly like what she used when barnstorming. A window in the middle showed the feed from a video camera. It looked like it was between two of the cars and showed one of the couplings. Below this window several indicator bars and graphs displayed various data points she didn’t recognize.
“You’re looking at a direct feed from the engineer’s control panel. At the bottom is the status of the power plant, the small modular nuclear reactor generates the electricity. In the middle is the status of the power transmission to the levitation rings as we approach them. And finally, the flux performance of the units is shown on the left.”
“That’s really cool.” Cassie leaned forward to study the numbers being displayed. “Do all the passengers get to see this?”
“No, they don’t. I know some people.” The expression on Neil’s face was complicated and hard to read. “Crow Research did some work on the original Puma design too. Now pay attention. Most of the Puma’s operations are completely automated and controlled by AIs, including this one. Watch.”
On the monitor she could now identify the Puma’s speed and location. The speed was decreasing. A countdown timer appeared. As it neared zero, the train’s speed stabilized again, and lights came on between the cars on the monitor window. When the timer hit zero, the coupler opened between the cars.
The back car slowly started to recede. As the separation grew, she realized it wasn’t a normal passenger car. Its front seemed to pull in and slide back along the car revealing a streamlined front. Not the same aerodynamic bullet shape of the Puma but something still designed for reduced drag.
“The train separated while moving. That’s incredible. Is that car another engine? It looks too small for a Puma. Where are they going?” Her questions were coming out faster than Neil could answer. Subconsciously, she recognized that as a trait she shared with her grandfather.
“We’re nearing Pittsburgh. That’s where those cars are going.”
She watched the other engine recede further before a shroud closed over the now exposed back of the Puma. Almost immediately their speed began to increase again.
“They don’t need a big engine, do they? They’ll let their speed drift down, use the engine to brake a little, until they are going a normal Amtrak speed. Then they’ll merge into the Pittsburgh rail network.”
Neil nodded again but stayed silent.
“That’s very clever. They can expand their route without needing two complete trains.”
“Or high-speed track. Those cars are designed with recessed rail wheels. They will slide out during the transition allowing the cars to roll on conventional track.” Neil took a sip of the Bloody Mary. “You know the Puma doesn’t use tracks. The train is magnetically levitated through a series of projection rings.”
“Like a long rail gun.” Cassie traced her finger along the rows of data on the screen.
“An interesting analogy, but yes. The tolerances are extremely tight. When they built the Puma, they basically drew straight lines between the cities.”
Something Dale had said when he dropped her off flashed through Cassie’s mind. “The government moved everything out of the way?”
Neil gave a little shrug. Instead of answering he pointed back to the screen. “Now what about the reverse? Do you expect another train to take their place and dock back with the Puma?”
“Theoretically, I suppose they could, but ... no.” She gathered her thoughts for a second. “It’s a problem of momentum. It’s easier to slow a train than speed it up. For another train to join they would have to be going just a little bit faster to catch up, which means the full power of their own Puma engine or...,” her head bobbed form side to side. “Or, they would need to slow this train down to normal speeds. Either way it doesn’t make sense.”
“You like looking at engineering problems.”
“I like looking at engineering solutions more.”
“Good. We have both of those for you at the Crow Works. In fact, we designed the transitioning system for those cars as a Puma subcontractor.”
She could at least admit to herself how interesting she found this kind of work. But that’s not what they want to hire me for. They want a pilot. Her uncertainty must have shown on her face because he spoke again.
“We know about the FBI agents at your apartment if that’s your concern. Mr. Darrow is not without influence. I’m sure it’s nothing that can’t be worked out.”
“It wasn’t my fault,” she replied defensively. “Really. There was a flock of geese, the autopilot messed up, and it was just sheer bad luck the train was going by then. It’s not like I make it a habit of blowing things up near trains.”
This time he didn’t nod. He just stared at her. “Geese? Train?”
“Yeah, posing a threat to railway traffic? It’s a federal offense. That’s why those agents were at my apartment and were chasing me in Chicago.”
Neil slowly set his coffee down. “Chicago? Someone followed you to Chicago?”
“Well yeah. Two of them. A man and a woman. The man got on the train in Milwaukee. The woman was waiting at O’Hare. I actually had to hide in a toilet and then a gift shop to lose them.”
Neil was silent for a moment. “How do you know they were FBI? What did they look like?”
“Spiffy suits. They were talking on some kind of implant. Crew-cut hair on the man. You know, they looked like FBI agents.”
“Well, don’t worry about it now.” He returned to sipping his drink. “We’ll just get one of the attorneys to look into it.” Neil sat up in the seat and stretched. “Now. You’ll probably want to freshen up, especially if you spent the night in a toilet.”
He didn’t know about the drone and the train. Why did he think the FBI agents were after her?
“If you go down to the stairs at the other end of the car, you’ll find the washrooms on the lower level.”
Cassie didn’t want to point out she had already cleaned up. She just thanked him and walked toward the stairs. The other compartments all had their screens shut. She could discern some movement inside, but they were just fuzzy blobs to her. She did notice she didn’t overhear one conversation as she passed. The privacy screens must have some sort of sound suppression incorporated as well.
The washroom wasn’t large by home standards but was palatial by train standards. Cassie noted it was much nicer than the last one she had spent time in. It smelled better too, like rose petals. She used one of the hot clothes to clean her face and helped herself to some of the travel size mouthwash and deodorant provided. Then she straightened her hair, tying it back into a new ponytail. Learning her lesson last time, she made sure to use the facilities before leaving.
When she got back to the compartment the privacy screen was closed. As she started to slide it open, she heard Neil saying “...O’Hare. Yes, two of them.” He looked up and smiled at her. “Yes, we should arrive soon. I’ll message when we are there.” He ended the call and returned the phone to his pocket. “Just making sure our travel arrangements from the station are in order. Feeling better?”
“Yes, thank you.”
“Ever been to New York before?”
“I’ve never been out of the Midwest.”
“Well, you are in for a treat.”
Chapter 10
CASSIE’S ATTEMPTS TO get Neil to talk more about the job met with little success, partly due to his efforts at stonewalling her and partly due to the two additional drinks he had. Relaxing outside the office or was there something else going on there?
