The Solomon Key Read Online Free

rage?”
    “Nothing personal, sir.”
    The Senator’s face flushed red, the alcohol emboldening him, but before he could utter another word, the driver turned around and shot him in the head.

2
     
    A s Melissa Strauss pressed her handonto the shiny surface, seeing a red light turn green and then hearing the big steel door release its hold on the walls surrounding it, she wondered again at this special assignment. It wasn’t every day her employers had her prancing through super hi-tech facilities, touting around hi-level security clearances, and keeping the company of armed guards. No, it was the desert she was accustomed to, maybe some remote villages in South America if she was lucky, but a place like this? It had been years since she had the luxury of working in air-conditioning, let alone all the space-age equipment that was everywhere in this place.
    Just a few weeks ago she was in some disease-ridden part of Africa overseeing the creation of a water reservoir, part of a two-year sanitary project to elevate Africa’s state of living to meet UN law. But that came to an abrupt stop when an “order from above” suddenly changed her itinerary, sending her instead halfway across the continent and into the Middle East. Her new directive, which she understood to be top secret and a matter of national security, was to obtain an undisclosed object from another “government employee.” She was then to transport it back to North America. To this place. There was no turning it down, it was an order. Besides, if it got her back to Vermont quicker, she couldn’t complain.
    She walked through the door and down a corridor, her white lab coat floating on the cool, sanitized air. At the end of the corridor she came to another door, this one requiring her NAU Identification card, her voice, and a retinal scan.
    “Welcome, Doctor Strauss,” a pleasant synthetic voice stated. She walked through and into the lab. There was a loud click and a beep as the door shut and locked behind her.
    “Where’d all the security go?” Joe Theissen asked, looking up from a microscope and peeking over the top of his glasses. His fifty-six year old face was weather-beaten and serious, but his eyes glowed with a purpose that was known to be infectious — as they were now. Though relatively stern, his casual lop-sided grin continually blew his cover, revealing to be true the rumored light-heartedness he enjoyed away from the work. He was also employed by what was formerly known as the US Department of Agriculture, and he knew Melissa very well from past projects.
    Dr. Strauss looked around, suddenly aware of the military’s bizarre absence. “I didn’t see them on my way in. They just left?”
    Joe shrugged, returning his attention back to whatever foreign artifact was under the lens. “You’d think they’d at least tell us they were leaving.” He squinted, a free hand focusing the lens. “You see that guy Mark or Thomas?”
    “No.”
    “Janice?”
    Again she shook her head, making her way to a closet. “I’m sure they’ll be back soon.”
    “They should have been back ten minutes ago with my dinner.” He stood, watched her as she hung up her coat. “Speaking of dinner…” He was always trying to talk her into a date.
    After walking over to him, and ignoring the suggestion, she placed a hand on his shoulder and leaned over the high-tech microscope, pretending to be interested in whatever it was he was observing. “We’re supposed to be studying something else, you know.”
    “Blah, blah…” He waved his hand, dismissing her comment. “I don’t care about that stupid thing. I was on the brink of a legendary discovery before they packed me up and sent me here to meet you.”
    She laughed. “Yeah, I bet.”
    “Besides,” he continued, “I sent the diagnostics three hours ago. It’s done.”
    A look of concern washed over her face. “Joe, what about the others?”
    He gently nudged her away from his work, bending back