Leap (Breakthrough, #2)

by Michael C. Grumley

“I think you’d better get down here. We’ve got company.” Her eyes opened wide with the phone receiver still gripped tightly in her hand. She immediately hung up and jumped out of her chair, rounding the desk and running for the door. After flinging it open and sprinting down the carpeted hallway, she approached the wide stairs and descended as quickly as she could without tripping.

The layout of the new building was strikingly similar to the old one, but here the air conditioning system was barely able to stave off Puerto Rico’s brutal humidity. By the time she’d made it to the large double doors, the familiar flush through her body told her that her sweat glands were kicking into gear. She lowered her head and leaned into the doors, pushing them both open.

Alison smiled broadly toward the giant seawater tank. “Hello, Sally,” she replied, partially out of breath. “You’re back.”

Alison raised an eyebrow, scanning the rest of the tank’s bright blue water. “Where’s Dirk?”

Before she could answer, Dirk plunged into the top of the tank with a giant splash and performed a barrel roll as he skirted past Sally.

Alison laughed. He loved making a grand entrance. Of course, they really needed to change the part of the t...

Dirk continued to the bottom where he swung up and around before coasting in next to Sally. ...

“We’re happy to see you too.” Chris Ramirez joined Alison in front of the tank, holding his perpetual cup of coffee. How he could drink coffee all day in this heat, she would never know.

Their new facility was smaller than the aquarium in Miami, but this one was strictly a research center, which meant fewer unplanned distractions. Gutted from an old cannery, the building was refurbished and expanded to include a large indoor-outdoor tank for Dirk and Sally. Now they could come and go as they pleased. No more bars.

It was, of course, the least she and the team could do after what they’d all been through. And true to their word, the dolphins returned regularly. It ...

Behind Alison and Chris, and against the far wall, stood an immense computer system with h...

you?” We good. You ready now. “Not yet, but soon.” Smiling, Chris took a sip from his cup. “I guess we have some calls to make.” “We sure do.” Food now. Alison glanced back at Dirk as he thrust his tail up and down, excitedly. She folded her arms in front and shook her head. If the world had been surprised at their breakthrough before, this time they were going to be absolutely stunned.

“The Cradle of Naval Aviation” was the unofficial name of the Naval Air Base near Pensacola, Florida. It was built as the country’s first Naval Air Station and remained so even well into the First World War. In present day, it was known for being the primary training facility for all Navy, Marine, and Coast Guard aviators and flight officers. It was also home to the Blue Angels, the Navy’s famed flight demonstration squadron.

Both men briskly made their way down the long, polished hallway of the Naval Education and Training Command building’s third floor. When they reached the end, the pair stopped before a large white door. John Clay knocked, and the door was promptly opened from the inside. Stepping into the room, Clay and Caesare recognized Rear Admiral David Einhorn, the commander of the NETC. Einhorn was sitting behind his desk with his Force Master Chief standing next to him, both of whom ceased their conversation and looked up expectantly when Clay and Caesare entered. Almost unnoticed, the lieutenant who had opened the door then silently stepped out behind them and closed it again.

Einhorn took the folder and flipped it open, glancing over the first page. “A power failure? Are you kidding?” Clay shook his head. “No, sir.” “How the hell does a power failure cause a drone to go rogue?” They’d been expecting this reaction, especially from Einhorn. After all, they’d already uploaded their report online and forwarded copies to both Einhorn and their own boss, Admiral Langford, a half hour ago. Their hand-delivered copy was merely a formality. Judging from his reaction, Einhorn had read the online version already.

A few years before, a Predator Drone had been captured in Iran by blocking the aircraft’s satellite connection back to its remote pilot in Arizona. Worse, Iran never had to hack the drone. They only had to keep the connection blocked long enough to force it into an emergency mode, which compelled the drone to get itself to the ground safely. It was a bug in the software: a mistake.