told you, we will upgrade the supercomputer and link it to the Livermore and Oak Ridge. They'll run simultaneously in parallel and serial mode. In any encryption code there is a limit to the sequence, if you make it extremely "heavy", then you yourself will not be able to operate the missile quickly. We are interested in the first few minutes, otherwise there is no point, because beyond that they will be out of your territory. Although, in principle, we are also considering the second phase of flight, in order to redirect them on a different course. The most important thing for us is that they do not fly towards the United States. It will not be a big deal if they explode in the air over deserted or sparsely populated areas of the globe.
– It's better to channel them into the ocean.
– No. In that case, the coasts of the U.S. and allies would be subject to a massive tsunami.
– Oh yes, how could I forget, you can fly over Africa, your ancestors wiped them out, 200 million of them. Of course, it's no big deal, and the Japanese are not used to it, it's not your fault, it's evil Russia that's so bad.
– I don't understand you – are you asserting or asking? We are proceeding from the concept of national security, and the ancestors were not ours, if I understand you correctly.
– Yeah, that's what I'm saying, strictly for national security purposes. So you want to catch the control signal at launch, decode it, send it back to the rocket with the altered course data?
– Yes. The receiving and transmitting device can be located anywhere, even in space. The main thing is reliable operational communication with the supercomputer.
– Is there something like this already?
– No, I said it's planned.
– Are you sure?
– Absolutely. The Livermore facility has just started developing this program, and the Pentagon has not yet been upgraded, the computers are not in circuit. And the transmitting facility itself is also being tested elsewhere.
– Where?
Next he said a word that Rutra's brain translated as "fairyland."
– Where is it? – He asked.
– Sorry, that's what we call it, it's the code name for Area-51.
– If that's the case, thank you very much, I have to get over there.
– We can provide you with a rest room.
– No, if I may, I'll eat in your dining room and shower wherever possible, and spend the night in Denver.
– All right, come with me.
An hour later Ruthra was in the capsule, and six hours later the capsule brought him to Denver. The speed made him dizzy and his body ached. Ruthra took a bath, had a light snack, and went to bed. He scanned Raven Rock completely, for the most part-it was a large hotel with headquarters. If there was an object of his search somewhere, it certainly wasn't there. With these thoughts, he fell asleep. He dreamed of the sea, with the town and villages in front of him, the kind of view he had grown accustomed to since childhood, wanting to admire again and again.
In the morning, he visited his escorts, who were enjoying themselves by combining a game of chess with exercise in the gym. To their distress, Ruthra had ordered the room and the entire compartment to be sealed off from the outside world and heavily guarded. They handed him a pass, which was a combination of two items – a paper-and-plastic one and a special display bracelet.
– This was passed on to you.
– What's that?
– Said the pass is for the next facility.
– Yeah? There was nothing on the previous ones.
– They explained this by the special status of the facility. At the bottom of the pass are marked the different sectors to which its holder can have access. In the lower left corner, it's marked S4. These three sectors are DS, ETL, WX.
Something interesting must be there. "Strange," Ruthra thought. – Hent said no passes were needed; the one who would be escorting has all the passes he can get.
– Don't worry, guys, one more object, and we'll splash in the water, maybe "splash" inside as well, loosen up our bones… or have them loosened by the local masseuses. I've known such specialists here in the old days, I think America is no worse now, just have the money.
– We have to have money too," said the younger colonel.
– All right, I'm on my way. Wait for me.
Two hours later he was at the famous Area-51. The capsule stopped at a station labeled S4. This was not Area-51, though it technically belonged to it. It was an even more classified location about fifteen miles south of Area-51; the place was called S4.
Area S4 is located near the dried-up Papoose Lake. The atmosphere was reminiscent of a landfill. No one had met Rutra. A voice came from the speakers. An automaton, a computer, was talking to Rutra. It invited him to the decontamination unit. "How familiar this is to me," thought Rutra. The procedure was the same – his clothes were taken away by the automaton and given a white colored jumpsuit with the S4-R breastplate. The computer asked him about his state of health and invited him to a special chair, in front of which a scoreboard displayed body condition readings – temperature, pressure, and some purely medical ones. At the end of the procedure, the robot gave the result. Everything was normal.
– You may proceed to the elevator," the computer said in a male voice in American English.
– Where's the elevator?
– Walk straight down the corridor without turning around. Stay calm and attentive and stay focused.
Ruthra realized the meaning of the last words as soon as the door of the corridor entrance opened. The corridor was completely mirrored. All four sides consisted of mirrors. As soon as Ruthra entered, he was confused about where to look. Everywhere was him. Realizing he had to go forward, Ruthra adjusted, adapted his vision, and walked until he reached the outline of the outline of the elevator entrance, where he entered. Afterward, the computer asked:
– Are you ready?
Rutra replied:
– I'm ready.
The elevator closed, went down. In the elevator, because of the limited space, his eyes seemed to be everywhere. It was very unusual, mystically terrifying when he moved his head. Therefore, Rutra tried to stand still. A strange sensation was present – the presence of an intruder. Suddenly, the "frozen" image began to change. Although he was almost frozen, the space began to move, the mirrored reflections changing their contour. Ruthra couldn't tell what was happening. To his right, the mirror began to transform, and as if from behind the horizon, something resembling a human face appeared. It was something unimaginable: along with Rutra's eyes, someone else's eyes began to "run" through the space. What happened in the next second was controlled only by his subconscious. Rutra's hand reflexively, instantly, lightning-fast struck the area where the eyes had come from. The crunch of glass and pain restored reality.
– What are you doing? – I heard behind me.
Ruthra turned around sharply and, not quite figuring it out, threw another punch at the area where the body was distorted.
– Aye-aye, calm down, what are you doing, stop it!
Shouted someone in front of him, at the same time the mirror along with the "eyes" began to fall down.
– Guards, guards! – someone shouted.
Ruthra was confused, unable to unequivocally determine what was going on, though he realized it was someone nearby speaking, someone to whom the other pair of eyes belonged.
– Who are you, where are you! – shouted Ruthra.
– I'm here," said the ghost. – Why are you fighting?
Ruthra finally realized that the one who spoke was wearing a jumpsuit completely mirrored – with a mirrored hood and mask over his face. Only the eyes were visible.
– What