Matthew Reilly: Area 7

AREA 7

MATTHEW REILLY

St. Martin's Paperbacks

NOTE: If you purchased this book without a cover you should

be aware that this book is stolen property. It was reported as

"unsold and destroyed" to the publisher, and neither the

author nor the publisher has received any payment for this

"stripped book."

First published in Australia by Pan Macmillan Australia Pty Limited

AREA 7

Copyright © 2001 by Matthew Reilly.

Excerpt from Contest copyright © 2003 by Matthew Reilly.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews. For information

address St. Martin's Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY

10010.

Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 2001054458

ISBN: 0-312-98322-0

Printed in the United States of America

St. Martin's Press hardcover edition / February 2002

St. Martin's Paperbacks edition / February 2003

St. Martin's Paperbacks are published by St. Martin's Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010.

10 987654321

For John Schrooten, my friend

I'LL TRY TO BE QUICK. SINCERE THANKS ONCE AGAIN TO:

Natalie Freer--who gets to see (and put up with) my

creative eccentricities up close. Her patience and generosity

know no bounds.

My brother, Stephen Reilly--tortured writer, constructive

and creative critic, and good friend; and to his wife,

Rebecca Ryan, because they come as a package.

My wonderful parents--Ray and Denise Reilly--for

encouraging me to build miniature movie sets for my Star

Wars action figures when I was a kid; my creativity comes

directly from them.

My good friends John Schrooten, Nik and Simon Kozlina,

the whole Kay clan (notably Don, who made me shrink

the size of the cats in Temple), and to Paul Whyte for accompanying

me on an extraordinary trip to Utah while researching

this book.

A special mention to two American friends--Captain

Paul M. Woods, U.S. Army, and Gunnery Sergeant Kris Hankinson,

USMC (retired), who generously gave of their time

and assisted me with the military details of this book. Any

mistakes are mine, and were made over their objections.

And finally, once again, thanks to everyone at Pan

Macmillan and Thomas Dunne Books. This is our fourth

outing together and it still rocks. Thanks to Gate Paterson,

Jane Novak, Sarina Rowell, Paul Kenny, and Pete Wolverton.

And, of course, as always, to the sales reps for the countless

hours they spend on the road between bookstores.

To anyone who knows a writer, never underestimate the

power of your encouragement.

All right! Now on with the show. ...

UNITED STATES AIR FORCE

SPECIAL AREA (RESTRICTED) NO. 7

GROUND LEVEL: Main Hangar

LEVEL 1: Hangar Bay

LEVEL 2: Hangar Bay

LEVEL 3: Living Quarters

LEVEL 4: Laboratories

LEVEL 5

LEVEL 6: X-rail platform

GROUND LEVEL: MAIN HANGER

LEVEL I UNDERGROUND HANGAR BAY

Air

LEVEL 2: UNDERGROUND HANGAR BAY

shaft

LEVEL 6: X-RAIL PLATFORM

Regular

elevator

Tunnel

blast doors

>

rail engines

Maintenance

vehicle

The single greatest fear that America faces today

is that its military forces no longer tolerate the

continuing incompetence of its civilian leadership.

Mr. George K. Suskind,

Defense Intelligence Agency,

Evidence given before the House

Sub-committee on the Armed Forces,

22 July 1996

The difference between a republic and an empire is

the loyalty of one's army.

Julius Caesar

AREA 7

INTRODUCTION

From: Katz, Caleb

The C.B. Powell Memorial Address: "The

Presidency"

(Speech delivered at the School of Politics,

Harvard University, 26 February 1999)

there is no other institution in the world quite like the

President of the United States.

All at once, the person who holds this title becomes the

leader of the fourth most populous nation on earth, the

commander-in-chief of its armed forces, and the chief executive

officer of what Harry Truman called "the largest going

concern in the world."

The use of the term "chief executive" has made comparisons

with company structures inevitable, and to a certain extent,

they are appropriate--although, what other corporate

leaders in the world have 2-trillion-dollar budgets at their fingertips, a license to use the 82nd Airborne Division to enforce

their will, and briefcases at their sides that can unleash an arsenal

of thermonuclear devastation against their competitors?

Among modern political systems, however, the American

President is unique--for the simple reason that he is

both head of government and head of state.

Most nations separate these two functions. In the United

Kingdom, for instance, the head of state is the Queen; the

head of government is the Prime Minister. It is a separation

born out of a history of tyrants--kings who wore the crown,

but who also governed at their often erratic pleasure.

But in the U.S., the man who runs the country is also the

4 Matthew Reilly

symbol of the country. In his words and his deeds, the President's

every act is a barometer for the glory of the nation.

For his strength is the people's strength.

John F. Kennedy staring down the Soviets over Cuba in

1962.

Harry Truman's nerves-of-steel decision to drop the

atomic bomb on Japan in 1945.

Or Ronald Reagan's confident smile.

His strength is the people's strength.

But there are dangers in this arrangement of things. For

if the President is the embodiment of America, what happens

when things go wrong?

The assassination of John F. Kennedy.

The resignation of Richard Nixon.

The humiliation of William Jefferson Clinton.

The death of Kennedy was the death of America's innocence.

Nixon's resignation drove a knife into the heart of

America's optimism. And the humiliation of Clinton was the

global humiliation of America--at peace summits and press

conferences around the world, the first question asked of

Clinton was invariably directed at his sexcapades in a study

adjoining the Oval Office.

Be it in death or disgrace, decisiveness or courage, the

President of the United States is more than just a man. He is

an institution--a symbol--the walking, talking embodiment

of a nation. On his back ride the hopes and dreams of 276

million people ... [pp. 1-2]

From: Farmer, J. T.

"Coincidence or Co-ordinated Murder?

The Death of Senator Jeremiah Woolf"

Article from: The Conspiracy Theorist Monthly [circulation: 152 copies]

(Delva Press, April issue, 2001)

... The body was found in the woods surrounding the senator's

isolated hunting cabin in the Kuskokwim Mountains in

Alaska.

Area 7 5

Truth be told, at the time of his death Jerry Woolf was

no longer a senator, having retired abruptly from Congress

only ten months earlier, surprising all the pundits, citing