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They ate their meal in silence.
30
May 27
Saturday
GASPARD FERENC STARED OUTthe front door of his cabin deep in the Monongahela National Forest in Mingo County, West Virginia. In the dirt track leading to his cabin, he had installed motion and electromagnetic sensors along with several hidden cameras, infrared as well as visible spectrum, so he could see who was coming long before they arrived. On that early, early morning he heard the warning chimes go off and went over to the matrix of screens in time to see a car easing its way along the track. It wasn’t a car, actually, but an SUV—a black Escalade with smoked windows.
He’d always feared they might come for him, sooner or later.
Quickly, he spun the dial on his gun safe and removed a Walther PPK .32, which he tucked in the back of his belt. And then he went out onto the cabin porch and waited for the vehicle to appear.
Soon enough, it eased cautiously around the final bend, came to a stop in the grassy area in front, and sat there for a moment before the driver’s door opened and a man got out.
The man’s appearance immediately alarmed Ferenc. He was strongly built, his ripped frame draped in a dark serge suit. As he strolled toward him, he moved with an ease of motion, a cool, unhurried animal bearing, that was almost beautiful to see. His brown hair was cut in the high and tight military style, and his face was as serene and imperturbable as a Buddhist monk’s.
He stopped a good ten yards from the porch.
“Dr. Ferenc?”
“Who’s asking?”
“Proctor. May I approach?”
Ferenc felt his anxiety increase. A man like this, alone—it was not what he’d expected. What had he done wrong? Was this some unexpected blowback from NASA? Was it a kidnapping, or a black-bag operation with a one-way ticket to Guantanamo? The inscrutable person standing before him didn’t look like standard law enforcement or even CIA. He looked like Special Forces.
His heart rate accelerated. “What do you want?” he called loudly.
“I’d like to speak to you privately.”
“Not until I know what it’s about.”
“There’s no reason for alarm.” He held out his hands, palms up. “May I at least join you on the porch?”
“If you must.”
The man strolled to the steps, mounted, and came up to Ferenc, hand extended.
Ferenc shook it reluctantly. “Have a seat,” he said, indicating the shabby outdoor furniture.
“Thank you.”
They sat down.
“Okay—how did you find me?” Ferenc asked.
“I didn’t know you were hiding.”
“I’m not,” said Ferenc. “But I value my privacy, and I didn’t tell anybody where I was.”
The man named Proctor nodded pleasantly, giving him an easy smile. “Perseverance.”
“That’s how you found me?”
“No. That’s why I’m here. You were instrumental in engineering the Mars rover, Perseverance.”
“So?”