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Back The Utopia Experiment Save as PDF
Chapters (84)
  1. Title Page
  2. Welcome
  3. Prologue
  4. 1
  5. 2
  6. 3
  7. 4
  8. 5
  9. 6
  10. 7
  11. 8
  12. 9
  13. 10
  14. 11
  15. 12
  16. 13
  17. 14
  18. 15
  19. 16
  20. 17
  21. 18
  22. 19
  23. 20
  24. 21
  25. 22
  26. 23
  27. 24
  28. 25
  29. 26
  30. 27
  31. 28
  32. 29
  33. 30
  34. 31
  35. 32
  36. 33
  37. 34
  38. 35
  39. 36
  40. 37
  41. 38
  42. 39
  43. 40
  44. 41
  45. 42
  46. 43
  47. 44
  48. 45
  49. 46
  50. 47
  51. 48
  52. 49
  53. 50
  54. 51
  55. 52
  56. 53
  57. 54
  58. 55
  59. 56
  60. 57
  61. 58
  62. 59
  63. 60
  64. 61
  65. 62
  66. 63
  67. 64
  68. 65
  69. 66
  70. 67
  71. 68
  72. 69
  73. 70
  74. 71
  75. 72
  76. 73
  77. 74
  78. 75
  79. 76
  80. Epilogue
  81. About the Authors
  82. The Covert-One Novels
  83. Newsletters
  84. Copyright

Klein finally took a seat behind his desk, and the two men stared at each other. Smith was the first to break the silence.

“There was something called Division D at that facility, Fred. All we know about it is that a lot of the test subjects there died. Even Eichmann—”

“I don’t want to hear it, Jon.”

Smith ignored him. “My concern is that this was something separate from the normal development research. Something that could bite us in the ass.”

“The investigation is over,” Klein repeated.

“Because Castilla is worried about his legacy?”

“Don’t try to channel Randi’s outrage. You know better.”

Smith let out a long breath and tried to figure out a way to get through. “Our military is getting reliant on the Merge faster than even I expected. Actually, ‘reliant’ isn’t even the right word. Addicted. How can I get comfortable continuing to integrate a technology that I don’t fully understand? A hell of a lot of blood and treasure was expended in Division D, Fred. And even Dresner’s closest friend and collaborator didn’t know why.”

Klein didn’t react.

“Authorize me to continue to quietly pursue this, Fred. I’ll convince Randi to walk away. This will just be between you, me, and the president. Then we can make a decision with a full set of facts.”

Klein didn’t seem sure how much to say. “You’re not bringing up any points that I didn’t already discuss with the president, Jon. This is over. We’re shut down.”

“What about Whitfield? What does he know?”

Klein stood in a way that was clearly a dismissal. “I’m going to say this one more time. We’re not asking those kinds of questions anymore. We’re not even authorized to speak about it among ourselves. Any data—anything you’ve written down or recorded—is to be destroyed. By the end of the day, I want there to be no record that any of this ever happened.”

“Fred, we—”

“I’m not sure you understand how difficult it was to get you out of North Korea and how involved with that operation the president was,” Klein said, cutting him off. “We’ve compromised some of our best eyes in that country and now have to get them and their families out. Castilla could have left you there to rot, Jon. Are you going to make him regret his decision?”

Smith didn’t answer.

“I want to hear you say it, Colonel. I want to hear you say that you’re clear on your orders.”

“I’m clear. But what about Randi?”

“I’m making her your responsibility. My hands are tied here, Jon. If you can’t handle her, I’ll be forced to.”

Smith didn’t know exactly what that meant, but he was certain he didn’t want to find out.

“I’ll take care of it.”

Klein nodded solemnly. “See that you do.”

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