Act 8
Rebecca woke to a knock at the door, it was just gone 6.30am. When she opened the door she was greeted by April with a steaming hot cup of tea.
"Oh, lovely, just what I needed. You're up early, is Mark about yet?"
April laughed, "No don't be silly, he's still snoring his head off, either that or there's a bear in there!"
"I don't know how you put up with him when you have to share a room, April; it's bad enough in separate rooms!"
"Considering how quiet he is when we're sleeping in an unsecured place, he certainly makes up for it when we are safe!"
All agents were trained to sleep quietly when they had to stay in an unsecured location to minimise the risk of being discovered. Rebecca knew that both she and Illya sometimes mumbled in their sleep when they were in a secure location, but were otherwise silent.
The two agents sat in Rebecca's room sipping their hot drinks and talked and laughed about various things. After a while they noticed that the bear next door had stopped snoring and April went to get him a cup of tea while Rebecca got dressed and contacted Napoleon before going to breakfast.
"Open Channel F, overseas relay."
She heard a few clicks and then Napoleons voice came clearly through the pen shaped communicator. "Good morning Rebecca, it is morning there isn't it?"
"Yes Napoleon; we are going for breakfast in a minute, I'm just reporting in what we know so far."
"Okay, go ahead."
"I interviewed our guest, Konrad Reinhardt yesterday. Unfortunately, he didn't have a lot of information to give."
"Oh, even with your excellent skills?" She could see Napoleons raised eyebrow.
"I don't think he was holding back, I think he genuinely didn't know much. It seemed like he was only given small tasks, the first was a codename and some instructions to retrieve the information on where to find the documents and plans for the aircraft. I think he was also quite inept, not up to the usual THRUSH standards."
"That maybe why he was only given minimum information: in case he messed up." Mused Illya.
"Well, he messed up at the first step. He arrived a day early for the pick-up and was caught snooping around the Skunkworks."
"Oh-ho, THRUSH is not going to like that!" Snickered the Russian.
"Did he tell you where the pick-up was going to be?" enquired Napoleon.
"Yes, it was to be in a small communal garden area under some bushes. We checked and there was nothing."
"So, whoever was to do the drop, knew our friend had been caught."
"It would seem so Illya. The codename for the aircraft is XJ23-S. That's the only real lead we have so far. I don't know if the letters and numbers mean anything, whether they would give any clue as to what type of aircraft it is."
"As far as I know 'X' is usually used to denote an experimental aircraft, most have that as a prefix. The number is usually the version of that particular prototype design. The 'J' and 'S' I don't know, they could mean something, but could also just be a random letter." Illya explained.
"I don't know where you get all this information from, my friend."
"If you paid attention more instead of chasing skirts, you would know more too." The Russian threw back.
Rebecca could just imagine the look her boyfriend was giving his partner and smiled.
"We're going to have a look over at the Skunkworks today and see if we can find out what this aircraft is, we then might be able to find out why THRUSH is so interested in it."
"Okay, Rebecca, just be careful and report back when you can."
"I'll contact you at around five with what we find out."
"That'll be about ten here, okay, we'll wait for your report. Solo out."
Rebecca put the communicator away and went to see if April and Mark were ready for breakfast.
The agents saw Henderson who had been assigned to them in the mess hall and asked if he could take them over to the Lockheed instillation. He said he would meet them outside their accommodation after they had eaten.
True to his word, the lieutenant was waiting for them in one of the open army jeeps when they returned to the building they were staying in. April and Mark climbed into the back and Rebecca sat in the front next to Henderson.
The drive to the Lockheed works took just over an hour. Lockheed shared the area with Palmdale airport which occupied the northern end. The landscape resembled a desert with coarse shrubbery dotted around, the dark coloured roads cutting through the landscape. One area looked pretty much the same as another, and it wasn't a place you would want to get stranded.
As they neared the site, they passed by some housing estates and saw some green areas before passing back to the barren landscape.
They drove past Palmdale and turned left towards the Skunkworks. The site was large, there were two runways linked by taxiways. A few buildings were spread out along the top runway which was roughly orientated east-west this was the main runway for Palmdale airport. The second narrower, but longer runway ran roughly northeast-southwest and passed by the east end of the top runway. The Skunkworks was the group of building in the southwest area of the site. A wide taxiway led from the north end of the Skunkworks to the top runway.
They turned on to the Lockheed site and Henderson drove past a large hanger like building towards some smaller ones and pulled up in front of what looked like an administrative building.
They got out the jeep and followed Henderson into the building where he went over to the receptionist and introduced the three agents.
"Hello Heidi, this is Miss Andrews, Miss Dancer and Mr Slate. They are from the U.N.C.L.E." Cody smiled at the receptionist
"Oh, yes, we have been expecting them. Please Miss Andrews; if you and your colleagues could take a seat I will contact the Manager."
She indicated a group of comfortable looking chairs and then briefly spoke on the phone.
"Mr Petersen will be with you shortly." She risked a glance over to Cody and smiled.
"Do you want me to wait here or return to Edwards and pick you up later Miss Andrews?"
"If you could stay here please Cody, and it's Rebecca!"
"Yes, Ma'a… err Rebecca. I'll wait around here for you." Indicating the reception area and then walked over to Heidi at Reception.
"Something tells me he's quite happy to hang around here!" April commented nodding over to Cody and Heidi. Who were talking and laughing.
"Yes, isn't love wonderful!" Rebecca laughed.
"For those who find it maybe!" Pouted April.
"Aww, I'll always love you April!" Mark said
April pulled a face at her partner and he playfully thumped her.
"Well, that's gratitude for you!"
"Miss Andrews?" A tall dark haired man stood before them.
"Yes, Mr Petersen, I presume?"
"Yes, that's right. If you would all like to follow me, please."
They were led through a series of corridors and into a large office. It had photos of a wide variety of aircraft, some quite unusual looking ones, on the grey coloured walls. There was a large mahogany desk and a comfortable looking leather chair behind it. Some potted plants around the room provided the only colour. Petersen indicated some smaller leather chairs for the agents to sit in.
"How can I help you? I understand that you are looking into why our German friend is over here."
"Yes, he's known to us. I take it that you have heard of an organisation called THRUSH?"
"Yes, I have heard of them, he is a member of this THRUSH?"
"He is, although a low ranking one. He is a specialist in aeronautics and we are very curious as to why he is here in California."
"Have you managed to get anything from him?"
"Yes, we interviewed him yesterday. Rebecca is a trained interrogator and we got all that he knew."
"Which wasn't very much, as it turned out." Mark added.
"He was sent here to obtain some plans to a prototype aircraft. Can I ask what XJ23-S is?"
Petersen looked at Rebecca with a look of surprise.
"It's one of our recent secret projects, it is almost finished. I don't know how you know that codename. There are not many who know of its existence."
"Can you tell us more about it? It would help us to find out why he is here and what THRUSH is planning to do with it."
"I can, but I would need to get security clearance first as it's a secret project. If you could wait here I will see what I can do." Petersen rose and left the room.
"Well, this is interesting; did you see the look on his face when you mentioned that codename?"
"Yes, Mark you couldn't really miss it, I wonder what it is so special with it to be so secret." Replied April.
"What I'd like to know is if it is that secret, how come our German friend knew about it." Rebecca said.
After a few minutes Petersen came back in with an older man, he was wearing a military uniform unlike Petersen who was in a suit.
"This is Major Young. Major Young, these are the people from the U.N.C.L.E that I was telling you about, Miss Andrews, Miss Dancer and Mr Slate."
The Major shook each hand in turn.
"Pleased to meet you. I understand that you are requesting information on one of our projects?"
"Yes, Sir, namely XJ23-S."
"Yes, well I don't know how you have come across it, but it is a secret project, well should have been at any case."
He glanced at Petersen who looked away.
"What I tell you about this project is to remain between us. "
"Yes, Sir. I understand that, but I need to let my CEO know about it as well; as he and his partner are working with us on this. They are looking into the German side of this assignment."
"Very well, but it is to go no further, I would also appreciate it if you notified them about it while you are still here. I trust your communications are secure?"
"Yes, they are very secure. I have arranged to inform them of what we know at about 17.00."
"Okay, Miss, err Andrews. XJ23-S is the codename for Experimental Jet number 23 Stealth. It is a new kind of jet that will be completely invisible to radar."
"I thought we already had stealth jets that weren't visible to radar."
"Mr Slate, you are correct in that we have stealth aircraft, but they are not completely invisible to radar. Their angular shape reflects the radar signal away from the receiver so that they give a smaller signature; the problem is when it banks the panels reflect the radar signature perfectly. So even though they are harder for radar to see, they can still be easily detected if the conditions are right."
"Ah, ok, so I take it that this experimental aircraft is completely invisible to radar then?"
"Yes, that is correct. But there's more, the aircraft is also very difficult so see in the 'flesh' so to speak so that combat with it would be very difficult."
"I can see why THRUSH is so interested in this aircraft now." Rebecca said thoughtfully. "Would it be possible to see this aircraft Major?"
"I think I can arrange that for you. I will also provide a copy of the plans for the aircraft so long as you can guarantee that they will be kept safe at your headquarters or returned back to us when your assignment has been completed."
"Thank you Sir, I don't think a copy of the plans will be necessary, but if we could contact you regarding the aircraft if we find we need information about it would be helpful."
"Yes, I can authorise that."
"Thank you Major."
"Right then, Mr Petersen, will you accompany us please and lets show these good people our remarkable jet."
They left Petersen's office and walked through reception. Cody was still there, getting on remarkably well with Heidi. When he saw the UNCLE agents he went over to see if he was needed.
"Are you ready to go back now?"
"No, not yet Cody, we are going to look at something. "
Rebecca looked towards the Major and Petersen. "I don't think we will be leaving before 17.00. Is that okay?"
"Yes, no problem."
They left the building and walked past a large hanger like building
"That's where the aircraft are constructed. There can sometimes be 3 or 4 in there at a time. When they are ready for flight testing they are towed down this roadway and over to the runway at the northern end of this site."
"It's an impressive site Mr Petersen, are all the aircraft constructed here secret?" Rebecca asked looking around the facility.
There were a few aircraft parked around the site, but none that looked like her idea of an experimental aircraft.
"No, only a few a year are classed as secret, but all the aircraft you see around here are experimental."
"Some look familiar though, like I've seen some before." Mark commented.
"Some are aircraft that you may be familiar with, but with experimental components, for example, new flight controls, engines, control surfaces, things like that."
Petersen was clearly in his element, explaining things to the agents. He pointed out various aircraft and told them about their purpose at the facility, several had already completed testing and were being rolled out for production.
They came to a smaller building positioned at the end of a wide taxiway that led to the end of the runway. There were a couple of aircraft parked outside looking like sentries.
"These two are still undergoing testing, the one on the left is a jet fighter we are testing a new kind of flight control system on, the other is a V/STOL test aircraft called the Kestrel."
"V/STOL? That's a strange phrase." Rebecca said looking at the aircraft.
It had a torpedo shaped body with short swept back stubby wings. The nose wheel and main undercarriage wheels were on the centreline of the fuselage, to stop it falling over there were wheeled supports that dropped down from the wing tips.
"Yes, it stands for vertical or short take-off and landing, we are working with the Brits on that one. Very interesting aircraft to fly."
The Major had been quiet up to this point, letting Peterson chat to the agents, now that they were ready to enter the hanger he spoke up.
"Our aircraft of interest is in here. You may find it difficult to look at, but that is to be expected. I hope you will be as impressed with our XJ23-S as we are. She is scheduled for her third test flight tomorrow. I would like to invite you to see her in her natural element. Now ladies and gentleman, please follow me."
He opened a small personnel door and stepped through. In the middle of the hanger stood a remarkable jet. It was quite a large aircraft; the fuselage was a flattened torpedo shape, the edges of which seemed to flow into the wings. The engines were on either side, deep inside the wing roots, the cockpit was a tear shaped bubble towards the front and there was no tail as in most aircraft but two stubby fins that protruded at an angle to the fuselage. But the most striking feature was what it was made of.
The surface of the jet seemed alive, it moved, pulsated, squirmed. It was in all shades of black and grey and constantly moved. It made Rebecca feel quite nauseous and she had to momentarily look away to stop from retching. She noticed that April had to do the same, but Mark was fascinated by it.
"Sorry, it does tend to have a nauseous effect on some people. Here put these on, it has a dampening effect." Peterson handed the agents what looked like sunglasses.
Rebecca put them on and was grateful when the aircraft's skin stopped moving quite so much. "That's better thank you."
Mark walked around the aircraft admiring it "What is the skin made of?"
The Major smiled "What It's made of is classified I'm afraid, but I can tell you roughly how it works. It's concept was based on a chameleon. The surface absorbs some radar and as it's constantly shifting the signals that are not absorbed are bounced everywhere which makes it totally invisible to radar, so even when it banks, it is still not seen by radar."
April walked over to Rebecca "It's a shame Illya isn't here, He'd love this!"
Rebecca grinned "Yes, he'd be in his element!"
They finished looking at the aircraft and left the hanger. Rebecca and April were glad to be outside again, the aircraft gave them a strange feeling, like it was watching them. By now it was gone lunchtime and the agents were invited to have lunch with Peterson in his office. They asked about its flight capabilities and armament, possible range and whatever else they could think of, trying to work out why THRUSH were interested in this particular aircraft.
They also discussed how the information could have been leaked to THRUSH in the first place. There were very few who knew of the aircraft and it's stealth capabilities. They had eliminated the possibility of the leak being the staff that constructed the aircraft, their back grounds all checked out. Apart from the construction staff, the only other staff that knew about it at the Skunkworks were himself, Major Young and a handful of office staff, all of whom also seemed to check out ok.
Lieutenant Colonel Hays at Edwards knew about the aircraft as a couple of his pilots were used to fly the experimental aircraft when needed, but Petersen didn't know how their records were, the agents needed to speak to Hayes himself about them.
They spent the rest of the afternoon being given a tour of the rest of the Skunkworks which went quite quickly, Mark especially enjoyed the tour, though his main interest was in helicopters of which there was only one prototype testing a new kind of rotor blade.
When it was getting near the time to contact Napoleon and Illya with their findings, they made their way back to Petersen's office where their conversation would be secure and not overheard.
"Open Channel F, Overseas Relay and scramble please"
"Kuryakin here. Go ahead Rebecca."
"We've identified the aircraft that THRUSH is interested in, but as to why they want it, we still don't know."
"What kind of aircraft is it?" enquired Napoleon.
"It's a stealth bomber. It is still undergoing flight trials and is due for another test flight tomorrow."
"Stealth technology is not that much of a secret anymore. I do not see why THRUSH would be that interested in it to risk sending in Konrad Reinhardt."
"Illya, you've never seen anything like it! It is completely invisible to radar and even difficult to see when it is right in front of you."
"Completely invisible to radar? I thought that was not possible. As soon as an aircraft banks, it becomes more visable."
Rebecca knew that her lover's curiosity was now piqued.
"It has a special skin which does the job, it's very unnerving to look at. It sort of, well, it sort of moves, is the best way I can describe it."
"You say it's a bomber?" Napoleon enquired "how big a payload does it have?"
"It can carry sixteen 2,000lb bombs on a rotary launcher, thirty six 750lb bombs or eighty 5,000lb bombs on a bomb rack."
They heard Illya whistle, "That is some payload it has got there. What kind of crew does it have? "
"It has a crew of 4 to 6. The pilot, co-pilot, navigator, radio operator and up to 2 operations specialist if needed. We are going to try and find out who the leak is, maybe that will help us to find out what THRUSH is planning. How are things going with you?"
"Slow, we haven't found out anything much, Napoleon has made a new friend who knows the area and is helping us."
"I presume this new friend wears skirts!" Rebecca grinned.
"Of course, what else would you expect with Napoleon!" replied Illya "But do not worry, she is not my type vozlyublennaya! (Beloved)"