Deception Point image
Deception Point Brown, Dan Edition: 2001 (Reprint) Publisher: Pocket Books Number of Pages: 576 ISBN10: 0671027387 ISBN13: 9780671027384 Dimensions: 4.25" w x 7.00" l x 1.50" h Weight: 0.59 lbs. Binding: Trade Paper Language: English List Price: 7.99

Description

Prologue Death, in this forsaken place, could come in countless forms. Geologist Charles Brophy had endured the savage splendor of this terrain for years, and yet nothing could prepare him for a fate as barbarous and unnatural as the one about to befall him. As Brophy's four huskies pulled his sled of geologic sensing equipment across the tundra, the dogs suddenly slowed, looking skyward. "What i...Prologue Death, in this forsaken place, could come in countless forms. Geologist Charles Brophy had endured the savage splendor of this terrain for years, and yet nothing could prepare him for a fate as barbarous and unnatural as the one about to befall him. As Brophy's four huskies pulled his sled of geologic sensing equipment across the tundra, the dogs suddenly slowed, looking skyward. "What is it, girls?" Brophy asked, stepping off the sled. Beyond the gathering storm clouds, a twin-rotor transport helicopter arched in low, hugging the glacial peaks with military dexterity. That's odd, he thought. He never saw helicopters this far north. The aircraft landed fifty yards away, kicking up a stinging spray of granulated snow. His dogs whined, looking wary. When the chopper doors slid open, two men descended. They were dressed in full-weather whites, armed with rifles, and moved toward Brophy with urgent intent. "Dr. Brophy?" one called. The geologist was baffled. "How did you know my name? Who are you?" "Take out your radio, please." "I'm sorry?" "Just do it." Bewildered, Brophy pulled his radio from his parka. "We need you to transmit an emergency communiqué. Decrease your radio frequency to one hundred kilohertz." One hundred kilohertz? Brophy felt utterly lost. Nobody can receive anything that low. "Has there been an accident?" The second man raised his rifle and pointed it at Brophy's head. "There's no time to explain. Just do it." Trembling, Brophy adjusted his transmission frequency. The first man now handed him a note card with a few lines typed on it. "Transmit this message. Now." Brophy looked at the card. "I don't understand. This information is incorrect. I didn't -- " The man pressed his rifle hard against the geologist's temple. Brophy's voice was shaking as he transmitted the bizarre message. "Good," the first man said. "Now get yourself and your dogs into the chopper." At gunpoint, Brophy maneuvered his reluctant dogs and sled up a skid ramp into the cargo bay. As soon as they were settled, the chopper lifted off, turning westward. "Who the hell are you!" Brophy demanded, breaking a sweat inside his parka. And what was the meaning of that message! The men said nothing. As the chopper gained altitude, the wind tore through the open door. Brophy's four huskies, still rigged to the loaded sled, were whimpering now. "At least close the door," Brophy demanded. "Can't you see my dogs are frightened!" The men did not respond. As the chopper rose to four thousand feet, it banked steeply out over a series of ice chasms and crevasses. Suddenly, the men stood. Without a word, they gripped the heavily laden sled and pushed it out the open door. Brophy watched in horror as his dogs scrambled in vain against the enormous weight. In an instant the animals disappeared, dragged howling out of the chopper. Brophy was already on his feet screaming when the men grabbed him. They hauled him to the door. Numb with fear, Brophy swung his fists, trying to fend off the powerful hands pushing him outward. It was no use. Moments later he was tumbling toward the chasms below. Copyright copy; 2001 by Dan Brown Chapter 1 Toulos Restaurant, adjacent to Capitol Hill, boasts a politically incorrect menu of baby veal and horse carpaccio, making it an ironic hotspot for the quintessential Washingtonian power breakfast. This morning Toulos was busy -- a cacophony of clanking silverware, espresso machines, and cellphone conversations. The maitre d' was sneaking a sip of his morning Bloody Mary when the woman entered. He turned with a practiced smile. "Good morning," he said. "May I help you?" The woman was attractive, in her mid-thirties, wearing gray, pleated flannel pants, conservative flats, and an ivory Laura Ashley blouse. Her posture was straight --People A new master of smart thrills.Publishers Weekly An excellent thriller. A big yet believable story unfolding at breakneck pace, with convincing settings and just the right blend of likable and hateful characters. A finely polished amalgam of action and intrigue. Brown has done his research, folding in sophisticated scientific and military details that make his plot far more fulfilling than the norm.Vince Flynn New York Times bestselling author of Separation of Power A rocket-fast thriller....An outstanding read.After a NASA satellite discovers a mysterious object buried beneath the Arctic ice, a team of scientists is called in to verify the authenticity of the find. What they discover, however, is a plot of unimaginable deception that threatens to plunge the world into controversy--a vicious, high-ranking conspiracy that may lead all the way to the White House.A shocking scientific discovery. A conspiracy of staggering brilliance. A thriller unlike any you've ever read.... When a NASA satellite discovers an astonishingly rare object buried deep in the Arctic ice, the floundering space agency proclaims a much-needed victory -- a victory with profound implications for NASA policy and the impending presidential election. To verify the authenticity of the find, the White House calls upon the skills of intelligence analyst Rachel Sexton. Accompanied by a team of experts, including the charismatic scholar Michael Tolland, Rachel travels to the Arctic and uncovers the unthinkable: evidence of scientific trickery -- a bold deception that threatens to plunge the world into controversy. But before she can warn the President, Rachel and Michael are ambushed by a deadly team of assassins. Fleeing for their lives across a desolate and lethal landscape, their only hope for survival is to discover who is behind this masterful plot. The truth, they will learn, is the most shocking deception of all. (more) (less)

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