The Extinction Code Read Online Free PDF

where digital and cyber–warfare was more widespread now than ever, where foreign hackers were capable of accessing everything from the computers of major film studios to even the Pentagon and other defense installations, the need for absolute security had never been more paramount.
    ARIES was a giant pool of desks arrayed before banks of large plasma screens showing news feeds from around the world. Essentially the hub of the DIA’s intelligence gathering force, what came in to the room rarely left except to be investigated by agents like Ethan and Nicola.
    As they entered the station they were greeted by a slim, bespectacled and bearded young man with an infectious enthusiasm radiating from his gaze.
    ‘Guys, you’ve just gotta see this!’
    Hellerman had worked for the DIA for less than two years, but already he was one of the chief technicians specializing in novel technologies. Ethan considered him something of a ‘Q’ character from a James Bond movie, but in truth Hellerman’s near–genius level intellect had saved them from certain death on numerous occasions.
    Hellerman led them to an area of the Watch Station where a partition wall with a single door had been erected, right outside the cluttered office where Hellerman created his wondrous gadgets.
    ‘What are we looking at?’ Lopez asked, as ever amused by Hellerman’s excited expression.
    ‘A wall,’ Hellerman replied, gesturing with widespread arms as he moved to the center of the space and spun around to face them. ‘There’s absolutely nothing here but a wall, right?!’
    Ethan blinked and folded his arms across his chest.
    ‘Not exactly the bombshell we were hoping for.’
    Hellerman smiled, dropped his arms, then turned and reached out. He pushed the door, and it swung open before them. Through the door a huge Bengal tiger leaped at Ethan and Lopez, its shaggy coat shimmering in the light, its jaws agape and lined with brutal yellow fangs, hunter’s eyes wide and bright. Ethan flinched and hurled himself to one side as Lopez drew her pistol and flew across the floor, aiming at the savage beast as it soared in full flight toward them.
    The beast’s roar was deafening as it shot between Ethan and Lopez to vanish like a ghost into thin air. Ethan hit the floor and rolled, coming up on one knee with his pistol aimed at where the huge carnivore had disappeared.
    ‘What the hell?!’
    His heart was thumping in his chest, Lopez’s eyes wide with alarm as she too aimed into thin air.
    ‘Hard light!’ Hellerman yelled in delight. ‘Otherwise known as Seven–D technology. You’ve nothing to fear, there was nothing there in the first place, just a three dimensional projection onto thin air using highly focused pulse lasers. We’ve built a projection machine that uses a one–kilohertz pulse laser through a three–D scanner, which reflects and focuses the laser onto an exact place in the air above. The laser ionizes the air’s molecules in that specific spot, which results in the flashes of light that make up each pixel, if you will, of the image.’
    Ethan and Lopez exchanged a glance as they got up, holstering their pistols and stalking toward Hellerman.
    ‘You ever think to warn people about that before you send a tiger flying at their face?’ Lopez growled.
    Hellerman’s delight dissolved into anxiety as he backed up a pace. ‘Now, it was just a demonstration and…’
    Ethan reached out to grab Hellerman’s shirt and almost fell over as his hand passed right through the technician’s body.
    ‘Sorry!’ a voice called out from within Hellerman’s office as the second projection flickered out before Ethan, the partition wall vanishing a moment later. ‘Thought you might do that!’
    From within the office Hellerman peeked out at them, one hand on his door to slam it shut in case they charged him together.
    ‘Jarvis said to make the demonstration as impactful as possible,’ he offered.
    ‘And where did our great and hallowed leader