My head was spinning in the car as we drove back to Fox to return the keys. Nicki drove while Dave and Jonas told me of their work with the Navy.

Eastlund's discovery had been taken by the military during the cold war era because it allowed microwave signals, like radar, to be sent and received beyond the horizon. This fact alone compelled them to prevent its development for any humane or commercial application since it would then be available to enemy nations. Once the "heater" had created a sort of lens in the ionosphere by heating it, you didn't have to limit your signal to radar or microwaves. Eastlund had developed the ability to send massive bursts of power - in the billions of watts range - and these could now be zapped to just about any point of the Earth. Yes, it was a death ray.

"What about the argument that it is better if America has this than, say, some other country?" I had many questions like this.

"But other countries also have it... they just can't control it because they don't have the computers needed to calculate the angles and adjust for the movement of the Earth and things like that." Dave was especially zealous in his response, "It's not about the weapon potential really - it's about what they did with it..."

Jonas interrupted. "Not yet, man. Don't lay that on him yet. Can't you see he's not ready for that yet? Look, it's bad enough that they took the idea and used it for something to kill people but just think of what it could be used for - like making it rain anywhere, ending droughts and stopping tornadoes or sending power to poor countries. It would have been a totally different world!"

He was right. I had read Eastlund's patents and it was capable of all that - and more. It held the potential to combat the El Niño. But I kept thinking about what Dave had said, "...what they did with it..."

After Fox we were back in Fairbanks and again at the Mecca. Nicki had to work and so we decided to eat and have some drinks before an early night. I decided to call back to Viewzone, to speak with Vey and let him know I was safe. I called him from the bar.

Vey was pleased to hear that I was well and safe but he asked me why I was in Fairbanks. "Huh? Because that's where the thing is..."

"No way. It's about 300 miles South of you in a place called Gakona. I looked it up on the internet. The HAARP is in Gakona and it's just an atmospheric testing thing that's open to the public and everything."

I told him what I saw, including the huge field of antennae. "Yes, they have that in Gakona and the website has pictures of it and everything. It's a big nothing, man."

I returned to the bar with a bothered look. Dave asked what was wrong but I didn't want to reveal that I had shared the story with anyone else. For a few minutes I tried to bring it up but there seemed to be no way of doing it without breaking the trust we had developed.

"Dave, your wife called. She's home already and wants you to call her." Nicki was already in her apron and serving food. I had to say something before he left and it seemed like this was the time. But before I could mention HAARP or Gakona, Dave pulled his chair closer to mine and put his arm on my shoulder.

"Dan. I feel bad about this. I haven't been up front with you about some things. I hope you understand. We're really scared about this and we don't know what we are doing really. But I have to tell you something before you find out soon anyway."

"It's about the HAARP thing in Gakona, right? It's not a weapon really. Is that what you are going to explain to me?"

"HAARP? Shit no. That's a fake decoy for the public. Everyone knows about that. They even have a web site with one of those instant cam things and a few dozen antennae. That's just a thing for show so they can say that it's all harmless and open. No way. But I do have something to confess to you... hang on, I'll be right back."

Dave went to the phone booth and returned, looking at his watch. "Nicki! Dan needs a drink. You know... a special drink." Nicki smiled. A few minutes later she arrived with some Rolling Rocks for Dave and Jonas. Then, in front of me, she placed a Black Russian. They all laughed.

"What the hell? Hey!"

"Good timing! Here she is!" Dave got up and embraced a woman who had just entered the bar. "Dan, this is my wife!" I looked up - it was the black woman from the flight to Seattle.

"Look at him! He's freaked. I'm sorry, Dan. We had to be sure you were coming alone. I hope you understand. This is my wife, Marie."

That evening we all got a little wasted. I had several Black Russians and Dave danced with his wife. Nicki and I danced and then cuddled a little before we all returned to her windowless apartment. It was good to be happy and drunk, but tomorrow they had promised to tell me the darkest secret of all.