CONTAINMENT BREACH
By WM. A. YANDELL
Containment Breach
Wm. A. Yandell
Copyright 2014 by William Yandell
All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof
may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever
without the express written permission of the publisher
except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
First Printing 2014
Printed in the USA
Cover design by Wm. A. Yandell & LLPIX Design
Dedication
To not have much, but not ask for help, to go hungry when others need to eat, to make the best out of so little and never to utter the words “woe is me.” This is to me the definition of a hero. It is also a description of my mother’s life raising my brother, sister, and me. My mother will always be my hero and I will never forget the greatest gift that can be given: yourself.
Acknowledgements
Special Thanks to:
Janet Yandell
The (Philadelphia) Main Line Writers Group
The San Francisco Self Publishing Writers Group
LLPIX Design
Juli Moreland
Steve Justice
……………
Throughout the book the above series of periods denotes a scene change. There are no chapter numbers. It is called a “Hopper” it was adopted for this book from a suggestion by Steve Justice, which I gratefully accepted.
“This is Space Shuttle Allen to Desert Station Control. We are prepared to begin our final descent and are on course for Desert Station, requesting final landing strip designation.”
“This is Desert Station Control to Space Shuttle Allen. Adjust course for Landing Strip B 2.”
“Roger that, Station Control. Landing strip B-2. We will begin atmosphere burn through in T -3 minutes.”
Captain Alverez looks over at Co-pilot Aston, “Input course for Strip B 2.”
“Yes, sir, inputting course to computer now, sir.”
Captain Alverez switches his headset to inter-ship communications, “Captain to crew, we are beginning burn through in 3 minutes. Lock it down, men!”
As the Captain looks over at his co-pilot, both men smile at the same time. Captain Alverez looks back over his shoulder at the navigator and says, “So, Tom, you happy to be back home?”
“Yes, sir, Captain, but to tell the truth, I am just happy to be off that station and away from those Creatures. I…”
“Tom, that is enough!” Captain Alverez says as he holds up his finger to silence any further comment. He changes the setting on his headset control to “shipboard only communication.”
“This is to all crew; I want everyone up here now!”
“Don, can you take us in through the re-entry?”
“Yes, sir, Captain, I got it!”
“Tom, let’s go!” Captain Anderson says emphatically while pointing towards the door.
Just outside the door, the other members of the crew are gathering. There is an uneasy silence while they wait. No one knows why the Captain would order a meeting in such a rush. The wait is short-lived as the Captain sees the last of the crew is now present. He times his comments to start with the rumble of the vibrations as the re-entry begins.
“Okay, everyone, we have exactly two minutes of down communications during re-entry, so listen up and listen good! There are not to be any communications beyond basic information, with anyone about your time at the station, period. We will be in an extended quarantine at a special hangar while the ship is given a thorough inspection for any contamination. No conversations or mention of any problems or issues that may, or may not have occurred at the station, are to be discussed. And, let me be very specific here, even the existence, of any Creatures, is not to be hinted at or even thought about. There will be readers watching for this, so act and think like this was just a routine mission.”
Captain Alverez finishes his comments and then purposefully looks over at the navigator before he continues. “If Control even thinks we might say anything, we will all be headed back to the station. Is that clear?”
A “yes” comes from every crewmember, but it is still not enough for the Captain to stop here.
“They will send us right back up there in a quick minute. I do not want to go back to that hellhole because someone could not keep their head straight and mouth shut. Don’t get me wrong; they tell me to go back up, I’m going back up, no questions asked. For now, I would rather be here, so just keep thinking about how good life is back here on the base, so it can stay that way. That is all!”
The bumpy ride of the burn through begins to subside as Captain Alverez turns back to Navigator Jolton. “Tom, once we touch down, I want you to go back and have a short conversation with everyone, one on one, and explain this again. You got it? Then head back and begin interior inspections.”
“Yes, sir, I understand, sir, I am sorry, sir, I…”
Captain Alverez again holds up his finger and Navigator Jolton understands immediately nothing else is to be said. The Captain enters the forward cabin and sees the re-entry went off without a hitch. The base is now in sight.
“Station Control, we have visual contact and on approach.” Captain Alverez says as he regains his seat.
“Okay, Don, you have the controls. Take us in,” Flight Captain Alverez says to Pilot Aston.
“Yes, sir, I have the controls,” Aston repeats back to the captain.
As the shuttle touches down and begins to slow, Aston looks over at the captain, who gives him an approving nod. Captain Alverez calls to the station tower, “Space Shuttle Allen to Control, we are Requesting hangar location.”
“Roger that, Allen, you are to proceed to Quarantine Hangar 22, and begin shut down. Welcome home. Control out.”
Captain Alverez turns and sees Co-pilot Don Aston is looking at him. He knows what he is thinking.
Alverez covers his microphone and softly says, “Don, we are going to be in quarantine for a long enough time. I do not want to add any more time to it if it can be helped.”
“I understand completely. He’s young and a lot of the troopers who were killed up there were guys he knew well.”
“I knew a bunch of them too, so let’s just get this thing parked and shut down so we can start the inspection.”
“Yes, sir, entering hangar in ten.”
Captain Alverez switches his headset back to the open channel, “Hangar Control, we are entering hangar outer doors now.”
“Roger that, Captain Alverez.”
“Looking good, Don, once you pass the interior doors and reach the stop block, start the shut down procedures. I am going to check on the crew,” Captain Alverez says as he begins to unbuckle his flight harness.
“Yes, sir, at block position now and beginning shut down procedures.”
The first scream is from one of the crew who is in extreme pain. It causes Captain Alverez and pilot Aston to reach to pull the headsets from over their ears. The second scream is from Navigator Jolton and is one of extreme panic. “The Creatures are in the shuttle. The Creatures are in the shuttle.”
Captain Alverez hits the alarm button and yells into the microphone. “Control, initiate emergency lockdown, we have a containment breach, repeat, we have a containment breach, we have Creatures on board!”
From behind them comes a pounding on the cock pit door as Jolton is on the other side, trapped behind them. Both men put on their headsets so they cannot hear the pounding or his screams to let him in. They both know, by now all controls have been overridden by the command center. It is only a matter of time before the Creatures get to them too.
……………
The video recordings from the shuttle playing on the conference room screen freezes, showing the Captain and Pilot waiting their fate.
The lights come up in the conference room, and on a table surrounded by an equal number of civilians and military personnel. The first question is from the High Commander at the end of the table. “Is this all the tape we have on the incident, no other camera views or audio from inside the shuttle?”
“To my knowledge, it is everything we were given from the space center. With the exception of the tape of the Creatures’ physical attacks on the men on board,” the General responds.
“In the future, all video and audio feeds are to come to me regardless of what it is, is that clear General?”
“Yes sir, we will copy to you on all the files we get,” the General says as he nods to an assistant.
“Can the Creatures escape from the locked-down shuttle?”
“I don’t know, sir. The structure of the shuttle is much more solid than the station itself. It is designed for the rigors of multiple take-offs and re-entries. We are working around the clock to construct another outer barrier with a clorasium field between the shuttle and the existing walls of the lock-down hangar.”
“This has become one nightmare event after another. I am told we lost the science team during the last attempt to kill the Creatures at the station?” The High Commander states more than asks.
“That is what I was told, sir. It seems the Creatures are learning much faster than anticipated and were ready and waiting for the team. Is there any way we can interview Demetrius Zayack the creator of these creatures, sir? I know the reports say he is very unstable but if we could find out anything that could help.”
“Unfortunately not General I was informed that he killed himself this morning on Station One. Do we have another team we can get up there to replace the one we lost?”
“We do, yes sir. We have a team that has the best Life former we know of. Walter Smithton is considered the closest follower of Demetrius Zayack’s work. “
Why have we waited until now to get him involved General?”
“He is not one of Bush’s scientists. He is at a research center that has not been involved with the project, Sir.”
“General Tallen, I am putting you in charge of the mission to take this new team of bioengineering scientists up to the station. We need to stop these things any way you can. We have to find a way to destroy them before they find a way out of the desert space center.”
“Sir, what about Bush?” the General asks bluntly.
“I have already talked with him General. He is still in charge of the project and the station in general, you will need to work with him. Everyone must put aside any differences the Army has with the Alliance troops, is that clear?”
“Yes sir, it is with me, sir.”
“Good, I will leave you to it General. And, General, good luck. We are all going to need it.”
……………
In the dimmed light of his office, Walter Smithton knows what he must do. He leans forward and begins the entry of a document he has been unsure he should write.
Cyber log start point: This cyber log is being created not as a way to document my discovery, but to expose it, in case I disappear as Zayack did. From the first day of my discovery, I, Walter Smithton, believe I will be accused of following Demetrius Zayack. For those who do not know of Zayack, he was one of the most well-known scientists within the field of bioengineering. Zayack just disappeared one day, simply seemed to vanish into thin air, gone. He left no clues or comments as to where he had gone or was going. He has not been heard from since.
I cannot see how anyone with the success Zayack had, would just up and disappear. No one could go to the brink of great discovery and walk away, let alone remove all traces of themselves. More than Zayack disappeared that day; all of his on-going experiments, and every bit of the research from his lab vanished with him.
Vanishing has become more of a problem for those who complain about the government. It seems commonplace now for people who challenge the hold the government has, to disappear. These however are protestors and not scientists with proven track records, it does not change, people disappear, a lot of people.
If you are reading this log, then I have been missing for sixty days or I am dead. Either way, I believe sending out this cyber log bomb, over the internet, is the only way my creation will have any chance of being discovered, and hopefully uncovered. I can only hope and rely on the people and websites receiving this log. Hopefully they can expose the cover up of my creation of a new life form.
I, like Demetrius Zayack, am a bioengineering scientist focusing on life-form building and development. Within our field, he made groundbreaking achievements, one after the other. He created a whole new level of research results.
Most people who had known, or knew of him, believed Zayack disappeared because of his political dissention. This was demonstrated by his vocal and physical appearances at protests. He was a great critic of the forming the World Alliance Armed Forces. Demetrius Zayack spoke and worked as a scientist using logic and fact. He asked aloud why a world with an alliance needed another large armed force. He was thought to be a dissident and a problem for many in the government. In science and government however, results matter to those who control the direction of the research, and Zayack got results. Stopping his work would have been too great a price to pay to shut him up.
My discovery has now imprisoned me, as I believe they may have imprisoned Zayack. Lying in bed each night and hoping for sleep, lying awake knowing with each day comes with a greater chance of being discovered. I cannot sleep because it is in the night when they will come. Swarmimg over my home, my office, and my lab; taking everything, including me. It is not hearing an out-of-place noise interrupting the night; it is listening and waiting for the out of place noise to come.
At times, I almost want them to come and take me. Take me to where they have Zayack, no matter where he is. If only I could know what they would do, if they found out. That is however another line of thought robbing me of sleep.
I cannot see why Zayack would leave. Scientists are like police detectives; finding evidence is our business, and yet no evidence was found. No one was ever questioned or asked for any information, there was no known investigation that took place. This leaves us with the fact, in the ten years since his disappearance, we have not added any progress to the five years of Zayack’s experiments, until now.
I have wrestled with the decision to continue or destroy the breakthrough I have made. The decision can change on an almost daily or, at times, hourly basis. It is because I truly do not want to disappear without a trace. Taking the lives of your creation to save a life, even your own life is difficult. Harder when the lives to be taken have done nothing to deserve being sacrificed.
I still cannot convince myself I have hidden them so well. I take one look into a mirror, and it seems to be written all over my face. Yet another day goes by and no one notices. Maybe it’s because I notice things. Maybe Zayack noticed things, little things. I just see being discovered as the inevitable. It is because of the pride and excitement when you have found a piece of the puzzle existing in life form discovery science.
I can only hope the creation of this log will allow me somehow to find rest at night. Now with each night, when I do find sleep, I dream. I dream the same dream of being chased by soldiers down endless streets and corridors, I am following only the shadow of a person. Not just any person, but I am sure it is Zayack. In every dream, he is just ahead of me; never any closer or further, but just ahead, being chased by the same soldiers.
While I am indeed terrified, I get a strange feeling he is not bothered by the continuous ordeal. He may be even somewhat content with it. This is not something I can begin to understand even when I am wide awake.
I feel the real truth is; I am becoming overwhelmed with the weight of this discovery. It is taking control of me and my reactions. It could create concerns at the lab as others start to see it. It could add more scrutiny from management if they see a concern. This would give way to a greater risk of discovery.
Another added reason to end this pressure and kill them before I lose even more control of my life.
It is obvious when I see the people in the train station outside of the Bio Lab, what day it is. It is the end-of-the-quarter audit day for the lower level engineering groups to present their progress. You can look at them and read their faces to determine whether they are ready or not.
As always, the Level Ones and Level Twos who are not ready, see my green Level Four badge and look away. They look away so I cannot see their frowns. I always smile and offer a “good morning” or a “good luck” to the ones I recognize who do not look away.
I understand the pressure they are under, they need to do well at the audit. There are very promising graduates and first year Level Ones applying for the positions they now have at Level One and Level Two. This reinforces the most important fact, lower levels must show tangible results or lose their positions.
At thirty-five, I am somewhat ancient to the Level Ones and Level Twos. For a Level Four, I am one of the youngest scientists in the group. I keep my light brown hair a little longer and my mustache trimmed tight, as is consistent with a younger look. This is just in case I ever meet the woman of my dreams.
I, of course, would not begin to know the first thing to say to the woman of my dreams, if I did meet her. Being the “lab rat,” as I was called in college, has its downsides. Being alone and not knowing what to say to a member of the opposite sex is one of the biggest ones. I have not met too many who would begin to understand me or what I do.
Opening the door to the Level Four Labs always makes me smile as I truly feel at home. As I enter my office, I look through the glass wall separating it from the experiment chamber and the orb centered in the room.
Inside the orb are the lives I have created and have grown to love. The true torture, I know I love my creation. It is a part of me now. How can I destroy a part of myself? I am not sure, deep down inside, the choice of killing them to save myself is a choice I will ever make.
As I turn to my desk, my heart, my mind, my lungs freeze. Someone has been here; the files I had left on my desk are missing. A minute seems like an eternity. Everything slowly starts to begin to move as my mind begins to grasp thought again. I sit down and force thoughts into my brain. What did they find? What did they look at? They had to have seen it; that is obvious. Quickly, I try to put together what I will do now.
A quick familiar knock comes from my door. It is Jan, my secretary.
“Good morning, Walt.”
As usual, she continues without stopping. “I picked up the Solar Radiation Effect Results file from your desk. I took some time to organize the papers on your desk too.” Jan’s expression changes as she stops abruptly.
“Is something wrong? You don’t look so good this morning. You look like you’ve seen a ghost or something. Are you all right?”
“I’m fine, I just feel a little under the weather. You know, I haven’t been sleep…”
As usual, Jan cuts me off. “Well, I hope you feel better. By the way, Dr. Smith wants to see you when you can.” Turning, and with a lower tone, she adds, “I think he is having that internal heat problem again, although he just won’t say so.”
The great thing about Jan is everyone thinks because she talks a lot, she does not see or listen, but it is just the opposite.
“I’ll try to call him later,” I say weakly.
“Okay. Well, if there isn’t anything else?” Jan finishes as she closes the door behind her.
Relief sweeps over me. It was Jan that had been here, or at least it seemed like it was her. It doesn’t matter as I look at the orb in the chamber across the room. I have put an end to the seesaw feelings I am having.
Entering the chamber, I feel a little different, somewhat relaxed. I know I will not destroy them and have peace, because I will not have peace. I will have unending regret because of it. I will not end their lives just possibly to save mine. I can, and will have to handle this, without the feelings of terror.
From behind me comes a stern comment. “You know you can’t do this, you have to stop now.” I turn to see Jack standing at the intercom on my desk. He is looking at me through the glass and pointing to the time. I give him a puzzled look and he responds by crossing his arms and tapping his foot.
“What’s up, Jack?” I say as I come out of the chamber and quickly close the door behind me.
“What do you mean, ‘what’s up’? We have the meeting this morning, or did you forget we have been called for?”
I instantly remember the meeting with our Group Leader and the G 4 Unit Director.
“Steve is waiting, and I am sure he will do his ‘David impression.’ We need to prepare. Being prepared is the most important thing and having everything documented for me even if I won’t read it,” Jack says comically.
“Stop it, Jack, mimicking Steve mimicking David is not very funny,” I say, giving him a slight smile.
“I am just preparing for him to slip and say it to David’s face, that’s all. I swear.”
Jack knows Steve will again berate David about his constant comments on being prepared, and being prepared is not what David does.
It is important to Steve to always be seen as perfectly prepared and the best at what he does. Steve’s ego is bigger than anyone’s I know. He sees himself as taking David’s place soon, much sooner than David would like. Some of us here, although we are all classified Level Four, are not working towards the same goals. Steve does try to hide that he does not care as much about advancing life forms as he does his own career. He just does not hide it well.
Jack is the opposite. He is about family first and success second. His work is good and well documented. He writes everything down at least once and sometimes more. This keeps him behind but useful in group studies and group meetings like this meeting, with our G 4. Jack never goes into a meeting without two notepads. This meeting could take ten minutes or two hours to meet. Jack will spend the same amount of time detailing his notations and rewriting them. Although I will sometimes take notes, I will rely on a copy from Jack for any further action.
We meet Steve and Marcie in the hall outside the conference room. Marcie is new, having come over from another Level Four to our Level Four. Some here are still a little conscious of what they will say in front of her. I like her. Her work is adequate, even good at times; it is just in this environment, making a change is not viewed as good. Most here will not take chances at all until they have seen a significant amount of good results from someone new.
“Hi, Steve, Marcie. How are you two doing today?” I ask of them with a smile.
Jack jumps in with his own greeting. “Are you two together now and does your wife know about this, Steve?”
Marcie smiles slightly as she looks over at me, still not sure just how to take this. It could be she is looking at me to see how I am taking it. Many people have been putting us together because we are both single and close in age. It seems to be the obsession of office politics and gossip to pair off the singles, as if this would be good for them.
Steve is not bothered by this one bit. “It’s not my wife I worry about Jack; it’s your wife who gets upset when I date other women.”
We all laugh and head inside the room. We wait for David, our Group Leader, and the G 4. David’s behavior is truly not a mystery for Steve to have to point out. We all know he is holding on just to add to his already earned pension.
He has one year and three months to go until he reaches the highest level for retirement, of which, we are continually reminded. He dreams of vacations and no responsibilities and for what I am doing, this is the best type of boss to have. David really does not want great success or great failure at this time in his career. I believe he may never have wanted either.
The G 4’s rotate, although our group knows them all, and today should be Terry. Terry is a “get in and get out” type of guy. Like David, he never really wants to get into the details, just wants to get by. He is, of course, one of my favorites, although I do try to hide this. They make the perfect management team for me, both always thinking of ways to keep the profile low and just wanting to do their time. The door opens, and David walks in to greet us.
“Today we are in for a surprise!” David says, trying to seem he truly means it. It is obvious though something is wrong. Terry comes in with him, as I had guessed, but the door is left open.
“Good morning, group!” Terry says, but he too does not seem to be himself. I notice, but I know not to show any concern because of it.
While I keep an eye on the door, I smile and greet them, but I think, why is the door still open? I begin to feel it; a searching thought is out there. Now Jack catches on that everything is not typical and bluntly asks the wrong question.
“You guys okay? You look a little nervous or something?” he asks.
Someone is behind the one-way glass in the room next to us. Whoever it is, was right behind them, and cut in next door to watch. The hairs on the back of my neck go up and I know this is not good. This is the source of the thought I felt.
Jack has also caught on as Terry and David try to cover up their concern.
“I am not sure I understand what are you talking about, Jack,” Terry replies in a noticeably nervous tone.
“I don’t know, maybe it’s just me, haven’t been myself over the last couple of years,” Jack says, smiling and nodding to everyone.
A muffled laugh now comes from one to another as we attempt to seem at ease.
“So who wants to hear about my big weekend?” Jack starts, but he is cut off by David.
“So Steve, where are you at with your latest implosion test? You stated last month we would have some new results by now, I recall.”
Now everyone is looking around at each other and no one is hiding their puzzled looks. We all know it is not typical for David to actually start our meeting. We are stunned by this as an uncomfortable pause has fallen upon the room. I keep telling myself not to look at the mirror, actually forcing myself not to look at it. I need to focus on David’s actions and think to myself what David’s problem is.
Who is in there, what do they want, have they figured it out? Are they just trying to see how far I will go? Trying not to think of this is hell. I know I have nowhere to go. No place to hide my creation or me. I have to stop; I have to stop these thoughts and get back to reality, now!
I can’t believe this, even though Steve has started talking about the test, Marcie and Jack are looking at each other with an obvious “What is going on?” look. I am guessing either they will think I am too stupid to understand, or too smart to show it. I am rooting for them thinking I am too stupid.
Now, in walks a man I would say is in his mid-fifties, with jet-black hair and a very smooth smile. A smile that can either relax you or scare the crap out of you. Right now, I am not sure which way this will go.
“Sorry I’m late, guys; had to make a quick stop. What did I miss, other than introductions?” the new arrival asks.
“Steve was giving his implosions update and we were just about to start the interviews, questions, I mean,” stammers Terry.
Quickly, our mysterious guest cuts in. “Well then, let me interrupt and introduce myself. I am Jonathon Dart, on loan from Space Ops.” He pauses as he looks across as to survey us one to the next with a smile.
I do not miss the slight glaring glance he gives Terry. “I think I have gotten the crew a little nervous. I guess you don’t get many visitors at Level Four do you? It is Marcie, isn’t it?” he asks, as he looks over at Marcie.
While he is looking at Marcie, who seems unsure what to say, he is actually finding who will tell him what he wants to know. He knows Marcie wouldn’t really be the one, being the new person. What he really wants is to find out is who is the talker, or better yet, the thinker in the group. The one from which he can draw information from their thoughts.
Jonathon is a Government Mind Reader and if he is a very good one, I may not have a chance to hide much from him. If my past were not what it is, it would be no chance at all with any Government Mind Reader. Within a few seconds, I can tell he is good at reading people’s thoughts, just not that good.
Jack tries to come to Marcie’s rescue with the “she’s actually new here” comment but it might have got him the first shot in the hot seat.
“Oh, that’s right, sorry to put you in to the lime light unarmed,” he comments while he leans in towards her, slightly too close. Again, to gauge a reaction, to get a thought from her, will she shrink back and will her thoughts show fear or not?
What I would not have expected, Marcie leans forward. Closer to him, just an inch, if that, but indeed enough to show no fear.
“Quite alright, it is true, I am the new one here,” she says nonchalantly.
Can’t take the time to comprehend this with everything unfolding before me but I won’t forget it, that’s for sure.
“So please introduce yourselves along with a short version of your job or the project you are working on. That’s how you say here, isn’t that right, Terry?” Jonathon asks coolly.
“Yes, Jonathon that is a good idea; why not start us off again on your update, Steve?”
Jack interrupts with a comment. “You did hear ‘short version,’ right, Steve?”
Everyone except Steve gives a tiny laugh and several eyes roll to Jack’s comment. This will hopefully break the ice. Jonathon smiles and gives an approving nod to each of us, furthering the want to relax everyone.
Steve goes into more detail than asked and I watch from the corner of my eye to see how Jonathon is reacting. He is watching Steve, but like me, he is looking mostly with his peripheral vision at everyone else.
Any eye contact will be read; even the slightest bit can reveal more thoughts than most people would ever want to tell. Well before the military found out how to recognize and use mind readers, the good ones in fact were hired by the biggest corporations.
A study came out, finding one in one hundred children could learn to focus their thoughts and become various levels of mind readers. Required testing and quarantine at six years of age for all children who had the ability to read minds was made law. Those who were found with the strongest levels of “the gift,” as it was called by the military, were institutionalized when I started in college. This was, as most indicated, what brought Zayack out into the public limelight, as he was adamantly opposed to the testing and quarantine.
Not soon after, to the common people it was called “the curse” and many who were older did their best to hide their talent. Parents were told how lucky their child was, to have the gift. They would have a great future helping the government if their ability could be developed. The ones with the strongest abilities, would typically never be seen again by their parents.
Being around a reader is not as difficult for me as it would be for most. What Jonathon and the government do not know is that my mother, brother, and sister were readers. My mother encouraged them to develop their abilities from a young age so they might be able to hide it better. Without their ability, I had to spend hours at a time in my home learning to focus my thoughts on only feeling their thoughts. Finally, I was able to feel and recognize their searching thoughts when they were trying to read my mind. I perfected making my thoughts either a jumble of erratic patterns or a repetitive drone of what others were saying.
To a mind reader, I am intently listening to who is talking and am mentally repeating what they say, or I am off in my own scattered little world. I am just a very boring person with no real thoughts to hide and right now, that is what is most important.
“Okay, good, Steve, sounds like you are doing well, or at least not doing badly,” Jonathon comments.
“How about you, Jack, you keeping things moving along, or keeping things moving in place I should say. Isn’t that right, Jack?” Jonathon asks with another slight smile.
“I guess that’s about right,” Jack retorts, with a little impatience at the play on words.
I think Jack is still thinking about the not doing badly comment to Steve. Jack proceeds to update us on his perpetual gravitational fields and the advanced analysis. I go along and act like I have not seen or heard of the continued good results he has been getting.
Now to Marcie, our new team member. Marcie explains how she does our basic structural toning inside the orbs. How she creates balanced structures within the gravitational fields that Jack keeps moving after Steve implodes the test space location.
Now it is my turn at this show and tell. I explain how I create basic organics and cellular compounds to live in the orbs. I give a quick version, and then start to expand, but luckily, I am cut off by David.
“Great, and there you have it. Good job everyone, see you next…”
Now he is cut off by Jonathon, who holds his hand up and gives him the same quick glare he gave earlier to Terry.
“Let me jump in here, David. I am here talking to all the advanced teams, helping to analyze what, if any, projects we at Space Operations can work on with you.
“We need to kick our progress to the next level in working with other groups. So, it looks good for this group. I may stop in and see you again, if needed. For now, I hope the best for your on-going projects.”
While a look of relief passes around, I can’t help but notice Terry and David are again looking at the mirror. I know someone else or others have been watching our little meeting. While a relieved look is on my face, I do not see this as over, not by a long shot.
As I walk back to my office, I am not sure what I can do. Even if I wanted to destroy my creation now, I will have to explain why it failed. If I am right and there were others in the next room, it will be impossible to hide the evidence of the advances I have made.
They will want to know why I had not notified them of my progress; why I am hiding the exact discovery they pay me to make and report to them. Now my paranoia hits a new low. What if they do know and that is what this is about? Is this a coincidence or a confirmation I am being watched? It does make sense if they are watching me. How else would they move forward?
Maybe they are watching what I am doing; maybe they want to see if I come out with an incredible result, or if I am hiding my discovery. I need to slow down, be conservative. If need be, and they do know, I need to act as if I am making sure of my results before going forward. If I find that I have no other choice, I could say I was waiting to make sure everything is reliable, and most of all, repeatable.
……………
Jonathon waits to see all have left, and then enters the room next to the conference room. The knock is swift and sure; a call from within to enter is not needed or waited for. Inside is the enclosed entrance where one is between two rooms. It is a tiny locked passageway when one enters, they are trapped and completely at the mercy of those who control the locked doors.
Jonathon is not worried in the least, and true to his lack of concern, the second door opens. He quickly enters a dimly lit room and stands at the end of the table. Knowing he is to do nothing without command, he patiently waits to sit if asked or to just stand and wait. He does not have to wait long.
“So, is this a group that has a chance or not?” the voice at the end of the table asks.
“I give them a good chance at best, probably closer to a fair chance is more like it. They are on paper the most advanced group we have,” Jonathon quickly and confidently replies to the question.
“Is there a leader in this group?” is the next question from the speakerphone near the center of the table.
“Not sure. The Imploder, Steve, wants to be. In fact, that exact thought was blaring at me the whole time. The readings from the Grav Fielder did not show he focused on him as one would if he were a true leader.”
“Names, use their names,” the voice interrupts Jonathon’s comments.
“Sorry, sir,” Jonathon responds very fast. While the command was not rashly spoken, it didn’t have to be.
“The Gravitation Fielder is Jack Wilson; he looked over at Walter Smithton, the Life Former, several times. Looking and thinking of what he would want him to say. Smithton, however, is dull at best, a scientific thinker for sure, but no readings in the least about what should be done.”
“So, you say he was out in his own little world?” This question comes from the far corner of the room and catches Jonathon by surprise.
The look on Jonathon’s face changes, if just for a moment. His concern was not in hearing the question that was really a statement and not a question, but in who was asking.
“The girl, Marcie, she…” Jonathon says before he is interrupted by the voice from the corner.
“We don’t need to talk about the girl; she is new here and we have very good records on her from her past position. Our concern should be with the three, and who they are. So, you, are saying we have one who is ambitious, one a follower, and the life former who is just a dull pointer, and you give them a good to fair chance?”
Jonathon knows not to answer this as a question as it was not really asked, but again stated.
“From what I am hearing, it is more like no chance at all. Seriously, is this the best you have now?” the voice continues.
Now Jonathon knows to answer. “All the documentation shows they are the top group we have. I read very strong, confident thoughts, they are good at what they do.
“I think…” Jonathon starts before he gets cut off again, this time by the General.
“That will be all for now. I may have you meet with them again one on one.” This command gives Jonathon the signal to leave, which he wastes no time doing.
As the lights come up, more faces appear; men and woman who know any questions for Jonathon, are to be asked through the chain of command. These are the military’s top people and they all know who is in charge.
“That will be all,” is the command spoken to the room from General Tallen. He picks up the phone on the table and a short conversation is communicated to the voice from the speaker. When the room clears, only the General and the man in the corner stay behind. When all have left, the General puts the phone back down.
The voice of the High Commander returns to the speaker and asks the man in the corner, “So what is your take on their chances, Director Bush?”
“Steve Janson will want to be in charge, and if Jack Wilson is a follower, as your reader guessed, will he follow Janson?”
The General counters Bush’s question with his own comment. “‘Guessed’ is a little out there. Jonathon is a very good reader, and I know that for a fact.” This time a little impatience is in the General’s voice.
Bush disregards the tone and continues. “Readers can be fooled. Jonathon thinks too much and reads too little. More importantly, I believe he has got Smithton all wrong, he is the one we need to know more about. More about what could shake him up, because this meeting didn’t at all, and it should have.”
After a short pause Bush continues, “We need to test him. We need to know more about him.”
“What do you want to do? What is this weakness or strength you seem to think he has, and when do you want to test him?” the General asks.
“I have already started,” comes with the smallest hint of a smile, on a face, a smile would never seem to cross.
“Then I should wait for this to transpire? I have more to do before we go forward, but time is short. How long will this take?” The General asks, pushing the subject.
“Not long at all, it should be very quick, very, very quick.” Bush says as he turns to leave.
No one likes Bush, no one, and it does not take being around him for long to know why, the General thinks to himself as he leaves. Bush’s reputation as Director of the World Alliance Intelligence Division was well known and, by most, well feared.
I turn the corner and look to see Jan first. I need to see if anything seems out of place to her, she would be the one to know. News about a meeting like this would travel very fast and she knows who would know what. Not at her desk. With this kind of event, she is already making the rounds. I am sure she will bullet back with details soon. I just need to keep my head, slow down, and not get too emotional. It is at times like these when mistakes are made.
I must act normal; normal for me that is. How would I react if I were not hiding a secret? I sit down and I realize if they are watching me, every move I make will be looked at very closely. Call Jack. I would call Jack and get his take on what he thought about this meeting.
“This is Jack, and I am terribly busy, so please state the nature of your call,” Jack says, trying to act as if he were not looking at who was calling him.
“While I understand the terrible part, I don’t recall you ever being that busy, Jack,” I reply in typical one-upmanship.
“Ouch, that would hurt if it wasn’t so true,” confesses Jack through a chuckle.
“So, was that different or what? What do you think is going on now, Walt?”
Before Jack can continue, I cut him off. Can’t have this go further than I want on a phone line that could be tapped.
“Hey, probably just seeing if the boys in Space Ops are earning their pay, I would guess.” While Jack goes on to a “better be close to retirement joke” I am thinking of how can I get Jack alone and away from here.
“Got it, funny Jack, real funny, almost as funny as the first few times you told it. Seriously though, who knows, maybe we should look at this as something important. What kind of project could these guys be looking at us for? I mean, how could they have us work together with the Space Ops group?” I ask, trying to sound sincere.
“I wouldn’t worry, Walt. All of us are producing very good results. We can handle whatever they throw at us,” Jack says finally, with some seriousness.
I realize this is going to be hard to do without leaving any suspicion, so I need to lighten this up.
“You’re probably right, Jack, we have been doing well and besides, you’re the weak link, anyway. You know the old joke about the two guys who see a hungry bear in the woods, right?”
“I know, I know,” Jacks interrupts with a chuckle. “When the one guy says ‘we’re screwed, we will never outrun this bear!’ The other guy says, ‘I don’t have to outrun the bear, I just have to outrun you.’ Not very nice, Walt, not very nice at all,” Jack says, trying to sound hurt by this. “Hey, what do you say we get the others and grab a couple of drinks after work?” Jack throws out.
Perfect, I think to myself. Now just make sure we don’t commit to where.
“Why not? Let’s talk on the way out. I’ve got to go; see you later, Jack.” I hang up quickly and pause the line so he can’t cut back in. I need to see if Jan has got anything.
“Hey, Jan, are you there?” I call out as I open the door, but there is no response. I figured she would be back by now. May be more to this than I thought. I need to check the orb for signs someone was here while I was gone, but it might look too suspicious.
I will write my notes from the meeting and run my latest numbers from the front orb that hides the real one. It will take some time, but if we do meet with the Space Ops people, it needs to look as legitimate as possible.
Having two experiment orbs going on is typical, but usually the one in front is the longest running. In fact, it is more than usual for the longest running experiment to be in front. It is regular procedure. It has fooled everyone so far, but no one has ever really looked that closely.
Before I know it, it is time to go. It is amazing how quickly time flies when I am absorbed in data analysis. Even though the frontal orb is not the real experiment, it is actually showing promise as solid work. I could actually pull this off if I wanted; hide this for years to come.
I could take this to even more unheard levels of life form development. I know, however, in my heart, in the end, it will be exposed and taken away.
Something is wrong; I realize Jan never came in to see me this afternoon. I open my door and her desk is vacant. I look and her station is shut down, and her sweater and scarf are gone. This is not normal and now I am beginning to get nervous. Jan would never leave without checking out with me, never.
As I get ready to leave, I decide go by the front desk of our floor and ask them if they have seen her.
“Have you seen Jan? Did you by chance see her leave?” I ask the security receptionist.
“No, but I just got here a half an hour ago, so she must have left early, Dr. Smithton,” she replies disinterestedly.
As I delay walking away, she sits up straighter and asks, “Is there a problem, Dr. Smithton?”
“No, she must have called in and I just didn’t hear her. Good night,” I finish and turn towards the elevator.
I am walking slower then I typically would, as I am not sure what to do. If they are watching me, going back to my office might give away my concern. I have to blow this off as no big deal. I realize I have forgotten Jack and drinks. I pick up the phone at the elevator lobby and ring in to him.
After a few rings, Jack picks up the phone. “Jack here,” Jack says, giving his typical reply. “Hey, Jack I’m ready to head out. Are you ready to go?” I say, as peppy and positively as I can.
“Sorry, Walt, I left a message on Jan’s console. The wife gave the big veto on drinks. Wants me all to herself tonight, I think.”
“No problem, I buried myself in it this afternoon and I never saw Jan leave.”
“Really? That’s not typical of Jan, is it?”
Even Jack knows this is not normal for Jan, but I have to continue to blow it off for now.
“Well, she probably saw me and called in and I didn’t hear her. Oh well, see you tomorrow Jack,” I say, trying to sound nonchalant.
As I walk out, I realize I am very tired. It is best just to go home, get a bite, and some sleep. If they are truly looking at me, I will need to be at my best tomorrow. Even then, my best may not be enough.
……………
As I run down the dark alley, I have to stop. I am out of breath, but I can feel I am closer than ever before. My lungs burn and my body screams for rest. As I stop I scan the alley for the best way to go. This stop must be short and will provide a shorter rest than I truly need.
I know however, they are not very far behind me, close enough so I can hear them. Looking up the fire escape of the building next to me, I can see someone staring down. From just inside of the second floor window, I can see him. It is Zayack. I muster all my remaining strength to climb the ladder and enter into the room.
Now for the biggest surprise of all. I am standing in the same room with Demetrious Zayack. He didn’t run ahead as he always has before.
Why is the only word I can think to say. Breathing heavily, the needs of my body have taken over and it is all I can get out.
“Why what?” is the response from Zayack, to which he quickly adds, “Not much time for a chat, as I think you should know by now.”
The chase still has taken most of my ability to speak, but I need to know the why of running, the why of leaving, and the why of staying away. These are the only thoughts running through my head I need to get them out. Just another moment to catch my breath before I can ask.
I jump as a phone rings from behind me. Other than Zayack and myself, I notice it is the only other thing in the room.
“You will need to get that,” Zayack says to me as I look back to him.
As I stare at him, confused yet trying to understand, he adds without my obvious question, “Because it’s for you!”
……………
As my eyes slowly work their way open, I realize the ringing phone is real and again, Zayack and the chase were not. The logic of having the phone across the room to think before answering is not helping as I stagger to the phone. Time, what time is it? I question as I reach for the phone. Looking at the clock, I see it is well after midnight as I say, “Hello?”
“Walter, is this Walter Smithton?” asks an edgy voice, quickly and strongly.
“Yes, this is Walter Smithton, and who is this?” I ask, turning on the light.
“Walter, Jan did not come home from work today. I first thought you might be working late and called, but her line is out or something. Is she with you? I am worried about her. If she is with you…I… well… at least I would know, is she with you?” The final question is coming from a paused and defeated voice hoping the answer is “yes,” but is not “yes.”
While listening to his questions and comments, I know it is Jan’s husband, James.
“No, James, she is not here. I don’t know where she is. She left work early, I believe. Have you called…?”
“Everybody, I have called everybody I can think of,” James says as he cuts me off.
“I am on the front walk outside your door. Can I come in?” he asks quickly.
Just from the tone of his voice, I know he wants proof; he needs to see for himself. He is on the edge of losing it and I understand.
“No problem. I’ll buzz you right in.” I go to the hall and hit the auto lock and I hear the door open. It only takes but a moment and he is at the door. As I invite him in, I let him walk ahead of me into the living room. I want him to see quickly I am alone and am not hiding anything.
“Can I get you a drink or something?” I ask as I walk to the kitchen.
Again, I am giving him the opportunity to look for himself, letting him look around to confirm Jan is not here and never was here. Jan and I have become close, even good, friends, but nothing more. She says I scare most people away with the cold stare I seem to give.
You have really to be a good friend to make this kind of observation and get away with it; at least with Jan and me. We are as friends should be; no fear in what we say to each other, just truth and open honesty.
James doesn’t answer, so I get us each a drink and come back into the living room. James tries to hide having looked into my bedrooms while I made the drinks. He now nervously sits down to my gesture at a chair.
“I know she was at work today,” he starts. “She called me and said there was a meeting and she might have to stay late.”
Typical Jan in action, already knowing something was up even before our meeting was over.
“You didn’t see her leave or even know when she left?” James asks bluntly. The smallest of hope for a better answer is in his eyes, but it is surrounded by what he knows he is going to hear.
“I was in the meeting until early afternoon. I didn’t see her when I got back. I went right into my office, as I had several experiments and reports due. When I left around six, Jan was already logged out. I thought she had gone home. I didn’t, until now, think anything of it.” I say the last part knowing it is a bold-faced lie.
James and I spend the next hour going over all the possibilities of what and where. Both James and Jan are from small families who live far away and not in regular contact. The list of friends turned up nothing and the difficult calling of the hospitals has been handled by their best friend and neighbor, Sally. Sally, who is an ER nurse, even checked the logs of all the calls to emergency services. Nothing has turned up. The police will not open an investigation until someone is missing for at least twenty-four hours.
The buzzer at the door rings. It’s Sally. I buzz her in, but James is heading for the front door and I follow. A flurry of questions comes from James, but nothing he wants to hear comes in the replies. I invite them both in, but Sally says it’s late and she asks James to go home. I say I will report this to the office first thing when I get in.
“The best place to wait is at home,” Sally says as they turn and start to walk away,
Sally looks back, possibly to say something polite about their abrupt departure. I wave her off. No comment is needed. James then looks back and asks me to call if I hear anything, and I say I will.
I sit down and see it is now past two in the morning. So much for a good night’s rest. I can’t help but wonder if it is somehow related to yesterday. And what about the dream? What does all this mean? Am I getting closer to finding where Zayack is, or went? Is it possibly he is still alive? It was a first that I caught him. I… Reality strikes back hard. It is a dream and only a dream, now starting to become a nightmare, a horrible nightmare.
……………