Her eyes, although totally bloodshot, were open wide. “Are you kidding? They solved the decoupling problem? I knew they were working on it but… oh, this is big, Lucas. Where are the devices?”
“I’m supposed to go see Tom and Barry at their lab to pick them up. I bet Ava will have a way to use it directly, maybe carry it in my body or something.”
“Way ahead of you. I’ll know better when we see the devices, but I have some things in mind. There’s no moss growing on me, sonny boy.”
Okay, you got me that time… I don’t know what that means…
She rose unsteadily from her chair and croaked, “There’s one more thing… I have Bright Hand agents in the US, but moving them into Las Vegas is liable to tip off the Americans, so we’ll only be notifying agents already in the area. One agent in Las Vegas is someone I think you know; his name is Sydney Alamo.”
“Oh yeah, we met him on Alexy’s boat! He fought with us on the docks in Melbourne. He’s a tough dude.”
“Indeed, he is. One last thing: I have information that seems pretty solid that the American soldiers we had as prisoners here, the ones you helped get released? They’re all in Las Vegas, and Agent Oakes is with them. It appears that they plan to take part in the siege on Area 51.”
10
DIRECTOR’S NOTES
MEETING WITH SVC
121852 23:12
-Get (WK) on the line. Thinking about the American response to our stunt in about a day and a half from now has me worrying about their evacuation plan. We can’t have all those scientists and engineers killed. They represent a massive investment, you know.
-Oh, perish the thought. We wouldn’t want to jeopardize our investment, would we?
-You never miss a chance to get snarky, do you? You know what I meant. That place cost us a couple billion and we’ll lose just about all of it if the Americans go in. Speaking of that, while you’re getting through to (WK), tell me this: what method do you think the Americans will use to respond?
-Well, first, I don’t agree that the Americans will immediately assume the Bright Hand are responsible. It may take them weeks or even months to find a suitable scapegoat. Then, if they do strike, I think it’s likely that they will try to gather as much info as possible first, which means having people on the inside of the Bright Hand, which may mean that we will have to call for a purging of all Bright Hand staffers. That kind of kneecapping of the Bright Hand may be enough of a strike that a physical attack won’t be necessary at all. In fact, that would be the best strategy on the Americans’ part, which probably means they won’t do that.
-Thanks for that scintillating non-answer. They’d be stupid if they didn’t try to take all the scientists back to the US rather than blow the place up, but they don’t always do things that make sense. You have (WK) yet?
-Still waiting.
-Hmm. I wonder what Mr. Hollywood is up to. Have you ever checked out that guy’s teeth? It’s like he’s trying to signal someone in outer space. So, the gate stormers are heading to Area 51 at five p.m. on the twentieth?
-Yes, they should arrive at seven-thirty.
-Hey, answer me this: if that many people are going up there, aren’t they going to get log-jammed?
-Yes, but we thought of that. It doesn’t really matter if some of them get hung up; a mass of that size will bring a big response, whether or not they make it there.
-What about Oakes and the soldiers?
-They’re leaving several hours earlier. They’ll scout out the area, and we want them in front of the crowd because their official status will confuse matters, causing hesitation and distraction.
-Okay, good plan. Do we think any of the gate-stormers will actually make it in?
-They won’t get paid if they go past the gates, so it’s unlikely.
-Smart. Keep them clear of the buildings. How about some snacks while we’re waiting for (WK)?
****
Z oey Perez and I walked through the secret room and found Cheri waiting there, pacing like a caged tiger. “Oh, finally! I thought I might be trapped in here. What’s the story?”
Zoey Perez shook her head, causing her to wobble a little, and put her finger to her lips. Motioning for us to come in close, she whispered, “Not here. It’s probably secure, but just in case. If you have some kind of telepathic communication, you could use that. Otherwise, wait ‘til you’re outside of the cavern, okay?”
She confused me, and I must have had that look on my face because Cheri said, “The telepathic communication thing was a joke, Lucas. No problem, Zoey, we’ll wait. Come on, Lucas, we need to go see Tom and Barry. And Zoey, you better go get some rest. You look like you’re going to fall down right here.”
“I’m right behind you. I just need to go talk to Jim Early for a moment. Bring me back that quantum communicator, Lucas. I’ll do my best to keep you safe.”
We exited through the secret door and I quickly related what Zoey Perez told me about the enormous group of people planning on storming Area 51 in a day and a half. As I spoke, her eyes got wider and wider, and when I finished, she said, “This is it, Lucas. This is our chance. Oh, wait… that will make it… let’s see… December twentieth. You know what else happens on that day?”
“Umm… no, I don’t know.”
“You are so weird. It’s your birthday, silly! If we get your dad out… that’ll be just about the best birthday present ever, right?”
I totally forgot it was my birthday… she’s right, that would be the greatest birthday of all time, but it won’t be easy… “I just hope we make it. Let’s get going, okay?”
Cheri stared at me for a moment, and said, “Wow, you really know how to celebrate. Okay, to Tom and Barry’s lab it is.”
Rather than wait for a ride from Bernie, I had Cheri get on my back piggyback style and ran, and it felt good to just to get out and move. We got some surprised looks from the few people out of their trailers as we dashed past, some waving and a couple raising an angry middle finger. “I guess some of these folks still just want us to go away and never come back,” Cheri hissed in my ear.
“Yeah, but pretty soon they won’t have to worry about it anymore, right?”
I’ll be kind of sad when that time comes, though… It’ll mean I’ll never get to see this amazing place again… I always have a hard time imagining how they built this huge cavern underneath a hill in the Australian outback… it almost doesn’t seem possible… I mean, the nation cavern is impressive too but it started as a natural cave, and this thing is four times its size… and that they constructed all these labs inside it… hundreds of them… and that all these smart people are in here working on… I don’t know what, but there are hundreds of people in here that you hardly ever see… okay, pay attention before you run in to something…
Just like almost every time we had visited them, as we rounded the corner of their row we saw a small, hazy cloud and knew that meant Tom was outside vaping again. His face split into an enormous grin the moment we started toward him, and he waved both to disperse the mist and to welcome us in. We had a rough introduction, but since then, he’s one of the nicest guys I’ve ever met… he’s helped me tons of times, and he didn’t have to do any of it… him and Barry both…
“They’re the type of fellows you always want to keep as a friend. We need to think of something nice to do for them when all of this is over, sonny boy. A friend in need is a friend indeed, and we’re usually the ones in need.”
You got that right. Hey, that sounded pretty… I don’t know, human of you. It sounded like something my mom would have said.
“And you had just the right touch of sarcasm to sound like something I would say. We’re blending, buddy.”
Oh, boy.
“Ah, Lucas, Chi, ve have been vaiting for you! Vait ‘til you see vhat ve have!” Tom cried, his tall, spindly frame shaking with excitement. As he ushered us in to their lab, he took off his coke-bottle thick glasses and wiped them on his grey scrub shirt,
his long, stringy blonde hair dangling around his face. “Barry, look who’s here!”
Barry, his bear-like body bent over a lab table, snapped his head around, and stuck out his burly arm. “Come here, kids, give your uncle Barry a hug. Wait, I remember your discomfort with that kind of stuff, Lucas. I’ll settle for a fist-bump, okay?”
Whew… I was getting a little anxious about having to give him a hug… I mean, I like him, it’s just…
“Oh, just relax, it’s not like he would never let you go. No need to go to Defconn Five, sonny boy.”
And now we’re back to normal. I didn’t understand that at all.
I fist-bumped with Barry, and as he pulled Cheri in for a bear hug Tom put his hand on my shoulder. “Show zem, Barry. Show zem ze device.”
“Wait ‘til you see this, kids. This underwhelming little unit represents one of the greatest leaps in communication since… well, ever, I guess.”
He held up what looked like an ancient version of a cell phone, with a small screen and a tiny physical keyboard built into it. “They put it in an old Blackberry case that someone had lying around as kind of a joke, but it’s totally functional. It works basically like a walkie talkie; the person on one end sends a message, the person on the other end receives it, and then can respond, but it doesn’t allow for both to communicate at the same time. That’ll come with time, but it’s not there yet. Still, this is the most advanced piece of communication tech on the planet. Pretty cool, right?”
Tom, practically vibrating with excitement, flinging spittle from his new, perfectly straight and white teeth, cried, “Yes! Instant communication over any distance, no chance zat anyone can intercept ze messages… you could be on Mars, and ve could talk visout any delay at all!” Then he burst into a stream of words in German.
Barry, shaking his head and beaming, said, “Don’t worry, kids, he does that when he gets worked up. Here, let me show you how to make it do its thing. Oh, by the way, it takes a lot of juice to run these devices, so one send will sap its battery. You’ll need to have a way to keep it plugged in.”
“I’m on it. I’ll keep it running, no worries. Pay attention now, Uncle Barry is talking.”
Oh, boy.
Over the next couple of minutes, Barry showed us the details of the units while Tom went back outside to calm himself by making another cloud of vapor. “Now, you got it, kids? Any questions?” asked Barry as he completed his instructions, patting both of us on the back.
“No, to tell you the truth it seems easier than I thought it would be. I actually don’t know what I was expecting, but this seems perfect. You… you guys have sure been nice to us. I really appreciate it.”
Barry’s eyes seemed to get a little watery. “We’ve talked a lot about you and your situation, Lucas. Here’s this totally innocent kid, thrust into the middle of the petty conflicts of a bunch of really crappy adults, all of whom think their concerns are soooo important. It’s not fair, and it’s not right. That you’ve been able to handle it all… well, I can just tell you I would have fallen to pieces a long time ago if I were you.”
Cheri nodded and said, “Me too. Thanks, Barry. You guys are the best. Lucas, we’ll have to do something nice for Tom and Barry when all this is over.”
“Hey, that’s exactly what Ava said.”
“Well, she is pretty smart.”
“She’s right, you know. I mean about the smart thing. Now let’s get moving; we still have to go see Kane.”
Oh, boy.
After we said our goodbyes and exited Tom and Barry’s lab, Cheri took me by the arm and turned so we were face to face. She motioned for me to come close, and whispered, “Lucas, I waited until now to tell you this because… well, I wanted to stall a little and I didn’t want to put a damper on things before we spoke to Tom and Barry, but here goes.” She took a deep breath and blew it out before continuing. “Benji and the rest left for the nation’s cavern. They went without telling you because they were afraid you would try to stop them, because they plan on going to Perth and getting a flight to Las Vegas. They’ve been talking about it and just feel like they need to do at least something to help you, so they’re joining the siege on Area 51.”
“Oh, no! What if they get recognized? It’s too risky. We have to stop them!”
“I tried to talk them out of it, but they had made up their minds. Look, Lucas, these are a bunch of unusually smart adults. They know what they’re doing. We have to let them go.”
I began pacing and shaking my hands as if trying to dry them off. “No, you don’t understand! There’s a reason I never wanted them to go on any of our missions. I… this will make me sound weird, or kind of like a baby, but… if they stay here, or in the nation’s cavern, they’ll be safe. I already lost my parents, I can’t lose them too. I can’t!”
“Take some deep breaths, sonny boy. Let’s get some air into what’s left of your lungs. She’s right again. And you’re right too; you do sound like a baby. They don’t just want to help, they need to help. They know what they’re getting into.”
But… but… And then Cheri stopped me in my tracks.
“You took me with you each time, right into danger. You must have been okay with losing me, huh?”
“No, that’s not what I meant… I… you have skills, and… and you wanted to go, you… oh, crap. You’re right. That wasn’t logical at all. I’m sorry, Cheri. I didn’t mean it that way.”
Her face scrunched up as if she would cry, but then she took her one remaining hand, balled it into a fist, and socked me in the shoulder, causing her hand to rebound sharply.
“Oh, I forgot about your defenses, but I got you again, didn’t I? I know you didn’t mean it that way, I just said all that to get you thinking straight. It seems like your reboot didn’t affect how easy you are to manipulate, did it?”
I stopped pacing and hung my head. “I guess not. I wish you would stop doing that, though.”
“Tell you what,” she said, giggling. “I’ll stop doing that as soon as it stops working. Now, turn around so I can jump on your back, and let’s go see Kane.”
Oh, boy.
11
DIRECTOR’S NOTES
MEETING WITH SVC, WK
121852 23:47
-Well, (WK), it’s about time. What the hell have you been doing? You look nice, by the way.
-(WK) So sorry, Director. I’m busy with the evacuation protocols and doing my best to stay neutral to avoid panicking my people in the meantime. And looking nice? It’s a combination of taking care of myself and copious amounts of experimental treatments. Not bad for seventy-nine, eh?
-Hey, (SVC), get a load of this guy. Did you know he was seventy-nine? I would have guessed… I don’t know, maybe forty on the high side.
-(SVC) Of course. (WK) is the beneficiary of the many life-extending developments the Bright Hand have been so industriously pursuing.
-How did I not know this? I need to pay more attention. Maybe they have something for me over there to help with focus.
-(WK) Oh, without question. Now, how may I help you?
-You see, (SVC)? Right to the point. That’s focus. (WK) doesn’t get distracted like some other people I know. You could learn a thing or two from him. Now, (WK), tell us exactly where you are in relation to the evacuation plans we developed.
-(WK) I would say we are proceeding apace. I took the liberty of having the security staff oversee the discreet communications with the less critical labs, and shielding the scientists that have had direct contact with Lucas and his group until he leaves on this mission, which for all our sakes is hopefully his last. The rest of his group have left, by the way, aside from Ms. Kim. They are returning to the aboriginal’s home cavern. I have agents escorting them to make sure there is no intervention from the Americans between here and there.
-Huh. Doesn’t it seem strange that they would leave before the boy does? Seems like they would want to wait, at least to see him off.
-(WK) I would agree
that it seems unusual. Up to now, their pattern has been to say bon voyage, just as you say. I asked them about it, and Dr. Walker said that Lucas knew they would be leaving. I’ll question Lucas when I see him, which should be soon. Honestly, the quicker we’re out of this cavern the better. I assume things are prepared in New Zealand?
-They’ll be ready, don’t worry. Cheer up, (WK). You only need to keep the evacuation plan from your people for one more day. If things go well, maybe you won’t have to evacuate at all.
-(WK) With apologies, director, we have already had American moles in here. That gives us reason to believe that there may be more, and the Americans know our location now. We are the proverbial sitting ducks.
-That’s my point exactly. We keep the site operating like normal as a decoy, like a wooden duck. We quietly move the important scientists and engineers to NZ. It’ll help us keep that location under wraps longer. Hopefully until we don’t need it anymore.
-(WK) And the rest are expendable? How do you propose to determine which are important to our mission?
-Aww, come on, don’t put it that way. There are some that we’ll identify as most important, and I’ll let you make the call on the rest of them. We’ll need at least some to stay, though, and we’ll bring in some new projects to make the place seem occupied. We’ll develop an evacuation plan for the ones left behind, no problem. It won’t be too hard to see the Americans coming.
Reassemble (Singular Book 4) Page 6