World Order
Page 25
“We are all very intelligent,” Miller said. “Of course, we are also aware that there is no place for us in the world. Needless to say, that leaves us rather frightened at this moment.”
Noah stood and looked through the glass at the thing that had had once been Private James Miller, and then turned his head. “Mr. Litchfield,” he called out, and Litchfield hurried to his side.
“Yes, sir?”
“Mr. Litchfield, let me introduce you to Mr. James Miller and his friends, who are former soldiers. Mr. Litchfield, is there a place for these people at Area 51?”
Litchfield’s eyes went wide. “I’m certain I could arrange it, sir,” he said.
Noah turned back to Miller. “Mr. Miller, it turns out there are others like you, and it may be possible for you to have at least some kind of a life, even if it isn’t entirely normal. I’ll see to it that arrangements are made to transport you all to Area 51.”
All four of the alien looking creatures suddenly became animated, and looked relieved.
“Mr. Wolf, we would be very grateful,” Miller said. “Maybe there’s a lot to learn from us.”
“That could be,” Noah said. “I’m sure that, at a place like that, they can find some way for you to at least be useful and productive.”
The small mouth in Miller’s face curled in what Noah suspected was meant to be a smile. “But what about the others? I’m afraid they no longer realize just who or what they are.”
Noah nodded. “I believe that is true, and that the best thing I can do for them is to put them out of their misery.”
Miller and the others like him looked at one another, and then all of them nodded. “We agree,” Miller said.
Noah turned to Litchfield. “Can you get them out of there?”
“It will be my pleasure, sir,” Litchfield said.
As the tall hybrids were released, Noah and one of the soldiers got their names. One of them approached Lieutenant Morton and spoke to him.
“Sir, I know you don’t remember me like this,” he said, “but I am Private Michael Harrison. It’s good to see you again, sir.”
Morton’s eyes grew wide. “Harrison? Good Lord, man, we thought you’d been… Well, never mind what we thought. I’m just glad to know you’re alive.”
The other two former soldiers also knew Morton, and the lieutenant quickly rounded up some volunteers to stay with Miller, Harrison and the others until transportation to Area 51 could be arranged the following day. Several of the soldiers volunteered, remembering their old squad mates, and Morton ended up having to choose.
An hour later, helicopters landed outside the building on the surface. Military police, working with the Argentine Federal Police, had rounded up everyone connected with Modano Chemical company. Some of them were probably innocent dupes, but nobody was going free until both governments were certain.
More of the MPs climbed out of the helicopters to secure the compound. Noah made it clear that no one was to bother the saucer-like craft in the warehouse until they could be thoroughly examined. He had already called Allison, who was arranging for Wally and some of his top people to fly down immediately. The President of the United States had authorized her to take possession of the craft on behalf of the government, and had agreed that Wally Lawson was probably the best man possible to start figuring out how they worked.
Noah and the others arrived back at Donovan Range only a few minutes later, and Renée was on hand to come rushing into Marco’s arms. Sarah had commandeered a van and drove them all back to the operations center, where Allison was waiting to give Marco a hug of her own.
“Camelot, report,” she said immediately afterward.
Noah quickly gave an account of the assault and its results. He had already told her about the ships being captured, but she was pleased to hear that McRae had insisted on staying behind with some volunteer soldiers to round up the computer equipment. He had said that it was some of the most advanced computer electronics he had ever seen, and he wasn’t about to let it fall into anybody else’s hands. She was also delighted when Noah showed her video footage of James Miller. Even though he wasn’t anything like she remembered him, he was one of hers. She was happy to know that he was still alive.
Swaggart stood back and waited until all the congratulations and welcomes were done, then asked Noah to step outside with him for a moment. When they were alone, he turned and looked at the assassin, meeting his gaze.
“Graves says she told you what was really going on,” he said. “I’m sure Marco has also told you, using that digital ESP of yours, that I have been subjected to Branigan’s Cocktail. I’m a hybrid, Noah. I’m not as ugly as the others, but I got a lot of the enhancements.”
“Yes, I know,” Noah said.
Swaggart grunted. “Yeah, figured you did. So, what are we going to do about it?”
Noah looked at him for a couple of seconds, then shrugged. “About what? If I make a report about this, you’re going to be locked up in a laboratory somewhere. As it stands right now, the only ones who know are myself and my team, and I’ve already ordered them to keep it out of our reports.”
Swaggart stared at him. “You’re serious? You’re not going to tell anybody?”
“I’m not,” Noah said. “On the other hand, you may be the strongest and fastest man alive. I think it’s quite possible that there is a place in the government that can honestly use you, as long as you can keep those abilities under wraps.”
“What? Are you talking about E & E? Turn me into one of your super assassins?”
Noah shook his head. “That’s not for me to decide,” he said. “On the other hand, I can tell you that the best person in the world you could talk to about it is that lady sitting inside that Quonset hut. If you talk to Allison, she might come up with a way to put you where you are needed most.”
Swaggart looked at him for a moment, then shook his head. “You know what? I’ve already got my twenty in. I think maybe it’s time I try the private sector.”
Noah raised an eyebrow and looked at him for a second, and Swaggart chuckled.
“Now, now, don’t get the wrong idea,” he said. “I’m not talking about selling out to the highest bidder. However, there’s a lot of legitimate money to be made running a private intelligence service, and I have the skills. Besides, I’m not sure I’m ready to give up tracking down the people from the Coalition. They have to pay for what they did, even if I can’t bring criminal charges against them. As an independent, I can keep working on that on my own.”
Noah stood silent for a few seconds, then nodded his head. “All right,” he said, “we’ll keep your secret. Just remember one thing: you go rogue, and I’m going to be the guy they send after you.”
Swaggart burst out laughing. “I’ll bear that in mind,” he said. “Meanwhile, I have one more favor to ask.”
“Graves and Litchfield?” Noah asked.
Swaggart nodded, grinning. “Yep. Paula will come with me if I asked her to, but Litchfield—well, that’s kinda got to be up to you. If you want him to pay for his crimes, I can understand that.”
Noah looked toward the Quonset hut for a second, then turned back to Swaggart. “He’s yours,” he said. “I’ll handle making the criminal charges go away, but you keep him in line. I suspect he’s going to be suffering enough punishment, just knowing that this happened to you. For all he was working against the United States, against the whole world for that matter, that guy really, really likes you.”
“Yeah,” Swaggart said. “I noticed that a while back, even if he is a pain in the ass.” He extended a hand. “Thank you, Noah,” he said. “Thank you for everything.”
Noah took his hand and shook it. “And I thank you,” he said, “for keeping Marco alive until we got there.”
“It was my pleasure,” Swaggart said.
They went back inside, and Sarah finally got her chance to grab her husband and pull him away from the raucous celebration. She took his hand and led them down
the hall to their room and closed the door behind them.
“I told you I’d come back,” he said, leaning down to kiss her.
“I know you did,” she said. “And now that you’re back, there is something else we need to talk about.”
Noah pulled his head back and looked her in the eye. “And what might that be?” he asked.
Sarah looked at him for a moment, and then a smile spread across her face. “Baby names,” she said.
* * *
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