by Saxon Andrew
“Sure.”
“Thanks again.” Lukas drove up the interstate and wondered about the odds of having the same name. Something was happening here that was outside his ability to understand. He thought about the name he had been given by the pod and remembered that it had chosen a name in Norway. Whatever was going on, it started with the pod. He thought about it and wondered if this was fate…or something else entirely. He arrived at the condo and was no closer to an answer.
• • •
“Jinks.”
“Yeah, Stoney.”
“We’ve managed to locate the source of the magnetic readings.”
“Are you there now?”
“I am.”
“Send the location to my phone. I’ll be there shortly.”
Jinks drove up the hill and saw Stoney waiting for him in front of an old three-story house. He pulled over and Stoney got in the passenger’s seat, “Drive around back.” Jinks went to the corner and took a right. He saw four government cars in the parking lot with several men in haz-met suits using portable hand scanners on the pavement. He looked at Stoney, “I concocted a story about hazardous material. The building’s owner is cooperating with me.” Jinks nodded and stopped the car. He got out and watched the men scanning the ground, “What have you found here?”
“I’m going to let Dr. Carter explain that. It’s beyond my paygrade.” Jinks chuckled and saw a white haired young man walking toward him. He arrived and said, “Colonel Jekins, I’m Dr. Carter.”
“What’s going on here Doctor?”
“We’ve detected a massive magnetic field around the area we’re currently scanning.”
“What does that mean?”
“The magnetic field doesn’t match any we have ever recorded. The pattern appears to be created by positrons that excite a neutral field…”
“Slow down Doctor. Would you mind telling what that means in simple terms?” Jinks looked at Stoney and saw his ‘I told you so’ look.
“This magnetic field was not created by using a normal electrical field. It appears to have been made by positrons…uhhh, cosmic rays that excited a field that didn’t possess a positive or neutral charge.” Jinks shook his head again. And Carter sighed, “Sir, we are not capable of producing positrons.”
“Why not? I believe I read something about them.”
“Positrons are created in the most powerful blasts in the universe. They’re found in the blast produced by supernova. They occur when anti-matter is produced during that massive explosion. Positrons are the electrons of an anti-matter atom.”
Jinks looked at the ground being scanned and said, “What are they doing here?”
“I don’t know?”
Jinks looked at Carter, “Can you possibly conceive of a purpose for a magnetic field that was made by these things you’ve detected?”
“There are some scientists that have speculated that positrons and neutrons might be used as a kind of anti-gravity device.”
Jinks stared at Carter and looked back at the area being scanned. “Doctor, are you telling me that you’re detecting things that are not possible?”
“Positrons hit the Earth on a regular basis. We have numerous devices around the planet to measure them. However, this small patch of ground is releasing more of them in an hour than we receive in a year. I don’t understand how this is happening but our scanners are detecting them.”
“I want a written explanation of what you’ve found.”
“You’ll need a scientist to explain it.”
“No, I won’t. You’re going to write an explanation in your report.” Carter blew out a breath and shook his head. He started to say something but shook his head again and went back over to the men scanning the ground. Jinks looked at Stoney, “What have you been able to find out?”
“One of the residents say that one of their renters parked a new corvette in that exact spot for a number of months.”
“What do you have on the renter?”
“The forms he filled out are blank. The owner was genuinely shocked by the revelation and he wasn’t faking his surprise. I can tell he wasn’t being deceptive. He did tell me that he spoke with a foreign accent.”
“What kind of accent?”
“They said European but weren’t able to be more specific.”
“Please tell me you have a name.”
Stoney tilted his head, “They had no contact with him after he paid them for a year’s rent in advance. He thinks his name started with either L or K. No one ever complained about him and they pretty much didn’t think about him. The owner that took the application died of a heart attack two months ago. We won’t be able to get a description.”
Jinks shook his head, “Check with the neighbors and see if anyone knew him.”
“I’ve done that as well. There was a young pregnant woman who lives next door that said she didn’t know anything.”
Jinks smiled, “But?”
“I think she’s not telling the truth.”
Jinks nodded and looked back at the men scanning the pavement. “I hate to say it but that corvette may be what we saw leaving the planet and the renter was probably on board.”
“If that’s the case, do you want me to stress the woman?”
“Not yet. I need to discuss this with the General. I’ll let you know about that later.”
Stoney nodded and went to the soldiers that were standing outside their cars. Jinks began worrying. Something was going on and it didn’t look like it was local. He looked up at the sky and wondered if he was being watched. He had received a report from Captain Bohannon that more photos from numerous observatories had turned up showing the blockage. Some of them were taken five months earlier. Now…there was nothing. Whatever had been going on ended with the departure of that object. He leaned against the car and thought about what was happening.
Chapter Twelve
Lukas putted the ball and rimmed the cup. Salud tapped it back to him and he putted again. It went into the cup and he looked at her, “We need to head over to the tee.”
Salud picked up the small walking bag and saw several caddies around the practice green laugh at her. She pursed her lips and looked away from them. “Did you know this was going to happen?”
Lukas shrugged, “I thought it might.”
Salud walked across the cart path and put the bag down to wait for the pros on the first tee to tee off. Lukas had made the cut and going into the last round of the classic he was in fourth place three strokes back. The pro they were playing with had just won on the European Tour the week before and worked hard to totally ignore them. Lukas saw an official motion him forward and he said, “Show time.”
Salud picked up her bag and walked behind him to the first tee. She put the bag down and the caddie of the pro in her group walked by and deliberately knocked her bag over. Lukas saw it happen and he rushed over and grabbed Salud before she could kick him in the shin. Lukas grabbed her chin and forced her to look at him, “Calm down!”
“I’ve had enough of their smart remarks and pushing me around. Enough is enough. They act like we don’t belong here!”
The TV sound tech pointed his long microphone at them and began recording their conversation. The TV announcers listened in and the conversation went out on the air. “Salud, in their eyes we don’t.”
“WHY NOT?”
“You have to look at it from their point of view, Salud. They’re out here every week busting their humps to make a living. They struggle and it takes some of them years to finally get a card to play on the tour. We walked in with a sponsor’s exemption and one of them wasn’t allowed to participate because we took his place. I don’t have a card. Every pro here identifies with the poor bloke that could have been here except for us.” Lukas looked at the official and saw the group in front of them was still waiting in the fairway to hit their second shot. He turned back to Salud, “I don’t blame them for their feelings a
nd you and I are going to have to respect those feelings as being valid. Can you understand that?” Salud took a deep breath, “Yes, I guess.”
Lukas smiled and gave her a hug. She picked up her bag and walked with Lukas on to the tee box.
The TV announcers looked at each other and the former pro smiled, “It does appear that Lukas Axel understands this game. It’s really refreshing to hear someone that is not so full of themselves that he appreciates what his peers are experiencing.”
Inside the control room the director said, “I want them followed and recorded for the rest of this round.” The sound tech acknowledged the order and walked down the fairway. Lukas leaned over and whispered in Salud’s ear, “Be careful, we’re being recorded in this round.”
Salud looked at him, “Is it my fault?” Lukas tilted his head and Salud said, “I’ll behave.” Lukas heard his name announced and he went over to the bag and pulled the driver half way out of the bag and hesitated. Salud said, “With the crossing wind, you might want to use a three wood.”
Lukas looked at her, “Are you sure about that? It might leave a long second shot.”
“Better long from the fairway than short from the trash.”
Lukas dropped the driver and took out the three wood. The Announcer said, “I don’t know that I would have followed her advice. The first hole is a long one.”
“The pro nodded, “Yes, but hitting from the rough is impossible on this hole.”
Lukas addressed the ball and ripped a three hundred yard fade into the center of the fairway. Salud smiled and took the three wood. It was his longest drive of the week. The Pro said, “With a three wood that long, I don’t know if I’d pull the driver all day.”
• • •
The holes passed and the audience heard Salud offer suggestions to Lukas and he followed every one of them. At the end of nine holes, he was tied for the lead. The Lead changed hands three times over the next eight holes and Lukas stood over the putt on the eighteenth green. The leader from the previous day birdied the seventeenth hole and tied the score. Salud wondered why Lukas had not just run away with the tournament but now he was bent over looking at the twenty-five foot putt for birdie. She moved behind him and millions of spectators heard him say, “What do you see?”
Salud saw his putter was in the center of his body but her eyes told her the putt was going to break to the left. She shook her head and decided to trust Lukas, “It’s pretty much a straight putt.”
The former pro announcer said, “She’s absolutely wrong. That putt is going to break at least two balls left!”
Lukas said, “You don’t think it’s going to go left slightly?”
Salud saw his putter was still in the center of his body and she stood up and said, “Don’t give up the hole.”
Lukas nodded and stood up to the putt. The announcer said, “He’s being foolish here. This is going to cost him an outright win.”
Lukas smiled and stroked the ball. It rolled straight at the hole and started breaking left just as it fell into the hole. Salud watched it drop and jumped straight up in the air. She ran forward and hugged Lukas as the other golfer walked over and said, “That was an amazing putt. Congratulations.” Lukas shook his hand and he turned to Salud, “If you ever want carry my bag, I’d love to have you.” His caddie looked at Salud with a sneer and walked off the green.
Salud went to her locker room while Lukas went inside and signed his card. The previous leader folded under the pressure and double bogeyed the last hole. Lukas was going to Augusta.
Salud stayed in her locker room and watched the final group come in and the presentation of the check to Lukas. He gave her all the credit, especially the last putt. She shook her head and waited for him to finish answering questions. When he walked away from the eighteenth green, she picked up his bag and stepped out of the locker room. Three caddies were waiting on her. They stood up from their chairs and walked over, “You don’t belong here.”
She looked at the tall caddie who made the remark and saw one of them block the door to her locker room. “I’ve been told that.”
He hit her in the chest with an index finger, “But you didn’t get the message.”
“If you touch her again, you’ll get a message you won’t have any trouble understanding.”
The three caddies turned to see Lukas standing behind them. The tallest looked at Lukas and took his measure. He didn’t like what he saw. Lukas was just as tall and was built solid. It wasn’t Lukas’ size that intimidated him, it was his eyes. The caddie saw something in them that frightened him. He looked at the short woman and then turned and walked away. Lukas said, “Go take the bag to the car. I’ll be there shortly.”
“What are you going to do?”
“Go to the car, Salud.” He turned and followed the caddies. He walked into their locker room and the room was silent. The three that had just entered were talking about their confrontation and when Lukas came through the door, they shut up. Lukas stared at the group and said, “I’ve tolerated your remarks and discourtesy for the last four days because I respect your feelings about us being here. However, you went too far a moment ago and I want to make it clear to everyone of you that if you show my caddie any further disrespect, I will show you what disrespect really looks like. Ignore us, give us the silent treatment. You can say whatever you want about me but if you treat her poorly again, I will straighten you out.” Lukas stared at them and the tall caddie walked forward, “You can’t tell me what to do.”
Lukas hit him so fast no one in the room saw the punch. The caddie flew backwards into three others who caught him before he hit the floor. They looked and saw he was out cold. Lukas looked at the others and said, “Anyone else not understand what I’m saying.”
An older caddie said, “We’ll leave her be.” Lukas looked at him, nodded, and walked out.
“Did you see that? I didn’t even see him throw that punch.”
The older caddie said, “I suspect you better listen to him. I wouldn’t want to be knocked out on national TV and have to explain why he hit me.” The caddies looked at each other and decided that was good advice. Even the tall caddie agreed after he regained consciousness that he wasn’t going to do anything to get hit again.
• • •
Salud waited in the car and saw Lukas come walking out. Thank God. He got in the car and looked at Salud, “We’re going to the Augusta.”
She wanted to know what he did but she decided what the heck and hugged his neck. “I’m just glad this is over.”
“I think I need to end this. The next tournament will be my last tournament.”
“Are you doing this because of me?”
“I allowed them to disrespect you this week and money is not a good enough reason to endure this.”
“Why are you doing this, Lukas?”
“What do you mean?”
“The investments are doing fine, we don’t have to do this?”
Lukas lowered his head, “I can’t explain it but it’s necessary we do this.”
“What is, then?”
“What?”
“What is a good enough reason?”
“I’m not sure what you mean.”
“Lukas, aren’t we doing this to save my planet from invasion.” Lukas nodded. “That’s a good enough reason to put up with this. I’ll be ok.” Lukas stared at her and she said, “What?”
“You are the most remarkable being I have ever known. I’m so lucky to have the opportunity to know you.” Lukas started the car and backed out of the parking lot.
• • •
The two TV announcers walked out of the front door and the main announcer said, “Look at that! A Kia Rio no less. I bet they’ll show up in something nicer at Augusta.” The former Pro shrugged. “No, he’ll come in a luxury car.”
“If you say so.”
“I’ll bet you a hundred that he comes in a Cadillac, Jag, BMW or Mercedes.”
“But you’re not agreeing either. Come on, put up or shut up.”
“Ok, you’re on.”
“Why did you take that bet?”
The Pro watched the Kia turn at the end of the entrance and said, “He could have come in a more expensive car here. He has a walking bag for God’s sake. Worldly things don’t seem to be a priority for him. Would you like to make it two hundred?”
The announcer stared at his broadcast partner and knew he saw things others missed. “No, I probably made a mistake pushing the first one.”
The Pro smiled, “It might interest you to know that we had more responses to our broadcast than any other tournament.”
“Why?”
“Because those two were on the channel the entire round. The female audience loved his caddie.”
The Announcer nodded slowly, “How do you think he’ll do at Augusta?”
“If he’s in the top ten after the first day, he could win it. The greens at Augusta are tough for anyone who’s played there. For a first timer, they’re impossible. But if his caddie can see the breaks in the greens like she did on eighteen today, he could very well be in contention.”
“That will make for great TV.”
“Tell me about it.”
• • •
The Pod made a tight vertical turn and then arched to the left. A Stalker Searchship couldn’t make the turn and flew by at maximum speed. The Pod saw the Myot and Welken Battleships were too busy firing at each other to offer much of a pursuit. They had suffered significant losses in the chase and they were not even close to ending it. They realized a month earlier that the Pod had a more powerful force field and the chase intensified to gain possession of the technology that created it.
The Pod sensed five ships breaking into normal space around it and it immediately went into the void and skipped away. Frustration among the pursuers was reaching a breaking point and still the chase continued. The Pod enjoyed the mathematics of the chase. Figuring out the best escape routes and implementing them brought a degree of pleasure to the machine that was good to experience. It saw in its scanners that the pursuers had skipped into the void and were continuing the chase.