by Dan Holt
Brandon nodded. They were silent for a moment, then looked at each other.
“The distance from one site to the other is thirty-two miles,” Brandon said. “That’s two minutes a mile!” Brandon picked up the ruler, laid it on their traced map, and measured from one point to the other.
“Four inches,” he said. “Divide four inches by thirty-two miles.” Audrina picked up the calculator; her fingers were quick.
“Point one-two-five; one-eight inch—one-eight is a mile.” She looked at the Proximity List again. “Twenty-eight minutes at two minutes a mile would be fourteen miles.” Brandon picked up the compass and squinted his eyes.
“Fourteen miles with one-eight inch for each mile is one and three-quarter inches.” He quickly set the protractor then placed the metal point on the Ragsdale Site and drew an arc across the line he scribed from the Debris Field to the Ragsdale Site. Audrina picked up the calculator.
“Thirty-six minutes at the Debris Field is two and one-quarter inches,” she said. Brandon drew the second arc. The two arcs met at a single point on the site-to-site line. They looked at each other.
“That’s where it is!” Brandon said. “It’s fourteen miles north of the Ragsdale Site and eighteen miles south of the Debris Field, which is the same place.”
“Let’s double-check it,” Audrina said. “Let’s check the time from the Alleged Site.” Brandon nodded, picked up the compass, and watched Audrina on the calculator.
“It’s four and a half inches,” she said. Brandon set the protractor and drew the arc. They watched it pass through the point where the other two arcs met.
“That’s it,” Brandon said. “That’s the location.” Brandon hurried to the car and got the road atlas then returned to the room. He and Audrina studied the area on the Mew Mexico state map.
“It’s open desert,” Brandon said. “Why didn’t they find it?”
“Maybe it’s underground,” Audrina said. Brandon thought for a moment then put his hand on Audrina’s shoulders.
“Let’s charter a plane in the morning and fly over the area. We know exactly where to look. Maybe there will be something there. Also we can check out the roads from the air and see how close we can get in the car.”
Audrina went to the bathroom to freshen up. Brandon studied the map again and the road atlas. When she reappeared, he looked up then took her in his arms.
“Let’s go to the Desert Cactus for a while,” he said. Audrina smiled then mimicked dancing. Brandon opened the door for her.
“There it is,” Audrina said, pointing to the right. “Looks like about twenty cars in the parking lot.” Brandon steered the car into it and parked. They went into the club, found a table, and ordered drinks. The club was patronized by mostly middle-aged couples, some with single sons or daughters accompanying them. Brandon saw four other younger couples. The atmosphere was friendly and relaxing. The dance floor was forty-by-fifty feet. Brandon, looking around the perimeter, noticed that their table and many of the others were on the edge of a once enormous dance floor. Pool tables had been added around the outside walls. The stage would accommodate a sizable band but tonight there was a lone disc jockey behind a half moon table, playing records. Three couples were dancing.
“Where’s the Keepsake?” Brandon said.
“In my bra.” Brandon recoiled and his mouth fell open.
“Well, I’m not going to leave it in my purse on the table while we are dancing.”
“I hope it doesn’t start flashing.”
Audrina held Brandon’s eyes for a long moment. Brandon saw a trace of a seductive look. “We’re out of range.”
“Let’s dance,” Brandon said then stood and extended his hand. Audrina placed her hand in his then stood. They walked out of the dance floor and faced each other. Brandon glanced at her cleavage then into her eyes then pulled her into his arms. They danced to two songs then returned to the table.
Brandon picked up his drink and took a sip looking around at the club again. He glanced at Audrina’s breast again then to her eyes. She raised her eyebrows. He smiled then looked toward the bar. His eyes met the eyes of a man in his seventies. The man was staring at Brandon. Brandon held his eyes for a moment then looked back at Audrina.
“There’s an older man at the bar staring at us.” Audrina looked toward the bar. The man met her eyes for a moment then looked back at Brandon.
“Wonder who he is,” Audrina said.
“I don’t know. I’ve never seen him before.”
“Come on,” Audrina said getting up from the table and starting for the bar, carrying her drink. Brandon followed. She walked over to the older man then sat down on the barstool. Brandon took the stool beside her.
“Hi,” Audrina said. “I noticed you looking at us. Have we met?”
“Oh, no,” the man said warmly. “Your fella’ reminds me of one of the soldiers that used to come here.”
Brandon sat straight up on his bar stool. “My Grandpa, Buck Anderson, was stationed here in 1947, did you know him?”
“No,” he said. “I never knew any of the boys. Back then, I was waiting tables. A lot of the boys came in here and met the girls. The place was packed every weekend. There was one young soldier that stood out. He went around this dance floor like a born dancer. Danced with every girl in the place. You,” the man said, pointing, “dance just like him. He was the life of the party. Always laughing and funning with everybody. Son, you’re the spittin’ image of him.”
“That had to be my Grandpa Anderson,” Brandon said. The old man nodded.
“Is he still living?”
“No, Sir,” Brandon said. “He passed away in 1985; heart attack.” The older man looked at the floor for a long moment then looked back up a Brandon and nodded. Another couple came to the bar and the man went to wait on them. Brandon looked at Audrina.
“He was here,” Brandon said. “He was right here.”
“Yeah, he was,” Audrina said, smiling.
Cha
pter 7
THE OASIS
Friday morning Brandon and Audrina were up early and at Denny’s for breakfast. Brandon had the county map, the state map, his hand drawn map, their sequence timing record, and a legal pad. Audrina had the sphere, the calculator, and a note pad in her purse. They sipped their coffee and waited for breakfast to be served.
“It’s almost seven,” Brandon said. “When we finish we’ll drive out to the Commercial Air Field and charter a plane, first thing. We’ll fly over the area and see what’s there, check out the roads, then drive out there.”
“Provided a road goes to the area,” Audrina added.
“If not, we’ll know. We can rent the gear and hike to it.” Audrina looked at Brandon, silent for a moment. He noticed her disposition and waited.
“What do we do after we find it?” she said. Brandon leaned back in his chair and blinked his eyes. Just as he started to speak, the waitress approached their table with their orders. Brandon glanced at her and smiled.
They ate in silence. When finished, Brandon pushed his plate back then took another sip of coffee.
“I don’t know,” he said. Audrina met his eyes; hers showed question.
“When we find it; whatever the Keepsake is in communication with; I don’t know what to do about it. I guess it depends on what it is.”
“You can bet it’s something significant,” Audrina said seriously. The Keepsake has been inert for decades and it apparently hasn’t degraded its function at all.
“Let’s go find it,” Brandon said and picked up the ticket to pay the bill.
Brandon and Audrina drove out to the Commercial Air Field south of Roswell. Brandon steered the car into a parking lot in front of a hangar with several small planes tied down out front. They got out of the car, walked into the hangar, and looked around. Toward the back, next to the right hand wall, they saw two men in coveralls working on an aircraft engine. Brandon approached them.
“Hello,” Brandon said. “C
ould you tell me where I could charter a plane?” The man behind the engine straightened up, a wrench in one hand and a shop towel in the other, and wiped his hands. The logo on his red and white cap read Avery’s Air Service. He looked at Brandon, glanced at Audrina standing twenty feet away, then back to Brandon.
“You want to fly over the crash sites, huh?” he said. Brandon smiled and nodded. The mechanic nodded toward a glassed in office on the opposite side of the hangar.
“In the office, Harry Franks will take you up. Harry does that from time to time.” Brandon looked toward the office, thanked the man, rejoined Audrina, and the two of them walked across the expansive hangar. They walked past a small plane, blunt nosed, and then looked back at the mechanics busy on the missing power plant.
Walking on to the office Brandon opened the door and they stepped inside. A middle-aged woman looked up from an invoice.
“Excuse me,” Brandon said, “is Harry Franks around?”
“You’re looking at her.”
“You’re Harry Franks?”
“Henrietta Franks. I didn’t like Henrietta. I changed it to Harry. What can I do for you?” Brandon looked at Harry’s steel blue eyes radiating confidence and nodded.
“I’m Brandon Stevens and this is my wife, Audrina.” Harry looked at Audrina and nodded. Audrina smiled. Brandon continued: “We would like to charter a plane and fly over the crash sites.”
“Two hundred dollars.” Brandon presented his credit card. Harry processed it, did the numbers and handed him a pen.
“Do you take very many people over the sights?” Audrina asked.
“Two, three times a year. Nothing to see but they want to look. One fella, a writer, had me to fly the route five times. Are you a writer?” Harry said, looking from Audrina to Brandon.
“Route?” Brandon said. Harry looked up at him.
“From here to the Lincoln National Forest just this side of Capitan Peak then north to the Corona Site, then southeast to Highway 266 twenty-six miles north of Roswell, the site where they made that movie. I flew that triangle five times.” Brandon and Audrina looked at each other then back to Harry.
“We’re not writers,” Brandon said. “My grandfather was stationed here in 1947 and out of curiosity we want to fly from the Lincoln National Forest to the Corona site and back, probably two or three times.” Harry shrugged her shoulders and nodded.
“Follow me,” she said then walked out of the office into the hangar then stopped abruptly. Brandon walked into her then tip toed to regain his balance. Harry glanced over her shoulder. For a second, a half smile played on her lips. She looked across the hangar at the mechanics dismantling the aircraft engine.
“Carl,” she said loudly, “be back in two hours.” The man behind the engine looked up then raised his hand and waved a wrench then went back to his work.
Brandon and Audrina, sitting in the back seat together, watched the grass beside the taxiway passing by the four passenger high winged aircraft. Audrina sat her purse, Keepsake inside, in the floor behind the pilot then unzipped it two inches. Brandon held a legal pad in his lap; pen in hand, to sketch access roads. Harry stopped the plane short of entering the runway. She spoke into the radio, paused, spoke again, and then entered the runway. She lined up the aircraft with the empty runway then pushed the throttle to full power. Brandon watched the ground drop away then looked to the right at Capitan Peak. At a thousand feet, Harry made a right turn then leveled off the aircraft. Speaking loudly above the din of the engine Harry said as she pointed: “That’s Capitan Peak. Just this side of her we’ll turn north and I’ll point out the two sites to you.”
“Okay,” Brandon said in a strong voice, “how low can you fly?”
“Thousand feet.” Audrina slipped the calculator out of a side pocket on her purse, made the calculation, and then leaned toward Brandon.
“When we are right over it the sphere will be blinking every twelve seconds.” Brandon nodded then looked out the windshield. Audrina nudged him; he glanced at the purse. Audrina clicked the stopwatch and made a note of the time.
“Harry,” Brandon said. “Fly directly over the Ragsdale Site then fly a straight course and fly directly over the Corona Site. Harry nodded then changed the plane’s line of flight a degree or so. Minutes went by.
“We’re passing over the Ragsdale Site now,” Harry said. Brandon and Audrina studied the terrain then watched the slit in the purse. Audrina noted the time of the next flash then reset the stopwatch. Minutes later Audrina said:
“Two flashes at fourteen seconds; now they are getting longer.” They both looked out the window and behind them.
“It’s a grove of trees!” Brandon said.
“Yeah!” Audrina said. “A large grove of trees. And there’s a house in the middle.” They looked back at the purse and watched the flashes grow farther and farther apart. Minutes later Harry informed them they were passing over the Corona Site. Brandon leaned forward again.
“Harry, go up to three thousand feet then fly five hundred feet one side of the flight path back to the Ragsdale Site.” Harry looked over her shoulder at Brandon out of the corner of her eye. Brandon smiled. Harry nodded and complied. Brandon and Audrina studied the grove of trees isolated in the desert terrain. A road came out of the trees to the east then curved south, followed a curving side-to-side route, and then connected Old Pine Lodge Road midway between the Ragsdale Site and Roswell.
Brandon instructed Harry to fly the route again. She complied. Audrina checked the numbers again. They were the same. Brandon studied the road looking for a ‘land-mark’ to know the road when driving Old Pine Lodge Road. He noted that the road intersected Old Pine Lodge Road and the foot of a dominate hill. He looked at Audrina and nodded. Brandon instructed the pilot that they were finished.
As Brandon drove away from the hangar and back toward Roswell, he glanced at Audrina, then back through the windshield.
“It’s in those woods with that house,” he said. “I wonder if somebody lives there and if they do, do they know it’s there.”
“Good question,” Audrina said. “If they know, they’ve done a fantastic job of keeping it quiet.” Brandon was quiet for a few moments.
“Do you suppose that it’s a secret government installation? ICBM’s are hidden under houses like that around the country.”
“That sounds a little dramatic,” Audrina said. “However, it doesn’t make any sense that it would be on the flight path from the Debris Field to the Ragsdale Site and not be found.” They were silent for some time as they digested the circumstances. Now that they were confronted with the unknown of having something in a grove of trees, right in the middle of the three-site triangle, transmitting to the Keepsake.
“Maybe we should find out if anybody lives there. We can drive out, look at the mailbox, get the number, then go to the Post Office and have them look at their routing map and tell us who lives there; if anybody.”
“Good idea,” Brandon said and headed for Old Pine Lodge Road on the other side of Roswell. Passing through the city, he turned left on Old Pine Lodge Road and drove back out into the country. He began the vigil of looking for the dominate hill indicating the desired road that led to the grove of trees concealing the secret. Soon he saw the hill and the road up ahead. He slowed then pulled off the road onto the entrance to the driveway. There a lone mailbox stood. On the side of it was printed in hand painted black lettering: Box 121. Brandon and Audrina looked at each other, made a U-turn, and headed for the Post Office.
They entered the Post Office, got in line behind a couple of people and waited. When their turn came, they approached the clerk and asked about getting some route information.
The clerk pointed to their right. “Go to that window in the corner; Jim can help you.”
They went to the window and pushed the buzzer clearly marked Service. An older man appeared at the window and looked at Brandon then at Audrina. “What can I do for you?”
Audrina looked up at
the clerk. “I need to know who lives at Box 121 on Old Pine Lodge Road.”
“Old Pine Lodge Road is Route 3,” the clerk said. “Box 121?” Audrina nodded.
“Just a minute,” the clerk said and stepped away from the window. Momentarily, he reappeared with a metal box filled with index cards. He thumbed through it then lifted a card up and read it; “Elizabeth Rainwater,” he said. “Actually, it’s Dr. Elizabeth Rainwater. She’s a doctor over here at the hospital. Last winter I got a serious case of the flu. I went to the hospital and she fixed me right up. She’s in her sixties but she’s the best doctor they got over there…”
“Thank you…thank you…,” Audrina said making a strategic exit. Back in the car, Brandon and Audrina sat in silence for a moment.
“Okay,” Brandon said, “a doctor lives there; what now?”
“Let’s go out there,” Audrina said. “We’ve come this far and the answer is there in that grove of trees. We’ll knock on the door explain ourselves and…”
“I’m dying to know,” Brandon said.
“Me, too.”
Cha
pter 8
ELIZABETH RAINWATER
Audrina, holding the sphere in front of her, waited for the proximity sequence to initiate. She blinked several times when it happened, right at the spot it always did; when they drove onto Old Pine Lodge Road then drove past the Y in the road. She looked at Brandon. He was watching for it also. When it occurred, he nodded.
They were on their way to whatever was communicating with the otherworld device that Audrina held in her hand. A golf ball sized sphere that had near zero weight, metal, indestructible, and powered by some unknown energy source. A device that had been inert for half a century patiently waiting for today. This time they knew where the object on the other end of the communicating link was located.