The Rowen (A Rossler Foundation Mystery Book 7)

by JC Ryan

  “That’s not a pleasant thought, Admiral.”

  “A nightmare is what I’d call it.”

  “Alright, I’ll take this information to the President, and we’ll get the team working on it.”

  “Mr. Secretary?”

  “Yes?”

  Pausing briefly in consideration, Johnson finally said, “Let them know that I am … overseeing a project … that has produced something that may be able to get us to the sub without Hayden knowing about it … but they have to find it first.”

  “I’ll do that.”

  Looking at his watch, Johnson said, “I’m heading back to town, it will be dawn by the time I reach the outskirts.”

  The two men shook hands, and Johnson stepped through the door into the cool, early morning air.

  “I hope to hear from you very soon Mr. Secretary.”

  “You will, Admiral.”

  ***

  Cliff caught Daniel’s eye across the room and nodded. Daniel nodded covertly in return and excused himself from the breakfast table.

  Daniel stopped to refill his coffee cup and filled a second one to take with him. When he entered the room where Cliff was waiting, he handed him the coffee.

  “You look like you could use a cuppa joe.”

  Cliff grinned. “Thank you, sir! I certainly can!”

  “Good! I’ve done my good deed for the day! Now, how did your meeting with Admiral Johnson go?”

  Cliff spread the map on the table and explained to Daniel what Johnson had told him about the last known contact with the sub.

  “The Admiral can’t use his normal resources to look for the sub because of Hayden, so I recommended that we bring your team on board to help us find it.”

  “Good thinking! What did he say?”

  “He agreed, but he’s very cautious. He wants as few people as possible involved and insists that this remain on a need-to-know and face-to-face communication basis.”

  Daniel nodded. “That shouldn’t be too much of a problem.”

  “He also suggested that if your team can find the sub, he may have a way of getting a team out to her without Hayden’s knowledge.”

  “How?” Daniel asked, surprised.

  “He didn’t elaborate, just mentioned it might be possible.”

  Daniel drew a deep breath and let it out. “Ok, let’s get going on this. Let’s start by bringing in Raj and Roy, between the two of them they can do just about anything with technology.

  “Find them and discreetly let them know I have a special project for them that they are to keep to themselves. We’ll meet in Roy’s office in thirty minutes; you will brief them and then we’ll see what they think can be done.”

  “I think we could probably be there in ten minutes.”

  “I’m sure you could, but I want you to take a bit of time to get some breakfast … I’m betting you’ve been up all night and haven’t had anything to eat.”

  “You’re right,” Cliff said sheepishly. “Breakfast sounds good. We’ll meet there in thirty minutes!”

  * * *

  Raj and Roy listened carefully as Cliff outlined the situation.

  “So, you want us to try and locate her,” Roy said, nodding his understanding.

  “That’s the idea, yes,” Cliff responded. “Can you do it?”

  Raj piped up, “I can hack into the military’s satellites and …”

  Cliff cut him off, “No. Because of the risk of Hayden finding out, we have to do this outside of the usual resources.”

  “That’s a different story,” Raj replied frowning. “Roy?”

  Roy’s eyes were unfocused, his expression flat, and he didn’t respond.

  “Roy?” Raj snapped his fingers, “you ok?”

  Roy jumped, “What? Oh, yeah. If she’s deep, satellites won’t find her anyway. I don’t know the full capability of the Skywalker satellites. I was wondering if they might be able to search for her?”

  “Skywalker satellites?” Cliff asked.

  “Long story for another time,” Daniel answered. “Can the two of you, using our technology and resources, start searching for the sub?”

  “Sure!” Roy said.

  Cliff grinned. “Good!” He opened the map Johnson had given him and showed the two men the subs last known position and provided Johnson’s recommendations on where to start looking.

  “We’ll get right on it!”

  “Okay, guys put your people to work on this and then please join us in the situation room so we can get busy with getting rid of Hayden,” Daniel ended the meeting.

  Chapter 63- Tuck and roll

  With the spy gadgets successfully deployed throughout the White House, the information started flowing in quickly. It was their first meeting in the RRMC situation room, Daniel chaired. There was a general feeling of excitement in the air as they gathered. Joining them via the mirror satellite video link were the rest of the leadership team at the Rabbit Hole, as well as Eric and Dennis from the Tectus headquarters.

  As soon as everyone was seated, Roy, who was controlling the spy gadgets from his laptop, started. “Let’s begin by introducing you to all of Hayden’s top players. They all happen to be in a meeting as we speak and our spy gear has provided us with front row seats.”

  With that, the large monitors in the room came to life revealing a picture of the White House cabinet room occupied by Hayden and seven men.

  Roy made an adjustment to one of the controls on the panel before him and focused on a short, bald man wearing wire-rimmed glasses whose rounded cheeks suggested a portly body. He nodded at Salome.

  “This is Hayden’s Attorney General and Secretary of State, Lieutenant General Kurt Frayser,” Salome started. “He was an Army JAG officer and studied International Law. He and Hayden go way back. Evidence suggests he is probably responsible for keeping Hayden out of trouble and in the Army as he protected Hayden from being disciplined several times in his early career.”

  The focus shifted to another face. “This is Hayden’s most trusted confidant and friend, General Lucas Nguyen. The two were boyhood friends, graduated high school together, attended West Point together, and although their military careers took different paths, they have remained trusted friends.

  “Nguyen is highly regarded in the military intelligence field, and Sam suggested he should be our first target for abduction when the time comes.”

  “What office did Hayden assign him to?” Daniel asked.

  “Secretary of Defense as well as Transportation, Energy, and Homeland Security… which now heads the FBI, CIA, and NSA.”

  Daniel whistled softly, “top dog indeed.”

  “Yes,” Sam confirmed, “and most likely to be a thorn in our side, which is why I suggest we take him out first.”

  “Good thinking,” Daniel nodded.

  Returning to the screen, Roy focused on a tall man, with thick blond hair and blue eyes. He appeared somewhat younger than the previous two men.

  Salome continued. “This is Colonel Howard Baum, Hayden’s Secretary of Interior and Agriculture. He served under Hayden in Afghanistan and earned Hayden’s trust and respect. As did,” the screen shifted again to a man of average height, wavy red hair and blue eyes, “Colonel Cameron Stillwater, Hayden’s new Secretary of Housing and Labor.

  “Hayden rolled the Secretary of Health, Education, and Veterans Affairs into one office and appointed this man, General Joe Potter, to the position.” The picture shifted to show a gangly looking man with dark hair whose appearance belied his talent as a surgeon. “Potter is also a West Point graduate, and although two years behind Hayden, the two formed a friendship based on common interests and ideals.

  “Last, but not least, Brigadier General Stephen Neeley has been appointed Secretary of Treasury and Commerce. Neeley was a black-market operator in Vietnam and friends with Hayden since those days. Frayser also aided in shielding him from disciplinary measures from time to time.”

  “And Hayden appointed him Secretary of Commerce an
d Treasury? That’s like sending the fox to guard the hen-house!” Luke objected.

  “Pretty much,” Sam agreed.

  “Roy, can you and Raj give us a quick live demo of what those spyders can do? But only if you are sure it won’t compromise our spy gadgets,” Sam asked.

  Roy and Raj beamed like children opening their Christmas presents and went to work.

  Everyone watched as Hayden sat his pen down. It rolled to the edge of the table and fell on the floor. Hayden frowned as he picked it up and sat it back on the table at a different angle.

  Once again, the pen rolled to the edge and fell. Picking it up again, he sat it further away from the edge and watched it for a bit while listening to the reports being given. The pen remained still. When Hayden looked away, it began to roll toward the center of the table. Hayden grabbed it and stuck it in his pocket.

  Everyone in the situation room at Raven Rock and the Rabbit Hole chuckled at the look of consternation on Hayden’s face. A few moments later, Hayden noticed his tablet had moved; he looked worried when he rose hastily and called an abrupt end to the meeting.

  Nigel shook his head in amazement. “Hayden, that fall off your high horse is going to be a bitch... I suggest you tuck and roll.”

  Chapter 64- Turn your men loose

  Lieutenant Larson stared at the piece of paper which had been stuffed in the napkin that came with the plate of sandwiches. “Would you take a look at this?” he said to the other two officers in the room. Like the crew’s quarters, their bunks were stacked three high, but there were only three of them instead of six, so they had a little more room.

  “What’s that you’ve got?”

  Larson read the same information that Seaman Yoder read to his bunk-mates just minutes earlier.

  “Well, what do you know about that!”

  “Do you really think we can trust him?”

  “I don’t see why not. I also don’t see that we have other options.”

  “Let’s plan this and do it right.”

  At that moment came a bone breaking lurch and the sound of screeching metal.

  Picking himself up, Larson tried to run out the door to the control room but was stopped by a Council member with a gun.

  “I need to get to my station.”

  “You will remain in your quarters.”

  “You don’t understand. We’ve hit something and may be in trouble. I’m needed in the control room.”

  “You will remain in your quarters or I will shoot you.”

  Larson fumed but stepped back inside and shut the door. A few minutes later, the Council member outside announced that his cabin-mate was to report to the Captain.

  Shortly after his departure, Larson heard a quiet thud outside the door, then it opened again, and one of the Council members stood before him offering him a gun, butt first. He pointed to the ladder to the upper deck, and with a finger to his lips he said, “there is only one left; go, quickly.”

  Larson didn’t hesitate, although he wanted to, he stepped over the body outside the door and looked at the council member who gave him the gun.

  “He will recover,” the man said. “Turn your men loose; they’re in their quarters.”

  Larson stepped to the ladder and quietly began climbing. Reaching the top, he stepped into an empty alcove and peered down the corridor. A guard leaned lazily against the wall about twenty feet from him, looking the other way. Moving like lightning, Larson threw the man on the ground and pinned him down.

  Hearing the commotion in the corridor, several crew members peeked out their door and then came to his aid.

  Chapter 65- To find a positive solution

  When Siasha returned to the lab, she found Linkola standing before the Itran unit, pointing a small hand-held laser weapon at it.

  “Linkola! What are you doing?”

  He spun around, pointing the weapon at her. “Don’t try to stop me Siasha.”

  “You can’t do this, Linkola!”

  “I can, and I will.”

  “But why? Nothing has been decided yet!”

  “As long as the possibility remains, the argument will continue. I will not be a part of another test to merge individuals.”

  “Linkola, you’re a scientist; you live to learn and discover. You’re a logical man. Don’t let emotion control you.”

  “I once was a scientist, but no longer,” he said sadly. “I’ve become a murderer.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “I killed them, the two men in the test.”

  “What?”

  “I killed them. I should have destroyed the equipment, and I didn’t, and so the two men died… needlessly and horribly—because of me.”

  “Linkola, I’m not following you. Please,” Siasha begged, “can we just sit down and talk about this?”

  “No, I am going to destroy the equipment, but I’ll tell you why first. Perhaps it will help to ease my guilt-ridden conscience and bring me some peace if I tell someone the truth.”

  Siasha decided that arguing with him would get her nowhere. “Okay, Linkola,” she said as she slowly backed away and sat down, “I will listen.” She was relieved to see his shoulders and face muscles relax a bit.

  “What isn’t in that report,” he began, “is that there was a previous test that ended much the same way. After reviewing the data, I wrote the report and told the team the merger process wouldn’t work, but they wouldn’t listen.”

  “But the research says…”

  “I know what the research says!” he yelled. “I wrote it! But you are looking at a report written under coercion. This,” he held up a data chip, “this is the real report, the true report.

  “They wanted to continue the experiments, try again, so they suppressed my report and forced me to write the one you read, suggesting that the merge is possible.”

  “Are you saying the report I read was false? Why would you write a false report?”

  Linkola was visibly shaking now. At first, I refused. But they killed my wife,” he cried. “When I continued to refuse, they brought in my brother and his little girl. They started to torture his little girl right in front of us,” Linkola began to sob. “What they were doing was terrible. I couldn’t let it continue - the screams - the begging of that innocent little girl,” he sank to the floor.

  “They were using my research. I killed them!” he said as the tears continued flowing down his cheeks, wracked with guilt. “I killed them.”

  Siasha went to his side. “I’m so sorry, Linkola. That is a terrible burden you’ve been carrying,” she soothed as she pocketed the weapon that had fallen from his hand.

  Linkola gradually quieted, and Siasha helped him to stand and move to a chair.

  “I can’t go through that again, Siasha,” he whispered, “I won’t allow it to happen again.”

  “I understand,” she said. “I promise you; I don’t want to see anything like what you described. And yes, it may have been your research, but it is they who chose to use it so despicably. You were not to blame.”

  “I should have destroyed the equipment.”

  “Maybe, but they might have just killed you and re-built the equipment. We will never know. Playing with the ‘should haves’ and ‘what ifs’ will only continue your pain, Linkola. You must try to let them go.”

  “I don’t know that the memory of that day will ever stop haunting me.”

  “It may not, but we need to find a way to bring you peace. Did they conduct a third experiment?”

  “Not that I know of.”

  “Okay. I’ll tell you what. This has troubled you for some time, and you are full of guilt and grief over it. How about you and I sit down together, study your original findings and then look for some other solution?”

  “There is no other solution,” he said angrily. “Weren’t you listening? The merge of two identities isn’t possible and never will be!”

  “Yes, Linkola, I heard what you said, and I’m not talking about finding a
way to merge Tawndo and Robert. I’m talking about perhaps finding a way to access Robert’s memories to know who to contact at the Rossler Foundation, or perhaps finding a totally different way of dealing with the Re’an issue.”

  “Sorry. I didn’t mean to snap at you,” Linkola said.

  “It’s okay. You are a good scientist, and I know you don’t want to see anyone suffer or die. We will work together to find a positive solution. Okay?”

  Linkola nodded, “okay.”

  Chapter 66- Are we clear?

  Salome and her Intelligence Committee kept Daniel and the team at Raven Rock well-informed of the political sentiment in the country during their daily intelligence briefings. Part of the briefing covered the information gathered from the White House through the spy gear deployed there.

  The information gathered by the spy gear immediately highlighted several major problems Hayden had.

  First of all, his staff feared him; it was abundantly clear that the man had a serious lack of people skills. He terrorized his staff and even his cabinet with his brusqueness, disrespect, and frequent temper tantrums. The spyflies and spyders picked up a number of privately whispered conversations about Hayden’s insufferable mannerisms. It was just a matter of time before people would turn against him and start leaving him.

  Second, was the lack of security. He had less than a third of the number of Secret Service Agents who protected any of his predecessors. Hayden had tried his level best to track down all of the Secret Service Agents who served before and lure them back to the service. He had very little success. Many former agents knew him from the time when he served as the Secretary of Defense and therefore refused to work for him. Many of them who were desperate enough to take any job that would put food on the table for their families turned his offer down once they spoke to the agents already in his service.

  Compliments of Roy’s and Raj’s spy gear it became abundantly clear that there was growing disgruntlement in the ranks of the Secret Service agents. Hayden and his cabinet treated them like children, and quite a few of them had voiced their intentions to resign as soon as they could find other employment.