by Alex Myers
“I graduated from the University of Virginia. Engineering is my passion, but nowadays I’m more business or finance oriented. It doesn’t look like my dad is even here, his car is gone. I’ll take you out past the other guard shack and drop you off at the boat.”
They took a ferry across Broadcreek and walked to Jack’s old house. Robbie pointed out, “Broadcreek is incorporated, we have our own police force, and we have zero crime. We have thirty-five full-time police officers and twenty part-time. The fifteen police kiosks are spread throughout the grounds and are all connected by telephone. There are twenty officers working at any time and strategically placed listening devices spread around the grounds.”
“We had a problem early on with security,” Jack said.
“Allan Pinkerton has helped us set up the most secure facility in the world. There really is a sense of community here. We have several retail establishments, three restaurants, two churches, a marina—”
“And don’t forget the cemetery out by the airfield where I’m buried.”
“We have the very best hospital and healthcare facility in the entire world—thanks to what you started. We have parks, playgrounds, even a cinema. We have nine thousand full-time residents and we have just built more housing: apartments and single-family homes.”
They stopped at a police kiosk near Jack’s old house and Robbie introduced Jack to the officer. “Jack just bought the boat the Frances Two and has full access to the grounds.” Robbie told the cop.
The additions to Jack’s old house made it almost unrecognizable. It looked like it now had a greenhouse, another bedroom, and a garage. “Frances did a lot of remodeling,” Jack said.
“I guess so since last time you saw it. I know she’s built an office and put in the music room, she has a beautiful grand piano.”
“Piano? I didn’t even know she played.”
“Both she and Emily play. Plus Miss Frances plays violin and guitar.”
“Why don’t I know those things—then again I’m not surprised.”
They rounded the corner and saw the Frances Two tied to the big dock poking out into the river. Jack quickened his pace. “Is that an engine on it?”
“I hope you don’t mind, you left an empty spot in the design for one.”
“I did. I was waiting for the technology to catch up and then was going to retrofit it.”
“That’s what I thought, and that’s what I did. We developed an engine here on site. It’ll help the next time you hit the doldrums.”
“I’ve got to say,” Jack said, “for being more than thirty years old, this boat will still make people stare in awe.”
“It’s still the fastest boat around. Do you have everything you need? Do we need to stop by the commissary tonight?”
“No I’m just really tired, traveling 150 years is enough to wear a person out.”
“You rest up and I’ll go try to talk to my father.”
CHAPTER 12
“Do you want me to come with you?” Robbie asked.
“You don’t even have time to go sailing and yet you’re going to go take time off and go running around with me?” Jack was relooping and securing lines topside of the big sailboat.
“You could say I have my reasons for wanting to go to New York. And besides, I can help you sail the boat. Just help you get around in general. I’m a breath away from running one of the largest corporations in America. I might be able to open some doors for you, considering you’re supposed to be dead.”
“Sounds to me like you want to go.”
“I do. I’ve haven’t seen Sam Clemens in forever and have never met Mr. Emerson. If you’re only here less than a month, I want to learn as much as I can from you.”
“When was the last time you saw Sam Clemens?”
“Like I said, it’s been forever. I don’t know, four or five months.”
“Four or five months and you say that seems like forever? Sounds like you are close.”
“He lived here on the complex until just a few years ago. Did a lot of his writing here. He did numerous things for us during the day and wrote from four in the afternoon until late into the night. He lived in the same cabin he always did, added on to it once he got married, but it seems the same. He still stays there a couple of months a year.”
“What about your dad? He still won’t see me?” Jack asked.
“See you? He won’t even talk about you.”
“Alright.”
“Alright? You’ll let me come with you?”
“Yes, you can come with me, but we will need to see if these people are at home.”
“We can telephone. We have a long way telephone at the office.”
“Different phones for long distance and local?”
“Well, of course. We even have a European phone.” Robbie looked at Jack like he was crazy.
“And you call it long way?”
“Most people call it LW and some are calling it EP.”
First, they called Sam Clemens. After a series of operators, first mid-Atlantic, then Connecticut, then Hartford, they found that Sam had an LW phone installed in his home. Sam’s wife, Olivia, answered the phone and said he was not there at the time, but when he got back, he would be there at least through the New Year.
“Could you give him the message that Jack Riggs called, and I’d like to see him?”
“And will he know who you are?” Olivia Clemens asked.
“I should hope. He based two books on me. Tell him I’ll be in New Haven in two days and will call then, when I get a little closer and can better predict my arrival time.”
Next, they failed to reach Ralph Waldo Emerson. The Concord operator confirmed that the Emersons did not have a LW phone. The operator, a longtime Concord resident and fan of Emerson, suggested that he try Louisa May Alcott, Emerson’s friend and neighbor. Miss Alcott had an LW phone, so Jack agreed to try.
The line rang.
Robbie asked what was going on.
Jack explained that he was calling Louisa May Alcott. Robbie made a look like he had no idea who she was.
“She wrote the book Little Women,” Jack said.
“Never read it,” Robbie said, checking his head.
“Me neither,” admitted Jack.
“Ahoy,” a gruff female voice answered.
“May I speak to Miss Louisa May Alcott, please?”
“Speaking?” The woman answered.
Jack first thought he was talking to a man. “My name is Jack Riggs, and I’m a friend of Mr. Emerson’s. I am in Norfolk, Virginia and I would like to come visit.”
“My question would be just how good a friend with Mr. Emerson are you are, because he’s not been seeing visitors in over a year and a half. He hasn’t even left the house in over a year. I’ve tried to visit myself but he won’t even see me.”
“Is there any way you could get a message to him, and tell him Jack Riggs would like to visit—that I can help.”
“Help? What—are you a doctor? Because I’m not too goddamn well myself these days.”
“I’m not a doctor. I guess I am an inventor. I will be up there in four days’ time. Could you get that message to him? I can call you back for his reply.”
“I can save you the time and trouble. I won’t be able to see him, but I can give the message to Lidian, his wife.”
“I appreciate that, Miss Alcott. Can I call you in a day and get his reply?”
“I will deliver the message, but I’m not very hopeful.”
The phone line abruptly went dead without a goodbye.
“Well, I guess she was done talking. Let’s go to the University of Virginia and do some stargazing.”
CHAPTER 13
They took the train to Shamrock Road on the edge of the University of Virginia campus. Once they disembarked, they walked across the campus until they reached McCormick Road where they caught a ride in the back of pick-up truck with a couple of astronomy students.
The student stopped to pic
k up another figure walking up the long hill to the observatory. “Professor Stone, where’s your horse?” The student driving the truck asked.
“Horse?” The man look like he’d been deep in thought and was startled by the appearance of the vehicle. “Horse?” He put his hand to his chin and looked around him as if the animal might be somewhere close. “I’m not sure.”
The two students snickered but didn’t seem surprised. “Would you like a ride to the doghouse?”
“Doghouse?” There was no sign that Orman Stone had actually heard a word the boys had said. “The observatory.”
“Observatory? Why yes, can you boys give me a ride to the observatory? I seem to have misplaced my horse.”
“Orman?” Robbie extended a hand to help the man in the back of the truck.
The professor squinted, “Robbie? Robbie Sevenski? What a surprise.”
“Orman, I talked to you yesterday and said I was coming up here to visit you tonight.”
The professor acted like he didn’t know what Robbie was talking about.
“I told you I had a major observation to share with you.”
“Oh yes,” the professor said, “I remember now, you’ll have to forgive me. I’m a bit distracted. I got some really big news yesterday.” He took off his round wire-rim glasses and wiped them on a handkerchief and in doing so, he nearly fell out of the back of the truck. “I just learned that Earth is on a collision course with a comet, and you have big news for me, too?”
Robbie threw up his hands in mock resignation and said quietly to Jack, “I didn’t tell him.”
The driver rounded a corner a bit too fast and Jack grabbed the professor’s lapel as he was about to fall off the back of the truck again.
“What comet?” Jack asked.
“It’s called the Silver Surfer, kind of a whimsical name for an object that will obliterate all life as we know it don’t you think? Who are you?” Professor Stone asked, simultaneously realizing he didn’t know Jack and that he was on the back of a fast-moving truck.
“My name is Jack Riggs—”
“Riggs? The comet was discovered by a man name Riggs.”
Jack looked over at Robbie to see if he knew what the professor was talking about. Robbie shrugged his shoulders.
“Martin Riggs was here with William Henry Vanderbilt last night. Riggs used the twenty-six-inch telescope to confirm his paperwork.”
“Vanderbilt?” Robbie asked. “The Commodore’s son?” Then under his breath, he said to Jack, “The richest man in the world.”
“Yes, the president of several railroads and a major contributor to the observatory. You know Martin Riggs?” The Professor asked.
“He’s my father, but I didn’t know he knew anything about astronomy.”
“I dare say your father knows more about astronomy than I do. He told me about the Oort Cloud, the Kuiper Belt, giant and dwarf stars… I was sorry to see him leave. I could’ve spent a month asking him questions. He was evasive about where he does his work and claimed he was self-taught.”
They pulled to a stop at the observatory. The red brick in the setting sunlight blazed in contrast to the white trim and three-shuttered dome.
“We’ll see you inside, Professor,” the two students said as they entered the building.
The three men didn’t move from the bed of the pick-up truck.
“My father works for a private company,” Jack said to the professor.
“For Mr. Vanderbilt, I imagine. Vanderbilt seemed to hang on your father’s every word. It must be doing Mr. Vanderbilt a world of good because he looked thirty years younger than the last time I saw him. It was really quite remarkable.”
Jack leaned toward Robbie and very softly said, “I bet he gave some nanobots to Vanderbilt.” Then turning back to Professor Stone he asked, “My father came here, gave you all this information and what else?”
“Nothing. He left—left abruptly and suddenly. I’m sorry,” Professor Stone said as he climbed quite clumsily out of the truck. “I’m more than a bit distracted by all the information your father imparted.”
“And he didn’t want anything from you?” Jack asked, hopping off the truck.
“Nothing.” Then Professor Stone recanted. “He did want me to publish this as soon as possible. He even wrote the paper for me. Didn’t want any of the credit. I’m in a bit of a pickle because I can’t figure out what to do morally.”
“Publish it,” Jack said, “my father cannot and that’s why he gave it to you and let you verify the findings for yourself.”
“How do you know that?” The professor asked.
“Because I was going to do the same thing myself. They left last night you say?”
“In Mr. Vanderbilt’s private train car.”
“I wish I knew what my father was up to,” Jack said to Robbie.
“Could you look these over quickly and see if there is anything that doesn’t match up with what you have from my dad?” Jack asked, reaching into his inside pocket and handing Professor Stone the details about the comet.
Professor Stone took the documents from Jack and walked to an electric lamp in the observatory’s entrance. The metallic shroud over the top of the outdoor lamp made sure no light strayed, to keep the sky view pristine.
Jack and Robbie stayed behind and Jack said, “I wonder what my dad is up to?”
“And with the richest man in the world.”
“That’s the second time you brought that up. Why is this money thing so disturbing to you?” Jack asked.
Robbie snorted loudly. “No. Well, yes. I am a little bothered. My father set up a meeting with Vanderbilt and he stood us up. It made me mad as hell.”
“And Kazmer? What did your dad say?”
“You know my dad. He’s the king of turning the other cheek. We own two railroads we want to divest. I worked on setting up the Vanderbilt meeting for six months and then he decides not to show up. That we weren’t worthy of this time. He’s such a social climbing son of a bitch.”
“Maybe he had bigger fish to fry.”
“Jack, we were going to sell him the Norfolk and Western and Chesapeake and Ohio Railroads. Two of the biggest railroads in America and he doesn’t have time for us? And he’s got time to make private trips here with your dad?”
“My dad’s a rotten bastard and I’m speaking from experience. From what I understand, William Henry’s dad, Cornelius, the Commodore, pounded sand up William’s ass on a daily basis. I never thought much of him when I read up on the Vanderbilt’s story. I just wonder what kind of weird symbiotic relationship William Henry and my father have going together. I’d give anything just to know what they’re up to—”
“They are going to meet with Roosevelt Wilson and Garrett Fairbanks.” Both Jack and Robbie whirled around and were surprised to see the professor standing next to them.
“Everyone assumes that I’m either hard of hearing or not paying attention.”
“Not paying attention.” Jack and Robbie said in unison.
“Well, neither scenario is quite right. Last night, after they gave me the data and I was going over it for the fourth or fifth time, they started discussing things between themselves. They said if these men were to be president, then they better damn well help. These two men, Roosevelt Wilson and Garrett Fairbanks.”
“I think it’s actually three people,” Jack said. “It’s Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, and Garrett Fairbanks.”
“There’s a Woodrow Wilson here at UVA. I saw him in the musical program the day after Thanksgiving. They said they were going to meet at the Windsor Hotel on the evening of the 18th at nine o’clock, a week before Christmas. Do you know the place?”
“I know the Windsor Hotel on Forty-Sixth Street in Manhattan,” Jack said.
“I’ve read your paper.” Professor Stone offered the folded sheets back to Jack. “It is exactly the same conclusion your father came to except…”
“Except what? My calculations about the co
met’s trajectory are exactly right,” Jack said confused.
“Oh yes they are, it’s just that you and your father came to the same conclusion from two totally different ways. It looks as if you both did your work separately.”
“We did.”
“Amazing.”
“So you’re sure that Woodrow Wilson goes to UVA?” Jack asked.
“Thomas Woodrow Wilson. Yes, he’s a student here at UVA. He’s one of the stars of the debate club and I’m on the advisory board. He also sings in the glee club.”
“Glee club?” Jack asked. He thought the professor was just kidding, but then he realized he would be the only one thinking it was a joke.
“You’re in luck,” Professor Stone said. “They are performing in the East Campus Auditorium in one hour.”
CHAPTER 14
“I don’t know how they missed that this is when Woodrow Wilson was at UVA when they were prepping for me to come back in time,” Jack said to Robbie. Founded in 1871, the Virginia Glee Club was the oldest musical organization at the University of Virginia.
They walked to the auditorium. Professor Stone said there was a musical program that evening featuring Wilson. They saw the auditorium in the distance and there were people milling around the entrance. The University Glee Club was singing that night.
The program was free and they entered a three-quarter empty, dimly lit auditorium. The floors were wooden, the seats were wooden, the walls were plaster, and the only fabric in the place was that of the closed curtain.
“Let’s sit fairly close. I want to be able to pick this guy out. I’ve only seen black and white pictures of him when he was seventy years old. We’re looking for a kid in his early twenties.”
They searched for a program of the night’s performance to no avail. Robbie stood. “I’m going to go look for a faculty member and see if I can find out something. Our company has given enough money to this school that we should at least be able to find some information about a glee club member.”
“Please be back before the special guest comes out with the glockenspiel,” Jack said, smiling.