“No Santo. That will knock off the aerials. Its alien technology and I don’t want the Russians getting a hold of it. Isn’t there something else you can do to save the aerials?”
He replied,
“If we can’t set commands for the stratosphere and they can see us even in stealth mode, there isn’t much else to do. We have to run.”
She heaved a great breath of disappointment and conceded to the reality of the dire situation.
However, when Santo suddenly started smiling she knew a solution had come to him. With the MiGs quickly coming into missile range he stopped the D-wing and hovered. Before she could ask what the hell he was doing, he opened the canopy about half way. The closest MiG fired a salvo of heat guided missile but the Avoidance Program easily zipped the D-wing out of harm’s way. With calm composure, Santo reached for the laser gun that the alien had trusted them with. After careful aim he pulled the trigger and an invisible ultra-violet beam hit the nose of the front MiG sending it plummeting to the ground.
While Santo glowed with the excitement of victory, he said.
“I guess it works.”
Maria’s concern was for the pilot. While the jet twisted and plummeted toward Earth, both saw him eject and the parachute blossom. Just as she breathed a sigh of relief, the D-wing suddenly zipped away from two more screaming air to air missiles that only missed by inches. Santo again aimed the laser gun and the beam neatly cut off the jet’s wing. Another parachute was seen gently floating to the ground.
With the danger gone and because Maria wanted to save the attached aerials, apparently a fast flight back to Copenhagen was out of the question. Santo programed the GPS and again they suffered a slow tedious flight across Siberia and Europe. Maria voiced her thought.
“Do you suppose other countries aside from the Russians know about the arsenal of deadly bombs on the moon?”
He replied,
“It wouldn’t surprise me. I have no doubt it was the only reason for the so-called race to the moon and exactly what the world powers were secretly looking for.”
Back in the Copenhagen laboratory, as the D-wing emerged from the underwater tunnel, again Santo gently landed it on the floor. With water dripping off the hull, both jumped out. There was no need for Lars to ask how the aerials worked, the fact that they safely returned was his validation of a job well done. As Lars approached, Maria handed him the ultra-violet laser gun and said,
“Be careful with this, it is alien technology. I want you to figure out how it works and make me a couple more.”
He nodded his compliance.
Because Santo had no idea about her plan, he listened to what else was said.
“About the aerials you installed, I want them analysed for residual frequencies. I’m hoping you might discover how to duplicate the dome of that powerful Siberian Triangle.”
After Lars again nodded his compliance, she turned and walked toward the other D-wing with Santo in tow. He asked,
Are you thinking perhaps we could use a dome like that to cover our Nazarene complex?”
She seemed happy to say,
“Yeah, I think something like that would be neat to protect our borders, don’t you?”
He smiled and paid her what he thought was a compliment. It was not.
“Making guns and shielding, I like your military thinking.”
He then quickly added another.
“Finally coming around to my side huh?”
Maria cringed. She never liked military rational and here she was thinking just like Santo.
As they climbed into the D-wing, Santo in the pilot seat, he asked,
“What do you have in mind for getting the laser gun to the moon?”
“I have already made up my mind that as much as I would like to have the Anunnaki ship in our fleet, it is not reliable. There are computer programs in it that Doctor Marls cannot delete. Just look at what happened to us when we were at the Black Knight. If it wasn’t for the bravery of Waldorf we would probably be orbiting the moon right now. I’m going to take advantage of the mysterious ‘return to the moon’ program and send it there to destroy that terrible arsenal.”
She suddenly realize what Santo had just said and quickly added,
“Shut-up, that is not military rational.”
He was smart enough to shut-up and wise enough to only grin from ear to ear.
Five miles east of Copenhagen the D-wing burst out of the Baltic Sea and obeyed GPS programs for the stratosphere and home.
Chapter 67
Jessika and Kirk were cuddled together on the couch enjoying a rare quiet moment. For once, two children were asleep upstairs and the little one was finally sound asleep in the bassinet next to two very exhausted parents. Generally at times like this both were quick to take advantage of such moments and run to the bedroom but not tonight. Jessika had a long and tiring day with the computers and because Katerina, their nanny only worked half a day, Kirk had the unenviable and exhausting task of looking after all three. How Jessika could do this day in and day out and still smile at him was far beyond his understanding.
With arms wrapped around each other and before the conversation of ‘how was your day’ could even start, Jessika’s very tired eyes slowly closed. Looking down and seeing his exhausted wife sleeping in his arms, he took advantage and too closed his. Suddenly the phone rang and the little one in the bassinet next to them started crying.
A blind hand fumbled and found the phone on the floor next to the couch. It was Maria. She noticed Kirk’s exhaustive, “Hello” and crying baby in the background and wondered if she should even have bothered calling. It was too late now and so said,
“I am sending Han Lee to Denmark to pick up the laser gun I left with him. He has completed his analyzes and doesn’t need it anymore. He is going to bring it over to our Swiss labs where Doctor Marls will install it on the Anunnaki ship. I’m just asking if you want to go with him and return the D-wing I left there. I know you are on leave but would you be interested in doing that for me?”
With the baby wailing in his other ear, yes, he would be very interested in that. However, that would mean an exhausted Jessika would have to look after the children and he couldn’t bring himself to do that to her. He explained his desire to get out of the house but simply couldn’t do it. Maria understood and went to plan ‘B’.
“Listen, Ivana, Belle’s old nanny has been asking for extra work. How about if I make a call and send her to you? I’ll pay for her to be there all night and all tomorrow too, would that change your mind?”
As if Ivana had been expecting a ‘help’ call, she was at the house fifteen minutes later. Despite Kirk’s attempt to hold the baby and walk around the room with it, it still persisted on wailing at the top if its lungs. When Ivana relieved the frustrated father and cuddled the child to her bosom, surprisingly it immediately stopped crying. Confused at the magic, Kirk wondered how he could get two of those. Now freed up for the mission, he gently tucked a blanket over Jessika, kissed her goodbye on the cheek and practically ran out of the house.
When Kirk walked into the hangar, Han Lee was already standing by one of the D-wings. He was a tall and lanky Vietnamese man and one of the survivors of the destruction. He was also a security assistant to Kirk, so they knew each other very well. When Kirk approached he said,
“Maria said you would brief me. What’s happening?”
“She wants us to fly to Copenhagen where the lab reported they had successfully removed the aerials from one of our D-wings. However, when testing the systems Lars reported that the remote homing program was malfunctioning. He suggested that it would be ill advised sending it back to Headquarters that way. I guess he is afraid it might inadvertently land in some international airport or something. That’s why Maria wants you to come with me and bring it back manually. That is your assignment, mine is to bring some sort of laser gun Lars had retro engineered over to the Swiss lab where it is to be attached to the Anunnaki ship.”
“It’s your mission and I’m just a passenger. Jump in and let’s get going.”
Skilful hands lifted the ship off the floor and gently maneuvered it out of the hangar.
While soaring high over Europe and undetectable by conventional radar, Han Lee felt awkward that there was no conversation, only silence. Unaware that Kirk’s silence was because of closed eyes and sleep, Han Lee unintentionally started a conversation.
“So, three kids very close together, that must be a handful huh?”
With eyes still closed, Kirk mumbled,
“To tell you the truth, I need a couple of more hands. I have to admit it’s harder on Jessika than me. But I wouldn’t trade it for the world. Man, has it ever changed our lives.”
Han Lee was a confirmed bachelor and so wondered how children can change somebodies life. Just then, the D-wing went into approach mode.
In the Copenhagen laboratory and while standing beside the D-wing with the damaged remote guidance system, Lars Nielson explained to Kirk,
“Except for the deleted guidance system, everything else is fully operational. Just be sure to operate everything manually. Apparently there is somebody at Headquarters who can tinker with the computers and get the remote system back on line.”
Kirk understood that it was a custom made assignment for Jessika.
Lars then faced Han Lee and handed him the laser gun but it was not accepted. Instead, he said,
“No Lars. The mission has changed. You are to come with me. Doctor Marls has requested your skill in attaching it to the Anunnaki haul. Bring everything needed with you for that mission.”
As Lars walked away to get the necessary tools, Han Lee turned to Kirk and said,
“Maria said that if you asked me to step aside and take over the mission to Switzerland, I was to do so. Is it your intention to ask me to do that?”
Chapter 68
The landing at the Swiss lab was uneventful but the entry to the lab building proved difficult. The security computer had been programmed to accept Lars Neilson and the Han Lee codes. However, Han Lee was flying to Bulgaria and Headquarters with the damaged D-wing. It was Kirk’s ID code that was not accepted at the door. In frustration, he phoned Maria who was in her office.
Standing by the coffee urn and filling a mug of caffeine she heard her phone ring. Turning to the desk she saw the caller ID and knew who it was and why he was calling. Han Lee had called to let her know that Kirk had taken over the mission and she was supposed to approve his entry code. Apparently coffee is not a facilitator for remembering things. If she answered the phone she understood that he was going to take pleasure in teasing her forgetfulness.
With the phone still ringing she accessed her computer and quickly called up the Swiss security room. Fast fingers coded entry for his ID. It was only then that she answered the call in her best sweet voice.
“Hello Kirk. I was told you were in Switzerland, is there a problem?”
There was a touch of petulance in his reply.
“You forgot to approve my entry code at the door.”
Continuing with her acted innocence, she replied,
“Oh? Are you sure? Perhaps you are entering it wrong. Try again.”
He knew that even the third time he entered the correct code it refused entry and so became frustrated. Regardless he again punched in the same numbers.
This time the code was accepted and the security program accessed the face recognition procedure. Suspecting a quick fix on her part, there was no apology in his reply.
“Yeah, it worked this time.”
Thinking that she had gotten away with a slight slip of procedure and avoiding something he could hold against her, she demurely said,
“Perhaps the toll of a big family is playing havoc on your memory huh?”
He was not willing to accept that excuse and stormed through the open door with Lars in tow.
Now cleared for all placed in the building, Lars and Kirk maneuvered the maze of halls leading to the massive laboratory. With Lars following, twice Kirk made the wrong turn and had to be directed back to the correct path. With his recent experience in the maternity hospital he thought it might be a good idea to paint colored directional lines on floor. He was not happy looking inexperienced in front to Lars.
When they finally entered the laboratory, Waldorf and Dr. Marls turned to greet them. This was the first time Kirk and Lars had seen the Anunnaki ship perched on steel legs and looking like a horrific giant spider. After cordial greetings, Waldorf asked Lars,
“Did you bring the alien laser gun and what you need to attach it to the hull of the ship?”
As Lars nodded and patted his backpack, Waldorf continued,
“Good. Attach it to the nose. I want sweep motion in all directions including up and down.”
While watching Lars step onto the crane and lifted to the nose, one thing puzzled Kirk.
“Will it not tear away upon re-entry to Earth?”
“No,” said Waldorf, “it will not be returning to Earth and there is no atmosphere in space or on the moon.”
This was the first time Kirk heard of its destination and therefore looked greatly surprised. He mouthed the words, ‘the moon?’ Waldorf, seeing his astonishment said,
“Perhaps too much time has been paid to changing diapers than the daily reports young man.”
Already embarrassed by looking foolish at the entry door in front of Lars and now put down by a superior, he was already not in a pleasant mood. Although he understood that it was in a mocking manner, he felt the need to reciprocate. Casting a derisive smile, he reciprocated,
“Be careful old man. I’m fairly adept at changing diapers. One of these days I’ll show you how to change yours.”
Waldorf suddenly let loose a roaring laugh that echoed throughout the lab.
It was then that Doctor Marls, in his usual mordant tone bellowed the reason nobody in the lab liked him.
“This is a serious laboratory of the House of the Nazarene, not a comedy club. I’ll thank you for keeping levity out of here.”
As both men quickly wiped grins from their faces, he added his usual impatient utterance,
“I’m a busy man. Everything on my part is ready to go, is it on yours?”
Waldorf looked up at the scaffolding and Lars looked down to signal thumbs up. Waldorf swallowed a crude rebuttal, one he dearly wanted to let fly into the Doctor’s face but managed restraint and instead replied,
“All is ready Doctor.”
The Doctor then returned to his computer terminal and fiercely punched in commands. While standing well back, everybody watched the Anunnaki ship slowly disappear in stealth mode. When ninety-nine percent had blended into the surroundings, it slowly lifted from its steel legs and rose to the ceiling. Waldorf then accessed his phone and said,
“It’s a go. Are you ready to track it?”
Presha Bhat replied,
“We are all set on this end.”
Strangely, nobody in sight of the international communications research company questioned why there was a perpetual lingering cloud atop one of the higher peaks, the one directly above the secret laboratory. A giant roof above the hovering laboratory opened and in the blink of an eye, the nearly invisible Anunnaki ship shot through it and the concealing cloud. Presha Bhat reported,
“I have it on screen and the program is set for what was once the Black Knight trajectory.”
While waiting for the next report, tense moments passed. Fact of the matter, nobody was sure that the homing signal would once again even capture the craft and bring it to the moon. With the roof closed and everybody standing around in small groups patiently waiting, finally Presha Bhat’s voice came throu
gh the speakers,
“The ship has left orbit and heading for deep space. I have switched over to long range radar and tracking it now. According to readings it is on course for the moon.”
Although everybody else was expressing pleasure and revelling in success, Dr. Morals remained stoic. He turned to Waldorf and curtly said,
“At its maximum speed, you have six hours. May I suggest that you leave my lab and wait somewhere else?”
Waldorf had no intention of suffering the Doctor any longer and so turned to Kirk and said,
“Take Lars back to Copenhagen and then return to your diapers.”
Apparently old men are adept at getting the last taunt and Kirk was smart enough to let it go, at least for now. To guarantee that he would not get lost in the maze of halls again, Kirk wisely followed a few steps behind Lars.
Chapter 69
Santo entered Maria’s office and saw her reading a report. After a customary peck on the cheek, something she craved, he sat across from her and asked,
“So, what did you want to talk to me about?”
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