Jimmy's Dreams: Some Dreams Are Nightmares

by Saxon Andrew

  The President looked around the room and said, “Dr. Caspari.”

  “Yes, Mr. President.”

  “I know you are not a citizen of the United States but I ask you to keep what we’ve told you to yourself.”

  “Are you doing anything about this!?” Jimmy asked.

  “We are looking at our options as we speak. Will you keep this secret? It could cause widespread panic if it gets out.”

  “I will.”

  “I apologize for this and hope you understand why I called.”

  “I do. Will you at least let me know what you intend to do?”

  “That isn’t something I can promise, Doctor. My government is not the only one involved in this I must not betray the trust of my partners.”

  “I understand, Mr. President.”

  The call ended and the President looked at the Director, “I want your resignation on my desk by in the morning!”

  “But…”

  “I think you’d prefer to resign than be fired. Have it on my desk!”

  The President stood up and left the Oval Room. The Director had difficulty standing up on legs that were suddenly weak.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Jimmy ended the call and looked at Tom, “Where are we with moving the teams?”

  “Most of them are currently on the continent. The most important members are being picked up by Alem’s helicopters and being transported here directly. They can only move twelve to fifteen on each trip so it is time consuming.”

  Jimmy looked at Kellie, who had entered the room with Suzette in the middle of the conversation. “Colonel, I want all the Riders sent out immediately. Give them their designated passengers and have them check in hotels and stand by. I want them armed!”

  “Yes, Sir. What will they be standing by for, Sir?”

  “The moment the news breaks about the asteroids. Suzette, I want you to activate the communication links and convert them back to the old process where conversations can take place.”

  “You’re not worried about the military getting suspicious?” Suzette asked.

  “No, after the conversation we had today, anyone that approaches the President about magnetic fields in satellites will probably be fired on the spot. The President doesn’t have the time to really pay attention and we should be safe for the short term. Notify the managers that the frequencies will be open the moment the news breaks.”

  “Jimmy, the last of the clothing shipments and personal toiletry items will be complete in three days. That will be the last items to be stored,” Candice said as she tickled Ayet.

  Ayet screamed his laughter and Jimmy smiled as he asked, “How are we doing on funds, Tom?”

  “Apple just boosted our worth to about five billion. We’ve spent three-hundred-billion dollars building this facility and it’s about complete.”

  “Kellie, what about the defenses and are we prepared to take control of the satellites?”

  “The Rail and Laser Guns are underground inside armored bunkers that will rise out of the ground when needed. Our links to the satellites are operational and we can override the ones currently controlling them.”

  “We need to wait until the very last moment to take control; let me know if any issues arise.” Kellie nodded and left the room.

  • • •

  The Department of Homeland Security contacted every observatory in the United States and threatened their operators with imprisonment if they released any information about the asteroids. That worked for about four weeks. The problem they didn’t count on was that literally millions of people around the world had state of the art small telescopes capable of viewing distant galaxies. Seeing the asteroids was easily done and some of them produced high definition images of them to post on the internet. The numbers that saw the small lights moving across the sky were too numerous to count and hundreds of them claimed to have spotted them first on Facebook and every other social media page. Ultimately, the world leaders were forced to reveal what was happening. The President of the United States appeared on every channel during prime time two weeks later and said in opening, “It is with a grave heart that I come to speak with you about an issue that involves the whole world…”

  Jimmy shut the monitor off and activated his ear-link, “Go to Operation Recovery now!”

  • • •

  Carter pulled up to a hotel in Bavaria early Sunday morning with three other riders and waited at the front door. A man, a woman, and a teenager came out of the front entrance wearing large backpacks. The Bellman smiled, “Where are you off to?”

  “Just a ride through the mountains. Have a great day, Rolf?”

  “I will, you do the same.”

  The three hopped on the back of the bikes and Carter led them across town and pulled up in a school’s parking lot where a hundred other motorcycles were gathered. They were lined up in three equal lines and Carter got off his bike and met the three leaders at the front of each line, “Alright, I’m leaving first and I’ll be taking the less experienced riders with me on the easiest route. The other two will follow Sam and Jinks on different routes. Make sure everyone understands to stay safe and if we pull off the road to allow traffic to pass, they should pull in behind us. I’ll try to keep them informed over their ear-links and you should make sure everyone understands to keep them in their ears until we arrive.” Carter got back on his bike and waited as the leaders told the ones in their lines what to expect. The teenager riding behind him looked around, “What’s going on?”

  “I’m taking you to a place where your family will be safe.”

  “How long will we be there?”

  “Why do you ask?”

  The teenager shrugged, “I left my girlfriend in America. She’s going to miss me if I’m gone for a long time.”

  “How old are you?” Carter asked.

  “Fourteen.”

  “Is she worth dying over?”

  The boy’s eyes went wide and he said, “Heck, no!”

  Carter turned around, “Then you’ll be fine.”

  “What about her?”

  “I think you need to start looking for a new girlfriend.”

  Carter knew that all of those in the lines had purchased their bikes with the expressed intention of shipping them back home after touring Europe. That wasn’t going to happen. It was helpful that the President of the Bundesrat had announced a week earlier a special ‘Come and see Switzerland on your Bikes’ festival that started two days ago. Seeing large numbers of bikes headed toward Switzerland shouldn’t raise many eyebrows; especially this early on Sunday Morning.

  He got the go ahead from the leaders and he pulled out into the empty street and moved toward the south. He would stop three times for the riders to rest but they should be fine. It was a little more than four hours to the valley and they should make it easily. The riders would drop off their passengers and the riders following them would do the same until all hundred were in the facility. They would take a two-hour break and head back out to pick up another hundred.

  Carter was thankful that Europe was not a huge continent and the longest trip would be about ten hours from Spain. Most of the important scientists and engineers were being transported by helicopters but there was concern that the helicopters might be confiscated by the governments once the panic got out of hand.

  • • •

  Four hours later, Carter was sitting in the giant cafeteria with his team of riders along with a second group that had arrived earlier. He was taking them back out shortly, when he saw Kellie walk in the cafeteria with another group. He excused himself and walked over to her, “How’s it going?”

  “It’s starting to get bad, Derek. We had to go around the airport in Paris. It appears there is growing anarchy inside with people fighting to get back home to the States. At least our member’s cover of being unable to get a flight home will ring true, because it is. The initial reports say that people are being killed just for breaking a ticket line.”

 
; Carter shrugged, “We got out early in the morning while the announcements about staying off the roads were being made and we were out of the city before the streets filled. We didn’t encounter any issues on the way here.”

  “We had some people try to take the motorcycles from some of the riders whenever we stopped to get around the massive traffic jams. They were left beside the road. We went around the highway congestion by riding in the center of the medians for the really bad places we ran into; some of the cars would open their doors to knock us off. It’s turning violent fast.”

  Carter nodded, “Things are getting nasty and will get worse fast.”

  “They are. Where are you headed next?” Kellie asked.

  “Basil. A river cruise with two hundred of our members is docking in a little over an hour. We’re going to be there in two and get them moving. I have noticed that most of Switzerland has not given in to panic like what you’ve seen in France.”

  Kellie raised her eyebrows and shrugged, “You know the Swiss; they don’t want to go anywhere else and are not given in to fear.”

  “Where are you headed?”

  “Back to southern France. See you later.” Carter gave her a hug and headed back to his table. One of the riders stood up, “Sir, we need to get rolling. We’ve been talking to some other teams that just arrived and things are getting dicey out there; sitting around here will only allow them to get worse.”

  Carter looked at his riders and said, “Are you up to it?” Every one of them stood up. Carter smiled, “It’s only a two-hour ride at our best speed. Make sure your tanks are filled and your Ball-gun where you can pull it fast. Let’s get moving.”

  • • •

  Suzette stood outside close to the stream and watched the large helicopter moving sluggishly toward the clearing fifty yards away. It bumped to a landing and she walked forward. Six passengers stepped out then she saw him. Winny turned around and saw Suzette. He dropped his backpack and sprinted toward her. He grabbed her and swept her off her feet, “I’ve been so missing you!!”

  Suzette laughed, “I’m surprised you didn’t bring the car to impress me.”

  Winny laughed, “I thought about it but I sold it right after you left; had no further need of it, Love.”

  Suzette kissed him and said, “Let’s go inside and let me show you around.” Winny put his arm around her shoulders and smiled as they walked back to retrieve his backpack.

  • • •

  Jimmy listened to the reports of growing panic and when one of the rider teams were fired at, he lifted the microphone, “Alright, everyone that’s still out on motorcycles, keep coming. Those of you that have not been picked up yet, stay where you are and settle in until things start achieving equilibrium.” Jimmy looked at Tom, “How many are still out?”

  “A little more than a thousand.”

  “Where are they?”

  “Scattered all over the countries next to Switzerland.”

  “Contact them individually and tell them to sit tight.” Tom nodded and Jimmy pulled up a phone number on his cellphone.

  • • •

  A week later, the President of the Bundesrat appeared on every TV channel and said, “I have been listening to the cries of many families that have been separated during the current crisis. I want to help them but my officers and resources have been stretched too thin. I have therefore authorized a group of civilian bike riders to assist us in getting family members back together. You will recognize them by the large white-cross emblem on their windshields and gas tanks. Please do not impede them and I have authorized my personnel to allow them to pass our roadblocks and to use our highways after curfew hours. I thank all of you in advance for working with me during this time. Getting loved ones back together is something we can all understand.

  • • •

  The thousand riders had slowly worked their way across Europe and were waiting for the announcement. That night, they put the decals on their bikes and picked up their passengers. The last bike arrived in the valley just before morning. Recovery was complete and the giant underground facility was closed and the massive armored doors locked.

  • • •

  Finally, the world leaders announced that a plan had been made to remove the threat. The space shuttles were being taken out of museums and being rebuilt to go out and intercept the three asteroids. The most powerful countries had combined their technologies and a new nuclear missile was designed with ground penetrating warheads that would go hundreds of feet into the asteroid’s surface and then detonate. The blast coming out of the holes would change the asteroids’ trajectories.”

  Jimmy listened to the announcement and sighed. ‘What’s wrong?” thirteen-year old Rachel asked.

  “Do they not think the ones that sent those asteroids toward Earth are not listening to everything they say?”

  “Maybe they haven’t figured out that an outside agency is doing it?” Rachel replied.

  “If they haven’t, they’re dumber than I thought and I already see them as being really stupid.”

  “Perhaps they don’t see it, Jimmy.”

  “Why do you say that, Summer?”

  “What scientist in their right mind is going to suggest aliens to their leaders?”

  Jimmy stared at Summer and shook his head, “You’re probably right. Most of the scientists they might believe are here with us.”

  Rachel looked at Jimmy, “You could tell them.”

  “What?”

  “The President listened to you. You could tell him and he might listen.”

  Jimmy frowned and Summer said, “You’re worried you might change your dream if you do?” Jimmy nodded. “How do you know you didn’t?” Summer asked.

  “I really have no way of knowing now.”

  “Then you should make the effort.”

  Jimmy stared at her and stared at the TV screen in the cafeteria showing the mayhem taking place around the world. After an hour, he stood up and walked toward the control center.

  • • •

  “Dr. Sweeny.”

  “Hello, James.”

  “Do you have a way to get in touch with the President?”

  “Why do you ask?”

  “There’s an issue I need to discuss with him.”

  “Do you want to tell me what it is?”

  “No, I prefer to keep it just between him and me.”

  “Standby.” A few minutes passed and Sweeny came back on the line, “I have a number for you to call.”

  “Give it to me.” Jimmy wrote it down and dialed it.

  “Dr. Caspari, as you said before, to what do I owe the honor of your call?”

  “Sir, I have a concern that I want to share with you.”

  “What is that?”

  “Has anyone suggested to you how those asteroids suddenly appeared on their paths?”

  “There’s been a lot of speculation but no one has come up with a definitive answer. Why do you ask?”

  “I suspect no one has come up with an answer because they’re afraid of what will happen to them if they tell you.”

  “What do you mean.”

  “Since I learned about the asteroids, I’ve done a statistical analysis of the probability of them happening naturally.”

  “And?”

  “The odds are more than a trillion to one that they are a natural event.” The line was silent and Jimmy said, “Contact one of your lead astronomers and ask them what the odds are of just a single small asteroid impacting Earth. You’ll find that it happens once every hundred and fifty thousand years. The odds of three giant asteroids hitting at the same time work out to more than a trillion to one.”

  “What are you suggesting, Dr. Caspari?”

  “There is an outside agency making this happen and you’ve just announced over open airwaves what you’re going to do to stop them.”

  There was a long silence and Jimmy said, “Mr. President?”

  “I’m still here. Now I know how you felt when I
called you.”

  “Don’t take my word for it. Assign the question to your best scientists and see what odds they come up with.”

  “Thank you for your concern, Doctor. I appreciate it.”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  The line went dead and Summer sighed, “He didn’t buy it.”

  “We’ll see.”

  Jimmy and Summer walked back to the cafeteria and an hour later Winny and Suzette walked up, “May we have a word?” Jimmy nodded and Suzette said, “In private.” The people gathered at the table stood up and walked away. Winny said, “Something’s happened.”

  “What?”

  “The military satellites have been changing their positions. It appears they are now pointed out toward open space. We’ve also seen Hubble moving.”

  Summer looked at Jimmy, “It appears I was wrong.”

  “And they’re not as dumb as I thought,” Jimmy replied.

  • • •

  The Chief-of-Staff looked at the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, “What have you found out, General?”

  “Our satellites haven’t seen anything, which doesn’t surprise me. They’re not designed to see that far out. However, Hubble has come up with something.”

  “What is it?”

  “The Director of Hubble doesn’t know. What he’s been able to determine after running a recording of the asteroids and the area around them for ten hours is that something is blocking out stars.”

  “What?”

  “The recording shows stars disappearing for a few moments and then reappearing. It looks like something is moving in toward Earth behind those asteroids.”

  “How big is it?”

  “It’s estimated it’s between a third and three quarters of a mile long.”

  “It looks like Caspari may be right. What can you do about it?”

  “We don’t have technology to produce a missile that is capable of changing course and chasing anything in space. Even the shuttles are severely limited in changing course quickly. If that thing is a space ship capable of changing couse, the shuttles are in real jeopardy.”

  “Are you telling me there’s nothing we can do?”

  “We can arm the shuttles to fire at the thing but that’s about all.”