The Gravity of Anti-Gravity

by Tim Blagge

  “Sure Rolf; and I know it sounds corny but words can not express my gratitude,” I said. “You risked your life to save Stella and me and I will never forget that. See you tomorrow.”

  -41-

  When Felix Alvarez arrived at his office late in the day, there was an urgent call from his boss. Felix immediately called him back.

  Assistant Director James Pollard answered. “Jim this is Felix. I just walked in the door. What can I help you with?”

  “Felix, glad to have you back,” Pollard said. “You must have been successful because I’m getting crapped on from every corner of the U.S. Government. Every weasel above me knows what’s happened but none of them can figure out why or how. I’m acting stupid until things settle down a little. And here’s the funniest part. Remember when I told you that the Chinese were dragging their feet on forgiving the first trillion dollars of U.S. debt?”

  “Yes I do,” answered Felix.

  “When the President found out that our scientists had escaped or been rescued,” Pollard continued, “he told the Chinese that we got our people back because they, the Chinese, had reneged on the deal so we took our collateral back. Pretty quick thinking on the part of the President and if it weren’t so ludicrous, it would be hysterical. The Secretary of State is still in Beijing trying to straighten everything out.”

  “Do Stella and Bill have to worry about being ‘reacquired’ by the President and our government?” Alvarez asked.

  “Not at this time,” Pollard answered. “The President is aware now that too many people were involved and know the entire story. If the story gets out to the media, and it would, he’d be exposed for being the mastermind of the treachery. Tell me we’re talking on a secure line, Felix.”

  “Yes we are Jim, now what you want me to do?”

  “Felix, for now, do what I am doing; act stupid and tell them any information is classified. Felix, there is one more bit of information that came to light. We are about eighty percent sure that the last episode with Bill Burton and the kidnapping of his sister is connected directly to the Chinese Government. Our interrogation of the two men that were captured led us in many steps to an assistant chancellor in their government. We haven’t tied it to the top people yet but we will.”

  “That means that while the Chinese Government was negotiating with the President to forgive debt, they were also trying to kidnap Burton.” Felix pondered. “If they were successful in the kidnap, the President wouldn’t be able to deliver Burton as agreed and they wouldn’t have to forgive the debt. And if the President did deliver Burton, they would just stall the payment. It’s not like the president could protest. He wouldn’t go on the news and say he was bamboozled by the Chinese Government for selling the greatest invention since the wheel for nothing. Has the President put this together yet?”

  “Not sure; but sooner or later he will.” Pollard commented. “The best thing about this for us is getting Burton and Morton back. When the Administration figures out that we are responsible and realize we saved them from doing something really stupid, we’ll either be heroes or prisoners. By the way, where is Mr. Burton? I’m sure the Chinese will continue to do everything possible to reacquire him.”

  “I hadn’t considered that Jim,” Felix said. “I’ll recommend that the FBI add more men to his protection detail right away.”

  When Bill, Brenda and Jerry walked into the Burton house, there was jubilation. Joanna and Jerry hugged and kissed and Grandma sat Brenda down and asked her to tell everything.

  “Mrs. Burton, for the moment I am supposed to keep quiet about the rescue but some things that aren’t classified are: I played a drunken Chinese hooker, I got drunk for real and I got shot.” With that Brenda pulled up her kimono to show a large bandage on the right thigh.”

  “Brenda, I can’t believe what you did! You are an amazingly brave girl, Bill owes you his life,” Grandma commented.

  “I’m not sure about that Mrs. Burton but at least now I’ll have some exciting stories to tell my grand kids,” Brenda joked. “Bill you’d better take me home. When I called my parents from the Long Beach airport, my mother almost fainted with relief.”

  When Bill and Brenda walked into Brenda’s house, her parents just sat quietly and stared with an odd grin. Finally her mother spoke. “The Lord kept you safe Brenda. Your father and I prayed every hour you were gone and our prayers were answered. Thank God you are back home and safe. You are OK aren’t you?”

  “Mom, I’m fine,” Brenda answered. “I did get grazed by a bullet when we were getting on the helicopter in the middle of the East China Sea.”

  Then Brenda slid her kimono up to reveal the bandage on her upper thigh. Her parents looked at the bandage and their response could only be described as mortified.

  After a pause, her mother stammered, “You mean there was shooting and you were escaping from people who wanted to kill you?”

  “They weren’t after me in particular,” Brenda answered. “They were just shooting at everyone on our rescue team and we were shooting back.”

  “Brenda! Had I known your mission was this dangerous I never would have let you go,” her mother stated firmly.

  “Mom, I love you but nothing could have kept me from going. And look, Bill’s here and the mission was successful.”

  “I think you folks need to talk alone,” I interjected as I got up to leave.

  “Bill, let me walk you out.” Brenda said.

  Brenda and I then walked to the Mustang parked at the curb. Down the street a couple houses were two men in a car watching. Good, the FBI is on the job I thought.

  “Bill, this experience was the most exhilarating of my life and I can’t stop thinking of everything that’s happened. It will take me a while to calm down but I want you to know that I love you and I hope you love me too.”

  “I do love you Brenda” I answered softly and we kissed. Then I got in the Mustang and drove directly to Stella’s apartment.

  At Stella’s apartment complex, I saw what looked liked two FBI vehicles with two agents in each of them. Good, increased security I thought as I walked past them, up the stairs and knocked.

  Stella opened the door just a crack, saw it was me and opened it wide and said, “I was expecting you, Bill.”

  She was dressed in a short blue negligee style night gown. The blue gown brought out her deep blue-green eyes and she looked unbelievable.

  “If I didn’t know any better, Dr. Morton, I’d think that being kidnapped by your own government, imprisoned in China for three weeks and being shot at on your escape has made you even more beautiful.”

  “Quiet Bill, no more talking”, Stella said with a softness that made my body tingle. Then she gently took my hand and led me into the bathroom.

  She turned on the shower, looked at me lovingly and said “It’s been a while since you’ve cleaned up Bill so let me help you to take care of that.”

  Stella slowly and deliberately removed my clothes piece by piece and while I stood there totally naked, she seductively removed and dropped her negligee revealing her perfect female form. Stella took my hand again, opened the shower door and we stepped in. She proceeded to meticulously wash and clean every part of my body slowly and completely. During this first erotic shower of my life I caressed Stella’s body and velvet smooth skin.

  With the shower still running, we began a sexual encounter. After many sultry minutes our fire culminated in orgasmic bliss. We both stood there in a tender embrace, under the running water trying to catch our breath. Suddenly the water ran cold and snapped us back to reality. The hot water heater had run out of hot water!

  We jumped out of the shower laughing and caressing and kissed some more. Stella grabbed a towel and started to dry me off. I got another towel and enthusiastically returned the favor.

  Without dressing at all we went back to Stella’s bed and laid down.

  “Stella,” I whispered, “Our time together has been by far the most intense of my life. I can’t imagin
e my life without you Stella. I love you!”

  “Bill, that may be the afterglow of sex talking but I do like the sound of it. Why don’t you go home and get a good night’s sleep. Tomorrow we’ll hear what Forest Buckholder has to say.”

  “What day is tomorrow Stella, I’ve lost track.”

  “Tomorrow is Tuesday Bill. We are meeting here at eleven.”

  “I remember the time, I just forgot the day.” With that I got dressed and left.

  On the way home I put the top down on the Mustang and let the wind blow across my face and through my hair. I was hoping it would help me clear my mind. Then reality struck hard. In a little over an hour, I told two fabulous women; women that most men would kill for, that I loved them. And I did; I loved them both!

  -42-

  The next morning I got up feeling refreshed, and went into the kitchen. Jerry, who had spent the night on the couch, was there with Joanna, Pops and Grandma.

  “Bill, I’m fixing scrambled eggs for everybody, would you like some too?” Grandma asked.

  “Sure Grandma” I answered.

  “I’ve been thinking. Let’s have a little party thanking the heroes of the rescue teams here next Saturday night? We can invite all the local guys who participated in the rescue including Vaughn and Alvarez and their wives. It would be fun. Jerry, what’s your situation? Are you going back to the Army soon?”

  “No, I was reassigned to your security detail. Agent Vaughn called me last night and he cleared it with my C.O. And considering what’s happened, he’s tripling the security details on you, Brenda and Stella and Rolf; even though I seriously doubt if Rolf needs any protection at all.”

  “I couldn’t agree with you more Jerry,” I said. “Rolf is one very special dude.”

  I showered and put on a tie, the only sport coat I owned and left for my meeting with the infamous Forest Buckholder. When I arrived at Stella’s apartment, a large limousine with four men milling around it was already there. I went to the apartment and knocked. Rolf answered and had me sit on the only seat remaining in the small living room. Buckholder had brought three of his assistants and after introductions were exchanged, he rose to speak.

  “I am here to make a proposal that hopefully will go down in history as the beginning of a new world; a world where people are free to use their boundless imaginations to create new innovations for the betterment of mankind. I know that sounds somewhat esoteric, but we have all just seen how woefully ill equipped government is to manage innovation at any level. Protecting the freedoms of people to live, love, make their own choices, take chances and mold their own existence is all that is required from any government.”

  “Give people the opportunity and get out of the way, should be the objective of all governments.” Buckholder continued. “Most bureaucrats would be shocked to realize that they are no better or smarter than the general population. Why should they be allowed to tell us how to run our lives?”

  “I am not advocating we do away with government. They do provide laws, national defense and other elements that are required for a structured society. But unfortunately they don’t know when to stop. Special interests have changed the national agenda to enhance their own narrow perspectives. This has resulted in politicians creating laws that work counter to the common good.”

  “However, as we have seen with our two geniuses here, the government’s competence in managing matters of an industrial nature like the anti-gravity device is beyond inadequate. Had the government not been involved, no one would have known about Bill’s device until it came to market. He would have been revered as a creator comparable to, let’s say, Einstein rather than an object that governments feel they must possess.”

  Stella and I got up and clapped. But I was wondering if Buckholder was for real or just another corporate blowhard.

  “Our proposal for you Bill and Stella,” Buckholder continued, “is to create a research facility in any location you choose. We will fully staff and fund that location with the best support people available. We have several locations already in place around the country where you could start, but it is your call on where you want to work. We could even set you up in Hawaii if you desire. We will offer an excellent salary and of course a percentage of the proceeds when the device is eventually marketed. The patents will be jointly owned and it will be a collective decision on where and how this technology proceeds. I have taken the initiative to create a basic proposal. Keep in mind it’s just the first draft and can be altered or accepted as is. I will leave it here for your perusal and if you want your attorney to review the document, please feel free.”

  With that, we all exchanged departing pleasantries and Buckholder and his entourage left.

  “Man, this guy is good,” I commented as I flipped though the proposal. “Buckholder has boiled everything down to less than five pages; a miracle in this age of the verbose, obtuse and litigious. This looks good to me just the way it is. Since the government fell on their butts, sold us down the river and damned near got us killed, I vote we give Buckholder and his consortium a chance!”

  “Rolf and I will look it over, Bill and I’ll call you.” Stella said. “I do believe we need to do something soon or we run the risk of more attacks.”

  “Hey, I’ve scheduled a ‘thank you’ party Saturday night,” I announced. “Rolf, you will be the ‘Man of Honor’ if there is such a term. Come over about six. We’ll drink some beer and barbeque hamburgers. I’ll get as many of the team members that are still in town to come too. It will be fun.”

  “We’ll be there Bill. See you then if I don’t see you before,” Stella said as I was walking out the door.

  The next two days I spent with Brenda. JPL had continued to pay me while I was in China so I had the unique experience of having plenty of money and a nice car to drive. I took Brenda shopping, to the movies, to dinner and anywhere else she wanted to go. It was two of the best days of my young life but I couldn’t help thinking of Stella. I tried to focus completely on Brenda but I couldn’t get the vision of Stella’s naked body out of my head. I told myself that is was just the sex that drew me to Stella but after all we had been through in the last several weeks, I decided that I really did love her too. I joked to myself that since Brenda was Mormon, maybe she’d be OK with me having two wives.

  Then my phone rang jogging me out of my daydream. It was Stella.

  “Hello,” I said. I would have been cleverer but Brenda was sitting next to me in the car.

  “Bill,” Stella said, “Rolf and I have gone over Buckholder’s proposal with our attorney. We’d like to meet here tomorrow evening and go over it. And there are a couple more issues Rolf wants to discuss too. I’ll fix dinner and I promise it won’t be Chinese.”

  “Very funny,” I said. “I’ll be there at seven.”

  The next day was Friday and except for my evening meeting with Rolf and Stella, I had a free day. I slept in until ten, grabbed a quick shower and as I was getting dressed, Felix Alvarez called.

  “Hello, Agent Alvarez, what can I do for you?”

  “Bill, we’ve just received reports from our sources inside China that their government is furious at the United States for snatching you back right under their noses.” Alvarez elaborated. “Supposedly they have called the President demanding that you be returned to them. So far the President is standing his ground and keeps reminding them that because they didn’t come through with their payment they, the Chinese, were the ones who negated the deal and forced us to take you back.”

  “The Chinese are hinting that they will be willing to make the first payment up front and I believe The President is considering their offer. Most of his advisors are recommending that he refuse any deal with the Chinese because of their lies and treachery in the recent past. But with his weakness in the polls, I don’t know what to expect.”

  “Bill, are you aware that the kidnapping of your sister was orchestrated by the Chinese Government? They covered their tracks well but now we have
irrefutable proof.”

  “Oh my God” I wailed. “Just great; what’s next, are the Chinese coming after me again?

  “Bill, that’s the scuttlebutt on the street,” Felix added. “I suggest you and Stella leave town ASAP in case and before the Chinese organize another attack. You should take Joanna, your grand parents and Brenda along too. I’ve got Agent Vaughn working on a place to relocate you until the dust settles a little.”

  “Felix, let’s postpone our departure until Sunday. Remember you and Agent Vaughn are invited to our victory party tomorrow night and I want to be here for that. I know Vaughn has already increased security once, but maybe another bump until Sunday is called for.”

  “I agree Bill. I’ll call Vaughn and you give Jerry a heads up so that he knows what’s happening. See you tomorrow night.”

  Just as I hung up from Alvarez my phone rang again. It was from an unlisted number. So much for my free day, I thought.

  “Hello, Bill Burton here,” I answered.

  “Is this William Burton the Third?” was the response.

  “Just like I said, Bill Burton here,” I said with as much sarcasm as I could muster.

  “Hold on please, the President of the United States is on the line.”

  Just great! He’s probably going to send me a one way ticket to Junk Stink, China on Springboard Airlines, I thought as I waited for him to come on the line.

  “Bill, this is the President. I wanted to call and say that I’m sorry that we got off on the wrong foot at our last meeting,” he said in his eternally cheerful tone. “I am flying to the West Coast next week and I’d like to meet with you on Wednesday.”

  “I am impressed you made this call personally Mr. President, but if you consider mandating my kidnap and imprisonment in a foreign country ‘getting off on the wrong foot’, I shudder to imagine what you consider a serious issue.”