He swore at her and left the marina with an oath of vengeance. He had done his part to the best of his ability and she should have paid him. Malone might have been a colorful and harmless character around Key West, but he did not take kindly to being cheated.
Eleven immediately reported the event to Stoellar, who was becoming more and more certain that Slater and his mysterious friend possessed unusual powers, perhaps enough to stop him. Something would have to be done, and very soon.
Stoellar drummed his fingers aimlessly on his desk as he racked his brain for a solution to the Slater problem. Then, he had an idea that just might work. It would be daring, bold, and not without risk, but he had to deal with the problem immediately. He’d address the consequences of his audacious actions later.
He picked up his phone and called General Lew McGowan. “McGowan, I know that you’re busy, but I have an urgent situation that requires your immediate attention.”
“Okay, what is it.”
“There’s a small island about fifty miles from Key West named Scott Key. Whoever is on that island is causing us serious problems. I want you to send a squad of Special Forces to land on that island. They are to secure the island and arrest everyone on it. I want the inhabitants of that island taken to a secure location for questioning. I’ll personally send someone to handle the interviews. Call me immediately when you have confirmation that the island is secured and all people there are in custody.
“Yes, sir,” McGowan replied and wondered what could be so important on an insignificant little pile of sand called Scott Key. Stoellar was always on top of things, so something very serious must be up.
McGowan immediately called his second-in-command, Brigadier Lucas, for a meeting. He trusted Lucas as much as he trusted anyone, which was not much. But, he must be careful in dealing with him because he wasn’t sure that Lucas was or was not part of the organization. Nevertheless, he would have to take a chance.
“Lucas, get a squad of special forces down to Key West ASAP. Have the squad leader contact me personally for the briefing. Also, notify the commanding officer at the naval station down there and alert them to the squad’s arrival. I want helicopter transport available to them as soon as they land. Last thing, I’ll need an interrogation room available to me and make sure that it has video cameras.
“This operation is classified so keep your mouth shut.”
Chapter 8: Strategy Session
“In preparing for battle I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable.” - General Dwight D. Eisenhower
“Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.” - Abraham Lincoln
John Scott was not born with the temperament to be patient. Perhaps it was his long line of hard-working German genes from his human side that urged him to be decisive and to act immediately. However, over the years, he slowly but surely learned to value patience before taking actions. Sometimes he had to fight hard within himself when his human side was screaming for action and his Mylean side was urging for caution.
By the time he had received his Mylean legacy, he had accepted that the right thing to do was a combination of what and when. The correct action at the wrong time was just as bad as the wrong action at any time. After observing his personal reactions, and those of many others, over time, he became convinced that it was easier to decide “what to do” than it was to decide “when to do it.” The “when” part often begged for patience, even when the “what” was patently obvious.
His study of history provided him many examples to confirm the importance of timing. The history of warfare was no exception. Warfare, perhaps more than any other of man’s endeavors, was replete with examples of bad timing negating the value of an otherwise proper action.
John Scott would be served well by having learned to have patience in a crisis.
****
By Tuesday noon, Scott Key was much calmer. John and Sylvia had continued to meet regarding their business relationship and the plans for the bullion vault. He treated her in the utmost professional manner and showed respect for her experience and knowledge. Eventually, she grew tired of listening to his never-ending pleas of innocence regarding Jim’s presence on the island and grudgingly accepted his apologies. Nevertheless, somewhere in the back of her mind, she still had that tiny little twinge of suspicion that John had deliberately engineered her meeting with Jim Slater.
She also was forced to admit, although grudgingly, and only to herself, that she still had feelings for Jim. He had that rugged, handsome look of an athlete and the upright bearing that betrayed his military background. In fact, she began to notice some qualities that she might have missed before or that he had developed since he returned to the States. For example, he doted on that little dog. He lavished affection on her constantly and catered to her every need. How could such kindness come from the brooding person that he had become at Oxford? He laughed more now, and the tiny little lines around his eyes told her that he probably spent a lot of time smiling, too.
****
Jim Slater and John Scott were frequently huddled in strategy meetings leaving Julia and Sylvia to become better acquainted with each other. They sat on the beach, looking out over the gentle waves and talking for hours. Julia had many stories of her career in marine archeology, and Sylvia contributed stories about growing up in Scotland, then moving to London and finally about her days at Oxford and her career afterward. The situation in Washington, DC, seemed far, far away from their little island paradise.
John and Jim were troubled by the devastating events that the Krakow Klub had orchestrated. The first step in the government takeover brought the crushing realization that the nation was, indeed, in extreme danger. The Krakow Klub, even though very small in numbers, apparently had the means and the resources to pull off their plan.
Jim was adamant, “John, we’ve got to act to stop this. Time isn’t on our side. With every day that passes, some new crisis takes place.”
The two men were sitting outdoors after lunch while the women were on the beach. John was becoming quite agitated. “I’ve racked my brain for a plan that doesn’t include an all-out war, but nothing looks promising. We could win such a war but at what cost? I couldn’t live with a massive loss of innocent lives. Maxxine has made several suggestions, but I think that we should go to the space station and meet with her for an in-depth strategy session.”
Jim agreed and suggested that they leave as soon as possible. Unfortunately, they would have to explain the situation to Julia and Sylvia. Julia was already knowledgeable of John’s past and his Mylean heritage. She had accepted the fact without any serious misgivings. However, Sylvia was another issue. How could Jim break the news to her about her host? About how the two of them had visited another planet? How John had obtained the island and all that money? How would she accept the fact that the delightful Mister T was actually a humanoid robot? He broke out into a cold sweat and his heart began to pound.
John waved Mister T over and spoke softly to him, instructing him to prepare the spacecraft and to wait for them.
Just then, the two women could be seen strolling up the path toward them, arm in arm. Their laughter drifted through the quiet air like soft music. John raised his hand, palm outwards, to Jim.
“Let me handle this. I’ll take full responsibility for any nuclear meltdown on the part of Sylvia.”
Jim’s heart almost shuddered to a sudden stop. He could feel beads of cold sweat coursing down his forehead and back. It was a moment of sheer terror. She was there within arm’s length, but he could not reach out and take her into his arms. After tonight, he feared that she would surely be lost to him forever. The thought made him feel ill.
“Sit down, my dears. I have something that I need to tell you.”
They sat down quickly, and Julia’s face betrayed that she feared something serious was about to happen. Sylvia had no idea of what to expect, but, as always, she was cautious
.
John proceeded to give a brief history of his life and his friendship with Jim. He outlined their trip to the interstellar transporter. Then, he explained that the Krakow Klub was behind the events in Washington, DC, and across the nation.
Finally, he reached across, took Sylvia’s hand, and looked directly into her eyes.
“Jim Slater and I are the only two people on the planet who have any chance of saving our country from this takeover. We’ve got to act swiftly and decisively. And, to do that, we have to confer with Maxxine on my space station. We’ll only be gone a couple of days at most; I’m going to put Mister T in charge here.
“Julia, just take care of Sylvia and the pups. You two will have nothing to fear. Mister T will be in constant contact with us and with Maxxine. You’ll be able to reach us as well.”
Sylvia was dumbfounded. She just stared at the two men as if they were alien creatures themselves. Well, one of them was half alien.
He continued, “I apologize to you for springing this at such an inappropriate time, but the situation is urgent.”
He leaned forward and touched her wrist gently, “I think that it might help if I show you the craft that will take us to the space station.”
He took her hand and gently pulled her to an upright position. Julia put her arm around her waist and gave her a hug. “Sylvia, it’s all true. Impossible to believe at first, but true. Just have faith in these two and give them your support. This thing is going to be the ultimate test for them, and they’re going to need us backing them up.”
Jim spoke not a word.
John led the four of them across the grounds to a cleared area where Mister T stood patiently waiting.
Sylvia’s heart was racing, and she felt fear and confusion simultaneously. Was this a bad dream? A nightmare? How could she escape? Whatever had possessed her to come to this island? The thoughts whirled through her mind, and she just wanted to be back in her cozy London flat right now.
She stood, staring at the empty space. John spoke a soft command, and the craft materialized, as if from nowhere. The hatch slid open, and Mister T motioned for them to enter.
Sylvia was frozen in place. Her face drained of color, and she appeared about to faint. Julia stepped to Sylvia’s side and steadied her.
Jim wanted to comfort Sylvia but knew better than to try, at least, right now.
Mister T spoke, “Boss, I’ve programmed the ship for your round trip. Maxxine is waiting for you.”
John, Jim, and Julia stepped quickly inside but Sylvia didn’t move a muscle. Mister T went over to her and gently led her inside.
John explained the workings of the craft to Sylvia and gave her a brief tour. By now, she had regained some of her composure, but her poker face revealed nothing about her inner feelings.
“John, I’ve come to know you pretty well and I know that you’re a brilliant man, not some sort of raving lunatic. But, this is quite a surprise even for a stiff-upper-lip Brit like me. I read about that spacecraft in our solar system, but not in my wildest dreams did I imagine that you might have had some association with it.
“My brain tells me that this can’t be true, but I can reach out and touch the side of your spaceship. I saw it materialize from thin air. Right now, I doubt my sanity, but under the circumstances, I’ve got to be fair and hear you out. All this is a quantum leap for me.”
With that, she reached over and pinched and twisted the skin of Mister T’s wrist. Any normal person would have flinched at the very least. He had no reaction whatsoever.
“Miss McDonald, I have been programmed for many functions, but feeling pain is not one of them, and for that, I am grateful.”
Sylvia stared at Mister T with a look of total confusion.
John continued, “Again, forgive me for breaking this to you so unceremoniously. Unfortunately, circumstances are such that there was no choice. I didn’t want us to leave without at least trying to give you an honest explanation.”
Next, John turned his attention to the robot. “You’re in charge while we’re gone. You’ll want to stay in close communication with Maxxine and with us. I’m concerned that there may be attempts by outsiders to spy on the island, so deal with them as you see fit. My primary concern is that you keep the ladies safe. Don’t let anyone land here under any circumstances.”
Turning his attention to the ladies, John continued, “I think that it would be best if you didn’t leave the island for now. I don’t think that we’ve been discovered yet, but I certainly can’t guarantee that. These people have agents and contacts all over the world, so it’s only a matter of time until they know who we are and where we are. Just act as if everything is normal and go about enjoying this lovely place, or at least pretend that you’re enjoying it.”
“I understand, Boss. Have a nice trip and give Maxxine my regards. I think I may be in love with her.” Mister T laughed at his own joke.
Julia gave John a hug and kiss. “Take care of yourself. We’ll be just fine. Just come up with some way to destroy this Krakow Klub.”
With that, she stepped out of the ship, followed by Sylvia and Mister T. Sylvia turned back to the two of them and said, “Be safe, John, and don’t let Jim get into anything that he can’t handle.”
Jim blew a kiss to her and thought to himself, Well, at least she acknowledged my existence.
Seconds later, the craft had entered stealth mode and disappeared leaving no trace that it had ever been there.
The three of them returned to the villa, and Mister T mixed martinis for Julia and Sylvia.
Sylvia thanked him, saying, “Stand by, sir, I think that I may need some more of these.”
****
Mister T had evidently programmed the ship to get them to Maxxine more quickly than usual. John and Jim had barely gotten comfortable when the door suddenly opened, and they were inside the arrival port. Maxxine welcomed them with a very sultry voice, which prompted Jim to ask John, “Does she always sound like that?”
John just smiled, saying, “No, only when she wants to impress a man. Maxx gave her that voice as a joke on me, but the joke is on him; I love it!”
After leaving the shuttle craft, they went directly to the control room to obtain the latest updates on the situation.
The room was surprisingly small considering that it was the heart of the space station. Jim was examining the white walls carefully, but he could see no signs of the powerful computer system that must be somewhere inside. Just then, Maxxine came to life. The huge video screen lit up, and she addressed Jim.
“I assume that you’re the famous Dr. Slater. I apologize for not already having a seat ready for you.” With what sounded like the snap of electronic fingers, a small robot appeared with a chair for Jim, placed it next to John’s chair, and then left silently.
“Gentlemen, I have some very unsettling news. Apparently, the Krakow Klub has obtained a nuclear device. Even worse, it appears that they plan to use it somewhere inside the United States. That’s just the bad news, but it gets even worse. I have not been able to determine where the nuclear device will be placed and detonated. However, one of my listening devices did pick up a possible location. This location is rather confusing to me so maybe you can enlighten me.”
John was shocked. “Maxxine, a nuclear device! That’s a potential disaster. We must figure out where, and when, they plan to use it.”
Maxxine replied, “The potential site mentioned was Greenbrier. Greenbrier isn’t a common name, but I have found one possible match. There is a Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia, very near Washington, DC.”
John said in a more calm voice, “Maxxine, you obviously still don’t have all the facts about this situation. Are you certain that they plan to detonate a nuclear device?”
“Sir, I am simply reporting what I have gotten from our remotes. I have just received an update from the ship that is monitoring the Washington, DC, situation. A conversation was just recorded that sheds more light on the issue. Apparently, the
new president has ordered that Congress and many other governmental VIPs relocate to that hotel for their protection during this national crisis. They will arrive on Wednesday by special trains and buses. The president has assured them that they are going to be lodged in the hotel and not the bunker beneath it. In fact, the entire West Virginia wing has been reserved for them and will be closely guarded by the military. They will only be moved to the underground bunker in the event of a serious terrorist threat.”
Maxxine paused briefly, and then she continued, “However, today, I have just learned that the nuclear device was picked up by a man named Alexei Pawlak, a close associate of Erik Stoellar. This Pawlak, based in New York City, has been instructed to add a radio-controlled device to the bomb. That device is to be set to the same radio frequency as the device to be used by Lt. Colonel Collins when he triggers his plastic explosives.
“Lt. Colonel Collins and his Scorpion Battalion have placed plastic explosives around the perimeter of the entire West Virginia Wing of the Greenbrier Hotel. I do not think that he knows that a nuclear device will also be involved. My guess is that the plastic explosives will be used to destroy the wing where Congress is staying, and then, the bomb will be used to destroy the evidence and the military unit assigned to the hotel.
“It appears that they plan to kill everyone, including their men. I’ve done an analysis of the unit and I have decided that the entire battalion consists of rogue soldiers under the control of the Krakow Klub. They are truly a sorry lot—a band of misfits, deviates, and cutthroats that will kill indiscriminately and without question.”
John replied, “Maxxine, you’ve done a superb job, and I congratulate you. But, we must find that nuclear device and disarm it. And that’s only one of our problems. We need to do something about the plastic explosives, too.
“Worst case, can you possibly contain the explosions if we cannot prevent them?”
The Krakow Klub Page 23