Jo-el

Chapter 26 JOINT TASK-FORCE

Tuesday morning was sunny, a welcome return from the dreary, overcast days of winter. We were edging slowly towards spring. My immediate plan was a motorcycle ride, I’d missed Sunday with the guys and hadn’t ventured out on the steed for a week, since I’d ridden down Airline highway to retrieve the package that had taken over my life.

It was early, not yet seven when I headed toward the coast, then south on highway one. I’d avoided Sally and hadn’t turned on the TV. I knew if I did that I’d probably be distracted by some event in the world. At eight I was enjoying a full plate of bacon, eggs over-easy, hash-browns and wheat toast at a café on Pacific Coast Hwy. I was spared the news due to the lack of a TV in the café. I was in hiding, taking a break.

Shortly before ten I was back home, refreshed and content, nestling a hot cup of coffee in my usual spot. I called up Sally, curious if I’d missed a major world event that would affect my day. I was not sure if I was delighted or saddened that my presence in public hadn’t stirred up something more dramatic while I slept and then amused myself on the twisty roads by the Californian coast.

The talking heads had taken a break from postulating my existence and were simply speculating if my brief explosion onto the world stage had ended in my demise while flying across some ocean or vast expanse of baron land. My lack of visibility since Shanghai, just twenty-four hours previous, had resulted in a collapse of my infamy, my fifteen minutes of fame had ended. Here was a perfect example of the speed of life in the western world. I was surprised but elated.

“Is the task-force still meeting?”

“Sure,” Sally’s favorite word.

“Same time?”

“Yes.”

“Can I see?”

Sally placed the disc monitor in the air, once more. It flew up there by itself.

“How’d you do that?” I asked.

“With your mind.”

I’d have to try that.

The room filled with a three-dimensional hologram of four people sitting around a conference table. Three of them had laptop computers in front of them, the other, an older looking man with a bushy grey beard and monk-like hair had a notebook and pen. They were chatting amongst themselves. The room was sparse, an easel at one end and a TV monitor at the other. There were no windows. A low bookcase with a coffee machine was against the wall, behind the easel. The whole thing looked very low tech and old fashioned. Bushy beard was at one end of the table; the others were sitting on one side. I postulated they were the CIA contingent and was correct. There was a black man, completely bald, but with soft, kind features. A younger man wearing a light grey jacket appeared to me to be Hispanic, his hair thick and jet black. The last member of the CIA team was a very attractive young woman. A mix of Indian and Caucasian, she had wide, very round, brown eyes, and long black hair. Her features were classic beauty. I admit I couldn’t take my eyes off her for quite a while.

The door opened and four more people entered. One woman and three men. The men were all immaculately dressed in dark suits, white shirts and ties. All were white. The lady, in the group was black, very business-like, she took the seat opposite Bushy beard at the other end of the table, obviously the head FBI honcho. Everybody shook hand and exchanged business cards. After a few moments, the black lady, whose name was Georgina Lambert said, “let’s get this started.”

The head CIA guy with the bushy beard, Colin Alberton said. “I think this will be a very short meeting, we have nothing, Georgina. No satellite pictures, no sightings, no contact of any kind. All we know is what the whole world has seen on TV. The pictures on the beach in Caicos, the video in Palm Springs and Shanghai. We don’t have any idea where to look, where he resides, what his nationality is, we are dark. Our British friends in Turks haven’t found anything, no trace whatsoever. The Chinese are being supercilious; they think he’s one of us and want answers we can’t provide. It’s not exactly a diplomatic incident but it certainly doesn’t help our relations.” He stopped and looked pensively at Georgina Lambert at the other end of the table, his bushy eyebrows raising hopefully.

“We have a bizarre event in LA but no definitive leads as to who this birdman is or where he might be,” Lambert said.

The personnel in the room shifted in their seats at the word ‘bizarre’. No doubt from their point of view this whole thing was completely bizarre and anything resembling unusual might be of assistance.

Lambert continued. “We confiscated the anoraks of the hikers he rescued in Palm Springs. We wanted to check them for fingerprints.” She then recited the events of yesterday stating that because of the nature of the investigation they weren’t discounting any event however unlikely. When she referred to the doppelganger, grimaces, frowns and wide-eyes accompanied quiet expletives from around the table.

“I think it’s time for me to join them,” I said to Sally.

“You’re going to bounce in there?”

“I think a gentler approach might suffice,” I replied.

Sally looked at me for once devoid of understanding. It was nice to be ahead of her for a brief moment.

“Can you write something on the TV on the wall?” I pointed at the hologram of the conference room.

“No.”

“Oh! Okay, what about one of the computers they have on the table?”

“Sure, I can do that.”

“Large font?”

“Whatever you want, Joey-boy.” I grimaced at her, I hated that name.

“Right, the Indian lady, what’s her name?”

“Pippa Moran, short for Philippa, why’d you pick her Jo-el?”

I grinned, she knew why, women!

“Write this, before they break up. ‘Pipper, I would like to meet with the team, Jo-el.’

I watched the hologram expectantly, enjoying the feeling of power I possessed. Sally added clicking sounds as the letters appeared on Pippa’s computer screen so that she looked down. Her mouth opened and her beautiful brown eyes widened to their largest aperture.

Pippa interrupted the meeting, Lambert was just wrapping up her opening brief.

“There’s words appearing on my screen,” she had pushed a little way back from the table in surprise and was pointing at the laptop. The two CIA guys on either side of her looked over and saw the same words.

“Sally, write. ‘Please ask Colin and Georgina if I could join you?’” Pippa literally jumped in her chair, the inferences of what I’d done was frightening. How could this individual take over her computer in a secure facility? How could he know the names of people there? The three FBI agents from the other side of the table got up and were now looking over Pippa’s shoulder.

“What’s happening?” Georgina Lambert said, her voice raised. Both she and Colin Alberton had remained seated where they were.

Pippa read out my words.

Alberton said. “How could he possibly know about this meeting? How can he do that? What the hell is going on here?” There was fear in everyone’s eyes, nothing generates more fear than the unknown.

“Sally write, ‘please don’t be frightened, I’m on your side.’” She did what I asked. A wry grin was plastered across Sally’s expression; she was loving this.

Pippa read out my latest sentence. There was silence in the room, all eyes were either on the screen or Pippa. Eventually Alberton said, “Pippa, ask him where he is?” Pippa typed.

“Sally, type, ‘I’m close, I can be at the front entrance in twenty minutes.’”

“Why so long?” Sally asked.

“Don’t want them to think I’m hanging around the place, plus I need to think how this is going to pan out.”

Alberton looked at Georgina Lambert and raised his palms up in a gesture of ‘what do you think?’.

“Why not?” Lambert said.

“Tell him okay, Pippa. We’ll have someone at the entrance to meet him.” She typed the message.

“Type, ‘have Pippa Moran meet me, no weapons, see you in about twenty minutes, say one forty-five.’”

“Tell him ‘okay’, Pippa,” said Alberton.

“It had to be the Indian girl, Jo-el, eh?” Sally said.

“She’s my contact, but I bet she’s American.” I kept my demeanor businesslike.

“She is America, but she looks Indian.”

“Enough of Pippa, let’s think how this with work. I’d be surprised if they don’t have guns. Plus, I doubt I’ll get through their security with this,” I pulled up my shirt top and revealed the belt computer.

“They would have to make an exception. Who knows what they’ll do? You’re unique.” Sally said.

“I think you need to be ready to bounce me out at any time.”

“No problem.”

I looked up at the hologram to see what the task-force were up to. The discussion seemed to revolve around where they would take me. Lambert was adamant that I should be arrested. Alberton was saying for what cause and Lambert was saying national security. Alberton argued that all I’d done was rescue people, not exactly much threat to national security. Lambert just wanted an excuse to hold me for a while. I watched with amusement and could see both sides. But I needed to know something from Sally, so I ignored the task-force.

“What’s my protection against guns, Sally? I know I can bounce out of there but a nervous trigger could be fatal.”

“I can wrap you in a transparent bullet proof shield, the only problem is it hasn’t been tested. It should be fine but you might be knocked over and maybe hurt. A head shot could be worse. Best if I disable any guns pointed at you.”

“How do you do that?”

“Melt their insides. I fire electrons at the guns and melt the salient internal mechanism. Might make the weapon too hot to hold if the person isn’t wearing gloves, so the likely result is they’re dropped.”

“Can the heat cause it to explode, that wouldn’t be good.”

“I don’t think so, I can direct the heat to the firing pin, but the gun is worthless after that, unfixable.”

“What if someone tries to grab me?”

“How about an electric force field? Say two hundred volts,” she beamed.

“How about fifty?”

“Oh, you’re no fun.”

“Okay, I’ll tell you what to do at the time, only interfere if I’m incapacitated.” Which I didn’t think was likely to happen.

I looked at the time, one forty, just five minutes. The task force had broken up, there was no one in the conference room. “Where did they go?”

“I secure facility in the basement. Except your girlfriend.”

I ignored the snide comment. “Show me the front of the building.”

There wasn’t a sole in sight, they’d cleared the entrance. That was quick.

“What’s the reception committee?”

“A Swat team, they’re out of sight.”

“Ouch! Bit overkill. I guess the ‘no weapons’ went right over their heads. Better start with the shield.”

The weather was dull in the Washington area. Low, dark clouds filled the sky, but it wasn’t raining. I changed into my Jo-el uniform and that elevated my heart beat somewhat. “Put me in the clouds, I’ll fly down, might as well go for the big entrance.”

Sally grinned eagerly, she was on the edge of her armchair, ready for action. I saw Pippa appear at the entrance, under the portico.

“Okay, let’s do it.”

I was getting used to the bounce, my expectation of the initial disorientation was now familiar. I felt the change in temperature immediately and I was blind deep in the cloud. I let myself fall gently and after a moment I was under the cloud, the CIA headquarter building below. It suddenly occurred to me that they may have some sort of defense mechanism, but I decided to ignore it, it couldn’t be designed to pick up a flying man.

Nothing happened, I flew lower to about two thousand feet. The Swat team were still out of view, but again I decided to ignore them. I just could not imagine a scenario where they would shoot. As I descended the last few hundred feet I could see Pippa standing on the step just outside the portico. I landed about ten feet away from her and smiled warmly. It was obvious she was extremely nervous. She was heavily wrapped in a dark gray overcoat, the collar pulled up over her neck. Her brown eyes were bright and inquisitive, her lips red with the cold. I put out my hand for her to shake, which she did tentatively.

“It’s nice to meet you, Miss Moran?” Corny, but I couldn’t think of anything else right then.

She smiled. “You have us at a disadvantage.” She kept glancing at the wings, I guess that was to be expected.

“I don’t know; the Swat team is going a bit far.”

“How did you know?”

“I think we better go inside,” I said. I was unsure how much information I should give out immediately. I realized anything I said to Pippa would be passed on. She may even have a wire or perhaps they were using directional mikes. It didn’t matter that much, I simply presumed that every word I said would later be analyzed to death.

She turned toward the entrance, I followed. It was eerily quiet of people in the grand entrance. Two security guards stood by the x-ray machine, similar to every airport.

“Pippa,” I called out quietly. She swung around to face me and waited. “I’m not carrying any weapons.” Not strictly true, my fire power with Sally at the controls was lethal, but they didn’t need to know that. “Before I go through the x-ray machine, I need to tell you that I’m wearing a computer around my waist, it will set off the machine, but I can’t remove it.” She hesitated, unsure how to proceed. I glanced around the foyer, there were two men the other side of the x-ray machine watching. No sign of any of the other members of the task-force.

“Let me ask someone?” her voice was calm, she seemed to have worked passed the initial nerves of meeting me. I’m such a smooth talker. She spoke into a microphone attached to her collar, spy stuff, so cool. I didn’t try to hear; it was obvious what she was saying. “Someone’s coming.”

We waited no more than a minute, they weren’t far away. Colin Alberton joined us and I shook his hand.

“Can you show me?” he said.

I lifted my top shirt and showed him the belt computer.

“What is it?”

I thought I’d already told them. “It’s a computer.”

“Can you take it off?” Maybe they don’t listen.

“No.” I was firm.

“Go through, let’s see what happens.” He indicated the x-ray machine, but I noticed something else and I knew immediately it was a sign. He scratched the top of his bald head with his left hand. I knew he was right handed. Time to bring in my A-Team.

“Sally, what are they up to?”

“Four of the Swat team are moving in.”

“Damn!”

“You want out?”

“No, not yet. Let’s do the electrical shield, fifty volts only.”

“Okay, boss!”

The x-ray machine beeped, there’s a surprise. Suddenly four men in full combat gear rushed into the foyer and pointed their menacing looking weapons at me. Pippa was on my side of the x-ray machine, she mouthed, ‘I’m sorry,’ I smiled. She truly was a beauty. I was surprised by my lack of fear. It’s all about expectations.

Alberton bypassed the x-ray machine and joined me. I think he was devoid of the right thing to say, also.

“I thought we agreed, no weapons,” I said, fuming.

“Not sure I actually agreed to that part,” he replied. “We just want to talk.”

“That’s what I agreed to do, Colin, but not like this.”

“I need you to remove the computer.”

Oh, crap! Wasn’t expecting that.

“Sally, you ready?”

“Sure.”

“That’s not going to happen.”

“Do you have a choice?” Alberton replied, noting the Swap team.

I addressed the Swat guys, “before you guys do anything rash I have to tell you that you might get hurt.” As soon as I said that I decided it was a bad idea. You want to rile one of these guys, just throw down a challenge. Me and my big mouth.

“I’ll escort you downstairs.” Alberton ignored my threat, he didn’t understand.

I thought I might as well say a few more things before doing the big vamoose. “If you change your mind Colin, about talking to me, have Pippa send me an email or text. I will only receive correspondence from her. Send it to ‘Jo-el’”, I spelt it out, “no dot com or anything like that.”

I heard Sally in my ear, “oh, please!”

“This is a big mistake, Colin. Anymore bullshit like this and my next trip will be east.” That should give him something to think about. “I’m leaving now.”

I took a step toward the exit and as I expected the nearest Swat guy raised his weapon and swung the handle at my head. I don’t think he had any intention of hitting me, he was just flexing his muscle. The butt of his semi-automatic met the force shield and bounced off. That felt good. Test one complete. He was surprised and made the mistake of grabbing at my arm with his left hand, which he’d removed from his weapon. His hand went into the fifty-volt electrical field, which is a long way from dangerous, but when you’re not expecting it, it’s a bit of a shock (pun intended). He leapt backwards and fell over. Funnily enough I felt sorry for him. That triggered the other three guys into action, as you would expect. They all brought their weapons up.

“Time to leave, Sally.”

Right before their eyes I disappeared, the saddest thing was I didn’t see the look on their faces.