Jo-el

Chapter 28 THE AMERICAN MEETING

I went to see Betty and explained I was done with the cooking classes. She was upset.

“Who’s that girl, I’ve seen in your house?”

“What?”

“I’ve seen her, through the window. What is she, a prostitute?”

Oh, crap! She must have been snooping and seen Sally.

“She’s just a friend, Betty.”

“You should know better, Dave. Young thing like that, must be your daughters age. And Mary only gone a couple of months.”

I was lost for words.

“How’d she get here anyway, I’ve never seen her outside and I don’t see a car? What are you up to? I see funny things through that window.”

“You shouldn’t be snooping, Betty, that’s rude and un-neighborly.”

“I don’t like those people near my house. You get rid of her.”

“Who I have in my home is up to me.” I could feel my temper rising.

“It’s just wrong, Dave. Think about Mary.”

“I’m leaving.” I slammed her front door shut as I left. Shit!

Sally was waiting in the family-room, seated in her armchair. “She thinks you’re hooker,” I said. She just looked at me and laughed.

“Bit of a disappointment then.” She stood up and walked right through me. I laughed.

“You said it.” I sat down on the sofa and Sally went back to the armchair. “Can you block the windows, can’t have her snooping anymore.”

“Sure.”

I spent the afternoon reading through the data that Sally had amasses. My primary focus were seven captives held by ISIS in Syria. One American, one Brit., two French, one Japanese and a young Dutch girl who’d been kidnaped in Turkey. ISIS used these people to make money, requesting half a million dollars for their release. This practice had been going on for some time; the governments around the world were beginning to baulk at payment and it was now down to the individual families to raise the cash. In many cases the companies the captives worked for would help fund their release. However, the American and Dutch girl were in dire straits, neither had been able to raise the required funds and the Islamic State had threatened to execute both of them at dawn on Thursday. That put the execution at 4 p.m. California time, Wednesday, tomorrow. I decided this wasn’t going to happen, but I wanted to meet with the Americans prior to rescuing these poor individuals for a couple of reasons. I wanted to show them what I could achieve and I wanted their help as to where to take them. During the night in Syria would be the best time for the rescue so somewhere between noon and 2 p.m. in California. So, the meeting had to be Wednesday before three p.m. eastern time. I believed the Americans wanted to meet soon so I was hopeful they would come back to me with a meeting time tomorrow. I was going to bounce them out, which I hadn’t tried before but Sally was adamant that I could bounce maybe as many as five people at one time. All the captives were held in different areas, so I’d be going back and forth. I was also concerned that if I got two out the others could be at immediate risk. The other problem was the effect on the captives of being bounced. I’d had time to understand what was happening, but they would not. I imagined it would play havoc with their minds.

Sally had shown me the captives and each of them were in a bad way. Undernourished, beaten, the girl had been raped many times. They needed hospital care. I was appalled and annoyed with myself for not checking this situation sooner. I was going to reunite these people with their families.

There was some good news, there weren’t any imminent terrorist threats in Europe unless the groups Sally showed me changed their plans. In total, there were seven serial killers in the US and three in Europe. All of them were currently lying low and it should be easy enough to pick them up.

If the Brits wanted to act quickly, I could be up in the night. The eight-hour time difference was a pain, but nothing I could do about it. I decided my mind was becoming jumbled with all the time zone issues and a little of the amber nectar was called for. I told Sally to keep a check on everything for me. A simple task for her.

I ate little that night. Sally reminded me to take another life pill. Those things were magic. I turned in half expecting to be in London before dawn broke on the west coast.

I slept a full eight hours and was in the kitchen drinking coffee when Sally told me that the Brits had set a meeting for me at four in the afternoon, which was in a little over an hour. Good, that should work. Then she pointed out that the meeting was on Thursday. Those Brits, nothing rattled them, eh! Sally explained that the Home Secretary was attending a debate at Oxford University that afternoon and her daughter was a part of the debating team. I guess world security would have to wait? Inside I admired her priorities.

“Your girlfriend sent a text.”

I ignored the dig. “And?”

“One o’clock eastern time, Quantico. Hanger three, alongside Turner Field runway.”

“Will there be weapons?”

“At a distance.”

“Jeez! How far?”

“Quarter of a mile maybe, depends where they set up.”

“They don’t feel safe without fire power, do they? I assume you can protect me?”

“Sure, no problem.”

“Okay, tell my girlfriend I’ll see them there.”

Sally grimaced.

I fixed some Grapenuts with blueberries. I’d run out of bananas and that was the end of my blueberries. The little jobs of life weren’t getting done. Pity I couldn’t send Sally out to shop. One o’clock, two hours before my window to rescue the captives, that should work.

I showered and had time to run to the local grocery store. I even picked up a regular bottle of Black Label, which was almost the same price as the one and three quarter liter bottle I usually bought at Costco. God, I was such a cheapskate.

At a quarter to ten I asked Sally to show me what was happening at the Turner Field hangar.

“Who are all those people?”

“There’s three from Homeland Security and three from the Marines.”

“The Marines?”

“It’s their base.”

“Where’s Pippa?”

“They dropped her,” answered Sally. “To cut the numbers to three per department.”

“What? She’s my contact!”

“Just kidding” Sally laughed out loud. “Oh boy, you got it bad. She’s there, behind that stanchion, talking to the good-looking FBI guy.”

I threw Sally a glare, but she just laughed.

“Twelve of them. Can you see the backup?”

“They’ve got twenty guys, dotted all over. High-powered rifles. Semi-automatics, grenades, and a couple of rocket launchers, old style, they’re not heat-seeking. I guess they don’t think you radiate enough. Two of the team are snipers, they can hit an apple from a thousand yards.”

“My God! What are they thinking? Should I call them on it? Jeez! I don’t know? I think I’d rather not know.”

“You’ll be fine.”

Easy for you to say. She loves this, just lapping it up.

“Better go with the full shield. I wish I’d seen it tested against this stuff.”

Sally got serious, I imagine she could sense my fear. “I checked it out, it’ll work. First shot I’m freezing everything they’ve got.”

“Let’s hope they miss with that first shot.”

“Yea, let’s hope.” She laughed. Back to type.

Five minutes to ten, almost one o’clock eastern. No clouds. “Bounce me to that point on the other side of the Potomac, opposite the airbase.”

“You don’t want to bounce right to the hanger?”

“No, probably scare the shit out of those guys with the guns.”

“Okay, you’re the boss.” Sometimes I wondered.

I bounced to the edge of the Potomac. The day was clear but cold, high clouds faint in the distance, a weak wind blew from the east. The water of the Potomac was calm. I couldn’t see a vessel in either direction. I took off and flew the two odd miles across the river. Sally guided me toward the hangar until I had eye contact. I flew in low over the runway, not a jet in sight. I landed about twenty yards from the hangar doors which were wide open, space heaters were spread out randomly.

Pippa was standing just outside the giant hangar doors, wrapped in the same dark grey overcoat. She saw me and beamed. Eat your heart out Sally. I walked slowly toward her and had a sudden urge to greet her with a kiss on the cheek. The old ‘kiss-hello’, I decided against it. She reached out with both hands and I took them.

“Let’s hope this goes a little better,” I said.

“It will, Jo-el,” she smiled, I melted, then mentally slapped myself. Not the right time, Dave.

“Who’s in charge?”

“Alberton, but only by understanding, no individual authority.”

I guess that meant he needed approval from the other heads for any action, that was good. Group decisions take time.

I indicated for us to go inside and we walked next to each other into the giant hangar. I could see an enclosed area at the back, paneled with glass. There were people inside, standing, watching us arrive. Most of the room was taken up by a square table with four chairs on each of three sides and one chair on the remaining side with its back to the far wall, mine I surmised. It was much warmer in the room; the space heaters were winning. Alberton came forward and shook my hand, I let it happen, but really, I wanted to clip him around the head. He introduced everyone, I recognized Georgina Lambert and her team but couldn’t remember who they had dropped. Same with the CIA members, whatever. It was all a bit of a palaver, too many people, I thought, at least Sally can remind me who’s who.

Everything was cordial, I considered mentioning the backup team, but decided to let them have at least one advantage. They all sat down, I walked to the spare chair but decided to stand.

“How do you want to do this, Jo-el?” A snide smile. Ooh, it’s be fun to whack him. “Your show.”

I had to remember why I was there. Forget my advantage and show them that I was on their side and was there to help. I had to be humble.

“Well ladies and gentleman, thank you for giving me this opportunity to meet with you, I know there is considerable interest about who I am and how I’m able to fly. I am prepared to tell you something about myself, but at this first meeting I won’t be able to reveal everything. There are various things I must keep secret, for my own security. My main aim for being here today is to assist you in your everyday work. I have abilities and information that will greatly contribute to your success.” I could sense a disbelief, shoulders sagged and some arms were folded. “I’m afraid I have to disappoint many of the general public, I am not the Second Coming of Christ, I am not an alien, I am a normal human being, who has been provided technology that is vastly superior to anything you have previously seen.” I paused for effect, not sure there was any. “So for a start I’ll lose the wings.” My wings disappeared. Also, I’ll change into something that doesn’t make me look like a comic book superhero.” I changed into a business suit, similar to the one I’d worn in London. I think Pippa was impressed.

Now everyone around the table leaned forward. Arms uncrossed and eyes widened.

Alberton asked, “how did you do that?”

I had to be careful that I didn’t tell them too much, it wasn’t opportune. “My wings and dress are holograms controlled by the computer I wear around my waist. The wings don’t work, they are just for show, I added them because I felt they would make me more acceptable to the public.”

“So how do you fly?” Alberton.

“Anti-gravity.” I said.

There was a complete look of consternation. The Two-Star Marine General at the back of the table said, “show me.”

A ‘please’ would have been nice, but Generals aren’t known for their courtesy. They’re used to barking orders. I lifted off the ground and rose a few feet, then dropped back down again.

“The belt around your waist controls that?” The General asked.

“Basically yes but I’m not going to go into details right now.”

I could see him nudge the Colonel sitting next to him. He knew that a military force with anti-gravity capability would swing the balance of world power, not that the Americans needed any swing. I had their complete attention now. But I was also aware that I’d wet their appetite and they would be salivating to obtain the technology.

“Yesterday I left the CIA building in a hurry. I’m sure, Colin, that you’ve told all of the people around this table what happened and most of you could not possibly believe his explanation.” Alberton was nodding. “I’m going to demonstrate the technology, but before I do, I think it would be prescient if you would take the eyes off me that you have around the hangar. I think the less people who see this, for now, the better.” I looked at Alberton.

“You know we have security.”

“Yes, of course.”

“How?”

“I’m not going to reveal that.” I kept my voice stern.

Alberton looked across the table at the General, he didn’t speak. I read the expression on the General’s face as he didn’t really have a choice. He whispered to the Colonel on his right, who left the table, walked to the back of the room and spoke into a handheld transmitter he was wearing. He then rejoined us at the table.

“Are the back-up leaving?” I asked Sally.

“Looks like it, Jo-el.”

“Thanks.”

“Thank-you.” I said.

“How do you know they’ve been pulled back,” asked the General.

I smiled.

“Okay, let’s move on because we have a lot of stuff to get through and part of it is time sensitive. I ‘bounced’ from the CIA building yesterday. You may want to think of it like the TV show Star Trek. They called it ‘beaming’ and you saw the actor vanish slowly and then appear elsewhere in a sort of shimmer. On the show it was science fiction but the writers were not far from what can actually be accomplished. Effectively the molecules of the body are bounced back and forth very fast and then transmitted by a method not unlike the way packets of information are sent over the internet. They are then reformed at the new location. It happens so fast that the heart doesn’t miss a beat. The speed is close to the speed of light. Obviously, I must designate where I’m going to appear prior to the bounce. Now comes the fun part. I’m told that I can take as many as five people with me. So far I haven’t tried this with anyone. So, who wants to volunteer?” I smiled but didn’t get any response. I wasn’t surprised, I’d just blown their minds with a concept that would be laughed out of the room if it hadn’t come from a guy who’d flown in using his own wings, then changed his attire instantly. Plus, what I’d done at the CIA building, yesterday.

The General stood up. “This is nuts; I’ve never heard of anything so ridiculous in my life. You are telling me that you can, what, transport yourself, plus five people anywhere on earth at the speed of light. This is going too far. I can just about accept the anti-gravity claim, there’s a few us looking at that. But, what did you call it, ‘bouncing’, my God, this is trickery.” He sat down again.

“General, I totally understand your skepticism, that is why I want to demonstrate it. That’s why I want to take one of you with me, it just helps you all to believe.”

Pippa beamed at me. “I’ll do it?”

“Oh how romantic, first date, bounce the girlfriend to Paris.” I heard Sally in my ear. I held a laugh.

“Wait a minute. She was the one you picked out of the meeting to talk to. How do we know this isn’t a trick?” It was Georgina Lambert.

“You come, too, Ms. Lambert.” I said.

“No thanks,” she replied. “I think I like my molecules the way they are.”

There didn’t seem to be any other volunteers. I ignored her comment. I reached into a pocket inside my jacket, which caused a little alarm and brought out a disc monitor. I held it up for the group to see.

“This is a disc monitor; I will show you a live video of the bounce.” I put it in the air and let it drift slowly to a spot behind me, maybe twenty feet off the ground. “I need somewhere to go that you will be able to verify.”

“It’s in mid-air!” One of the Homeland Security team. The group around the room were frightened, it was clearly advertised on every face. Some were sweating profusely, moping their brows with handkerchiefs and tissues. They were shaking, shifting back and forth in their chairs. Mouths opened and closed, breathing was elevated. Fear was everywhere.

“Anti-gravity.” I said. “Now, one of you pick a place, anywhere in the world, where you know someone who’s there now. I, with Miss Moran, will bounce to that location, out of sight, then meet with the designated person, who can confirm to you that we are there with them. Does that make sense?”

There was a mumble around the room.

“Anywhere?” stammered one of the FBI team.

“We have troops in Afghanistan, I’m very familiar with many of them.” The General, who appeared less perturbed than most.

I put my hand up. “General, let’s not pick a hostile environment. It might be somewhat disconcerting for whoever you want us to meet. Too many questions.”

He threw up his hands but I believe he understood, “what about Germany?”

“Fine, but just think about having to explain our presence, okay.”

Then Georgina said, “the FBI office in Dallas. I’ll have someone meet you in the lobby then call me to confirm.”

Heads started to nod and voila, we had a decision.

The General said, “wait a minute, I still don’t trust you. I want a Marine to go.” He turned to the third member of their team, “Major, I’m volunteering you.”

Oh, the armed forces, into battle we go, well you guys anyway, we’ll keep the lights on.

The Major bit his lip but showed little sign of concern, maybe he was just waiting for orders. The guy was a Marine, nothing fazed him. He stood up and walked around the table to where I was standing.

“Oh dear, a chaperone!” Sally.

“Hang on,” it was Georgina Lambert. She pulled out a cell phone dialed a number. When she hung up she said, “Brian Thain will meet you in the lobby, the address is 1 Justice Way. Do you need anything else?”

“No, thank-you, Georgina.” I turned to Pippa, “are you coming.”

“I don’t think you need me.”

“Jilted at the starting gate, what a shame.” Sally being funny again.

“Okay, ready Major?”

“Ready, I guess.”

I turned to the monitor and told Sally to show a birds-eye view outside the FBI office in Dallas. The office was close to a freeway, but all alone, perfect.

“I’ll land us around the corner of the middle building. You’ll be disorientated at first, just relax and imagine what it’s like being there, worked for me.”

“You ready, Sally? Make sure we land where no one can see us.”

“I was born ready, Joey.”

“Land me one foot off the ground, we’ll float down, stop him from stumbling. Right?”

“Yes, Joey, I know what to do.”

I put my right hand under his arm. “This good enough?”

“Yes! Go for peats sake.”

Next second we were standing by the side of the FBI building in Dallas. The weather was a vast improvement, warm and sunny, not a cloud in sight. The Major appeared a bit shaken but he didn’t fall over. Good for him. He stared at the building and quickly gained his composure.

“This it?”

“Yes, let’s go meet Mr. Thain.” I began walking around to the front of the building, the Major followed. Inside the lobby were several people, smartly dressed, drifting in various directions.

“Who is he, Sally?”

“To your left.”

She indicated by showing a white arrow over the top of Thain on my heads-up display. I walked over to him.

“Mr. Thain?”

He nodded, we shook hand and he studied me intently. I’m sure he recognized my face. I introduced the Major, then asked him to call Georgina Lambert, which he did. The call was short and sweet; within five minutes we had left the building and were looking for somewhere out of sight to bounce back to the hangar.

“Jo-el, you’ve a problem at the hangar?”

“What is it, Sally?”

“The General has called the back-up team into the hangar.”

“Shit! What are they planning to do?”

“Shoot you with a Taser!”