by Thomas Shaw
It turns out that SAM is comprised of all the computers that formed the semi-circle around Don’s SDC. He asked her if she knew what his CBM project was all about. Without hesitation she told him how his group had developed a program to train military personnel how to perform virtually any function necessary for a special mission in a fraction of the time it normally took. She explained how the SDC was the main learning center where the “subject” would receive special training while in a deep hypnotic trance created by his special software. The canopy had the ability to create the illusion of a 3-dimensional hologram so you could create any virtual reality without wearing a clumsy headset. The “subject” would have the “real” feeling that they were in that actual space.
Don couldn’t believe his ears while she rattled off the most secret aspects of his project. How did she know so much about this top-secret effort? She seemed to be better informed than some of his technicians. Suddenly and without any emotion SAM stopped explaining how his project worked and suggested that he get some sleep because there was a full day planned for him as well.
He took “her” advice and went to bed.
6
Tracy, California…
Tom stopped reading for a minute to look at Julie. Without saying a word she just shook her head in disbelief. Tom turned back to the computer and pressed the page down key and watched as the mystery of Code-5 continue to unfolded in front of their eyes.
Quantico, Virginia…
The alarm beside Don’s bed went off at 5:30 am. He slowly began to wake up when he realized that he hadn’t even set it. SAM’s voice came over the ceiling speaker in his room. “Dr. Goodman, you are scheduled to meet with Dr. Merrill in 20 minutes. Can you confirm you’ve received this message?” She said, in her perfect voice.
“I’m awake,” he stammered. “Where does Dr. Merrill want to have this meeting?”
“He will meet you in the mess hall,” then the room went silent.
Don noticed that his clothes were hung neatly in the closet; even his toiletries were placed around the bathroom sink.
Don picked a pair of slacks and a long sleeved shirt and was about to close the closet door when he noticed the heavily starched white lab coat hanging toward the back. It was like he was back home when he felt the stiffness of the fresh lab coat, as he stepped into the hall. He stood there for a minute reflecting on the last 15 hours, when he suddenly realized he had no idea where the dining room was.
He thought for a minute, then simply blurted out, “SAM, where’s the mess hall?”
She responded immediately. “Turn left and walk down the hall 30 meters and take the corridor to the left, go another 30 meters and turn right… enjoy your breakfast.”
Well, that’s interesting, Don thought. SAM must have cameras and listening devices throughout this building but has yet to see the first one. As he walked through the mess hall door, all heads turned his way and he was surprised to see two faces he recognized. “Steve, Larry, what in the world are you doing here?” Don asked, as he took a seat across from his two best technicians. “You’re a long way from Livermore,” he added sarcastically.
Don soon found out that Steve and Larry had been commandeered along with his newest invention, for reasons still unknown. “We’re the only ones that know the “Black Hole” well enough to get it here safely. “You know how persuasive Dr. Merrill can be,” Steve added, hoping that would ease the embarrassment they felt in talking to their boss.
A food server was just bringing Don his breakfast when Dr. Merrill sat down beside him. “It looks like you met your California family,” Ed said, giving a wink to the technicians.
Anticipating the question, Dr. Merrill answered before Don could ask. “I needed your Computerized Behavioral Modification program for my project and wanted to explain everything here in Quantico, instead of trying to convince you over the phone,” Ed said, making no excuses. “I know you have a lot of questions but over the next two hours you will learn every aspect as to what we are doing here. Right now I suggest we enjoy our breakfast and talk about anything, politics, and the price of real estate, anything except what this project is about.”
The food was good and the coffee great so Don held his thoughts, as difficult as it was. With a fresh cup of coffee in his hand, Dr. Merrill stood up and said. “It’s time to meet SAM.”
They made their way to the operations room and with a quick press of Ed’s thumb on the bio-scanner, the steel doors slid open. It was only 6:25 a.m. east coast time, but four technicians were already busy typing on keyboards, pulling wires from one computer bank to another; all with a sense of urgency. They were now standing by the SDC in the middle of the semi-circle of computers when Dr. Merrill said, “SAM, I would like you to introduce yourself to my friend Dr. Goodman.”
Instantly a cylinder of light about 6 feet by 6 feet began to glow a bluish green color on the floor in front of them. The next thing Don saw was a beautiful woman standing in front of him, very scantily clad and posing as provocatively as anything he had ever seen.
The expression on Don’s face was more than the technicians hiding behind the racks of computers could stand. Everyone burst out laughing and at that moment Don knew he was the butt of a well-planned joke. When he looked back at the holographic image, it wavered a little then disappeared.
Ed was laughing so hard he couldn’t speak for a few seconds. “You should have seen your face,” he said, choking back his laughter. “That was our holographic projector SAM uses as a training tool. By the way SAM is an acronym for Simulated Audio Modulation. This is the voice in our computer system. If you like, we can change it to a male voice with any accent you choose.”
“The voice is fine,” Don said, feeling the redness in the cheeks slowly subside.
The moment had passed and Dr. Merrill was back to business as usual. “We refer to SAM as the computer systems you see all around us. We first started this department in the mid 1980’s in this very room. Hewlett-Packard provided the special computers during that period and this room was stacked to the ceiling with electronics. Today we have at least 1000 times the computing power with the systems you see here. We are totally a black OPS group, meaning that none of this actually exists. Figuratively speaking this building doesn’t exist and you are not here,” Ed said, with a sinister smile. “I was fresh out of MIT when Reagan, you remember the actor President, came to me with the task of collapsing the old USSR’s financial system. I picked a handful of my buddies from MIT; we teamed up with Hewlett-Packard and put together a computer system like no other. Our main purpose was to gather Intel, which is exactly what we do today. The Internet was in its infancy but very helpful in our quest. With some special toys the CIA had, we found out that the computer systems used in Russia were susceptible to being reprogrammed. To make a long story short, we developed a virus that spread itself through the majority of the computers controlling the Russian economy. Suddenly banks didn’t have the funds they were supposed to have, and shipments of materials were going to the wrong places. All of this, along with the pressure of the Star Wars missile defense program brought the USSR to its financial knees. The Iron Curtain crumbled and the cold war wound down. Reagan thought we were heroes, so he throws more money our way and we went deeper into black OPS. Most of the Democratic Presidents since then, don’t even know we’re here. Clinton came close to pulling the plug on our program without really knowing it, but Bush #2 pulled it out of the ash can so we are alive and well, at least for the time being. We made it through the 90’s without too much excitement, but the shit hit the fan in 2014. As you know, the terrorists made a grand entry on September eleven 2001 and this Islamic conflict has been heating up ever since. There was Desert Storm, then Desert Shield, then Desert Cyclone… there were so many Desert battles I get confused. Then came the big one… The now infamous 10-Day War. As you know, Iran unleashed a nuclear missile attack on Israel. Fortunately Israel had some of our newest missile guidance intercept technology and d
iverted two nuclear war heads that were launched from Iran into Syria. The two redirected missiles, almost annulated half of Syria. CNN along with Al Jazeera and all the other liberal Muslim media screamed that Israel had nuked Syria. Lebanon let go with a couple of Scud type missiles and one made it through the defenses and hit northern Israel. Israel and the United States counter attacked Iran at the same time with a full nuclear assault. Somehow Iran got off several more shots at the oil fields in Northern Iraq, Saudi Arabia & Kuwait. Egypt decides to initiate a ground assault on Israel and lost Cairo for its efforts. As it turned out, Iran had far more nuclear weapons than the United Nations had predicted. Over the years Iran had smuggled crude atomic bombs into Syria, Lebanon, Iraq and several other Muslim countries. In the middle of all this confusion, the terrorists were able to smuggle a nuclear bomb into the New York harbor on a 60 foot yacht. The explosion took out most of Manhattan, taking ten times the lives that were lost in the Twin Towers attack. Ten days later it was over. Ninety-five percent of the oil fields in the Mideast are still on fire and so radioactive that no one can get into the area to stop the destruction. It’s been eight months since the 10-Day War and our stock market has almost collapsed, major airlines are in Chapter 13, there is runaway inflation with gas prices going through the roof. Americans are facing a depression that makes the one in the 1930’s look pale in comparison. You’re starting to see the picture a little better by now… Wait a minute,” Dr. Merrill said, stopping abruptly.
“SAM, bring up a live-view of the oil fields in Saudi Arabia and project it through holographic images.”
Instantly a view of the oil fields appeared on the floor in front of them. It was clearly a high resolution view from a satellite stationed above that area. It was late in the evening in Saudi Arabia but the flames from the oil fires covered almost all of the 6 foot diameter area on the floor.
“This is a good example of what most of the Mideast looks like. That’s over 400 square miles,” Dr. Merrill said, pointing toward the floor. “Ok, SAM, let’s take a little closer look. Zoom-in until I tell you to stop.”
Looking into the holographic image made it feel like you were in a parachute dropping rapidly toward the inferno below. Now you could see the outline of roads and what was left of what used to be a substantial town. Cars were coming into view when Dr. Merrill asked SAM to stop.
“Pan left, SAM… let’s take a look at those cars.”
“What are those images lying beside the cars?” Don asked, peering closely at the floor.
“Those are the bones of people that were in the cars,” Dr. Merrill answered. “The nuclear explosion that created an electronic magnetic pulse that’s knocked out the electrical systems in the engines and the occupants that were still alive abandoned their cars only to die a few feet away, from radiation poisoning. For some reason birds weren’t effected and between them and mother nature they have picked the bones clean. That was over 20 months ago and recovery efforts are still on hold due to the radiation fallout.”
Over the years, Iran had been able to develop nuclear weapons, but the real danger is that their technology was so inferior that the bombs they used were extremely dirty. Plumes of radiation are still drifting eastward over India.
“Things are bad now but I can assure you they are about to get a lot worse,” Ed said, taking a quick breath. “Then… about 2 ½ weeks ago I got a call from the President, and he reminds me about the computer virus and a few other things that made our big hit list. He then calmly asked me if SAM can come up with some ideas on how to fix this mess and he would like to have an answer in two weeks.”
“Think about it; solve the world’s problems in two weeks,” then he hangs up. Ever since that call, SAM has been working 24/7 to gather all the information she can to try and put together a scenario that will bring us out of this run away depression and fix our collapsing economy. Some of the things she came up with made Friday the 13th movie look like a kid’s matinee. One of her better ideas was to turn the United States into a dictatorship and take over the rest of the world with more than 60% casualties worldwide. The other ideas she came up with were far worse. Then five days ago, out of the blue, she came up with a plan that required one guy that would have a 25% to 30% chance of success, and she thinks it will stop the depression, stabilize the financial meltdown and solve a big portion of the world’s problems in dealing with the scarcity of our current source of energy.”
“I’m sure she is still looking for more options as we speak, but here’s the plan we presented to the President… which, by the way, he accepted.”
“In SAM’s relentless search through her world-wide connections, she somehow came across a top-secret program in Germany. Their engineers, much like ours, are trying to find an energy source using anti-matter. They supposedly figured out how to make a cyclotron that could economically produce several grams of negatrons; this is an anti-matter material that could be used via nuclear fusion to generate unlimited amounts of electricity from a devise about the size of a thermos jug.”
“If this is true SAM thinks the auto industry can quickly develop an electric car using this thermos jug sized cell to give it a range of 200,000 miles. All this energy would come from 1/100 of a gram of negatrons stored in a special magnetic cell, as the fuel source. In other words, this car would run for 200,000 miles and never need refueling. Electrical generation companies, using this same technology on a larger scale, could develop equipment that would supply a city the size of Los Angeles with electricity for ten years by using as little as 1 to 2 grams of this anti-matter material. If this technology can be adapted to Airplanes, Space Travel, anything that needs energy, it would definitely give us a super clean fuel source that would keep entrepreneurs of the world busy for the next 100 years; not to mention eliminating the need for foreign oil. That’s the good news… now the bad news. The German engineers that figured this technology out are dead, and the only working model of this fusion technology was destroyed, and the plans on how to build this stuff are missing. It turns out that some underworld figures in Mexico, probably a government sponsored branch of the Mexican Mafia, somehow found out about this program and sent in a special team to steal the plans. In the process of making their escape they blew up the building with everyone and everything in it. SAM thinks they did steal the information on how to build this anti-matter generator and are now in the hands of the Mexican government. She thinks this information is on two or three special encrypted disks that their scientists can’t break.”
“We have recent information that makes us think they are trying to team up with the Russians. It appears they have contacted a group of high tech computer specialists that will try to break the encryption on the hard drives and share in the wealth of this amazing technology.”
“Now how does all of this involve us?” Don asked.
“Here’s the plan in a nutshell. SAM thinks that by using the training techniques you’ve developed, she can program a certain type of personality to go to Mexico, steal the hard drives, and bring them back to us here in Quantico.”
“Sounds simple enough… if it works we win, if it doesn’t work we lose one guy.” Dr. Merrill had been going non-stop for several minutes and stopped abruptly. “Do you have any more questions?”
“I’ve got several,” Don said, with a look of bewilderment on his face. “For starters, how does this stop the worldwide depression and stabilize our economy?”
“Good question,” Ed said, with a smile. SAM was way ahead of him. “Once we’re in control of this technology and develop industries like automobiles, electrical generation and new aircraft as an example, we will sell this technology to other countries with one caveat, they must pay us in gold bullion or gold coin. With this influx of gold, the President will have Congress pass legislation that will eliminate the Federal Exchange, and will put our currency back on the Gold standard. The American dollar will once again become the World standard. There’s your financial stability. This technology wil
l open doors for Capitalism to create new industries and entrepreneurs all over the world. This will bring us out of the depression.”
Don didn’t say anything, so Ed took the opportunity to continue his story. “Now comes the hard part,” Ed said. Where do we find this guy with the special personality that SAM is looking for? So I asked SAM what she was talking about when she mentioned she was looking for a certain personality. Apparently her search had uncovered a personality trait called Diminished Divergent Identity or DDI as she calls it,” Dr. Merrill explained. “As it turns out, this is a rare occurrence in a select group of people that have a dual personality. The main feature SAM seems to be looking for is the one that lets these DDI personalities appear to be non-recognizable to people who have had a brief encounter with them. This personality type just doesn’t make much of an impression on anyone. She feels this stealth benefit, while in plain sight, would be a significant factor increasing the success of this mission.”
“You’ll never believe who SAM found as an example of someone that had this DDI personality trait. I almost fell out of my chair when she told me it was; Marilyn Monroe. Or let me be more specific; it was really Norma Jean Baker. It turns out that Marilyn Monroe could switch back and forth between two extreme personalities. It was almost as if there were two different people sharing the same body and one of them was unrecognizable. At times she would go out in the public as Norma Jean Baker, when she didn’t want anyone to recognize her. This was her way of having fun with these different personalities. She would say to a friend that she was shopping with, “Watch this,” then she would take a few seconds to bend over and shake her hair loose. When she stood back up she had transformed herself into Marilyn Monroe who only moments before had been ignored by the same people who were now asking for her autograph. Her friends were always amused and SAM was very impressed. After much research, we have found that this personality trait is very unusual and only a tiny percent of the public naturally have it. It turns out this guy that SAM is looking for has to be between 28 and 35 years old, with 31 or 32 being the preferred age due to a ages of the people in Mexico he will be dealing with. We started by searching our entire military database and were completely surprised when it came up with “0” matches. Then we searched through every American male between 28 to 35 years old and again were surprised when we only found three matches.”
