by J C Ryan
“No one has the ability to explode a pure fusion bomb,” he sneered. “You’re mistaken in your premise.”
It took all of Kelly’s patience to rein in her temper. “Give me a little credit, Dr. Wilson. I understand the difference between fission and fusion. And I’m not saying the latter is definitely what we’re faced with. I’m only asking you to come and take a look, because we haven’t been able to come up with a more plausible explanation. There’s no radiation. None.”
“That indeed sounds like a puzzle we’d enjoy solving for you,” he answered, heavy on the sarcastic tone. “But I’m afraid my own research is at a critical point. You’ll have to wait several weeks.”
By then, Kelly had realized she’d have to drop her own bomb to get what she required. “I don’t think you understand your position, Dr. Wilson. Your research is funded by the US government. I’m telling you your government requires your expertise now, not in several weeks. If you don’t want your funding to dry up in a hurry, you and whoever else you need will be on a plane to Stuttgart in twelve hours or less. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
With that, she disconnected, confident he’d comply.
It was hours later when her own impatient internet research turned up a possible connection. It was well-known that German scientists at the Max Planck Institute were amongst the world leaders in the research of hydrogen fusion technology. Could one of them have been behind the blast?
None of Kelly’s team had the expertise to determine if it had been, but they all agreed that no one on earth had the technology to detonate a fusion bomb in so contained an area. Even if they did, there would have been some radiation, that much they knew.
Two days later, the nuclear physicists were equally baffled.
After their tests, Kelly asked Dr. Wilson, “Well, do you have an explanation?”
He lowered his glasses to the tip of his nose, looked over the rims at Kelly, held his hand up, and made a series of mindboggling scientific statements as he counted down on his fingers,
“One, a massive amount of energy must have been released.”
You could have fooled me.
"Two, by an unknown, and three, inexplicable source.”
No shit, Sherlock!
Kelly took a deep breath. “That’s it? Your conclusion?” Kelly asked with a strained voice.
Wilson nodded and raised his glasses back to the normal position.
Disgusted, Kelly kicked at a stray piece of concrete. “That’s worse than nothing. I would’ve felt better if you blamed aliens.”
A thoughtful look stole over his countenance. “Well…”
“Do NOT go there! If I hear the word extraterrestrial come out of your mouth, I’ll have you stripped of your PhD.” She grinned. “So, what’s your best guess, really?”
The scientist, who hadn’t appreciated the joke, answered stiffly, “It was a meteorite.”
“Yeah, I can see that now. One of those that come from beneath, not above. It leaves no crater, sort of levels and cleans up after itself. How could I be so stupid?” Kelly muttered under her breath. “Thank you for coming, Dr. Strangelove. I think your task is done here.”
The humorless Dr. Wilson cast her a look of confusion after being called Dr. Strangelove, apparently not a big movie fan.
On the afternoon of January 26, two weeks after their arrival in Stuttgart, Kelly called her crew together. “Have we discovered anything new in the last five days?” Receiving a negative answer, she told them to pack up. “We’re going home. Be ready to leave in two hours.”
***
Carter and Mackenzie, on holiday with their family in Europe, had been following the news about the explosion since it broke.
When the meteorite story was presented, both felt that it was a bit too fanciful for their liking. But the thought that this was connected to their own work never entered their minds.
Chapter 9 - Another roadblock
January 27
Kelly reported to Terrance Ham’s office before even going home to freshen up.
“Terry, this is driving me crazy. No one can tell us what caused that blast. And without knowing that, we have no clues as to who caused it. I need some help.”
“Anything you need, Kelly. We’ve managed to deflect media attention, but the security crisis remains. This could happen again. Tell me what kind of help you want, and I’ll see to it.”
“We need physicists to look at this. I think this is a case for DARPA's scientists,” she said. Her morose expression said it all, but Terrance clarified.
“You want me to have the most senior officer in this Army tell the President of the United States that it’s true what they say about Army Intelligence—it’s an oxymoron? And we need DARPA to bail us out?”
“Well, when you put it that way—” she began.
“I take your point, and I don’t see any help for it, either. Give me a couple of days to make it happen. For now, go home and rest; you look like you need it. I’ll call you when you’re to meet with them.”
Grateful he hadn’t belabored the point that DARPA was an independent agency, or berated her for her failure, Kelly did as commanded and went home.
Meanwhile, the request went up the chain of command, meeting with resistance but ultimate acquiescence at each step. At last, Terrance received a call from his superior, Brigadier General Jonas Fleming.
“OK, two of the eggheads from DARPA will be at your disposal tomorrow. It better be worth it.”
Terrance gulped. He hoped his own head wasn’t on the chopping block along with Kelly’s.
On January 29th, at 10:00 a.m., Kelly met with Dr. Marco Ramos and Dr. Charles Dyer to hand over her team’s evidence, including all test results, photos, and transcripts of eyewitness and survivor interviews.
She was slightly amused when she saw them—almost carbon copies of the physicists she’d met in Germany, right down to their short-sleeved shirts and pocket protectors. Less amusing was the concern that they’d be of equal use as the previous physicists—that is, none.
Nevertheless, she liked them. They seemed somehow more human, or at least more personable, than the university researchers. They charmed her by calling her “ma’am” and then hastening to explain they didn’t know how to address a female military officer. After watching them turn red as they inserted their feet further and further into their mouths, she smiled to let them off the hook.
“You may call me Kelly, but only as long as you can solve my problem, gentlemen. I don’t need to tell you this is of the highest national security concern.”
“Yes, ma’am,” they answered in unison.
She spent half an hour explaining to them what her problem was and left them to study the evidence she gave them.
Unbeknownst to Kelly, Drs. Ramos and Dyer were two of the three DARPA people to have access to the Alboran Codex containing detailed information about quantum physics concepts.
Therefore, they already knew the ancient giants who’d left the codex, known as the A-Codex, had understood subjects that today were being studied only as theory, not applied science. The Giants had known about and used Zero Point Gravity, antimatter, and other technologies that DARPA was eager to incorporate into their own body of knowledge.
Ramos and Dyer immediately had a couple of ideas, not involving nuclear reactions, about the origin of the strange blast. And after making an in-depth study of the evidence, they reached a preliminary conclusion.
Frustratingly, it was one they couldn’t share with Kelly White. Neither she nor her team had the necessary Q Clearance, though all had top-secret clearance.
Once again, communications went through channels, and Kelly again found herself in Terrance Ham’s office. This time he had a quizzical expression.
“Please, sit down, Kelly.”
Wondering if she was in trouble, Kelly complied. “What’s this about, Terry?”
“Damned if I understand it. Evidently, before your DARPA friends can report to you, you have to
get Q Clearance.”
Kelly tilted her head and wrinkled her forehead. “What? Why?”
“Dunno. And I don’t get to know. But you’ve got to get it, because that’s the only way we don’t get cut out of this investigation.”
“I’ll certainly go and get it. I’m mystified, though. You sure you don’t know anything at all about why?”
“Nope. Go see the man, and once you know, please edify me.”
Kelly’s steps were slow as she reported to the security officer. If this is so sensitive Terrance doesn’t even understand it and doesn’t know why I need Q Clearance, how am I supposed to keep him in the loop?
At the same time, her excitement grew. If it was above top-secret and I got it, would it help my career? Surely that would give her an advantage over any rival for her ultimate goal, to head Army Intelligence. Remembering Terry’s remark of three days before, she harrumphed. Oxymoron, indeed. I’ll show them!
She was told what Q Clearance meant—the type of clearance that would definitely enhance her résumé—but at the same time it scared her.
Q-type clearance was a Department of Energy (DOE) security clearance required for access to top-secret, Secret Restricted Data, and DOE "security" areas, the highest-risk sensitivity levels in the country. People with these clearances held exceptional accountability because of the potential to cause grave and immeasurable damage to the national security of the United States. It was required for anyone with access to CNWDI (Critical Nuclear Weapon Design Information) or "SIN-widee".
Listening to the security officer’s explanation, she had to shake off a few shivers running down her spine.
After turning over every detail of her life, the lives of her parents, siblings, and friends, and signing stacks of documents authorizing them to investigate anything and everything about her, Kelly was told to wait. Another roadblock and more frustration, though she couldn’t have known that even pressure from the President couldn’t move the process any faster.
The only bright spot during the next two weeks of waiting turned out to be the new guy in her life. Assistant Director, Counterintelligence Division, FBI Russell McCormick was both braver than previous beaus and more patient. Despite her leaving him before they’d even ordered on their last date, he wanted another!
Chapter 10 - Let’s inform the President
First week of February
While waiting for Kelly’s clearance to go through, the Director of DARPA, Taylor Rice, determined that Drs. Ramos and Dyer’s suspicions were too explosive, no pun intended, to wait. He made an appointment with his friend, Bill Griffin, Director of the CIA, to talk about what his employees thought caused the explosion.
They met in Bill’s office. Rice began with a classic line.
“Houston, we have a problem.”
“Oh, shit,” Bill muttered.
“We think that explosion at Patch Barracks was an antimatter bomb.”
“You’re not serious!”
“Dead serious.”
“But no one has the means to build an antimatter bomb,” Bill protested.
“The European Organization for Nuclear Research, known as CERN, in Switzerland has produced antimatter. According to them, it’s time consuming and prohibitively expensive. After all these years, by their own admission, they have produced barely enough to power a light bulb for a few minutes. So, they have the technology to produce and stockpile antimatter. What we don’t know is, are they lying about how much they have, and have they built a bomb? I think the answer to both questions are no.”
“So, if you and your scientists think it was an antimatter bomb, and let’s assume CERN is not involved, how do you explain this?” Bill asked.
“Only one other possibility we can think of, Bill. The Alboran Codex…”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, we have been studying the parts of the A-Codex about the Giant’s knowledge of antimatter. We’re just beginning to get our heads around some of those concepts. In other words, we haven’t even started producing antimatter yet—”
“Wait a minute,” Bill interrupted. “Are you saying somehow the information in the Codex has leaked out… and…”
“Yes, Bill, I am. If it’s an antimatter bomb, then as far as I am concerned, we’re looking at the following possibilities; One, CERN has manufactured more of the stuff than they are admitting, and they developed the bomb or someone stole their antimatter and developed the bomb.
“Two, someone got hold of the A-Codex information and used it to make antimatter and the bomb.”
“Who… who would leak the information, and who has the capability to make a bomb once they have the information? As far as I understand, it’s not like you could cook this up in your kitchen. You need sophisticated equipment and a lot of people with white coats, thick glasses, and a lot of brains. Yes?”
Rice nodded. “Well, many countries—the UK, France, Germany, Russia, China, etcetera—have the brainpower and equipment to do it, if they have the A-Codex information.”
“Taylor, I sincerely hope you’re wrong. I don’t even want to think what a mess it will be,” Bill whispered.
Rice chuckled. “I’m with you on that, Bill. As a scientist, it’s not often I have a desire to be wrong. The problem is, the evidence, which we have studied, supports no other hypothesis. My scientists will have to visit the site and do their own tests.”
Bill went quiet for a while and then said, “Let me get James Rhodes and Irene O’ Connell, the Director and Deputy Director of A-Echelon, in here right now.”
The two of them went in search of coffee while they waited for James and Irene to arrive.
***
Within minutes after joining the meeting, James and Irene were staring at Bill and Taylor in shock and awe.
“Let’s assume CERN is out of the picture for now,” James started. “That leaves us with the A-Codex, and as far as I can see, there are two ways the information could have leaked out—from DARPA’s side or from Carter Devereux’s side.”
Everyone agreed.
“So,” Bill mused, “who did it?”
“We can only speculate about that, Bill,” Irene replied. “That’s up to Kelly White and her investigative team.”
“Agreed,” Rice said. “She’s a top-notch CI in Army Intelligence, but she doesn’t have Q Clearance, so we can’t tell her what we think yet.
“I’d like your help in informing the President. He probably already knows something’s up, because we asked his Chief of Staff to have him help fast-track that process.”
“Agreed,” Bill said. “We need to inform the President right away.” He excused himself to have his assistant make the appointment then returned to find the others discussing the Devereuxs.
“They’re on holiday,” Irene explained. “They were onsite in the Alboran Sea for about two weeks, and now their children, Mackenzie’s folks, and her brother have joined them for a four-week vacation in Europe. They’ll be back by mid-March.”
“I’d stake my life that none of them is the source of the leak,” James added. “We’d better confirm the theory before we involve them.”
Irene nodded. “Let them enjoy their holiday. Until we have solid ground to stand on, let’s keep them out of it.”
“I feel the same about Drs. Ramos and Dyer. They would not have done it. Be that as it may, let’s inform the President, and I’ll get a team ready to travel to Germany to investigate as soon as Kelly has Q Clearance and is in a position to authorize their trip. And as soon as Kelly White has her clearance, we’ll read her in. Agreed?”
Everyone nodded, and Bill said, “Agreed.” With that, the meeting was over.
All that remained to be done for the moment was to inform the President—not something he was looking forward to.
Chapter 11 - What now?
Kelly was on pins and needles. Two weeks was too long a wait for the critical Q Clearance. Another attack could come at any moment and catch the US with its figurative pa
nts down. And that was exactly the way she put it while appealing to everyone she could think of to hurry up the process.
The President agreed. He was also pulling strings, and his Chief of Staff, Scott Eadie, had taken to ducking out of the room any time the President lost his temper about the bureaucratic red tape. He’d explained three times why Grant couldn’t accomplish the task simply by issuing an executive order, and the last time he’d tried to explain, his boss had practically bitten his head off.
In the end, it was Kelly’s connection to Russell McCormick that did the trick. With his help and schmoozing behind the scenes, Kelly and two of her team members got their clearances in record time—thirteen instead of fourteen days.
In the last week of February, Kelly and her two team members finally had the opportunity to sit down with James and Irene and get the gist of what was such a big secret.
The initial briefing was an abbreviated version, but even so she almost believed she’d been gas-lighted.
James explained there was much, much more to the story, but he and Irene had learned that dumping it all onto unsuspecting first timers always left them catatonic. He was only slightly kidding.
It just sounded too fantastic—like conspiracy theory, aliens, Area 51—the realm of total nut cases. For a mind as logical and educated as hers, the idea that ancient civilizations had been more advanced than her own was indigestible.
It took James and Irene a few days to get her and her team over the hump and get them to the okay-let’s-see-about-that stage. During that time, revelations about ancient giants, talking dolphins, and ancient nukes, among others, left them thunderstruck time and time again.
In the evenings, Kelly took the opportunity to talk to Russell about what she’d learned that day. Since he also had Q Clearance, she had no fear of sharing national secrets.
For the first couple of days, she treated it as a huge joke, referring to the briefings by James and Irene as her “daily cocktail of absurdity juice.” However, to her surprise, Russell didn’t see much humor in it—he took it all seriously. He constantly asked “what-if-it-is-true” type questions, reminding her that as an investigator it’s critical to keep an open mind and not discard anything until it can be disproved.
