“Does this have to do with what happened in Philadelphia in ’43?” she asked Niles.
“Yes,” Niles said. “It seems our friend and mentor was an eyewitness to the event.”
“May I ask what in the hell you are referring to?” Virginia asked.
“The Philadelphia Experiment. And yes, it really did happen, much to the regret of many a young sailor.”
“Why would Senator Lee be interested in the so-called Philadelphia Experiment after the fact?” Virginia asked, trying to grasp what was being implied.
“He was a witness to the results of that failed experiment. It scared him enough that he and Pete Golding made sure Europa kept an eye out for any hint of the government starting up that program again.” Niles pursed his lips as he thought about his earlier call from Lord Durnsford.
Without another word, the director hit a small switch on his desktop, and a monitor rose from the wood. The screen was a solid blue in color until a flash and the seal of the president came on. Niles waited.
“Can you excuse me for a moment, please?”
The four people got up and left the conference room.
Niles sat and listened to the president, his friend of many years, explain his side of what was developing in the North Atlantic. Then Niles explained his earlier conversation with his asset inside Great Britain, whom the president never asked about but could have guessed as to the asset’s identity. Niles went into detail about their concerns over an operative inside the Russian authority who was even now making his way to the area in the North Atlantic in question. A decision was made, and the presidential meeting was over. Niles closed the screen and then moved back to the conference table and waited as the others came in. They quickly settled. Charlie still held his file folder and was awaiting his turn to put in his two cents.
“I just finished with the president, and he has confirmed that we have something brewing in the North Atlantic. I will explain later. For now, let’s start with Virginia. Place your nuclear sciences division on the highest alert.”
“The entire department?” she asked.
“Xavier, get with communications and liaise with the air force. We need Colonel Collins and Captain Everett rerouted. Stop them in London and get them to report to RAF Station Ramsfield for possible transport and sea drop. As I said, we don’t know much, but I want us ahead on whatever the president decides to do. I also have a friend of our government who needs a word with not only Jack but Colonel Farbeaux also.”
“What are we speaking of here, Niles?” Alice asked.
“The president was informed that the navy has come in contact with a derelict vessel inside the hurricane zone where a resupply war game was scheduled. It seems one of those keywords Dr. Morales spoke of and Garrison Lee warned us to look for has shown its face. The president has ordered that this ship be taken in tow and claimed as salvage. The US Navy brass wants that ship, and now, so does the president. Unfortunately, the Russians have an eye toward their property and want it back. CIA and MI6 in London have reported a very unsavory character is heading out there now. This department is currently liaising with our friends in Great Britain on this Russian character who is someone of high interest. That’s all I have on that. But our friend Henri Farbeaux is a key to a point the British have made, and our French asset will be needed on this little excursion.”
“I hope there is a sea lawyer available to the president, because the Russians will take exception to us boarding their ship,” Virginia said, knowing something about sea law.
“And it seems they are heading full steam back into the area. I imagine they may want that ship badly enough that they are willing to risk the lives of close to a thousand sailors to get it. Our naval assets in the area have three warships bearing down on them at high speed while battling a hurricane. They are taking this seriously. And”—everyone looked up at the and—“when the president spoke to our friend Vladimir Putin, he says he knows nothing about this. NSA and CIA concur that he isn’t lying. It looks like we have something going on here that doesn’t include the official Russian government. We and the Brits are very anxious to learn more about this specialist the Russians are sending out there.”
“Do you think we are dealing with a rogue element inside that government?” Alice asked with concern.
Niles smiled, as he knew Alice would be the first one to see the link. “We just don’t know enough yet. Now, Professor Ellenshaw, I have something for your department also.”
The crazed white hair of Charles Hindershot Ellenshaw III perked up.
“Get with Dr. Morales and file everything we have on the phase shift experiments of the ’30s and ’40s, also all we have on the ships involved. I want this information coded and placed into the new laptop system Xavier here just developed. Virginia, give them a hand on the physics aspect of converting light to energy; it may come in handy.”
A confused Virginia nodded.
“Okay, Charlie. What have you got there in that file?”
Ellenshaw slowly handed the file over, and Niles opened it. He pulled a wrinkled, weatherworn page that looked as if it were torn from a book. It depicted a pirate with a long, curly and flowing beard with sword held high as he and his band of pirates attacked some unsuspecting ship. The second item he pulled out was a black-and-white photo. Niles pursed his lips and let out his breath as he handed the photo and the picture over to Virginia and the others.
“Those were the only items filed under the Philadelphia Event in ’43. I suspect they were placed there by Director Lee sometime after he took command in 1947.”
Virginia and Alice were both stunned by the photo and even more perplexed by the colorful picture of pirates.
“The photo is what came back with the Eldridge after the phase shift accident. According to Garrison, there were more than fifty of these creatures on board, protected from the effects that killed all the exposed crewmen by being inside when the ship returned from wherever it had been. That picture of pirates was found in the pouch of one of the attackers.”
“Attackers?” Charlie asked, pushing his glasses back onto his nose.
“Yes, it seems while the Eldridge was away, she had been boarded by whatever those creatures are. The color picture is from a licensed Russian reprint of Treasure Island, published in Moscow in 1934. How and why this creature had this on its person is not known.”
“Amazing,” Charlie said.
“I’m glad you find it fascinating, Doctor, because you’re on the makeshift field team.” Niles turned away from the stunned Ellenshaw and faced Virginia. “Inform Master Chief Jenks that his engineering skills will also be needed.” He held up a hand to Virginia before she could voice her complaint. “No, you can’t go. The master chief is far more versed in naval applications than you, and his engineering is off the scale. Get him all the information you have on the theory of phase shift so he has it available. Also get Commander Ryan. He’s going also. And tell Will Mendenhall no also. He has duties here.”
“Do you want to inform Sarah and Anya their homecomings with Jack and Carl will be delayed?” Alice asked as she closed her electronic notepad.
“No, this is now a closed event. Only the people mentioned as team members and those in this room are to have operational knowledge of this. Thank you.” Niles closed the meeting, as he needed the time to think about just what he was sending Jack and Carl into. He looked up as Xavier was close to being through the door.