“Dan. I’m in the middle of classes now. I can’t just go running off at a moment's notice.”
“You’re not. You have at least three hours’ notice.”
“I just can’t do that Dan. I have responsibilities. I have students who are paying for me to be here for them,” she explained.
“That’s well and good Abby but I have orders from the President to pick you up and get you to a meeting.”
“What is going on Dan? I’m not a government employee. He can’t just order me around like he does you,” she said, starting to get a little miffed at the situation.
“Abby, calm down. The University President, John Dulles has already spoken with the President and he said that he would make sure you were able to attend.”
“You went to the University President before you asked me?” she said.
She was starting to get really upset. End runs were something she absolutely hated.
“Abby, you’re getting ready to kill the messenger. I didn’t talk to Dulles. The Secretary of Defense called him and explained the situation. He agreed it was of the utmost importance. Then Strong contacted me and told me to make it happen,” Dan explained.
That was met with silence.
“Abby?”
“Alright, but if something like this comes up again, I want to be asked first not after the fact. You can tell the President that for me.”
“I don’t have to. He is here with me. We are on the speakerphone.”
“Oh my God. Why didn’t you tell…wait, you're lying aren’t you.”
“He could have been with me,” Dan chuckled.
“Boy. No more smooches for you buster,” she replied, “However I have to admit you really had me going for a second.”
“So, I’ll see you in about three hours. We will be coming into Litchfield Airport. Do you know where that is?”
“Sure. It’s actually not too far from where I live.”
“Great. Can you meet us there? We have an ETA of 1800 hours,” he told her.
“Alright. I’ll be there. Will I be staying overnight?”
“You should plan on it just in case. Back up a second, do you know what 1800 hours is?”
“Oh, for heaven's sake, I’m an astronomer. I think I can figure it out. Listen buster, you have been pretty insulting and you are going to have to work pretty hard to get back in my good graces,” she told him.
“I look forward to having the chance. I promise to work really hard at making amends. See you soon.”
“Wonderful. Can’t wait for you to get here,” she said.
The sleek G650 Gulfstream jet barely touched down before the pilot had it heading back to the terminal. The ladder was quickly lowered and Dan ran down the stairs. He greeted Abby, grabbed her overnight bag and hustled her aboard the aircraft.
She hardly had time to buckle up before she heard the turbines wind up and they were wheels up.
“That’s some rush you put on a lady,” she said, catching her breath.
“Don’t give them time to think. By the way, you look great.”
“Thank you. So what is this big meeting about?” Abby asked.
“You are going to meet a Doctor Metzler.”
“Fritz Metzler?” she asked looking puzzled.
“Yeah, do you know the guy?” Dan asked.
“Sort of. We both spoke at a conference a couple of years ago. I’ll have to say he is eccentric to say the least.”
“Strange is a better work.”
“Exactly. So why am I going to meet with him? By the way, where are we going?”
“Just a short distance outside of Las Vegas.”
“Nevada?”
“Is there another?”
“Wise guy.”
“We are going to a little place called Groom Lake.”
“I’ve heard that name before but I can’t remember what it was in reference to,” Abby said.
“How about Area 51?”
“Oh get out of here.”
“I’m serious.”
“Stop it Dan. That’s silly. Why in the world would I be going to a spy playground?”
“All I can tell you is that you will be told everything when we get there,” he said cryptically.
“Interesting,” was all she said.
They talked about a myriad of things. Of course KA5 came up time and again. Dan filled her in on what he had been up to and she told him about her current classes.
“This is the fewest number of students I have ever had,” she had told him.
“People are uncertain about the future. No use going to school if the world is going to end.”
“I think that is a pretty gross exaggeration. Yes we will have many problems but I’m pretty sure we will survive.”
“But that’s the problem in a nutshell Abby. Pretty sure means no one knows exactly what is going to happen. It’s the uncertainty that makes people do weird things. One day a guy tells them they are all going to die and the next some other guy says KA5 will miss everything and hit the sun causing huge solar flares. People are getting fifty different opinions from fifty different people,” Dan replied.
“Tell me this, how is rioting going to help anything?”
“It doesn’t. People who do that are lazy bums that want to take advantage of others. It’s a license to steal. The cause isn’t why they join in, it's being able to rip people off. Oops, we’re getting ready to land. Make sure your seat belt is buckled.”
“And my tray is in its upright position?”
“Very cute.”
A large SUV was waiting for them when they disembarked from the Gulfstream. The heat hit them like a sledgehammer and Abby was lightheaded for a few seconds.
“Are you okay?” Dan asked.
“I think so. It just kind of took my breath away. Is it always like this?” she asked.
“Not always. Well, I guess the truth is I don’t really know. I’ve only been here maybe six or seven times.”
“Did you get to see the aliens?”
“Sure. We sit and have coffee when I’m here. They really like their cup of Joe. Nicest guys you would ever want to meet. They talk a little strange and get pretty hyper if they have too much caffeine but other than that,” he shot back.
“It’s all men? You haven’t been flirting with a female alien?” Abby asked.
He shrugged and said, “Who knows? I can’t tell one alien from another.”
“You are so bad Dan Fowler.”
“I can be when prompted.”
Abby just shook her head.
They drove along until the asphalt turned into a gravel and sand road. Twenty minutes later they stopped by a small building that had a strange little pond in front of it. It was the only water Abby had seen so far and she wondered how it managed to keep from evaporating.
The driver opened the door and led them into the building. A man was sitting behind a desk covered with papers, books and notepads. He was talking to himself and didn’t seem to even know they were there. He was mumbling about some process that Abby had never heard of before. He seemed like the proverbial mad scientists.
“Doctor Metzler,” Dan said.
“Metzler? Yes, I’m Doctor Metzler.”
“Doctor, this is Doctor Montgomery. She is here to talk to you about your project.”
“Which one?
“The E-PEG. Remember the President wanted you to discuss it with Doctor Montgomery.”
“E-PEG, yes, yes. Of course I remember. Well what do you think Doctor Mallory?” he asked.
“Montgomery,” she corrected, “And I know nothing about the E-PEG you mentioned.”
“Oh dear. You don’t? Are you sure?”
“Quite sure,” she said looking at Dan.
“Well my dear, let me show you and then I’m sure you will understand. I’m sorry; you are a doctor of what was your field again?”
“Astronomy.”
“Oh, Tarot cards and the like.”