3
At precisely 1:00 p.m., the meeting that President Robert Williams had called convened in the Roosevelt Room. Joining him were Elliott Ragar, Matt Sanderson, Bernard Backersley, Charles Rockford, and Coverley Merritt, who had arrived early. This did not go unnoticed by the other four as they entered the room. Everyone nodded at each other while taking their seats.
President Williams spoke. "Elliott, you requested this meeting — why don't you start?"
"Yes, sir. Gentleman, please take a look at the screen. These pictures were taken yesterday. They show a fish kill of unbelievable proportions. The lake is located in an extremely remote area of Alaska. We've obviously had fish kills before, all over the world. However, by all appearances, this was a complete devastation of the aquatic population. Birds are also seen, both on top of the floating mass as well as along the shoreline. I strongly believe this should be investigated."
Bernard Backersley, director of the CIA, asked him, "Wouldn't this normally be handled by the CDC?"
"Yes. However, these are not normal times."
President Williams stood. "Elliott, we have not had the chance to discuss this. Are you suggesting the possibility that this is not a natural occurrence? It's my understanding that fish kills are usually the result of something causing a lack of oxygen in the water — red tide, for example."
"That is correct, sir. However, in this circumstance, there wasn't any sign whatsoever of any dead fish on the previous orbit. Granted, that was at last light the previous day. Then the next morning, the entire lake was completely covered with dead fish. Whatever caused that fish kill did it overnight. In my opinion, that is not natural."
There was a slight murmuring among the group. "I'm inclined to agree, Elliott," replied the president. "After the Madison Square Garden incident, anything suspicious must be identified. I want you to put together a team to go up there and research the cause. Your call on who goes. Charles, I want you to send someone from your group; Coverley, you too." Charles Rockford was the director of Homeland Security, while Coverley Merritt headed up the president's newly formed Department of the Presidential Office, tasked to work with all other agencies on terrorism to keep the president informed in real time. This new approach had been resisted by the others until President Williams set them straight. "Get on board or get out!" Compliance had been achieved, but reluctantly. "I want this to be a priority. Get on it now." That statement signaled the end of the meeting. The president left via a private door, while the others started to rise to head for the main entrance.
"Charles, Coverley, how long will it take for you to put people in place?" asked Elliott Ragar.
"Forty-five minutes for me," replied Charles Rockford.
"Same," agreed Coverley Merritt.
"Good. I'll have your people picked up. I'm going personally. We'll take the NSA jet. I'll keep both of you informed personally every step of the way. I'm also going to bring some CDC personnel and let them take the first steps. We need to know what we're dealing with before we just go hiking in there."
"Sounds like a solid plan, Elliott," responded Merritt.
President Williams sat at his desk in the Oval Office, thinking. He was trying to decide if he should apprise former captain Richard Starr on the event unfolding in Alaska. Better safe than sorry, he thought. He grabbed a secure line and hit the speed dial.
"Yes, sir," Starr answered on the third ring.
"Richard, something odd is happening in Alaska. There's been a massive fish kill in a very small lake in a remote region. It was picked up by one of our surveillance satellites. It's not like anything we've seen before. The speed in which it happened is what has us concerned. I'm going to give you the GPS coordinates. Pull it up and study the entire area. I honestly don't know if it will involve your group; however, I'd like you to be prepared just in case. Something is very odd, and I don't like odd."
"Yes, sir," Starr replied. "Anything particular I should be looking for?"
"Just look it over. Talk it over among yourselves. I've got a team, including CDC, on their way. It might be nice to get an outside perspective."
"I'll send Christman to pick up Phillips. I'll be in touch."
"Thank you, Richard."
"Anything to try to help, sir."
Starr heard the president hang up. He went outside to the gym that was set up in a barn. Former marine sergeant Marvin Styles was in the middle of his exercise routine. "When you take a break, come find me!" he yelled over at Styles, receiving a grunt in return. Then he went to find J. C. Christman, the former TOPGUN instructor assigned to the group. He heard one of the ATVs fire up and went scurrying over to stop him. "J. C., hold up."
Christman turned and looked at him and then shut the machine down. "Yeah, what's up, Starr?"
"The Man just called and wants us to take a look at something weird in Alaska, some kind of fish kill."
"Fish kill? How would that involve us?"
"Don't know that it does. He just wants us to take a look at it."
"Hell, Starr, about all I know of fish is all you can eat on a Friday night somewhere."
"J. C., just go get Phillips. If the president asks where to go eat, I'll defer to you, okay?"
Christman just grinned and said, "On my way. Does she know I'm coming?"
"Not yet. She will." Right then, Starr spotted Styles coming out of the barn and walked over to meet him.
"What's up?" Styles asked.
"Guess there's some kind of fish kill up in Alaska. President wants us to take a look at it."
"Fish? What the hell we got to do with fish?"
"Christ, I just went through that with Christman."
"So what'd you tell him?"
"Same thing I just told you. He's going after Phillips," he said, referring to the computer guru of the group. "I gotta go call her."
"You do that. I'm going back to the gym."
Starr turned and walked back to the house to make the call.
Back inside the main house of the property known as the Ranch, Starr grabbed the secure landline and hit the button for Phillips's cell. She didn't have a landline. She answered on the second ring.
"Yeah, Starr."
"J. C. is on his way to pick you up."
"This about the fish kill they just picked up on in Alaska?"
Starr was stunned. "How the hell do you know that?"
"I like to keep up on what's going on."
Starr just shook his head. "Well, you're right. The president wants us to take a look at it. He wants an outside opinion."
"From what I've learned, it happened overnight, and looks like it's a total wipeout of everything living in that lake."
"And you know that how?"
"I've seen the photographs, how else?"
Again, Starr just shook his head. "Of course you have. Don't know why I asked."
"Actually, I don't either."
"J. C. should be up there in about two hours, give or take."
"I'll be waiting. Should I bring anything?"
Starr couldn't help himself. "Just your usual bright and cheerful personality."
Click.
NSA Director Elliot Ragar had asserted himself right from the beginning that he was the man in charge. After assembling the entire research team with all personnel as directed by the president, they had boarded the NSA jet and flown to Alaska. They had flown directly to the airport in Bethel where three FBI helicopters were waiting. Aerial reconnaissance photographs had shown a small clearing approximately six miles from the small lake, their destination point.