Quickly glancing at her watch, Sam punched Jake’s private office number into her deskphone. Even though it was well after six PM, she knew he would still be in his office.
"I’ve found it." She flatly stated. "Of course, I’ll double check it with Goldstone, but I’m certain in my findings. I’m faxing it to you now."
"Hold on," Jake practically shouted into his end of the phone, as he dropped the receiver to retrieve the fax. "Christ, Sam ...... it looks damn good. Very possible indeed."
She realized that she had never heard Jake excited before. Come to think of it, she couldn’t remember ever having seen him show emotion about anything.
"I’ll stay on this and get back to you with any changes." Sam broke the connection.
However, before she could take her hand off the phone, it rang loudly making her jump. "Hello", she said breathlessly.
"Hi there". said Per. "I’m afraid that I will be a bit late in picking you up this evening. I hope this doesn’t cause a problem."
Sam quickly tried to refocus her thoughts. "Per," she said, "could we please make dinner for another night? I’m terribly bogged down with something here at the moment."
"Well, I see no reason why we can’t postpone." replied Per. "Shall I ring you tomorrow, then?"
Surprisingly, he sounded disappointed at the prospect of their canceled date. "Yes, please." responded Sam. "Per, I am truly sorry about this. I was very much looking forward to dinner with you tonight."
"No worries," Per said warmly, "I’ll speak with you tomorrow, Samantha."
Then he quietly rang off.
Her social life neatly taken care of for the moment, Sam quickly switched gears once again.
She worked through the night, stopping only once to make a quick peanut butter and jelly sandwich which she wolfed down with a tall glass of milk before she hurried back to her small bank of computers. She set up an immediate direct line with Goldstone Deep Space Tracking in the Mojave Desert, which allowed her to start fine pointing all possible coordinates with their team. She spoke with Jake three more times during the night, keeping him promptly updated on all new data as promised. By three in the morning, she had located two more hydrogen frequencies, obviously ET’s radio frequency of choice. They were both substantially stronger and closer in proximity than the first find had been. As Sam worked, a definite pattern was gradually starting to unfold.
At last, as outside night was slowly blurring into dawn, Sam wrapped herself in a throw and slipped into an exhausted sleep, head down in her arms on the desk.
Chapter 11
For the next few days Sam worked feverishly. Stopping only when necessary, such as when her stomach growled from hunger. The ensuing days and nights seemed to blend one into the other. Her resolution to give up cigarettes literally going up in smoke as one after another burned down in the ashtray beside her on the desk. She was in constant contact with Jake in Boston as well as the team at Goldstone. Everyone involved was obsessed with the recent findings. This was momentous and they all knew it.
Occasionally, her house phone would ring to leave messages from either Martha or Per on her answering machine. They would both have to wait. Sam could not take the time to speak with them right now. But, as usual, she underestimated Martha’s persistent nature.
Becoming concerned after three straight days of silence, Martha stopped phoning and showed up on her doorstep in person early Thursday morning.
"What the hell’s going on here?" She snapped at Sam as she pushed her way past her friend into the foyer. "I’ve been calling you for three days straight."
Turning around, she took a good look at Sam. "When was the last time you got any sleep? You look like shit. Are you sick or something?" Impatiently shifting from one foot to another, Martha waited for an explanation of some sort.
Sam rubbed her forehead tiredly. "I’m sorry, Martha. I’ve just been really tied up with something the last few days." Martha followed her into the study where they both sat down.
"I didn’t mean to worry you." Sam finished lamely.
"Well, you have worried me - and Per, too. Jesus, he’s driving me nuts with phone calls. Is your machine broken or what?"
"No, it’s working fine." Sam mumbled. Giving herself a mental shake, she sat up straighter. "Look Martha, I can’t explain right now, but I’m working on something that’s very important. Believe me, when I can go into details, you will be the first to know. You’re just going to have to trust me for now." She got to her feet. "Come on, I’ll walk you to the door."
"Are you kicking me out?" Asked an incredulous Martha.
"Damn straight. I’ll call you." Promised Sam as she firmly closed the front door on her friend.
But Martha’s intrusion had broken her concentration. She rang Jake.
"I’m taking the 7:00 ferry in the morning. I should be in Boston by noon time."
"Good," Jake responded, "I’ll set the meeting up. Everyone will be here. Drive safely, Sam. We need that data."
He hung up before Sam could reply. What a warm bastard, she thought, freshly remembering why she had stopped working for the insensitive s.o.b.. Doesn’t matter, she reminded herself. What I’ve found is beyond all that.
As she headed upstairs for a much needed soak the phone rang. It was Per. This time Sam picked up. Slightly out of breath from her race up the stair, Sam sank onto the bed as she answered the phone.
"I’m here, Per." She said loudly over the mechanical recording.
"Samantha! How nice to find you in. Have you been away?" He asked.
"Sort of." Laughed Sam. "Per," she asked spontaneously, "how about that dinner tonight? Are you free?"
They agreed on an early meal that evening. After having spoken with Per, Sam realized she was too fatigued to move. Her longed for bath would have to wait.
She rolled over and slept deeply for the first time in days.
Chapter 12
Sam stayed comatose for a solid ten hours. When she awoke around seven, it was with dismay to see how late it had become. Regrettably, all thoughts of a leisurely soak left her as she settled for a hasty shower instead. She really didn’t know if she would be able to pull this evening off. How could she possibly sit over a quiet dinner chatting about pleasantries when she knew she was on top of the most stupendous revelation of her life? Or anyone’s life, for that matter.
Sam was seriously beginning to regret her earlier spontaneity when she heard the old VW pull in. What the hell, she thought. I have to eat sometime, don’t I?