Chapter Seven

Larry had been questioned insistently by both Whitson and Caden after being told to report back to Fort Meade. He could only repeat his story over and over again, but Whitson finally zeroed in on the faint tingling sensation he'd felt.

"Let me get Ed in here. Maybe he can make something of that."

Grayweather entered a few minutes later, dressed even more casually than the rest of them, in worn jeans and an old shirt. He sat down in a chair in front of Larry.

"Tell him your story again, Larry. All of it," Stephanie ordered.

He did, becoming a bit embarrassed again, just as he had while relating the circumstances of Ruthanne's disappearance to Whitson and Caden.

"The tingling," Grayweather exclaimed. "Describe it again." His eyes were bright and focused. Afterward he looked over at the other two with something of an accusation in his gaze. "Has this been described before?"

Stephanie had to think. "Yes, twice, but remember, this is only the third case where someone was that close and also awake at the time the other person vanished."

"Still, I should have been told." He waved a hand in the air. "Never mind, though."

"Do you think it's important?" Stephanie asked.

"Of course I do! I just wish I had more than two occurrences to consider."

"Do you have any idea what caused it?"

"No. I'll keep it in mind when we see what the computer tells us, though. Somehow, I think it's significant. I need to think about it for a while." Abruptly, he stood up and walked away without another word, turning in the hallway toward his own office.

***

Jerry Redstone stared at the first page of the report that had finally made its way to his office. He had already read it but now he went over it again, looking especially at the date of the original missive. Disappearances? And his own subordinates had been requesting information from sources outside the agency without notifying him? To his ordered personality it was akin to blasphemy. Immediately he had his AA put out a summons for Ruthanne Carter and Laurence Tracker, whose names appeared as the requesting individuals. After that he waited, fuming, for them to come in from the field and report. Neither he nor his AA had any idea that they were already in the building, albeit in a different wing.

When they hadn't made an appearance by noon, he went to lunch in the agency cafeteria. He sat with two individuals of roughly equal rank. After engaging in the usual greetings and small talk, he began probing for information, seeing if anyone else was aware of mysterious disappearances other than Dr. Bigelow.

"Bigelow is still missing," one of his table companions said. "No one has found hide nor hair of him. I'd be willing to bet the Chinks grabbed him. Bastards can't invent anything themselves. They have to steal our secrets and grab our scientists." He made a sound of disgust.

"I heard a rumor of sorts about a couple of programmers who were working one day, but they haven't come back. I think they must have been fired. Probably some hanky-panky in one of those little closed rooms while they were supposed to be working."

"Really? How about in other cities? Have we lost any people from other agencies?"

Both the others shrugged, but Redstone didn't allow the subject to drop. He kept talking about people vanishing for no known reason, sure that even if they didn't know anything about it, they would certainly talk to other people and eventually it would get back to him. In the meantime he was damned well going to carve Tracker and Carter new assholes for starting something like this without his permission and without even notifying him.

His subordinates still hadn't appeared by late that evening, nor did either of them answer their phones. He began to wonder if perhaps they had disappeared. He decided he'd better ask about them, in a roundabout way, of course. It wouldn't do to let anyone know he had lost track of two of his field agents, damn their hides. And of course he would have to report their absence, if they didn't report in by the next morning.

***

Shit! Stephanie thought. She had already decided she was going to have to notify the NSA Director, Timothy Huffman, even if he was a political appointee, but Carter's vanishing act combined with that idiot Redstone's gossiping was simply hurrying the process. Redstone first, though, since he had already requested an appointment.

Once she had him in her office seated on the other side of her desk she began.

"Jerry, for reasons you aren't aware of, Laurence Tracker and Ruthanne Carter have been reassigned. I thought it best at the time to keep it quiet. The reason for doing so remains relevant. So for the immediate future-until you're informed differently-their names will stay in your department, but they will be working directly for me. Understand?"

"Not really. What's all this about mysterious disappearances? Does it have anything to do with Dr. Bigelow, or those two computer analysts who I heard were fired?"

Good God! How much gossiping has this fool done since that stupid report hit his desk? "What did I just say? There were and are good reasons to keep what they are doing now very quiet. That means that you are not to speak of them, or of their reassignment, nor are you to speak of disappearances of any kind. Do I make myself clear?"

"But... "

"Is that clear?" She put a threatening overtone to her voice.

"I guess so, but... "

"No buts. You are not to speak of these matters or of anything associated with them or anything that might possibly be associated with them. Now that's all. I have an appointment with the Director."

Very reluctantly, Redstone left her office. She knew he was one of those people who couldn't stand not to be in the know, but this time he was going to put up with it, if she had to personally tie him to his chair or put a gag on him herself.

And now for the Director.

***

"I can see why you wanted more data before coming to me, but... Well, let it go for now. Tell me what you have," Huffman said. He was a former Air Force General who had specialized in intelligence work. Stephanie respected him, but he was still a political appointee with all the baggage that entailed. However, he was far better than most of the idiots in Washington. His lined face and white hair, along with serious blue eyes, inspired some confidence in her that he was capable, and that he wasn't even taking into consideration his military record, which was what had gotten him the job.

"Yes, sir. I had really hoped we'd have our first computer run before now, and that's when I intended to bring it all to you. If I was in error, I apologize.

Huffman waved his hand. "I said never mind. Go ahead."

She began, and as she talked, he began to sit up straighter and listen intently. Stephanie's description of Ruthanne's disappearance caused his folded hands to clench hard enough to turn his knuckles white.

"When do you expect to make your computer run?"

"Within the week, sir. Probably the weekend, though. There are a few more items we need to consider, and our physicist, Dr. Grayweather, is still thinking about it all. He seems to feel the events are... unworldly, I suppose you could say, for lack of a better word."

"Unworldly indeed, but whether it is or not, I believe I had better inform the President. After what you had to say about that fellow Redstone, I think there's a possibility he could be ambushed at a press conference, if he isn't made aware of what's happening."

"Yes, sir." She hated to admit that someone like Redstone even worked for the NSA, but she'd had nothing to do with either hiring him or promoting him. The Director was right, though. The President had to know, even before the computer run. She very much wanted to tell Huffman what an ass she thought the President was, but she figured if Huffman didn't know it by now, nothing she could say would convince him. She just hoped that President Avrason would listen to his more astute advisors.

***

Before informing the President, Huffman knew he would first have to notify Jerome Finkley, the Homeland Security Director. He hated that. The man was a pure political animal who had been appointed to the post by President Avrason in order pay back a favor owed by the party to the man. But whether he hated it or not, there was no recourse. That afternoon he found himself in Finkley's office sitting across from his desk explaining that some citizens, including important scientists, inventors and other people who apparently were of the type to have open, innovative minds, had vanished without a trace.

"What country is pulling this shit?" Finkley blustered. "We can't let them get away with this crap!" As he spoke, he leaned across his desk for emphasis.

"The people in NSA who are investigating the phenomena don't think it's a country. They believe the disappearances are more likely to be, umm, extremely unusual events that have never been seen before." Seeing the blank expression on Finkely's face, he added hastily, "But they've gathered all the data possible and should have a complete analysis of what's happening by this weekend at the latest. I don't think we should jiggle their elbows right now, but I did want to give the president a heads-up in case of leaks. That way he won't be surprised by the press if leaks occur."

"Exactly what were you planning on telling him?"

"I was going to tell him exactly what I just finished telling you. After the computer run, we'll certainly know a lot more."

"I'll tell the President," he said. "Just tell the NSA nerds to get off their duff and get the rest of the information to me. By the end of the week, if it's at all possible."

Huffman concealed a sigh. He'd know it would go this way. "I'll do my best, sir."

***

"Shit!" Stephanie exclaimed when she saw a handful of reporters on the sidewalk outside the gate, along with their ever-present assistants carrying recorders. A line of cars was parked along the street. She kept her windows rolled up but still heard their shouts.

"Ms. Whitson! What country is grabbing our people?"

"Who else has vanished?"

"Why has this been kept secret for so long?"

The sound of screamed questions faded as she pulled away from the gate. It was Friday. They were planning he computer run beginning first thing Saturday morning. Too bad that whoever leaked the news couldn't have waited a day or two until the team had obtained harder data.

More reporters were clustered at the entrance to Fort Meade. She saw that some extra guards had been dispatched to help control traffic and keep unauthorized people away from the confines of the Fort. She had to endure more shouting, screaming reporters before she was passed through. She kept her lips closed in a thin line and never turned her head despite the number of times she heard her name. Whoever had leaked had done a good job of it, but she hoped the other members of her team were still free of harassment.

Once in the confines of the headquarters building she breathed a sigh of relief. She didn't intend to leave the place until after the computer analysis was ready if she could possibly avoid it. And that included writing a summary of the findings for General Huffman.