EVENT CENTER, NELLIS AFB, NEVADA
Niles and Alice had just received notice of the Group’s arrival near the Black River Tributary. The director was talking with the president while Alice listened and took notes. Niles’s other assistants were busy in the communications center, monitoring radio traffic for as long as they could before the expedition went in to radio-dark territory. Director Compton was in the process, along with Pete Golding and the computer center and Jet Propulsion Lab in Pasadena, California, to retask Boris and Natasha, and once that was done the satellite would have been moved farther south by a thousand miles to a place directly over the lagoon and valley. After it had been found, they not only hoped for satellite communication with the Amazon team, but also they thought it possible to get a video feed from Jack.
“Niles,” the president said, “the intelligence chiefs of the three branches are gathering what information they can find. But no one has a clue as to why Kennedy and his men would have been on that boat. The consensus is that they were working outside the command of the navy and air force, possibly freelance. I made inquiries with the FBI. They say they have verified there was gunfire at the cemetery and that there was damage sustained to some of the monuments, but there were no bodies.”
“With your permission, sir, I would like to start working on this and the Kennedy connection myself, if you concur, of course.”
“Granted. Someone somewhere thinks they can do as they please around here. Find out who it is. Now, tell me about the progress of the rescue team.”
“We now have competent people in the field and moving upriver, Mr. President. I believe we will know more this time tomorrow. Major Collins knows what the priorities are in this situation. I briefed him about your daughter.” Niles paused. “Jack will get those kids home. And maybe it will work out for the best that her expedition was tagged by those SEALs, for whatever reason they were there. I can’t see them allowing harm to come to innocents.”
“Agreed,” the president said. “You keep me informed on what’s happening out there when you can.” He hesitated. “Something far more precious than gold or prehistoric animals is at stake for me here.” He cleared his throat. “I have the coordinates where Proteus will be passing by the site. Damn, they have to be inside Brazilian airspace for a long time. I hope they’re not tracked as something other than a commercial airline.”
“That’s a chance we have to take. Proteus is Jack’s only backup in case the school bully shows up.”
“I just don’t think we can protect her over the target area.”
“If they run into trouble, Proteus has her fighter escort. They may be able to drive any hostiles off her until she gets out of Brazilian airspace.”
The president did not respond for a moment. Then he told Niles, “If I allow a fighter escort inside Brazilian airspace right now, and if they either intentionally or accidentally fire on any attacker, it would be construed as an act of war. The president of Brazil is already giving me one hell of a hard time through the secretary of state.”
Niles deflated. Now Proteus was going to be flying into hostile airspace without her needed fighter protection. The mission backup was nothing of the sort. The odds of it working were astronomical, and the odds that they could even get over the right area of jungle even greater.
“We’ll talk soon, Niles. Let me know as soon as you hear anything from Major Collins, please.”
Niles faced Alice. “Jack has to find Helen and those kids alive.”
“You know, Niles?” She looked him straight in the eyes. “I think you should unburden yourself and tell me what has you and the president so frightened.”
“How did the senator ever keep anything from you?”
“I’m waiting.”
“Helen’s graduate students, well, one student in particular …” Niles shook his head. “She slipped her Secret Service protection and got on that boat with Helen and the others. She’s the president’s eldest daughter, Kelly.”