Professor Derek Martin shook the hand of Colonel Patterson at the security gate on the third level, then stepped into the elevator and rode it down to the parking lot.
Ten minutes after leaving the Pentagon he parked his rental by the banks of the Potomac River, and got out and started to walk along the river's edge.
He needed to walk. And to think.
The events of the past few day were weighing on him hard. He could not stop thinking of Kate. It was only this morning that her plane had gone missing. It was hard to believe that the last time he had seen Kate was only a few days ago, over a high-definition video-conferencing link, when they had briefed the NOAA team.
Memories of their shared past flooded his mind, - her smiles, their shared kisses, her laughter - , and the grief threatened to overwhelm him.
He shook his head, and forced himself to focus on other thoughts, refusing to allow himself to think the worst. He switched his thoughts back to his laboratory.
If the Colonel had not insisted that Derek Martin make his way to the Pentagon, Derek would still be back at the laboratory immersing himself in his work. Although they had perhaps lost the Stormchaser, with Kate on board, the effort the Bush Institute had put into observing the collision of the four superstorms, had been well rewarded. They would spend the next few years analyzing the information that had been gathered yesterday, and Derek wanted to start today.
When he received the phone call earlier that morning, he had at first refused to come to the Pentagon, but the Colonel had insisted. He had promised to explain everything upon his arrival. Derek had argued that he needed to go back to the laboratory to commence the work of understanding just what had happened last night.
"That can wait until another day. You need a break. Come to the Pentagon. I promise you, Professor Martin. You will want to hear what I have to say!"
Derek had immediately called Mick, who was just leaving for the lab. "The timing is not brilliant, but I say go. I've got it covered for today. You need some time to think about Kate, by yourself. The trip might do you some good." He had a point, but it was when Mick had reminded him that a new round of funding would soon need to be negotiated, that Derek had finally consented to visit their most important benefactor at such short notice.
Now the visit was over, it was hard to take in everything that the Colonel had just told him, and yet there was no real reason to disbelieve any of it.
According to the Colonel, they had already succeeded in conducting experiments in their laboratories to transport physical matter from one location to another: teleportation.
The Colonel had not given away any detail on how their work had been completed, or even said much about what had been achieved, but he had said enough. Enough to share with Professor Martin the importance and essence of the work that they had been conducting.
According to the Colonel, the first successful teleportation experiment had been conducted in 2002, although it had not been classified as a success for the following reason: the object used in the experiment, a small cube of copper, had spontaneously disappeared and the scientists conducting the experiment had no idea where it had gone to. If indeed it had gone anywhere.
There was a body of thought within their group that the object had 'gone nowhere', i.e. that it still occupied the same place in space, but at another time coordinate. In other words, that it had somehow traveled through time.
Others believed that it had indeed been transported from one place to another.
In the following years, the scientists in the Colonel's laboratories had formed into two distinct camps. One group who believed that the cube had traveled 'spatially' and the other which believed that it had traveled 'temporally'. Each group had pursued independent tracks of research, developing new theories and experiments to explain, predict and ultimately be able to replicate such teleportation experiments at will.
Until 2009, success had been elusive. At least a billion dollars spent, with no other significant achievements.
Until 2009.
In April 2009, the team developing the concept of temporal teleportation had succeeded in transporting a small copper ball about a half-inch in diameter from one point in time to another. They had been experimenting with creating large magnetic fields around the copper ball, when it had spontaneously disappeared. What made the experiment a success, was that it reappeared in the same place, twenty-seven days later. The scientists had hoped to transport it only a few hours into the future, and at first the experiment had been considered another partial failure, - a repeat of 2002 -, but when it had suddenly materialized again in exactly the space place it had been in, prior to the magnetic field being initiated, everything changed.
After the initial euphoria of the experiment had subsided, a lot of work had been spent understanding why 'several hours' had become twenty-seven days. Painstakingly, the formulas had been refined, the experiments repeated and repeated, and through blood, sweat and even a few tears, great progress had been made.
Exactly what level of progress, the Colonel declined to elaborate on.
In contrast, Team 'B', the group focusing on the theory of spatial teleportation had not had any significant success. They had been able to repeat the experiment of 2002, and each time they were successful in making the copper cube disappear. Yet, they were never able to discover where the cube went to.
Spatial teleportation would only become real 'tele-portation' when the object could be enticed to disappear from one place and then re-appear in another, preferably in a location that was predictable and measurable. The 'trick' would be in discovering how to transport matter from an initial to a final set of predetermined coordinates. The science would be in how to make that happen, particularly in coaxing the matter to reappear exactly where you wanted it to go, at the time you wanted it to arrive.
In other words, you needed to build a 'transmitter' and a 'receiver'. So far, Team B had been good at 'transmitting', but spectacularly unsuccessful at 'receiving'. After five hundred million dollars spent on that particular line of research, the Government was considering pulling the plug.
Colonel Patterson had been following Professor Martin's work for a long time. Derek already knew that, as they had met several times before in the lead up to funding being agreed, and up until now the U.S. military, via Colonel Patterson, was the chief source of their funding.
What Derek hadn't realised was exactly why they were being funded. It turned out that his Institute was pursuing a course of research, which although different from the Colonel's, ultimately could have the same outcome. The Colonel had realised that early on. And rather than build another team internally to replicate Professor Martin's works, he had effectively 'outsourced' the research to independent minds who could potentially realise the Colonel's goal faster.
The difference between their lines of research was fundamental, but at the same time, on another level, almost negligible. The Military were investigating the effect that high-intensity magnetic fields could have on the structure, state and spatial location of matter, whereas Derek's team was looking at the effect of high intensity electric fields. Yet, as any physicist would tell you, the electric and magnetic fields are essentially different manifestations of the same force: one is inescapably linked to the other.
One simple example of the difference in approach to their research was that the military were attempting to create their own magnetic fields, whereas the Bush Institute under Derek was currently, for now at least, focusing most of its resources on looking at the capability of Nature to generate the high-energy electric fields which Derek and his resources would never be able to create by themselves, unless billions of dollars were spent. Funding which was simply beyond their reach.
What had made the Colonel particularly excited was the concept of Derek's Hunraken Amplitude and the Hunraken Vortex : "This theory essentially captures what we need to achieve!" the Colonel had explained, becoming very animated and enthusiastic. "If we can create a Hunraken Vortex in o
ur laboratory, predetermining where the vortex is initiated and where it terminates, and then inject matter into that vortex, then we will be able to transport it from 'A' to 'B', and measure the outcome of the experiment! But, even better, is that your theory could easily bridge the divide that currently exists between our two separate approaches to this problem. The best scientists in our team all agree that your Hunraken Vortex could be established in one set of four dimensional coordinates and be terminated in any other. In other words, in your initial target coordinates, either the spatial coordinates 'X,Y,Z' could vary, or the fourth dimensional coordinate: 'Time'. That way, an object could be transported, spatially, temporally, or both! Which is exactly what I believe has happened to Stormchaser 3."
The Colonel had then become more subdued, and said nothing for a few minutes. Derek was silent, recognising that he wanted to say more, but that he was thinking about what he was going to say next.
"The problem I have," the Professor had continued, "...Is that not only do I have to be able to verify the result of every experiment, and understand whether or not it is line with the theoretical predictions...but I also have to demonstrate, prove and explain everything to the Defense Department...to those who fund me. Especially if I want more funding to continue the work!" The Colonel had paused, looked at the Derek straight in the eyes and then continued. "How close were you to Kate?"
The question caught Derek completely off guard. "Kate?...I'm sorry...I don't see the relevance? That's a personal matter, and I thought we weren't going to discuss that anymore."
"Actually, it is relevant. I'm sorry. Maybe I should have clarified earlier the reason we know about your relationship with her. You see, the thing is...Kate works for me."
The Colonel let the sentence hang in the air for a moment before making any attempt to clarify it.
"For you?" Derek asked, confused.
"Yes."
"I thought she worked for NOAA..." Derek protested.
"Well, technically,...she does. As well as for me. But I recruited her a number of years ago, to ...help out....sometimes, with information about observations made whilst at NOAA, both scientific and otherwise. I'm afraid, I can't really elaborate too much."
"Kate was a spy?"
"No. I wouldn't call it that. She was not doing anything that would harm any other Americans. Not at all...but, and let me get to the point here, she was my man on board the Stormchaser, if you pardon the expression...my eyes and ears."
"I don't understand, what was so special that you needed to know about..."
Even before he had finished the question, the answer dawned on Derek. It was beginning to make sense. The Colonel saw the recognition in Derek's eyes.
"Ah, so, I think you understand now. The Stormchaser was flying into the center of the storm, and we were hoping that it would observe a Hunraken Vortex. We couldn't tell NOAA what to ask their teams to look out for, simply because it's all classified and the very fact that we are looking for such a thing is classified. So, we had to ensure that someone on the flight would be our eyes and ears. Someone we could trust."
"Kate was looking for a Hunraken Vortex? She knew about it?"
"Yes. The thing is, none of us knew what it would look like, or in particular how large it would be. I am pretty sure that even you were looking for something very small, and that you had never even considered the possibility that a whole plane could fly through one, or be sucked into it, should one be created?"
"No?stupidly we were looking for something very small...we were looking for something on a completely different scale all together..."
"Exactly. So don't blame yourself. But, and this is the thing, a couple of us at ...in our laboratory... had considered the possibility that such a thing, if created, could actually be large enough to transport something quite large. So..."
"So what?" Derek had said, standing up from his chair and looming over the Colonel? "What did you do?"
"Well,...it was me actually. I met with Kate and we discussed the possibility of something extraordinary taking place, and what she should do if it did happen."
"And what was that? What did you tell her to do if 'something extraordinary' happened?"
"Before I tell you, first think back to what I just told you about the need to verify the result of any experiment. To be able to prove that something took place, both for the purposes of scientific enquiry, and to satisfy the Generals in the Pentagon so that they continue to fund the project."
"I remember... so what is your point?"
"The point is, that in the eventuality that Kate's plane observed a Hunraken Vortex, and in the unlikely event that the plane was caught in that vortex, ...or even if she was able to deliberately 'fly' into one..., then it was of prime importance that when she came out the other side..."
"IF she came out the other side... there is no proof..." Derek interrupted.
"Yes, that IF she came out the other side," the Colonel carried on, determined to finish his point, "?then, wherever she materialized, she should endeavor to make contact with me to describe the experience, and document what had happened."
"I can't believe you....did you ask her to fly into the vortex? That's insanity. Transporting a half-inch ball of copper from one point to another is nothing like transporting a live, incredibly complex, human being!"
"I know, Derek, I know. And don't ask me how I know, just suffice it to say that I do. My point...my point in all of this is that she knew the risks, and she knew the importance of what could happen, if it did. And she knew the incredible importance of contacting me as soon as possible, if anything did happen.
"So, what are you saying? That you have heard from her? Is she alive?" Hope suddenly soared within Derek, only to be dashed a few seconds later.
"No, I'm sorry. That's not what I meant. What I was going to say was that we have not heard anything back so far, so either she is dead, or she was transported somewhere else, either spatially to somewhere where she can't reach us yet, or possibly, just possibly, temporally to either the future or the past. Quite frankly, if she was transported into the future, I can't see any way of her communicating with us now, so we may never know. But, on the other hand, if she was transported back in time...then... there is a possibility that she could let us know."
"Colonel, this is getting ridiculous... This is becoming the stuff of fairy tales and children's stories. This is not science..."
The Colonel stood up from his desk, leaned across the desk and raised his voice slightly.
"Professor Martin, let me ASSURE you, that this is not the stuff of fairy tales or fiction. This is reality. Why on earth do you think the United States government has spent over $1billion dollars on this so far? Because it is real, that's why, because we KNOW it's possible. We..."
The conversation was getting heated.
"Excuse me, Colonel, and just exactly HOW do you know this is all possible? How?"
For a second, just a second, Derek saw the Colonel's eyes glance over his shoulder at the picture on the wall behind Derek, before coming straight back. "Please sit down, Professor Martin, let us both calm down."
The Colonel gestured with his hand, indicating that Derek should sit before the conversation continued.
Derek hesitated, and then sat down. The Colonel resumed his place opposite him.
"Please believe me when I say that we know this is not as ridiculous as it seems. And let me suggest, most respectfully, that you start believing a little more in the theory that YOU created. You need to start thinking a little more creatively about what it is that you have discovered. You were not the first, but you are perhaps, the most accurate in describing..."
"What do you mean I am not the 'first'?" Derek asked.
The Colonel stopped what he was saying in mid-sentence. He stood up again, and walked to the window and looked out.
"Professor Martin, honestly, I cannot say any more. At least not now. But I do want to share with you one thing. Kate agreed with me, that sho
uld such an unlikely thing like 'being caught in a time travelling H-Vortex'...as she called it... ever happen, and if she went back in time, then if it was the last thing she ever did, she would find a way to leave me a message telling me that she had survived and what had happened to her."
"How?"
"Last week we agreed that she should strive to leave a message somewhere where it would survive the course of time. We agreed twenty locations throughout the world where such a message could be left, just in case she was also transported spatially as well as temporally, and she ended up in some distant part of the world with no means to travel between continents. At least, there would be some possibility of travelling across a continent,... if there were the will to succeed. Incidentally, Kate is not the only person trained to do this. We also have others on the other Stormchasers, but it just so happened that it was Kate that was affected."
"This is incredible...absolutely ridiculous..."
"Let me stop you there, immediately, Professor Martin. This is NOT incredible, or ridiculous. And please never think like that again. There are more people interested in the outcome of these experiments than you could possibly imagine. You may be at an elementary stage in your work, but others are not. Believe me, when I say that this is not a game we are playing. Perhaps, at another time, we can talk more about certain aspects of this, but first we need to focus on what just happened in the Atlantic Ocean!"
The Colonel took a few visible deep breaths and then sat down in his chair placing both hands on the table in front of him.
"I know your next question will be, if we have heard from her yet or not, and the answer is no. As we speak, I have agents checking the places that we have pre-agreed would be drop-zone locations for messages to be delivered. However, with each agent we always agree a wild-card drop zone, which is basically somewhere which is personal to that person. Just before the flight, on Sunday, Kate called me. She changed her wildcard location."
"So? What has this got to do with me? I don't understand."
"You will. I have agents checking everywhere else apart from Kate's wildcard. I don't know where Kate's wildcard location is. You do."
"I'm sorry? I still don't understand."
"You will. As part of the security check we did on Kate before we brought her into the program, we identified you as being a former lover. We know a lot about you, Professor Martin, and your relationship with Kate. She knew we knew, and she also found it rather funny,..actually 'cute'...those were her words, not mine,...that she was flying this mission to essentially investigate your theories. She was very proud of you. That's why she suggested that if the mission was successful, and if the Stormchaser was caught in a vortex and sent back in time, then her wildcard location would be exactly where you first told her how much you loved her. I know, it's embarrassing,... but I think you know that Kate has a bit of a wild side to her, and this was her idea and not mine. But basically, it leaves me with no choice, and I have to ask you please to tell me a little more about your relationship with her, and if you can remember, to tell me exactly where you first told her that you love her! It may sound stupid now, but this could, quite literally, be a matter of national importance."
Derek laughed. This was so typically Kate.
The Kate who he had once loved with all his heart.
And still did.
The past twenty-four hours had been hell, wondering what had happened to Stormchaser 3 and assuming that she was dead. But if there was any hope...any...that she could still be alive, even though in another time, then Derek needed to know.
"Please pass me a pen and paper. I will draw you a map of where I first told her. If she is anywhere in the Caribbean she will make it to this place. This will be the place where she will leave her message."
The Colonel opened his attach? case, pulled out some paper and a pen, and slid it across to Derek.
As Derek started to draw a map, he asked, "So, Colonel Patterson, when will your agents go and look for this message of yours?"
"Tomorrow. I leave tomorrow."
"You're going personally?"
"If it's in the Caribbean I will go myself. I'll fly down at dawn."
Derek finished the diagram, pushed it over to the Colonel and explained it.
"Promise me, the moment you find anything, you will call me personally?"
"I will. You have my word."
Thirty minutes later, Derek was sitting on a bench on the banks of the Potomac, looking out across the river, and thinking of Kate.
A tear welled up in the corner of his eye, and Derek wiped it away on the back of his hand. Then he closed his eyes and bowed his head, and for the first time in years, he prayed, asking for Kate to have been delivered safely through space and time to wherever the Hunraken Vortex had taken her.