“I will make sure that someone fills you in, and thank you,” Tim said as the Major walked away.
*
Tim waited in the wash until he heard the choppers approaching, and then asked one of the soldiers where the landing area was.
*
He was standing on a ridge, as the first ship came down. It settled to the ground, the engines spooling down. When the dust settled, people began to come out. Tim didn’t recognize the first one, it was someone with a camera and she was taking pictures of the others as they departed. He saw Randy out second, then two more he didn’t recognize, then Ed. Tim sighed a big relief because he was counting on Ed.
What do I do if this Ed character is not on the level? What am I going to do then? I guess worrying about it is a waste of time until I know more. I’m not going to speculate until I’m sure, but I will seriously punish anyone that tries to deceive me. I will definitely set an example.
Tim waited where he was, letting them come to him. Randy and Ed spent a few minutes talking to the group they had departed the helo with, until Randy spotted Tim standing in the background. He grabbed Ed’s arm and pointed to Tim. Ed quickly broke off his conversation and headed toward Tim.
*
“How’s it going Son?” Ed asked. The photographer lady and a couple of the others from the chopper had followed.
“What's this all about?” Tim complained, as the group approached, but Randy was purposely holding them up.
“Diplomacy Son, necessary diplomacy,” Ed said to Tim, holding his hands up, hoping Tim would see the need to get this over with. Randy walked up with the other three. Ed didn’t say anything immediately; he was waiting for Matusca who was on his way over. Ed introduced the three people to the new Major. When the intros were done, he instructed the people to go with Major Matusca who would situate them for the big powwow. Ed neglected to introduce Tim, but he had done the right thing in Tim’s mind.
“Got a following I see,” Tim said.
“It goes with the territory. You don’t seem to be in the best of moods?” Ed said apprehensively.
“Would you be, in my place?” Tim asked.
“That depends, what’s going on?” Ed questioned.
“There are soldiers all over the place; I thought we were going to try to eliminate that sort of thing?”
“That’s why I’m here,” Ed responded.
“And, Ann?” Tim asked.
“I can assure you, she is safe, and will no longer figure in any of the proceedings,” Ed sounded reassuring.
“I want some guarantees on that,” Tim didn’t sound convinced.
“I’m prepared to absolutely satisfy you on that point, but we must get away from here. Where can we talk, in complete privacy?” Ed asked.
“Down in the bottom of the canyon would work.”
“Are you sure that the location is secure?” Ed asked.
“I can guarantee it, why do you ask?”
“There has been another party from inside this location that has contacted someone in our government. That’s what the big meeting is all about,” Ed commented.
“No shit! That Son-of-a—” Tim responded angrily, slapping his leg. “How was the contact made?”
“I have no idea, but Randy and I used it to get here basically unnoticed though.”
“What do you mean unnoticed?” Tim asked.
“Those people up there,” Ed pointed, “are the vanguard for a much larger group, on its way to inspect,” Ed opened a note book he pulled out, “ah, Whuc Seaacki, is that familiar?”
“That’s the translation for ‘The Facility’. Are you sure?”
“That’s the name we got.”
“Who is everyone supposed to meet?”
“I don’t know?” Ed answered.
“Who does know?” Tim questioned annoyed, as Randy walked up.
“As far as I know, no one, it was just a block invitation.”
Tim thought for a moment. Now I know what Clank has planned. Margie, Elaine, and the others will be heavily armed when they come out, and the shit is going to hit the fan.
“It’s a trap!” Tim stated emphatically.
“What?” Ed and Randy shouted in unison.
“It’s a goddamn trap,” Tim repeated, kind of laughing.
“You can’t be serious! Geez Tim, how can you expect us to cooperate if something like that happens?”
“It’s not me guys, you’re the ones screwing up. Do they really think they’re going to get an inspection tour?”
“We’re screwing up?” Randy complained. “We don’t hear from you for days, and those fighters go out again. You said that you would keep them in.”
“Are you talking about the planes from here?” Tim asked.
“Yes, Son, the little black mothers!” Ed stated firmly.
“They haven’t left here,” Tim responded.
“They were spotted along the Texas Gulf Coast, yesterday!” Randy exclaimed.
“They didn’t come from here,” Tim repeated.
“They had to!” Ed shouted.
“Someone is BSing somebody. The TT Fighters did not go out yesterday, I can guarantee that,” Tim said calmly.
“You must be mistaken,” Ed said sternly.
“I am not mistaken,” Tim said confidently. “If those planes went out, I would have known about it.”
“I don’t get it,” Randy said. “Why would they report them if—” Randy hesitated and looked at Ed.
“I don’t imagine the soldier boys, ah, might have thought they needed a reason, or something like that?” Tim asked with another chuckle.
“They ah,” Ed started shaking his head, “they’d be capable of that! You absolutely guarantee they didn’t go out yesterday?” Ed asked Tim again.
“Yup,” Tim said
“Ah, well, it doesn’t really matter now. Those smucks,” Ed added.
“Yeah, what’s done is done, so let’s get to work on this mess before it all unravels,” Tim instructed.
“But this trap thing? We have to do something? We can’t let this happen. Are you sure about it?” Ed asked.
“Yeah, and I can guarantee whatever he has planned will not turn out for the best for you guys. Unless you don’t mind working for someone else, that is?”
“He, you keep saying, ‘he’,” Ed said, sounding frustrated. “Don’t you think it’s time we know what, or who we are supposed to be planning against.”
“The second party, the one that contacted your government,” Tim answered.
“Who is that second party, we need to know?” Randy stated.
“I can’t explain right now, but we need a plan to block the meeting, right?”
“If it’s a trap, hell yes!” Ed said as he looked at Randy, and Randy shook his head in agreement.
“Good, let’s walk,” Tim said.
*
When they had gotten down into the bottom of the pool, Tim said. “I’ve got a surprise for you both.”
“You’re going to take us in there?” Randy said excited, hardly daring to breathe. Ed just got a satisfied smile on his face.
“Not necessarily, but you’re going to enjoy some of the technology involved. Will you please step inside?” Tim motioned the two men to step inside the crack. Neither one even hesitated.
As they moved into the crack, Tim activated the force field and at the same time instructed Et to transport the three of them to the Nowhere Place. Ed and Randy walked from the ancient rocky canyon into the soft blue light of Timtown, and before they had a chance to appreciate it, they were whisked into the black void of the Nowhere Place.
“What was that all about?” Ed asked as he looked down at his body.
“Molecular transfer, as in beam me up Scotty?” Tim said.
“You can move around like that?” Randy asked still breathless.
“Just inside here, it doesn’t work outside,” Tim answered.
“Wow, what is this place?” Randy asked. “Where did all
this come from?”
“It’s a place where no one can hear us. We are totally and completely alone.”
“I’d believe that,” Ed said as he surveyed the blackness all around himself. “But who built this place? How did it get here?”
“An Alien society built it and then left,” Tim stated.
“It’s an abandoned, but fully operational Alien base, is that your explanation?” Randy asked.
“That’s about it.”
“How did you become involved?” Ed asked.
“The earthquake.”
“That’s it, that’s as long as you’ve been here.”
“Yup.”
“Why are you so reluctant to discuss anything?” Randy was annoyed at Tim for being so tight lipped.
“Because, I don’t know who you really are, or if I can trust you?” Tim said pointing an accusing finger straight at Randy.
“You have to trust someone,” Ed added.
“When you convince me, I will let you know!” Tim declared.
“But—”
“But, what?” Tim snarled. “I make a mistake here, and the whole world suffers.”
Ed and Randy were silent; Tim had made his point well.
Tim let out a big sigh and said. “The other party in this thing ‘used’ to be my brother Arty.”
“Used to be? I’m sure I don’t understand,” Ed commented.
“As you know, I took Arty from the hospital. I was hoping to make him well.” Tim paused, looked Ed straight in the eyes and then spoke. “It went all wrong.”
“No kidding, that’s what has you so concerned?” Ed asked.
“Yup!”
“What do you mean by wrong?” Ed continued.
“It’s hard to explain, but I left Arty with Mr. V, that’s what I call the computer in here. Anyway, I figured Arty would be returned to normal. I wanted him to be able to walk again, that’s all.”
“You expected Arty to be able to walk? I have seen his medical reports. Don’t you think you were hoping for a little much?” Randy asked.
“Come on, you’ve seen enough to know that, in here, it was entirely possible,” Tim said.
“But it really wasn’t, was it?” Randy countered.
“Oh,” Tim said and then paused, looking at Randy. “I see what you’re getting at. No, it didn’t fail, it succeeded, and it succeeded all too well. I wanted Arty to be Arty again. Arty wanted to be something else and he got his wish.”
“What are you saying?” Ed asked with a fearful tone.
“I’m saying that my brother is no longer human. He has transformed himself into a machine.”
Ed and Randy just stared at Tim with their mouths open.
“I ya, geez I, I don’t know what to say.” Ed was finally able to speak. Randy was still in shock.
“This is Sci-fi shit man; you’ve got to be kidding?” Randy finally managed.
“Is this really a bad thing? I mean, I don’t know what to say,” Ed commented as he was still shaken.
“It’s a bad thing, I’m certain of it,” Tim answered.
“Well, if he’s so dangerous, or whatever the problem is, what’s stopping him? I mean why haven’t we seen him yet?” Randy asked.
“You have, in the planes, and the only thing keeping him from really cutting loose is me.”
“You say your brother has turned himself into a machine, and he wants to do what?” Ed asked, holding his breath.
“I’m not sure,” Tim said.
“Well, then, maybe we should talk to him?” Ed questioned.
“Are you willing to take that chance?” Tim commented.
“What harm would there be in just talking to him?” Randy asked.
“I doubt if he would tell you the truth. He wants certain things, and those things don’t include anything you would like to see happen,” continued Tim.
“Are you sure?” Ed asked.
“Yes, positive,” Tim said. “Remember, Arty was a fighter pilot and he thinks militarily. He can’t help himself, especially now that the ultimate power is within his grasp.”
“What is the next step, in your opinion, then?” Ed asked cautiously.
“To find out what the status of Whuc Seaacki is according to your government,” Tim responded.
“Our President does not want to see any bloodshed. There has been enough already. He would like to see this area stabilized, and relief efforts stepped up. There are still millions of people trapped out here and they need help,” Ed said.
“They need to get their lives back in order,” Randy added.
Do I tell them to forget the effort, knowing the geological timetable is underway, No, it would just start another issue with no resolution. Any people left in this region need to be transferred out, but I doubt the government has the resources, or the conviction to even start such a massive operation.
“I can’t do anything about that because I’ve got this problem here to contend with.”
“That’s what everyone has been wondering about. Can this Facility, as everyone refers to it, be of some help?” Randy asked.
“In what way?” Tim asked.
“There must be a hell of a lot of technology that could be put to some use, I mean for the good of the people,” Ed answered.
“The people will end up being for the good of ‘The Facility’. My brother, the machine, is looking for an army, and we can’t let that happen. You must tell the President that, and make sure he understands.”
“But if there is food, clothing, shelter, isn’t that what the people need?” Randy asked.
“Do you want to be fighting those people in the future?” Tim asked.
“How can you be sure that will happen?” Ed asked.
“It will happen, and they will be so well equipped you and your government will have no chance to stand up to them, at all. They will in short order, rule the world.”
“I think you’re exaggerating a little bit,” Randy exclaimed.
“What would happen if even a hundred like me decided to take over? Could you stop them?” Tim said.
“I don’t know, I can’t imagine—” Randy spoke.
“That’s right!” Tim interrupted. “You have no way of appreciating what I can do. There is only one of me now, and if I wanted to take everything away from you, and your government, right now, not you, nor anybody else could stop me. That’s why, what is in here, must stay in here.”
“It’s not going to be easy to convince anyone,” Ed said.
“You have to. You have to convince everyone involved, at your end, to back off. Leave this place alone; give me sovereignty I asked for.”
“What will you supply in return?” Ed asked.
“Cash, clothing, medicine, food, and anything else you might need.”
“You have that?” Ed questioned.
“Yes.”
“And, what do you want in return?” Ed asked.
“This entire area evacuated, completely. I want all the people and soldiers out, at least fifty miles from here.”
“That’s impossible, there is no way I could get them to go for it!” Ed complained.
“You have to, because I don’t have much time. I will give you enough gold, platinum, diamonds and food to make an impression. Then you must get them to agree to my demands.”
“Look Son, for starters you are pushing way too hard, and it will get you nowhere,” Ed said sternly.
“Look Ed, if you and your buddies don’t get moving fast, you’re going to be dealing with ‘Ye Old Machine’, and then you’re all going to be wishing you’d have listened to me. That I can guarantee!”
“There’s just no proof. I’m not going to be able to convince anyone, without, the, proof. What can you offer me?” Ed asked.
“Me, I’ll go with you, and show them.”
“Show them what?” Ed questioned.
“What I can do.”
“Ah shoot, I can’t see what that’ll accomplish. Everyone is aware of you and your
talents,” Ed said. “Besides, if you can’t agree, there’s always Arty.”
“But I already explained where that is going to go,” Tim said exasperated.
“According to you,” Ed countered.
“What would it take? Ed, what would it take to get them to listen? I need to do that. I have to get them to listen.”
“Oh shit, Tim, come on, you know better than that. When the hell do people listen?” Ed answered.
“When you’ve got their balls cradled in your hand, and are about to squeeze for the second time,” Randy commented.
“I don’t want to have to hurt anyone to get my way. That’s exactly what I am trying to prevent,” Tim said anxiously.
“Let me ask you something, and I want the truth?” Ed asked.
“Go ahead,” Tim said.
“I want the truth now, we can’t get anywhere if I don’t know what’s going on in your head,” Ed explained.
“I agree,” Tim said.
“What are your intentions with this so called Facility?” Ed asked.
“I want to keep it out of the wrong hands.”
“I know that, but how do you propose to do it?” Ed asked again.
“By getting everyone as far away as possible.”
“And, then what?” Ed questioned.
“Then there is no problem, is there?”
“Look you little shit, level with me. What have you got in mind?” Ed was pushing for the truth.
“I don’t know after that?”
“Bullshit Sonny! You know as well as I do that even if we can clear the area, they’ll be back. They’ll never quit trying to get in here,” Ed growled.
Tim was silent.
“You’re going to blow the place, aren’t you?” Randy exclaimed, the air escaping from his mouth.
Tim didn’t say anything, he just looked at Ed and Randy.
“Tell me no! Tell me we’re wrong!” Ed shouted.
Tim still said nothing.
“Lord almighty!” Randy exclaimed again.
“It’s got you that scared, scared enough you would destroy the whole thing?” Ed said.
“I’m not scared, not like you think. I have nothing to worry about. It’s just that, I don’t know, it’s so hard to explain. Ah, I’m not trying to be a god, or something, but it’s just that—”
“The world is not ready for what’s in here,” Ed finished for him. “You told me that already. You are really convinced about this then?”
“I wasn’t,” Tim commented, “I never really thought about it getting this far, but now I don’t know. I mean the way everybody is acting. Like it doesn’t matter, as long as they get what they want. Now I’m not sure.”