Chapter Eighteen

As the dots all begin to connect,

We are starting to strongly suspect

Some researchers are not who they seem.

There are enemies within the team.

Are all our suspicions correct?

A snore/growl followed by a “What?” Not as bad as usual. Sprawled on the floor in the empty rear of the SST’s cabin, I let him get oriented. Another “What?”

“We are getting close to Cincinnati. Did you get a chance to call the Police and the FBI before dropping off?”

“Yes, I did. The Cougar’s death has them puzzled. It has me puzzled, too.”

“Well, here’s one data point you’ll want to consider. In sifting through the e-mails between the Professor and the Cougar, there is one from Covington that Ursula found, setting up a meeting in Detroit between him and the Muskox. Supposedly to work out an agreement on sharing the proceeds of the Professor’s suits and we believe, other revenue sources. We suspect that meeting did not go well. In fact, we believe it resulted in the Professor floating face down in the Detroit River. No real proof, mind you, but very strong suspicions.”

“You know how I feel about suspicions but I guess we have nothing better to go on for the moment.”

“Well, if you don’t like suspicions, how about a theory.”

The Great Bear snorted. “I like them even less, but go ahead.”

“We may have completely misread Howard’s merry band of Multiverse specialists. Suppose, instead of working toward proving electrons can be excited between alternate worlds, one or more of them is trying to throw a monkey wrench into the program. Suppose they want to keep control of the process in their own paws or claws. They may be feeding the results of their work to someone who is hostile to the idea of inter-planetary remote control. We’ve been conjecturing on the possible involvement of General Turmoil, who would love to take control of the process. Suppose there’s an Alternate Universe General Turmoil who wants to keep it out of anyone else’s paws or claws.”

“That’s a lot of supposing. You are also assuming that this Alternate Universe is home to animals like us and that Homo Sapiens isn’t a factor.”

“For the moment, but we’ve seen several different varieties in the past. I’m not sure how Howard selected the target universe. We need to get the specifics.”

“The Colonel did a pretty thorough job of vetting these folks.”

“Yes, but I don’t know that he was looking for off world attachments. You remember how the Winnipeg Opera Director and ursine assistant covered their tracks.”

“Well, we don’t seem to be making much progress following other evidence. Let’s all get together after we land and shake down this idea of Condo’s and yours.”

“By the way, Octavius, if our idea holds up, Marlin and Howard may be in serious danger.”

“I don’t like the sound of that but you may well be right. Fortunately, they haven’t budged out of the Lair for quite a while. Let’s keep this among ourselves for the moment. I’m not sure the Police or the FBI even believe in Multiverses. No need to complicate matters any further.”

We were interrupted by one of the Flying Tigers doing their approach messages. The Cubs set up a noise festival to greet the announcement. “We’re the astronauts back from outer space!!”

They weren’t the only ones who were spaced out.

* * *

Back on the ground and gathering the clan. Mlle Woof herded the space cadets into the oversized kitchen and was getting an array of “rocket grub” set up for them. There must be a way to harness all that energy. Ursula had set up a simulated launch control system for them and they were anxious to get at it.

Octavius had asked the team to gather in the main conference room. Call the roll: Howard, Marlin, the two Wolves, Condo, Ursula, Otto, Bruce, Belinda and me. Eleven participants - all present and accounted for. The Flying Tigers were seeing to the SST.

The Great Bear rumbled. “If anyone wants refreshments before we begin, speak up.” Without being asked, the Frau had brought in a keg of mead for Octavius. Bruce had commandeered a six-pack of beer. Otto went in search of his kelp juice and vodka. Belinda had a crystal bowl of champagne. I uncovered a quaff of fermented coconut milk VSOP. The Colonel and Condo had Scotch and the Frau had a snifter of schnapps. I’m not sure what Marlin and Ursula had, if anything. (What do dolphins and AI systems drink?) Howard abstained.

“All right. If your brains are adequately lubricated, let us begin. Senhor Condor and Ursula have come up with significant evidence in the e-mails between Covington Cougar and the Professor to give credence to the idea that the Cougar killed the Muskox. Is that correct, Senhor?”

“Yes, Octavius. It was clear that a major disagreement had arisen between the two of them having to do with payments over information. We believe the Cougar was feeding material on the Electron Project to the Professor. What the Professor was doing with that data is not that apparent. I doubt if it was being used to support his lawsuits. I believe he couldn’t pass up an opportunity to run another scam or two. There’s a third (or more) party in there somewhere. Anyway, the Cougar went to Detroit to have it out with the Muskox and since all communication ceased with that meeting, we surmise that the Cougar killed off the Muskox. Probably not airtight evidence for law enforcement but pretty damn suggestive. Now, of course, the Cougar is also dead.”

Bruce spoke up, “Howard, Marlin, Ursula, Colonel, is there a chance that another one of the research team besides our feline friend has been playing a double role here? Are we sure we know every thing there is to know about them?”

The Colonel answered, “Howard, Marlin, Ursula and I did a major search of the history and credentials of the team members. But I would be the first to admit that it was mostly based on documents. To my knowledge, we did not conduct interviews or verify individual events or affiliations. Is that right, Howard, Marlin?”

“No, each one of the team members, except perhaps the Cougar, has a lengthy recorded history of accomplishments and citations for work in this area. Could one or more of them be leading a double life? Possibly!”

I intervened, “Let me put the cat in with the pigeons. Suppose, just suppose, one or more of these animals is not from our universe. Let us further suppose that he, she or they are from the world you have been experimenting with. Let us further suppose that they are attempting to retard your progress without giving away their identity or intent. Finally, let us suppose that some entity in this other world is controlling their efforts. A sort of General Turmoil in reverse.”

Shocked looks around the table. Marlin answered first. “A week ago, I would have said, ‘That’s nonsense!’ Now I’m not so sure. Several of our experiments that seemed totally worked out have failed. Some of our data has been corrupted. Accidents? I don’t know.”

Howard added, “I have been frustrated by some simple activities that should have been no-brainers but have ended up being disappointments. Like Marlin, I’m not sure.”

The Colonel, who had the most experience in traveling to multiverses, growled, “Which alternate world are you using for your experiments?”

“Susanna Shrike identified it and set up our transit abilities. We refer to it as Biosphere X. We don’t know what the inhabitants call it. It’s like our Earth. Our observations suggest there are only a few sentient species like us but we haven’t done a complete survey. As far as we can tell there are no Homo Sapiens.”

“Do any of them know about you and the team or our world?”

“Like Marlin, a week ago, I would have said ‘Absolutely Not.’ Now, I’m not so sure. As part of her set up for our experiments, the Shrike travelled there but she claims she was not observed and certainly not approached. The Shrike thinks the world is uninhabited. It is extremely small. She simply left a miniscule device in a heavily wooded area and came back.”

“Or so she says!”

The Porcupine looked annoyed. “Or so she says!”

Otto piped up. “Can you send another observer, like me, to Biosphere X without the rest of the research team knowing?”

Marlin responded. “We probably could. What do you have in mind?”

“Getting an independent look at the land. The Cormorant saw me briefly at the Kennedy Center but didn’t say a word to me. I didn’t speak to him, either. The rest of the research team doesn’t know me from my uncle Adam. I’m pretty good at appearing, disappearing and getting out of tight spots. You got most, if not all of your information from the Shrike. Wouldn’t you like another view of Biosphere X from a separate but hardly disinterested source?”

The Colonel looked at Otto. “We don’t even know whether anyone lives in that world. And if there are inhabitants, an Otter might stick out like a sore paw.”

“Not if I operate in stealth mode. You know, ‘Now you see me, now you don’t.’ (Where had we heard that one before?)

Belinda spoke up, “You might be taking an awful risk, Otto.”

“Or, Bearoness, it might just turn out to be a walk in the park. What do you think, Octavius?”

“Well, my Lutrine friend, it might tie up some pretty loose ends but if you find yourself in any kind of danger, you get the hell out of there, Pronto.”

“That’s the story of my life. Rescuing or being rescued. I just want to find out if any of these folks on the research team are not who they say they are. Or they may be a lot more than they say they are. How do we do this, Howard?”

“The Colonel is the expert. I move electrons.”

The Great Bear held them up. “Before we disband, let’s spend a little more time considering these murders. The Armadillo may be right. If someone is intent on stopping these experiments and is willing to kill to do it, anyone who knows anything about them may not be safe. The Cougar probably killed off the Professor in a fit of pique over his financial two-timing. We still need to prove that. But I think Covington met his fate for different reasons and I’m not sure the carnage will end there. Senhor Condor, have you completely scrubbed all of the e-mails you intercepted?”

“Not by a long shot, Doctor Bear. Ursula and I have all of the correspondence to and from each of the other team members to go through. There may be some nuggets hidden there.”

“By the way, did you ever figure out how the Cougar and Muskox, neither of whom were technically sophisticated, used such strong encryption to protect their mail?”

“I think it was provided to them by an as yet unidentified third party. They could apply it without really knowing how it worked. They were the only ones making use of it and only between the two of them. The other research team members are using a strong but different algorithm and key management process. It’s good but not that good. (Ursula chuckled!) But what bothers me is it’s not the same system that Howard and Marlin use when they communicate with the team.”

The Bear snorted, “I’m not sure I like that.”

Marlin squeaked, “I know damn well I don’t. Howard, we’re being cut out. What started out as a confidential but straightforward and above-board research project is turning into a cloak and dagger morass. “

Howard nodded and then asked the Condor. “Are you still monitoring their traffic?”

“Oh, yes. It’s not as heavy as it was. Maybe the Cougar’s death has inspired more caution.”

The Frau, who had been taking all this in, turned to the Otter and said, “Herr Otto, I have been assisting the Colonel in many of his other-world trips. Come with me and we will get you set up. Herr Howard, please give us the coordinates for your Multiverse electron generator on Biosphere X. We’ll put Herr Otto down next to it.”

Just as the group was about to break up, the conference room doors crashed open. “Poppa, Momma, guess what we found. A real missile silo and rocket! Can we fire it off?”