After ensuring the team wasn’t a threat, the two men led them into the elevator of the garage. They went down several floors until Danni was certain they must be below ground level. The doors opened into a nondescript passageway lit by fluorescent bulbs.
“Follow us and please keep up,” Eric said, marching forward. The team followed, flanked at the rear by the other man on Zeist’s detail. Danni glanced at Derek questioningly. He gave her a small shake of his head, which she took as indication to keep her questions to herself for now.
She wondered whether this sort of thing was typical. Aside from an eight-week survival training course at Fort Bragg, Danni’s association with the government-related portion of the job had been limited. She had been to a few offices in D.C., had logins to some systems, and had been given a thorough background check. Not that she had much of a background to check; she was still technically only a sophomore after all.
But this? It felt as if she had stepped into a cheap rip-off of those Jason Bourne movies. Then again, maybe that was the point: to try to intimidate them.
If so, they were falling a bit short. The suits that the governor’s men wore didn’t match. If anything, they’d probably been purchased off the rack. The metal detector wand they had used was no different than those found at the entrance of any amusement park.
Zeist himself also showed the same kind of inconsistency. He was a big man with close-cropped, black hair, almost a crew cut. His bent nose suggested he’d seen his fair share of fights. Yet the way he carried himself didn’t strike her as ex-military for some reason. She had seen plenty of soldiers during her training. They all carried themselves with a certain bit of ... it was hard to explain ... precision that Zeist lacked.
The only question was, where were they being led? Danni imagined some faux Oval Office type setup was the most likely candidate. There, the governor could keep them out of sight from the general public while also putting on whatever dog and pony show he had planned for them.
♦ ♦ ♦
Eventually, after walking for what seemed like blocks, they came to another elevator. This one took them up a few floors to an office building of sorts.
“Please wait here for a moment.” Eric stepped away and pulled a cell phone from his jacket pocket. A few moments later, he rejoined the group. “We’re right on time. The governor will appreciate that.”
“Right on time for what?” Mitchell asked, but the security director ignored him. Turning again, he beckoned the group to follow.
Derek gave each of them a quick glance and then shrugged. The meaning was hopefully clear: what else were they going to do? They followed Zeist out into the lobby of the building. Suited men lined the room – obviously more security.
Derek looked beyond them to the doors leading outside and stopped in his tracks. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.”
A small crowd was gathered at the bottom of the steps. Judging from the cameras and notepads present, it wasn’t hard to guess their purpose. At the top of the stairs, behind an ornate podium, a stout man stood facing the reporters.
Derek turned to the security director. “Is this what I think it is?”
Eric simply replied, “This way, please, and be sure to smile for the cameras.”
♦ ♦ ♦
“As fellow New Jerseyan, we should take pride in our great state. Pride in its people, its resources, and especially in its storied history,” the man – Governor Yarlberg, based on photos the group had seen of him – said into the microphones atop the podium. “That history includes the legends passed down from our Native American brothers to the first settlers of this fine land. While some might argue that these legends are little more than silly superstition...” Chuckles and guffaws could be heard from the crowd. “There are those who take these things seriously. Who are we to judge? If these tall tales are true, though, then my guests today will be the ones to drag them kicking and screaming into the limelight. I am pleased to welcome to our great state the cast of The Crypto Hunters!”
“Idiot can’t even get the name of the show right,” Francis mumbled.
“Not now,” Derek warned, trying to keep a smile on his face as they were herded out in front of the press.
There came a mix of cheers, mingled with some more laughter, as they made their way to Yarlberg. Flashbulbs went off and a few catcalls could be heard as Danni appeared by Derek’s side.
Yarlberg sandwiched himself between them for a photo op, taking the opportunity to put one meaty arm around Danni. Derek wondered for a moment whether she would slug him. A part of him hoped she did. At least that way they could end this charade and get to work. Unfortunately, punching out elected officials probably wouldn’t endear them to the folks in Washington.
Playing along, at least until they could get the governor alone to explain himself, the group smiled and waved as pictures were taken. Eventually, Yarlberg peeled himself off of Danni and stepped back to the podium. Derek had a sneaking suspicion of what was coming next.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I present esteemed cryptozoologist...” A few snickers were heard from the crowd. “...and host of The Crypto Hunters, Dr. Derek...” He paused for a moment to look down at his notes. “Jenner!”
Derek inwardly sighed, but stepped forward anyway. If they had to play this game, so be it. Over the past several seasons, he had gotten used to both being in the spotlight and adlibbing for the camera. As leader of the team, it was sometimes his job to play the part of the dancing monkey.
Time to dance. “Good afternoon, everyone. How are you doing on this fine day? I know I speak for my team and the wonderful folks at the Adventure Channel when I say I hope nobody ran into any Chupacabras on the way over.”
That elicited a few laughs, as Derek knew it would. Nothing like a softball joke to win the crowd over. “I’m happy to take any questions you might have.”
A woman near the front raised her hand. She was a tall brunette with intense eyes. Derek nodded in acknowledgement and she said, “So, Mr. Jenner, why exactly are you here in the Garden State?”
He ignored the bait. Most people tended to assume his title was bullshit, added to make his credentials seem more legitimate. Of course, five minutes of actual research would have proven that assumption wrong, but then, Derek had never known the mainstream press to bother with details when good old-fashioned muckraking was so much easier. Instead, he replied, “We’re here searching for the most elusive creature of them all ... an honest politician.”
That brought the desired result, including some decisively overplayed guffaws from Yarlberg himself.
“Seriously, folks, we’re here to do our job, which is searching for the truth.”
“So you’re telling us that the Jersey Devil is real?” the same woman asked.
“I’m telling you that my team and I keep open minds. We’re here to evaluate the evidence, conduct an investigation, and form conclusions based upon them.”
“You don’t have any preconceived notions?”
“Just one ... avoid the parkway at rush hour.”
More laughter ensued, except from the reporter. She kept at it, straight-faced.
“Is there any truth to allegations that you’re here at the request of the governor to investigate alleged victims of the beast?”
So much for winning over the crowd. “And you are again?”
“Julia Wilhelm, WGXP News.”
“Well, Miss Wilhelm, I wouldn’t know anything about that or who might be making those allegations. I would expect the authorities to deal with any missing persons so as to conduct a proper investigation. My team and I are here to do some research with perhaps a little entertainment value thrown in.”
“What about the rumors that your so-called research led to several deaths last year in Colorado?”
Shit! “Excuse me?”
“I have a sworn affidavit from one Katherine Barrows that you were directly involved in a series of events...”
Derek cut her off before she could continue. “I’m aware of Miss Barrows and her claims. Sadly, she is a troubled woman. I feel bad for her, but her accusations are nothing more than the delusions of a disturbed mind. If I recall correctly, her claims include mention of a pack of sasquatches invading her town.”
People laughed again, this time not kindly. The reporter, Julia Wilhelm, narrowed her eyes at Derek. She knew she had lost any credibility with the crowd.
Wishing to both spare her any undue ridicule, as well as change the subject, Derek quickly asked, “How about any other questions?”
“Yeah!” a male voice from the back yelled. “When is Danni’s new calendar coming out?”
The crowd, once again, responded with laughter.