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GROOM LAKE:
When Alex, Okana, and Jadin arrive at the base, Henry is waiting for them in a golf cart outside the air terminal. “I am so glad you have returned, my friends.”
Okana climbs into the back seat with Alex and recognizes the wooden crate in the rear storage compartment. “Damn it, what’s that thing doing here?”
“We think it may help with our dire circumstances,” Henry answers.
When they walk into the spaceship, David is waiting to discuss the new mission. “Welcome back. I just wish it was under better circumstances.” He sees the crate in Alex’s hands. “Now, let’s talk about why we brought this device back out into the open.”
Okana looks at the crate. “That thing scares the hell out of me, so it better be a damn good reason why it’s here.”
“Oh, it is. I assure you. I know why they built the gravity machine.” David explains everything he learned about the device from the log entries.
Alex holds the crate up. “That’s good news. Now that we have it, we can do what they planned on doing. It was their invention, so it ought to work, right?”
David shakes his head no. “There is no guarantee it will work, even if we do manage to get it into space.”
“What do you mean if we get it into space?”
David looks up at Alex. “This ship is an engineering marvel, but it crashed for a reason and I think I know why. The gravity machine is a prototype, and just like when I accidentally turned it on while it was in the ground, somehow the device reacted with this ship’s antigravity system. The original crew could no longer keep this craft in the air above the planet. Well, we might have the same problem. Plus, we have no idea if this ship is still capable of space travel.”
Jadin looks at Alex. “We should open the crate and take a closer look at the device.”
Alex sets it on the floor, and realizes the nails have already been removed from the lid, so he pulls up on the cover. With a little effort, the lid pops open and he sets it aside.
Okana steps back and stares at David. “That thing is still off, right?”
David gives him a nod it is and stares down at the wooden box. He too, is anxious about how powerful this small object is.
Jadin kneels beside the crate and looks inside, then looks up at Alex. “Wow, can I pick it up?”
Okana takes another step back. “I don’t think that’s such a good idea. What if it comes on again? Remember the tunnel, Alex, and the weird shit that happened there because of this.”
“I think it’ll be okay, Okana”, Alex reassures him.
At an angle, the buttons are invisible, so Jadin takes a moment to study the outside and sees the colored lights under the surface. “That’s amazing. Look at how colorful it is.”
“Yeah, and whatever you do, do not press the pretty lights,” Okana warns, moving a little further away.
When she takes it out of the crate, she looks over at David and grins. “It’s incredible that something this small can change the laws of physics. I have got to learn how this works.”
Alex looks down at the computer monitor in front of David. “Did you find any mention about a key to turn it on?”
“As a matter of fact, I did. It’s a small square-shaped crystal.” He looks down at Jadin. “Do you see a place where it can be inserted into the device?”
Jadin carefully studies the four sides of the mirrored surface. “Yeah, right here. On the opposite side of the control buttons.” She turns to David. “So all we have to do is find the key and we can use it to change the trajectory of the asteroid, correct?”
“Not exactly. The theory is sound, but it may not even work.”
Alex turns to look at David. “What theory?”
“Gravity depends on mass, with the larger mass always winning the tug-of-war. Their theory is to change the mass of the asteroid enough so that this ship could change its trajectory. Once it’s on the path they choose, they turn it off and let the asteroid continue on its new course.”
“So all we have to do is get it close to the asteroid and turn it on?”
“That’s going to be tricky, Alex. According to the diagram, the gravity device needs to be anchored to the asteroid, and that means if we manage to reach it in time, someone will need to leave the ship to attach the device.”
Without hesitation, Okana raises his hand. “I’ll do it. Anything to get that thing out of here and out of our lives. Besides, it sounds like fun. It’s not every day I get to do a spacewalk.”
Alex isn’t so enthusiastic. “I’ll go with you. How are we supposed to get out of the ship, David?”
David changes the picture on the monitor and points to the layout of the interior. “Getting in and out is the easy part, because the entry into this ship is also an airlock. But getting custom-made spacesuits is the hard part, because it will take time and a lot of money, which we don’t have very much of either right now.”
Alex looks at Jadin. “You’re with NASA. Don’t they have any suits close to our sizes?”
“Close doesn’t work in outer space, Alex, not when you’re trying to work with tools.”
Alex thinks about it for a moment, then grins. “We won’t be working with tools.”
Jadin stares at Alex while he explains what he has in mind. “In that case, I’m sure we have suits that are close enough. Let’s find a tape measure and I’ll tell them what we need.”
Okana grins. “Excellent. We grab the suits on the way to the asteroid, move that sucker, and be home for dinner.”
David stands up from behind the control console. “I’m afraid not. First, we need to test the ship. Second, we don’t have the key to activate the device. I was able to turn it off with the ship, but there’s no way to turn it on without the key being inserted into the device.”
Okana looks over at the gravity device. “So, we’ve got to find Sloan or the whole thing is a bust.”
Alex’s enthusiasm slips away. He looks at the others, who appear to be feeling the same thing. He sits down and stares at the device. Damn you, Sloan!
David looks over at Alex. He’s seen that expression before, when Alex thought about his wife, who was murdered in Holland by the Russian Mafia. He went on the rampage to execute the man responsible, killing anyone who got in his way. He walks over to stand in front of him. “I’m really sorry about your family, Alex. I’m sure you must really hate that Sloan woman.”
Alex’s hands clench into fists. “More than you can imagine. When I find her, she’ll wish she’d never crossed me.”
David knows Alex is capable of murder when necessary, but he usually has justification for his actions. “She’s probably hiding in plain sight. That’s what I would do, if I were her.”
Alex thinks about it. “It’s a possibility. Okana and I only made it into Essex’s office, but his complex is immense. Sloan could easily be somewhere in the facility.” He sits up and looks at Okana. “Do you feel like breaking into Essex’s compound?” He sees a cold look in his friend’s eyes.
“Anytime, my friend.”
“I’d better call Donner.”
Alex steps out of the ship, pulls the phone from his pocket, and asks for a secure line to Donner’s office. A few seconds later, Donner answers. Alex tells him about David’s discovery in the crew’s log entries, and their plan of action. He explains their need to pay Essex a visit at his compound to find Sloan and the key.
“What makes you think Sloan is at his facility?”
“David gave me the idea. Hide in plain sight. Okana and I recognized two of the men who showed up to take the device from us. They work for Essex, not Sloan. It’s a big compound, and she could have been hiding in one of the hangars while we searched his living quarters.”
“I’ll get a federal warrant and the FBI can take the place apart.”
“On what grounds? For the moment, we can’t charge him with a crime, and I’m not positive Sloan is there with him. I’m only playing a hunch, Martin. If I’m wrong, it’s only Okana and me who will be charged with breaking and entering. Not you. Nevertheless, if this becomes a federal issue, the public will find out their world is about to be destroyed in a matter of days. We both know what kind of panic will ensue if that happens?”
“I see your point. I’ll have the Marines at the Fallon air station back you up.”
“I appreciate the offer, but the fewer people we have involved on this, the better. It’s your call, but I think stealth is the best option.”
Donner thinks about it, and knows Alex always finds a way to accomplish his missions, and with Okana to help him, it will probably work. “All right. We’ll do it your way. My friend in Fallon and I used to work together. I’m sure he would love to accompany you on a nighttime mission. Strictly as an advisor, of course.”
“Of course. Advisor it is.”
“All right. I’ll call Ramey and let him know you need his help.”
“Thanks, Martin. Okana and I are on our way. I’m just glad your jet didn’t leave.”
“Since I’m always sending it to you anyway, I’ve made arrangements to leave it at your disposal for the duration of this mission. And Alex, keep this in mind; don’t get caught, especially if Ramey is involved.”
“Sure thing, Martin.”