Quantum Touch Collection - Books 4-6

Chapter 5

“THANKS FOR your help, Al,” said Fritz.

THANKS FOR“I didn"t do much. Can you tell me what just happened? It went so fast.”

“Come to our place,” Fritz said.

Before they reached the house, Jane had the president on the phone. He had called to thank them once again and to tell her he needed her in Washington the next day.

Al joined them at the crowded kitchen table. Fritz made coffee and brought out pound cake. Everyone listened as Jane talked to the president. She handed Fritz her phone.

“Mr. President, if Tony"s here, why don"t you come here?” he said. “No interruptions. Bring anyone you need with you.” He listened and said, “No problem. See you tomorrow then.” He handed the phone to Jane.

Placing the phone on the table, Jane said that everyone who was needed to discuss both the ship bombing and the summit would come through the portal at ten the next morning. It would likely be the secretaries of state, defense, and homeland security, General Beech, Admiral Davis, the heads of the CIA and FBI, and of course the president and vice president. She looked around the table with a blank stare, still thinking. “I think that"s it. Fritz, we"ll use a classroom to meet. Okay? You know, he likes it here. And it will get him away from the vultures. Oh, and the NSA chief. How could I forget her?”

Fritz asked, “Would this be a good time to add the Speaker?” Yanked from her reverie, Jane said she would ask the president.

Ashley suggested that they disguise the classroom. “People in the government were behind the attack on the school,” he said. “Koppler. That Navy guy, Wixted, the one who fed information to Koppler. How do we know they didn"t tell others?”

“We don"t,” said Jane.

Ashley said he thought they should get to the school early and set up across the hall from the portal. That classroom was not being used. He said it should be easy to set up like a meeting space.

“We"re collecting equipment and uniforms in the morning,” Al said. “We should be done in about two hours. I told them I would open the doors at 9:30. They"ll only be able to use the locker room entrance, in and out.”

“Before you leave, stop down and let us know everyone"s gone.”

* * *

BY NINE THE next morning, Tony, Colonel Mitchell and six soldiers had arrived from the secret airport. At quarter to ten, Tony hooked up the generator and called the planes. Colonel Mitchell lined up his men to form an aisle from room to room. At ten sharp, Jane signaled Fritz. He pulled the door and looked at surprised faces. The Oval Office occupants emptied into the room across the hall. The president came last, winked, but didn"t speak. James and Mel stood aside as Jane and the president disappeared behind the closing door. He told the group that he wanted to discuss the explosion in San Diego and his proposal for the Middle East.

The desks were arranged in a circle. The president asked the Director of Naval Intelligence for a status update on the ship bombing. Admiral Davis told them diving teams were searching for telltale debris on the ship and at the bottom of the mooring. At least four bombs had been set near the ship"s munitions, where they would cause the most damage.

“Any progress on the video cameras?” the president asked.

“We spotted what you guessed, Mr. President,” said Doug Glassen, the FBI Director. “Four divers climbed over the seawall on Friday morning. We followed their movements to an SUV, but the plates were stolen.”

“Were you able to get faces?”

“All we can say is they appear to be Asian. They have their wetsuit hoods on in all the film we"ve reviewed so far. Sorry, sir.”

“Thus far, no group has claimed responsibility. And nothing has shown up in our internet or phone surveillance,” said the national security advisor.

The Speaker interrupted. “Where are we?” The president glanced at him, and continued his questioning.

“John, have you had any response from the North Koreans?”

“They haven"t denied it, Mr. President. But they haven"t actually responded to my inquiries.” The Secretary of State frowned.

“What about the original film, the eyewitness?”

“Mr. President, I have personally spoken to Mr. Burke and Mr. Griffin,” said the FBI director. “The NBC group said they"ll get back to me. But they"re stonewalling.”

“Why? Don"t they understand we may have a war on our hands?”

“They"re protecting a source, Mr. President.”

The president"s jaw muscles rippled, and his eyebrows lowered. After the flash of anger passed, he asked everyone for suggestions about next steps. Only the Speaker, arms crossed and scowling, had nothing to contribute.

In the classroom down the hall, Fritz, Linda, and Ashley listened closely. Ashley and Jane had an audio connection between their computers. Linda took notes while TJ napped in his swing.

“No wonder the president has problems,” Ashley said.

“Fritz, which of them know about the portal?” asked Linda.

“The veep does, the secretary of defense, but I don"t know about the rest, or how he"ll explain where they are. Obviously they know they"re not in the White House.”

“If he"s going to talk about the summit, they"ll all know by the end of the meeting,” said Ashley. Colonel Mitchell walked in and sat down. He asked what had been discussed.

“So far, only the ship explosion. Do you know the agenda, Colonel?” asked Fritz.

“Jane briefed me last night. He"s still got the Middle East to discuss.”

In the room down the hall, the president said he had heard from leaders throughout the world that they had had enough of constant crisis. “I don"t know about any of you,” the president said, “but I"m convinced we have a chance, maybe our best chance, to stop it.”

Fritz said, “He"s going to explain why. He"s going to tell them.” He didn"t expect the president to say, “Fritz, would you come here please?” Linda gasped. Ashley and the colonel just looked at him.

“Did you know he would do this?” asked Linda.

“I had no idea. I"ll be back.”

As Fritz pulled up a chair, Jane"s eyes said it would be okay. He took a deep breath.

The president said, “What I am about to tell you will remain here, not be discussed or even dreamed about.” He looked pointedly at the Speaker. “Last spring, our ambassador to Eledoria and his family were taken hostage. Our troops rescued them.” He paused and looked from face to face. “In September, the Narian nuclear program was terminated, not by the Narians or the Israelis, but by a joint special operations mission of the U.S. military.” He stopped again. Fritz could feel the tension grow as fast as his anxiety. “In the aftermath, Eledorian soldiers attacked an Israeli settlement in the West Bank. The same unit rescued those taken hostage.”

“I don"t mean to be rude,” said the Speaker, “but what"s your point?”

“My point, Mr. Speaker, is that you don"t know the full stories. And if you"ll let me finish, you"ll understand why you can"t talk about how these missions were accomplished.” No one could doubt the president"s anger. He continued with the stories of stolen nuclear weapons in Pakistan and Russia that American soldiers had recovered. The vice president, whose serious look hid a devilish twinkle, had a tough time not smiling.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I"ve asked Fritz to join us because his research and subsequent practical application have made it possible for you to get here so quickly.” The president cut short the Speaker"s interruption, holding up his hand. “We are now sitting in New Jersey.”

“Oh, come … on. You don"t expect us to believe that,” the Speaker said. The vice president began to chuckle. The others looked at each other. “Fritz, would you like to show everyone the trophy case?” The president nodded to go ahead. His look, like Jane"s, said everything would be all right.

“OH, MY GOD,” Linda said. “I can"t believe he said that.” They heard the squeak of chairs on the floor and the door opening as the meeting adjourned for a walk down the hall.

Fritz led them past the rows of lockers and the green tiled walls. Shoes tapping the granite floor made the only sounds. At the end of the hall, a glass-enclosed case exhibited a variety of sports memorabilia and trophies. On the wall above it, a sign said, “Riverboro High School. Congratulations New Jersey Division 3 Football Champs.”

“Look at the trophies, closely,” said the president. The group spread along the case, still not speaking. Footsteps announced someone"s approach.

Dressed in his coach"s jacket, startled, Al said, “Sorry, Fritz. I didn"t know anyone would be here. Hi, Mr. President.”

“Mr. Kennedy,” the president acknowledged. “I"d like to introduce you all to Al Kennedy, Riverboro High"s football coach. Congratulations on your fine season, Coach.”

“Thanks, Mr. President. I didn"t mean to interrupt. Sorry.” Al looked closely at the crowd. He recognized people he had only seen on TV. “Holy mackerel.” The vice president finally laughed and introduced himself. He shook Al"s hand and said, “Nice to meet another Irishman.”

“This is pretty elaborate, Mr. President. How much did this cost the taxpayers? This doesn"t prove anything to me,” the Speaker said.

Al looked over the vice president"s shoulder and got mad, rising to his full, intimidating height. “It didn"t cost us taxpayers anything. This is Riverboro High School in New Jersey. I know who you are. Fritz has done things to make this country safe. The portal"s real. Last night, we captured a stolen nuke, and…” Al stopped. “Sorry, Mr. President.”

“Couldn"t have said it better myself, Mr. Kennedy. I think we should go back to work.” The return to the classroom wasn"t as quiet. Al gripped Fritz"s arm. “I"m really sorry, Fritz. Would you tell the President? I hope I didn"t screw anything up.”

“It"ll be okay, Al. You may have done him a favor. Talk to you later.”

The president waited for him at the door. “That wasn"t planned, but it couldn"t have worked out better. Thank him for me. I"m going over the Middle East outline next. You can go back to Linda. Later, we"ll take the Speaker home first.” He removed a sheet of paper from his jacket pocket. “The Speaker"s house. We"ll go to the living room. Here.” He tapped the floor plan. In small print in the corner was a GPS icon “It"ll be a while yet.”

The president began again. “One reason we"re here was to show you a momentous discovery that gives us the carrot and the stick we need to get the world"s attention. Now I want to discuss a proposal to end the Middle East conflict.”

“When do we see this new discovery?” asked the Speaker.

The President gritted his teeth, glanced briefly at the Speaker, and asked Jane to pass out the folders. She handed them to each person individually and smiled at the Speaker, taking more time in front of him than necessary. The president asked them to open the packet to page five.

“You will see two maps. The top is the current Middle East. On the bottom is a new map that adds a State of Palestine.” He waited for them to look it over. “Without a nation of their own, the Palestinians will continue to be used by other countries to perpetuate conflict.”

General Beech said, “Mr. President, we"ve had this discussion before, you and I. I can"t help but wonder if Major Barclay put this together.”

“She did, General, but not alone.”

“Then I want to say something on the record. Dr. Barclay and I have argued about this for seven years. And I have reached a conclusion. Without reading a word, you can depend on the data, the analysis, and the conclusion.”

“Thank you, General,” said the president.

The Speaker scowled, having expected the general to scoff. “I can see I"m outnumbered here. I"ll take this and look it over, but I see no reason to stay.” He pushed back his chair and started to stand.

“Sit. Down.” Angrier than anyone except Jane had seen him, the president said, “I need you, and our country needs you, to be here now. You"ll leave when I"m done.” Not happy with being publicly humiliated, the Speaker resumed his seat.

ASHLEY SAID, “Wow. He"s really pissed.”

“This is too important to play politics. The Speaker hasn"t had enough of a shock yet,” said Colonel Mitchell, chuckling.