Daniel Ganninger - Icarus Investigations 01 - Flapjack (10 page)

“
We’ve been tracking this file for a while now and due to some recent events, needed to find out what it was, but unfortunately we didn’t have the legal ability to do so,” May stated slowly.  “When I found out you were back in business, it all came together.  I figured you would be the right man for the job because there are only a few people in the country that could have lifted that file.  It was a lucky break for us that you got Alex involved.”

“
I can’t believe it,” Galveston stammered.  “We were working for the FBI.  So Playcom is just a shell?”

“
Completely made up,” May said quickly.  “Just a ruse.” 

“
But why? What is so important about this
Adamanthea
file?  Military?  A congressman’s indiscretion? 

May grew more serious. 
“This information is highly classified, but I’ve gotten permission to disclose it to you.  It is only known to myself, the Special Agent in Charge, and the Director of the Bureau.  When it came across my desk I knew you would be the right man for the job.”

“
Not to seem ungrateful, and I’m anything but ungrateful, but why couldn’t you guys handle this on your own.  You have more resources and smarts than we do.” 

“
Our hands are tied.  Let’s just say that some things we need done are not under the scope of the FBI.  If we tried it could raise some eyebrows and we need this information.  It is a matter of national security.”

“
Who are you after?”

“
That’s the biggest problem, we’re not sure.  We don’t know anything about the file or what it means.  We just know it has a connection to a sequence of events a few weeks ago.  Let me fill you in on the background information we have.”  He opened up his portfolio and pulled out a manila folder as Galveston and I sat riveted to our seats.

“
On June 2nd, there was a break-in at a lab at Dartmouth University.  It was the lab of a Dr. Edward Sloan, a respected engineering and physics professor at the University.  He specialized in energy generation and electrical conductivity studies and has a well established lab.  They were testing materials that improved electrical currents and how these materials could be used in all types of products at a micro or macro level.  According to one of his students, he wanted to improve power consumption of different products by using different materials.  In the past few years his research changed and he became obsessed with batteries of all kinds, from small disposables to the large storage batteries used in ships and planes.”  May paused for a second, scanning his notes.

“
He started devoting more time to what he called, ‘building a better battery’.  Now none of this is out of the ordinary, but on June 2nd, the lab, as I said, was broken into and destroyed.  All his files went missing, computer hard drives were stolen, and all his equipment was eradicated.  No one saw or heard anything except for a security guard who got attacked by men in black.  Dr. Sloan was out of town, supposedly in Memphis, at an electrical engineering convention, but when he was contacted, no one was able to find him.  He never checked in at the conference, but was on the plane to Memphis.  We haven’t been able to find him since.  His home was also broken into and ransacked”

We stared at May as he continued his synopsis, still trying to conceive how we got involved in this.

“This is where Genesis comes into the picture.  A few days after the break in, we got an anonymous tip that a software engineer at Genesis named Marcus O’Leary hacked into the Dartmouth servers and removed some files that belonged to Dr. Sloan that had been secured.  We managed to get O’Leary to confess that he stole a file and placed it at Genesis under the name of
Adamanthea
.  This was all he knew and he didn’t know who gave the order.  We haven’t had any additional leads since then, no Dr. Sloan, no DNA at the crime scene, no traceable devices, no witnesses, nothing.  A complete dead end all the way around.”

“
So what was he working on that was so important?”  Galveston interrupted.

“
Dr. Sloan, per our investigation, has developed, of all things, a highly efficient, super battery.  We don’t know all of the particulars about it of course, but after interviewing some of Dr. Sloan’s graduate students we began to get an idea of what he had invented.  It appears that Dr. Sloan developed a battery that works in parallel, like stories of a building, one layer supplies and resupplies the previous layer, increasing the efficiency by 75%, and decreasing the size by anywhere from 50-75% of a conventional battery.”

Galveston
and I looked at each other and shrugged our shoulders, not knowing what the hell May was actually talking about.  We had a feeling he didn’t really know either as evidenced from his constant reading and searching of the papers he had placed across his lap.

“
The students said he had been testing it on a variety of electronic devices and had been able to increase the battery life from hours to days and weeks.  O’Leary explained that the
Adamanthea
program could be for a computer control that could modulate the output of the battery to increase the efficiency even more.  He said Dr. Sloan even had a plan in his schematics to be able to mass produce the tiny battery.”

I looked at
Galveston, his mouth was slightly agape and his eyes were wide.  I didn’t understand the implications of such a potential breakthrough, and looked between Galveston and May for guidance.  Clearly they were impressed and understood.  A battery, that was it?  Who cares about some stupid battery that allows me to yack on my cell phone longer before I had to do something as tough as plugging it in to recharge.

“
What’s the big deal?  So he made a better battery, it seems rather silly,” I openly said to both of them.

Immediately
May and Galveston looked at me.

“
Are you kidding?”  Galveston said grinning.  “Don’t you understand the implications of such a thing?  I mean, if this guy has come up with this battery, and it works, plus it can be mass produced; it could revolutionize the world.”  I thought that was a tad gallant for Dan to say.

“
Think about what batteries are in.  Cell phones, cars, smoke detectors, ships, planes, computers.  You could have an electric car or hybrid that could get six hundred miles to the gallon.  Ships could run on batteries.  If the size is as small as David is saying, you could put these in everything.  It could be the greatest invention of the 21
st
century.  It could slash oil demand and cut energy costs drastically.  This might be one of the scariest breakthroughs imaginable,” Galveston explained to me.

May chimed in, taking
Galveston’s lead.  “It is also our belief this battery is what instigated these events over the past few weeks; the break-into Dr. Sloan’s lab, the doctor’s disappearance, and the emergence of this
Adamanthea
file.  Governments or businesses would do anything for this technology, or not do anything and destroy it.  Do you think that Saudi Arabia would be pleased to know that oil consumption would be shattered?  A government or business could make billions of dollars on such technology.  The uses could be endless.  It is our belief that someone is thinking the same way, and they are doing whatever it takes to get their hands on this technology.”

I sat dumbfounded.  The implications of this technology started to sink in.  A complete removal of dependence on foreign oil, clean air, complete economical advancement for developing countries with no drawbacks, these would all be positive things that could occur.  But I also pondered the negative effects; a massive loss of jobs, decreased income for nations dependent on energy production, and the trickle effects on all other areas of business and commerce.  For example, the Canadians are our biggest supplier of foreign oil, and something like this would put them out of business.  Also there were the political implications.  I was still an economist and political scientist at heart, and I had a definite cause for concern on how nations would respond.  There would be dangers of increased tension, war, and conflict as nations tried to protect their interests.

I saw their point and was embarrassed for not having seen it sooner.  The ramifications could be devastating.  I saw why May and the FBI had tiptoed around it.  The furor it could create would be extraordinary. 

Galveston
regained his faculties.  “Now I know you’re not giving us this information out of the kindness of your heart, what’s the catch?”

“
Well there is another reason I made sure I hired you, not just because we couldn’t get that file on our own,” May began.  “Genesis is not an independent company.  They are a subsidiary of a much larger organization.”  May paused and cleared his throat before continuing.  “They’re owned by Black Bear Security.”  

“You don’t say,” Galveston said, not changing his demeanor, but realizing why we were hired in the first place.  “So what now?  We did the job you wanted, I don’t have any vendettas.”

“
Maybe not, but the government needs your help.  I need your help.  We want you to work for us in locating the batteries and Dr. Sloan, by any means necessary.”

Galveston
let out a guffaw.  “I don’t think so.”

“
Let me put it another way.  You have to work for us.”  May said the words clearly and with force.  He meant business and from his new tone I could tell he wasn’t interested in taking no for an answer.  Galveston picked up on his demeanor, too. 

“
So let me get this straight, and correct me if I’m wrong, but you want us to find somebody doing something wrong, and oh, I don’t know, do whatever it takes, let’s say, wiretapping, hacking, breaking and entering, to get that done.”

“
Now, on the record, I never said such things, but we simply want some private supportive investigatory services to independently research items in our investigation that we currently cannot allocate the manpower towards.”

“
Wow, very well said.  That was crystal clear, wasn’t it Roger?”

“
Crystal,” I answered.

“
As you know the information I have about you company and your latest job proved to be highly illegal.” 

“
But you guys hired us!”  Galveston exclaimed.

“
You’ll have to prove that. Did you ever talk to an agent?  I know you didn’t.  I can easily make this go away.  I’ll make sure Mr. Acker doesn’t ask any more questions, and I’ll ensure there are no more connections between you and Genesis, it’s a federal matter now.  In exchange for helping the Bureau, you’ll be helping yourselves.  I don’t think I can put it anymore succinctly.  I mean, I’ve got you with breaking and entering, computer fraud, and a host of other federal crimes I could throw in.”

The anxiety welled up in me and I started to become dizzy, but
Galveston remained calm.  He knew something I didn’t.

“
I guess you’re telling us we have no choice but to cooperate.  You’ll tie up the loose ends?”  Galveston asked.

“
Of course.”

“
So the choice seems to be this; possible jail time, or the potential for getting killed,” Galveston said reluctantly.

“
I think I’ll take my chances on choice two, if you don’t mind,” I interjected quickly.  Galveston nodded his head in agreement.

“
I don’t want to have to put the screws to you about this.  As crazy as it may sound, I still consider you a friend first,” May said to Galveston.

“
You sure have a funny way of showing that.”

“
My hands are tied on this and the powers from above are very interested in getting this case wrapped up legitimately, or illegitimately as the case may be.  Let’s do this; I’ll talk to Mr. Ackers and then be right back to discuss all the details.”

“
What are you going to tell him?”  I asked.

“
I’ll let him know that this has become a government investigation and his services will no longer be needed.  He wants this done as much as you two because his job is on the line.  End of story.  Why don’t you two discuss it and I’ll be back.”

“
You’re still going to pay us, right?” Galveston threw out the question as May got up from his chair.

“
You’ll get your money,” May told him, “and we’ll make sure you’re taken care of if you get this job done.”

“
I’m not sure I like the sound of that.”

May smiled as he left the office,
motioning for Ackers to follow him outside. My heart palpitations subsided, but were replaced with rage.

“I know what you’re thinking and what you’re going to say,” Galveston started.  “If you want out, I won’t stop you.  I’ll even give Alex the same option.  I’ll tell David that everything will fall on me if we have to take a hit.  I’m sorry I got you involved in this.”

“
I’m a big boy,” I said, my rage subsiding.  I couldn’t leave him to handle this on his own.  “I knew what I was getting into, but I should have spoken up.  I don’t think this was the excitement I was looking for.  I mean, can’t we just go legit.  My blood pressure is up and I think I’m losing my hair.  This is just too much.”