The Return of the Manhattan (22 page)

CHAPTER 41

Clifford Burns sitting in his office was interrupted by a clear, strong voice that seemed to come from nowhere specific, yet from someone in the room. “Morning, Clifford. Don’t get excited, I’m a friend.”

Cliff checked behind him guiltily, and demanded of his secretary, “What’s going on out there?”

“Nothing, Sir. There’s nobody out here, except me. What can I do for you?”

“Nothing, forget it.” He released his intercom, “Who in hell are you? What do you want?”

“My name is Bruce Thorpe, commander of the Manhattan.”

“Commander of what?”

“The time machine that Dr. Ashton used to travel to your time.”

“What do you want from me?”

“I came back to help you, and to insure our interests are met. Unless we work together, it will only be a matter of time before you are convicted of conspiracy to assassinate President Dugan, the murders of his helicopter crew and the murder of Dana Higgins. The president knows the full extent of your treason, Cliff; he just doesn’t have all the proof he needs. He’s planning on giving you just enough rope to hang yourself.”

“Nonsense! Go and leave me alone, or I’ll call security.”

“Sorry, Can’t do that. It wouldn’t do you any good; they wouldn’t find me. Are you ready to talk?”

“Damn you, where are you?”

“I’m on the Manhattan; I don’t need to get more specific than that.”

“You’ve got my attention, what do you want?”

“I want to help you, and take care of some common problems that are of vital concern to me.”

“I’m listening!”

“You remember Dr. Ashton said she came from the twenty-seventh century. I represent another group from the twenty-seventh century, and we have no intention of allowing her to alter the past. Dr. Ashton’s father was forced to return because the time machine has a limited window of opportunity. He made another voyage which prevented you from killing his daughter and Colonel Anderson. When he returned, we gained the advantage, and took over his ship.”

“Why should I believe you? Why should I help you?”

“You’ve got it all wrong; I came to help you. If you don’t want to work with me, you’ll probably face execution, or at the very least, a life term in prison. It’s only a matter of time before the president and the FBI get enough evidence to convict you, James Little, and Mike Higgins.”

“Convict us! Of what?”

“Don’t play games with me. I have access to your EMI files, and I know how you three took over control of ArkTex after the murder of Dana Higgins.”

“That’s ridiculous, we don’t control ArkTex!”

“Maybe so, but in time you will! Your plans worked, and the combination of ArkTex and EMI has been a powerful force for us in the United States for over six hundred years. I noticed you didn’t deny killing General Higgins’ daughter, but that doesn’t concern me. I could go on, and tell you all about how EMI was formed, but you know all that. We are losing control of ArkTex in the twenty-seventh century because of Ashton’s interference, and your fiasco in Dallas. I control EMI, but it’s vital that you regain control before it’s too late. If Dr. Ashton is allowed to continue, I will lose that too.”

“What do you want from me?”

“I want to meet with the three of you tonight. I will send an agent to bring you aboard the Manhattan where we can meet privately.”

“Do I have any choice?” he asked disdainfully.

“Of course, I told you I came to help! If you don’t want my help, I’ll help the FBI gather enough evidence against you to make the convictions stick and then replace you. I can’t let you blow it, and threaten my position any longer.”

“It wouldn’t do you any good! There is no evidence!”

“Oh there’s evidence all right. It’s just a matter of how much we want to release without damaging EMI. Consider EMI’s role in the Middle East for starters and your part in illegal arms trafficking. If we can’t find enough evidence, framing you could be a barrel of laughs. We have videos of your henchmen tinkering with Dana Higgins’ car before her accident. With those, I’m sure the FBI can link you to that murder attempt. We have video of the murder of Dana in her dormitory. We have plenty and a little professional tinkering with the recordings could make it hot for you. I might even enjoy making sure the right people get their hands on it! I have another idea. The next time the three of you meet, your conversations will be recorded and I could transmit the recording directly to the FBI. I will be monitoring and recording every conversation you, Mike, or James has from now on, no matter where you hide. You should know by now that we have the power to do that. I’m telling you, every move you make will be monitored. I bet you will be looking over your shoulder so much your neck will ache. Dr. Ashton’s father wouldn’t do that; I believe he said it was unethical. I don’t have his scruples and you can take that to the bank. Make no mistake, we will prevail!”

Cliff wasted no time sending their secret signal informing the other two that they must meet together that evening. James and Mike had been expecting the call for several days, and Mike had already devised an excuse for his trip to Washington.

Brad found Bob in the entertainment center participating in an interactive movie where he took on the role of the main character. He abruptly turned the entertainment module off, and grinned at Bob’s reaction, “Sorry, Bob, you were probably getting involved with the main female character, but it’s time.”

Bob was willing, although disappointed, “It’s okay, are you ready to go to Andrews?”

“Yes, things are rapidly falling into place. First you need to ferry Karl Hampton to Washington. As soon as you drop him off, you can come back for us. We don’t want Karl to see me or Laura, and we don’t want you to talk with him. Just answer questions with minimal non-committal words. He thinks you are just a pilot hired to do a job.”

It didn’t take long for Bob to make the round trip, and Brad and Laura were on their way to Andrews when Brad gave Bob his final instructions, “After you drop us off, fly on over to Washington National, service the aircraft and wait. Karl will come to you and you can bring them on up to the Manhattan.”

The VC9s used by the 89
th
Military Airlift Wing were modified versions of the same DC9-30 that were in use by the 375
th
at Scott. They were set up in a VIP configuration primarily used to transport the Vice President and members of Congress on routine trips throughout the United States. Their aircraft was ready and preflighted by one of the 89
th
aircrews and the passengers were already on board, hosted by Dana Higgins, who would act as flight attendant on the short trip to the Manhattan. The aircraft had a few additional features that Brad was unfamiliar with, although the basics were the same, but Laura had never flown a DC9 equipped with turbojet engines even though she had flown many in the simulator. Laura and Brad spent a couple of enjoyable hours in the simulator during the past week, and were comfortable flying the aircraft. Dana spent a few hours before the passengers were loaded with a crew from the 89
th
who had prepared her for minimal tasks.

As soon as they were in the air heading west, they were brought aboard the Manhattan on the beam. The maintenance crew moved the aircraft to another area of the ship and sealed it off from view of visitors that would come later.

James Little, Mike Higgins and Clifford Burns arrived at the EMI complex separately, but within minutes of each other. Clifford waited until they had been seated around the conference table before he related the strange discussion he had that morning.

“Sounds like a trap to me.” James Little responded immediately.

Mike thought about it for a minute, “It could be, and then again, he might be for real. I wonder how this agent will show up. Maybe we can force the real truth out of him.”

Cliff continued, “I don’t know what to think, but whoever I talked with earlier had the power to control our conversation. I couldn’t hang up on him since we weren’t using the telephone. He knows all about our illegal activities and he is either who he says he is, or someone with just as much power. He could do a lot of damage to our organization. If they can control our conversation and hear our responses, they certainly can record them.”

“What are the odds it’s Ashton’s father? Couldn’t he try to trap us with this phony setup?” James was unconvinced.

“Whoever he is, we have problems.” Cliff said, “The president talked with me again today, and wants that report on you, Mike. He says he’s waited long enough; I can’t stall him any longer.”

“What’s in the report?” James wondered if it hadn’t already leaked to the president.

“It’s been completed by my investigations unit, and I’m afraid it’s pretty damaging. They discovered Mike has control of EMI, and an advisory role with ArkTex; they know that it leaves him in a conflict of interest position.”

“How many people know about the report?”

“Difficult to say, but several know about his link to EMI. I don’t think any of them know the full extent and scope of EMI’s operation. As far as the report goes, it doesn’t mention any link between EMI and you or me.”

James corrected him, “Somebody knows the scope of EMI’s activities in Iran, or that Thorpe is a magician of some kind. However, I don’t think he knows anything about my brother or our links to terrorism.”

“The OSI has a report on the interceptor investigation that points to the Tactical Air Command headquarters. The investigator said copies of the report have been sent to the White House. There is no way they can pin it on me, but it would be better if it hadn’t been released. I was pretty cagy when I sent those messages; they point more toward the OSI than the Tactical Air Command. The testimonies of those interceptor pilots are quite damaging, however, I think we’re overreacting. I can’t take over ArkTex and hold my military position in the Air Force; maybe the report can’t do that much damage if I retire and you whitewash it.”

James asked, “Mike, what was in those messages that would convince the interceptor pilots to fire at the C9?”

Mike laughed, “An intel report that warned of a terrorist group armed with a nuclear weapon that could be using a hijacked aircraft to deliver the bomb to Washington.”

“That would certainly be convincing. I don’t know how that will help us though. This Thorpe fellow threatened to release information on our Iranian operations! If that happens, we are ruined.”

The intercom came alive as the guard at the main entrance interrupted, “We’ve got someone out here who insists on seeing the boss. He claims it’s important.”

“Bring him in!” James ordered.

The guards brought him in, shackled him to a chair, and handed a locked briefcase to General Higgins, “He brought this with him, but refuses to open it.”

James ordered the guards out, waiting until they left, “Now tell us what you’re doing here!”

“Bruce Thorpe sent me. My name is Karl Hampton, and I have come to escort you to the Manhattan.”

Cliff reacted, “Do you think we’re stupid? You’re with the FBI, who sent you?”

“No, not the FBI, but I certainly am a spy, and can prove it. I’ve been hiding aboard the Manhattan for several years waiting for the right time to act! I worked for EMI in the year 2615 for Mr. Thorpe, and he arranged to have me hired as a crew member aboard the Manhattan to prepare for his takeover. I know your organization from top to bottom, since I’ve worked here for over twenty years. I know you’ve made a couple of attempts to get Ashton, and I can tell you why they failed. For instance, the force field generated by the Manhattan prevented your interceptors from downing the C9.”

“What’s to stop them from using it again?”

“They lost it! We took control of the Manhattan.”

“Can you prove it?”

“Yes, that should be obvious since this morning. We can’t show you any fancy force fields inside this room, but if you’ll go outside, we can give you another demonstration.”

“Oh, so now you admit you can’t record our conversations while in this room. Maybe you’re not as all powerful as you claim.”

“We do have our limits, but you can’t hide behind your shields forever. We’ll catch you when you least suspect it. Don’t get too cocky about this room, you do have intercom and telephone wires to the outside. We can use those to record your conversations. Commander Thorpe is probably listening in on what we are saying right now.”

“Ashton’s father could do that!”

“Maybe, but I know everything about your organization, and can answer any questions you can throw at me concerning EMI. He couldn’t; he didn’t even know we existed until we took over his ship!”

“Why tonight? What’s the big rush?”

“The time machine has a serious limitation; it has a small window of just a few days before it has to return, or we would be lost in time for all eternity. It takes several years to make the voyage, so the original crew members were too old to make more than two trips. That’s what made it possible for us to infiltrate the new crew, and take over the ship.”

“Assuming we believe all that, why come here?”

“We want to stop Ashton, and help you make this organization stronger.”

“And how do we do that?”

“If we provide you with enough information and equipment you can. If you release me, I’ll show you how.”

They didn’t trust him, but they released him, and allowed him to open his briefcase. He pulled out a laser pistol, and yelled as James tried to alert the guards, “Don’t! Please.” He fired the pistol at a chair across the room, and watched it smolder and disintegrate. He handed the gun over to Higgins, and gloated, “I could have used it on you. That weapon is just a sample of what we can do for you, or against you.”

“I don’t understand why you want to help us.” James was trying to understand the logic but couldn’t quite see it.

“Suppose Ashton is successful with the engines. Oil will be so plentiful that ArkTex will be bankrupt. When you are convicted, EMI will not survive, and therefore our present organization in the twenty-seventh century wouldn’t exist either. Dr. Ashton has convinced President Dugan we ran out of oil in our century. That’s utterly ridiculous, we had them all fooled. ArkTex has been controlling the supply, and keeping the price where we want it. Now do you see why we want to help?”