A thousand memories flashed through Robert’s mind. The phone call at four in the morning. You are ordered to report to General Milliard at National Security Agency Headquarters at Fort Meade at 0600 this morning. Is the message understood, Commander?
How little he had understood it then. He recalled General Hilliard’s words: You must find those witnesses. All of them. And the search had led from Zurich to Bern, London, Munich, Rome and Orvieto; from Waco to Fort Smith; from Kiev to Washington, and Budapest. Well, the bloody trail had finally come to an end, here, where it had all begun.
She was waiting for him, as Robert had known she would be, and she looked exactly as she had appeared in his dream. They moved toward each other, and she seemed to be floating toward him, a radiant smile on her face.
Thank you for coming, Robert.
Had he actually heard her speak, or was he hearing her thoughts? How did one talk to an alien being?
“I had to come,” he said simply. There was a totally unreal quality to the scene. I’m standing here speaking with someone from another world! I should be terrified, but in my whole life, I’ve never felt more at peace. “I have to warn you,” Robert said. “Some men are coming here who want to harm you. It would be better if you left before they arrive.”
I cannot leave.
And Robert understood. He reached in his pocket with his left hand and pulled out the small piece of metal containing the crystal.
Her face lit up. Thank you, Robert.
He handed it to her and watched her fit it into the piece she held in her hand.
“What happens now?” Robert asked.
Now I can communicate with my friends. They will be coming for me.
Was there something ominous in that sentence? Robert recalled General Hilliard’s words: They intend to take over this planet and make slaves of us. What if General Hilliard was right? What if the aliens did intend to take over the earth? Who was going to stop them? Robert looked at his watch. It was almost time for General Hilliard and Janus to arrive, and even as Robert thought it, he heard the sound of a giant Huey helicopter approaching from the north.
Your friends are here.
Friends. They were his mortal enemies, and he was determined to expose them as murderers, to destroy them.
The grass and flowers in the field began to flutter wildly as the helicopter came to a landing.
He was about to come face to face with Janus. The thought of it filled him with a murderous rage. The door of the helicopter opened.
Susan stepped out.
Chapter Fifty-One
In the mothership, floating high above earth, there was great joy. All the lights on the panels were flashing green.
We have found her!
We must hurry.
The huge ship started to hurl itself toward the planet far below.
Chapter Fifty-Two
For a single instant, time was frozen, and then it shattered into a thousand pieces. Robert watched, stunned, as Susan stepped out of the helicopter. She stood there for a second, and then started toward Robert, but Monte Banks who was right behind her, grabbed her and held her back.
“Run, Robert! Run! They’re going to kill you!”
Robert took a step toward her, and at that moment, General Milliard and Colonel Frank Johnson stepped out of the helicopter.
General Milliard said, “I’m here, Commander. I’ve kept my part of the bargain.” He walked over to Robert and the woman in white. “I assume this is the eleventh witness. The missing alien. I’m sure we’ll find her very interesting. So it’s finally finished.”
“Not yet. You said you would bring Janus.”
“Oh, yes. Janus insisted on coming to see you.”
Robert turned toward the helicopter. Admiral Whittaker was standing in the doorway.
“You asked to see me, Robert?”
Robert stared at him, unbelievingly, and there was a red film before his eyes. It was as though his world had collapsed. “No! Why …? Why in God’s name?”
The Admiral was moving toward him. “You don’t understand, do you? You never did. You’re worried about a few meaningless lives. We’re worried about saving our world. This earth belongs to us, to do with as we please.”
He turned to stare at the woman in white. “If you creatures want war, you’re going to get war. And we’ll beat you!” He turned back to Robert. “You betrayed me. You were my son. I let you take Edward’s place. I gave you a chance to serve your country. And how did you repay me? You came whining to me to let you stay home so you could be with your wife.” His voice was filled with contempt. “No son of mine would ever do that. I should have seen then how distorted your values were.”
Robert stood there, immobile, too shocked to speak.
“I broke up your marriage because I still had faith in you, but …”
“You broke up my …?”
“Remember when the CIA sent you after the Fox? I arranged that. I hoped it would bring you to your senses. You failed because there was no Fox. I thought I had straightened you out, that you were one of us. And then you told me you were going to quit the Agency. That’s when I knew you were no patriot, that you had to be eliminated, destroyed. But first you had to help us with our mission.”
“Your mission? To kill all those innocent people? You’re insane!”
“They had to be killed to stop them from spreading panic. We’re ready now for the aliens. All we needed was a little more time, and you’ve given it to us.”
The woman in white had stood there listening, saying nothing, but now her thoughts floated into the minds of those standing in the field. We have come here to prevent you from destroying your planet. We are all part of one universe. Look up.