Weapon of Atlantis (18 page)

Once more, the two scanned the area around them. Aside from several workers off in the distance, they’re conversation had remained private. They quickly rushed back to the spacecraft.

As Javi entered the cockpit, he momentarily stood motionless at the sight of Roger now sitting in his seat on the left side of the craft, while Stan and Fred continued to work on the right. Roger looked up and smiled cordially at the sight of Javi and Jack returning.

He stood up and offered this seat back.

“Here you go, Javi,” he said, now standing behind the chair. “I was ju
st taking a breather,” he added innocently.

Javi nodded, then glanced nonchalantly to the others still absorbed in their work. As he and Jack took their seat
s, Roger continued to stand behind, leaning casually against the bulkhead to the engine compartment. He yawned, then cleared his throat.

“It’s amazing you two can read page after page of hieroglyphics. Do you really
understand all of it?” he asked curiously.

“My abilities are
somewhat limited, but Javi has a good handle on their language,” Jack responded.

Roger shook his head in admiration. “Amazing,” he responded. “A lot of the symbols are very similar and there must be thousands of them. How do you keep them all straight in your mind?”

“As you’ve probably heard me say before, I believe the Egyptian language was originally based on the Araean language. Having been immersed in the Egyptian hieroglyphics for decades, it was a fairly easy transition into the Araean hieroglyphics,” he answered matter-of-factly.

Roger nodded in understand
ung. He leaned forward and pointed to a symbol on the page of the hologram.

“This is what baffles me. I recognize this symbol as the word for ‘thruster’, but if you look around the page, there’re probably a dozen other symbols that look similar to it.” He pointed to one further down on the page and continued, “Take for example, this one. I’d swear that reads ‘thruster’ but it has a tiny dot in the center of one of its circles. At first, I thought it was a mistake, but then I saw the same dot elsewhere so I kn
ew it was intentional and therefore, a different word.”

Javi fidgeted in his seat. He glanced at the hologram, then back at Jack in exasperation. Jack rolled his eyes in response.

Javi smiled cordially to Roger, then said, “Well… time to get back to work.”

Roger nodded, understanding the inference. He paused a moment, then said, “Just out of curiosity, what
does
that symbol stand for?”

Javi’s eyes filled with worry as he looked to Jack for an answer.

“Switch,” Jack blurted spontaneously. “I think it means ‘switch’. Isn’t that right?” he asked Javi.

“Um, yes… that
’s correct, Jack,” he shot back in obvious discomfort.

Roger noticed
Javi’s behavior. He stared a moment, then grinned.

“Ok guys, what’s the big secret? I know you’re hiding something,” he said, in humorous tone. “What’s that symbol really mean?”

Javi shot Jack another uncomfortable glance.

“My mistake… it really means ‘light’, as in lighted panel,” Jack responded quickly.

Roger cocked his head slightly in confusion.

“Is there more than one symbol for light?” he asked.

“I’m sure it’s possible,” Javi retorted.

Hearing the three men’s conversation, Stan and Fred now turned their attention from their work and listened intently.

Roger pointed to another symbol on the hologram.

“So what’
s this one stand for?” he asked suspiciously.

“Panel,” Jack shot back
instantly, his mind now racing for an answer.

Roger shook his head in challenge. “No way, I’ve seen the symbol for ‘panel’ a thousand times over the past week. I
know
it’s not that. What the hell is going on with you guys?” he responded, now growing visibly irritated.

Fred stood up and stared at Javi and Jack. His face filled with agitation.

“What are you guys doing?” he asked in serious tone. “It’s obvious you’re purposely deceiving us.”

A guilty look spread across both Javi’s and Jack’s face. There was no escaping their secret.

“We were really hoping to keep this a quiet,” Jack started nervously. “The reason we’re being so cryptic is Javi and I found evidence of a secret weapon the Araeans were working on.”

From behind the five men,
Price and Hammond burst from the engine compartment.

“You found a secret weapon?” Price shouted excitedly.

Startled from the sudden appearance, Javi nearly fell from his seat. Jack spun around and stared directly into Price’s demanding eyes. Dread filled his body. He turned to Javi and could see the same reaction in him.

“Well? Did you or did you not find a weapon?” Price demanded, growing increasingly more aggressive by the second.

“No, we didn’t find a weapon,” Jack responded, hoping to deflect the truth using a technicality with his words.

“I just heard you say you
did
find a weapon,” Price challenged.

“That’s not exactly what we said,” Jack retorted. “We said we
might have found
evidence
of a weapon. We didn’t actually find one yet.”

Hammond stared back angrily at Jack. “You guys are playing games with us. What’re you hiding?”

Roger stood with the two agents. With his hands gripping his waistline, his posture was strong and demanding. Javi glanced to Jack in resignation. Jack shrugged his shoulders.

“We were hoping to keep this a secret till we had confirmation, but I guess that s
hip has sailed,” Jack responded sarcastically, then continued. “The hologram in front of us is the spaceship’s log. It details their entire mission… or at least the point just before they crashed. It appears the Araean’s were at war with another planet. Zeus and Poseidon were sent here as science officers, charged with creating some kind of secret biological weapon. It looks like they were on the verge of completing their mission but they never updated their logbook so it’s impossible to tell if they were successful.”

“So then it
is
possible they finished developing it,” Hammond shot back optimistically.

“As Jack said, we just don’t know,” Javi cut in. “The last entry insinuated that they might have developed the formula, but were waiting on some type of compound from the Araean planet to finalize the testing. We can only guess the outcome due to the lack of information.”

“They were testing here on Earth?” Roger asked incredulously.

Javi nodded reluctantly.

“So that means there must be a lab located somewhere nearby,” Price said, his tone now filled with excitement.

Javi shook his head.
“Not exactly,” he responded, vaguely.

“What do you mean, ‘not exactly’? This isn’t another one of your word games again, is
it?” Price spat angrily.

“What Javi’s trying to say is
: we really don’t know
where
it is. The log mentions a deep underwater trench, but doesn’t give the exact location,” Jack responded.

“Deep underwater trench?
Like in the Mariana Trench?” Hammond asked in surprise.

“It seems unlikely, due to the extreme pressures at that depth,” Fred cut in.

“I agree. It’s one thing to visit that depth, it’s quite another to actually live and work down there. Any small problem could turn deadly in a split second,” Stan added.

“But what if the Araeans had the technology to build something at that depth, safely? It
is
possible, after all, they conquered space travel. It seems to me, conquering deep water living would be child’s play to them,” Roger responded.

“Of course, the word ‘deep underwater trench’ is a relative term. It could apply to thousands of trenches ranging from fifty feet to many thousands of feet beneath the
ocean’s surface. It’d be like searching for a drop of water in an ocean,” Stan commented.

“Isn’t there some way to pinpoint its location? A find like that is of the greatest national imp
ortance,” Price asked.

Javi stared at Jack with dread. It was the exact situation he was desperate to avoid. His mind raced, hoping to find a quick response to alter the agent’s interest.

“I’m certain it’s buried somewhere inside that database,” Stan responded confidently.

Price nodded enthusiastically.

“We
have
to find it,” he said resolutely. “A weapon of this significance can’t be ignored. It could mean the difference between war and world peace.”

Hearing Price’s statement, Stan’s face drained of all expression. Looking over to Javi and Jack, he suddenly realized their efforts to conceal
the truth. He pursed his lips and shook his head in disgust at missing their point.

Abruptly,
Price pulled his phone from his pocket and began to dial. He nodded to his partner and the two left without a word of goodbye.

Jack stared at Stan for a moment. He could see the guilt in his eyes.

“Man, those two guys are really strange,” Fred said, interrupting the silence. “They just left… walked right out without saying a word. Who does stuff like that? It’s
so
rude.”

“Who does stuff like that? Fred, did your mind just suddenly go on vacation? Didn’t you hear their last
statement?” Stan shot back. He turned to Javi and Jack and continued, “Sorry guys, I didn’t catch what you were doing till just now.”

Javi nodded in understanding.

“There’s nothing we can do about it now. The wheels are turning and there’s probably no stopping them,” he responded.

“So what do we do?” Fred asked, now realizing the problem.

“Nothing,” Jack responded. “Javi and I were going to find a way to delete the info, but at this point, now that they know about it, I’m sure those two are calling Washington to get some kind of lockdown on this program. It’s only a matter of time before they bring in a pile of goons to monitor our every move or worse… they kick us off this sight.”

“Well then, let’s just delete the log right now,” Fred responded.

“We could, but I’m sure there’s more data detailing the Araean’s mission inside this database, so deleting the log is a nearly pointless exercise,” Jack explained.

“We’ve got to do something,” Roger blurted.

“We
can
do something,” Jack responded confidently. “We can refuse to cooperate. At this point, Javi and I are the only two who can translate the Araean hieroglyphics, as far as they know anyway. Also, this is Greenland, not the US: they have no jurisdiction here. So first: they’ll have to persuade the Danish government to support them: not an easy task and second: they’ll have to find someone else who can translate: also problematic. By the time they do all that, we will have gone through the entire database and deleted anything related to the weapon’s program.”

“Sticki
ng it to the man,” Fred blurted jokingly. “I like it.”

“Let’s just hope they don’t retaliate and stick us,” Javi warned.

“Like Jack said, they’re out of their jurisdiction. Except for throwing a tantrum, what can they do?” Fred mocked.

“I don’t know,” Jack responded in serious tone. “And that’s what scares me.”

CIA Headquarters

Langley, Virginia

Steve Grayson, Director of Special Operations stood at his fourth floor office window and watched a distant fountain spray water high into the air. The sight was serene and his mind drifted from the previous stressful meeting he had just attended. For a brief moment, the hypnotic action at the fountain helped him to forget about his worries.

From behind
him, his phone rang loudly, startling him back to reality. He spun around and scanned the I.D. screen. A frown crossed his face in discontent. He pressed a button on the console, placing the call on speaker.

“This is Grayson,” he said in official sounding tone.

“Sir, this is Agent Price,” came the voice on the opposite end.

“You guys almost done there? I still can’t believe we have to babysit a bunch of archeologists,” he said in disgusted tone.

“Sir, we’re going to need to stay longer… a
lot
longer,” Price responded.

Grayson’s mind sharpened. Price was one of his better operatives, never prone to exaggeration. Quickly, he took his seat and picked up the handset.

“You guys found something?” he asked with anticipation.

“Yes Sir. We’ve just uncovered evidence of a possible alien weapon.”

“Well Merry Freakin’ Christmas. Finally, some good news,” Grayson blurted aloud. “Tell me more.”

“From the initial report, it appears the Araean’s were sent here to Earth on a secret mission to develop a biological weapon. That comes straight from the spacecraft’s mission log.”

“A biological weapon? Amazing!” Grayson responded enthusiastically. He thought for a moment, then added, “A secret mission? Secret from whom?”

“According to the log, the Araean’s were at war with another planet. Zeus and Poseidon were sent here as science officers to develop the weapon.”

“So did they actually develop it?” Grayson asked.

“Too soon to tell, Sir. It appears they were working on the formula in a secret lab. If we can find that lab, we’ll have our answer,”
Priced said.

“Is there any indication of where the lab might be?”
Grayson responded in hopeful tone.

“Not yet, Sir, but they think it might be hidden in some deep water trench.”

“
Perfect
, just perfect,” Grayson shot back sarcastically. “How deep we talking here?”

“Again, no idea, Sir. When Hammond and I questioned the team about it, the two lead archeologists: Javier Arista and Jack
Roberts, were both resistant in giving up any information. It’s part of reason I’m calling. With both men demonstrating a desire to hind evidence of the weapon, we feel it’s possible they might try to destroy all traces of it, including the location of the lab. I’m afraid if we don’t act now, we could lose our opportunity forever.”

“What are you suggesting?”

“Standard policy: neutralize the threat, then bring in our own operatives.”

Grayson thought about the proposed plan. With the spacecraft located on foreign land, cooperation from the Danish government could prove difficult if complications arose from Javi’s and Jack’s death. It was a workable plan, but not without certain risks.

“I’m not sure if we should run this one from the playbook. The Danes have been less cooperative since we slashed funding to the Nord Station airfield. If people start dropping dead around there, even from so called ‘natural causes’, they might be inclined to shut down the project for several months until they can insure their worker’s safety. Who knows what could happen to the data by then now that the spacecraft is exposed.”

“What’
re we thinking here: coercion?” Price responded.

Grayson grinned at his operative’s intuition.

“Yeah, the right amount of pressure turns lions into lambs. I’ll have someone pull the files on the team now. You shouldn’t have much trouble getting them to cooperate after that,” he said confidently.

“And how about after the mission? What do we do with them?”

“Standard policy: eliminate the threats, discredit those that aren’t,” Grayson responded coldly.

He hung up the phone and stared pensively at a small ornamental globe on his desk. He ran his fingers over its surface, rotating it on its axis. Stopping at the Asian continent, his eyes focused on Iran. His mind began to wander along tangents, recalling recent failed missions in that country. Thinking about the possibilities of a new secret weapon, he grinned sardonically with the knowledge he would soon have a superior edge over the enemy.

Three thousand miles away, Price closed his phone, ending the call. He shot a quick look to the entrance of the spacecraft, then back to Hammond. A malevolent grin crossed his face.

“We’ll have a green light shortly,” he said. “Grayson will be sending the data momentarily. We better head back to the trailer.”

Hammond nodded. As the two hurried to their makeshift office, he considered their assignment.

“How much room do we have?” he asked.

“Unlimited,” Price shot back with a ruthless grin.

----- ----- ----- -----

Reeling from the disturbing visit from Special Agent’s Price and Hammond, the team of five, returned to their trailers early in the evening: Roger, Stan and Fred in one, Javi and Jack in another.

Jack sat in his chair and swirled his fork inside his cup of Ramon noodles. The aroma of soup was unappealing and he reached for a small bottle of Tabasco. He shook several drops of the hot sauce into his dinner and continued to stir.

“Biological weapon: blows the mind, doesn’t it?” he said to Javi.

Javi swallowed a spoonful of microwave mac
aroni and cheese, then answered, “It’s amazing to me that power and dominance seem to be the driver of all living things. I guess war and peace will always be a universal struggle, no matter who, what or where you are.”

Jack nodded simply. Thinking about their dilemma, he said, “It sure would be nice if the other three could read Araean hieroglyphics. It could take us weeks to read through that entire database. I’m thinking we need to bring in Dunixi Kanelos to help with the translations. He was a real asset in translating the hieroglyphics inside Zeus’ pyramid.”

Javi shook his head.

“Unfortunately, the Grecian government has other ideas. Poseidon’s pyramid isn’t even close to being translated. It’ll be tough getting them to give him up for a while.”

“Unless we tell them of the emergency,” Jack suggested.

“No one else can know about this, Jack. Just look at the reaction of Price and Hammond when they learned of the discovery. Th
ey acted like they found the Holy Grail or something. Imagine the reaction from those fanatical terrorist organizations. They’d stop at nothing to get their hands on the formula.”

“I just wish we had more detail on what th
at weapon is actually capable of,” Jack pondered.  “Who knows? Maybe it’s nothing more than a common cold virus.”

“My gut feeling is the Araean’s intentions were far more deadly and sinister than that, I’m afraid. I suspect if the weapon’s found, it’ll have a
profound effect on this planet,” Javi replied grimly.

Jack was about to respond, but was cut short by a knock at the door. He glanced at it with suspicion, then back to Javi.
Javi’s face suddenly filled with dread.

Both men stood slowly and moved toward the door. A shout from the outside caused them to freeze.

“Javi, Jack, we need to talk,” Price shouted from the opposite side of the door.

Jack turned back to Javi and whispered, “I was wonder when the two stiffs were going to show
up. Just remember, they’re out of their jurisdiction.”

“Funny how the lines of jurisdiction suddenly vanish at gun point,” Javi retorted.

“They can’t shoot us. They’d have to shoot everyone. Can you imagine the level of cover-up they’d need? I’m certain the Danish government would never go along with it,” Jack responded confidently.

Javi nodded reluctantly.

Another knock sounded, this time louder and more aggressive. Jack turned the handle and opened the door.

“What’s up, boys,”
he said in mocking tone.

“Got a minute?” Price asked, his eyes dark and serious.

“Well, actually, Javi and I were right in the middle of dinner…”

Price pushed open the door, charged up the steps and forced his way past Jack, followed by Hammond.

“What the
hell
!” Jack shouted in shock and anger.

“I’ll come straight to the point,” Price began, cutting off Jack before he could say another word. He pulled a manila folder out from under his arm and showed a print
out to Jack. “These are your parents,” he stated bluntly pointing to their pictures. “And here are reams of financial documents relating to them: taxes, bank and credit card statements, mortgage commitment, as well as a detailed history of their lives,” he added, flipping briefly through the pages in the folder. “With one word from me, we could turn their lives upside down, creating financial hardships that would take a lifetime to escape from.”

Jack raged inside. He clenched his fists. Even before he could speak, Hammond turned to Javi and opened another manila folder.

“These two are your wife and daughter. I have the same history on them as we do on Jack’s parents. If I were you, I’d really be thinking about my daughter the most. She’s the one that would suffer the longest. How old is she: twenty-five, thirty?” he asked in mocking tone. He pointed to her profile and smiled. “Ah yes, it says she’s twenty-six. So that means she would probably spend the next fifty-five years living in abstract poverty. Not a pretty picture,” he said coldly.

“You son of a…”
Javi spat in rage.

“What do you want?” Ja
ck blurted angrily, cutting Javi off in mid-sentence.

“We want the weapon and we need your full cooperation to get it. It was obvious from our earlier exchange that you two weren’t willing to give that level of cooperation. We’ve taken steps to insure you do,” Price stated callously.

“This is unbelievable!” Jack shouted in anger. “You’re going to threaten us with the lives of our relatives? You guys are a bunch of dirt bags.”

Price merely smirked at Jack’s outburst.

“Don’t be a shmuck, Jack. It’s not your parents we want. It’s the weapon. Just help us out and this all goes away,” he shot back.

“I can’t believe this! My own government blackmailing me,” he said, struggling to control his rage.

“Consider yourself lucky we learned of the weapon first. You have no idea the lengths other nations go to gain an advantage over one another. If word got out about a secret weapon, there’d be nations climbing all over themselves to get to it and if that happened, people would start dropping like flies. The dangers are real and consequences dire,” Hammond responded.

“You guys always say
shit like that to justify your twisted logic,” Jack retorted.

“Yours is the twisted logic, Jack. You just don’t realize it. Ignorance is not bliss, especially not in a case like this,” Price said.

Javi and Jack stood motionless, their minds not yet ready to accept the reality of their situation.

“Any questions?” Hammond asked in taunting tone.

Javi and Jack stared coldly, then shook their heads, reluctantly accepting their plight.

Price and Hammond
closed their folders, then headed for the door. Price stopped short and spun around.

“By the way, we’re not kidding about other nations: timing really
is
critical. We need the location of the lab by the end of the week,” he said, his tone firm and forceful.