“I know what is at stake,” Duncan said.
“Do you?” Garlin asked. “You don’t even know who you are or where you come from.” He leaned back slightly on the stool. “Do you know why the Airlia came to our planet in the first place so long ago? Why they fought, and continue to fight, a civil war? Why they were stranded here?”
“Do you?” Duncan threw back at him, but her voice was less combative as she contemplated his questions.
“Not yet, but we’re working on it. Aspasia’s Shadow just made an announcement to the UN. He claims the Airlia came here to help and protect us from another predatory alien species. Or at least Aspasia did. He says Artad is a deserter.” “Is that true?”
“Are you willing to believe Aspasia’s Shadow?” “Not really.”
“We’re taking a bigger view than the previous Majestic, especially as we know so much more than they did. We think understanding the Airlia would be pretty helpful in the current situation. Allowing us to act, rather than constantly react.”
“How did you come into existence?” Duncan asked.
Garlin briefly stroked his short white beard as he considered her question. “We want you to understand the situation. We want you to cooperate. So far your actions have appeared to be loyal to our country, so we hope that if you believe what you hear, you will continue to be loyal to the best of your abilities.
“When the primary Majestic-12 was compromised by the guardian they discovered in South America at Temiltepec and the security of Area 51 breached, a plan that had been prepared over forty years previously was put into effect. For every member on the Majestic-12 committee, there has always been a backup selected. We”—he tapped his own chest— “had no idea we filled these positions, but apparently we were picked by the twelve primary Majestic members from within their own organizations based on detailed psychological profiles that practically assured we would be willing to step up and assume the primary roles once we were informed. The fortunate thing was that we were picked before the primary Majestic-12 was compromised by the guardian computer, so those chosen were chosen because they were projected to be loyal to the original charter for Majestic.
“It has worked as planned. Even as Majestic was being broken apart, with members dead or under indictment, twelve of us received a top-secret CD-Rom by special courier sent from the NSA vault. On each disk was a detailed report of Majestic’s formation by presidential decree during Eisenhower’s administration and a summary of its subsequent actions over the years along with all that had been discovered about the Airlia and their artifacts.
“Of course, there was no information about Majestic’s corruption after uncovering the guardian computer at Temiltepec in South America and bringing the alien computer back to Dulce. Still, the basic decree Eisenhower had given the original MJ-12 rang true to those of us who received the CDs — protect America at all cost from alien influence.” Duncan was silent, listening.
“We gathered a week ago at the designated time and location indicated on the CD — a small airfield outside New Orleans. A tilt-wing Osprey landed, and the back ramp opened up. There was no one in the cargo bay and the door to the cockpit was locked. We got on board and the plane immediately took off. It flew out over the Gulf of Mexico, staying just above the waves to stay off radar. The engines rotated up and we finally landed on board what appeared to be an abandoned oil rig, about a hundred miles from the nearest shore. The ramp opened, we got off, and the plane was back in the air and flying away.
“There was no one there. But we followed the directions on the CD, punched in the correct code on a keypad, and got into an elevator on one corner of the rig. It went down the one leg of the rig to the ocean floor, where an undersea habitat — this place — was attached. The new Area 51.”
“How far down are we?” “Three hundred feet.”
“And you have contact with the outside world?
“A secure contact via satcom up top on the rig to the NSA. However, we’re keeping quiet so far, just listening. We want to determine a valid course of action before we do anything.”
“How come you didn’t contact us at the old Area 51?” Duncan asked.
Garlin shook his head. “You still don’t understand, do you?” He pointed at her. “We don’t know who you are. We don’t know whom at the old Area 51 we could trust. We’re starting over with a clean slate.
“So far, we’ve done little other than try to keep track of the rapid flurry of events around the world. But when we received a report from the old Area 51 about what had happened to you, we acted swiftly, issuing orders with our presidential authorization.”
“So you’ve kidnapped me,” Duncan said. “Seems like something the old Majestic would do.”
“The old Majestic protected America for almost fifty years,” Garlin said. “Now it’s our turn. And we want to be very careful that we don’t get compromised like they did. We might be the last best hope for mankind.”
“Why haven’t you done anything?” Duncan demanded. “Why have you been hiding here while we fought the aliens?”
Garlin tapped her on the knee. “Because we were waiting for you. You’re the key. You’re immortal now. If we can figure out what happened to you, we think we can win this war and not just the next battle.”
The holiest city in the Christian world had never known such a gathering of people in the streets. The route had been announced on the news the previous evening and people had begun staking claim to a spot immediately, the numbers swelling through the night. Tens of thousands came in from the surrounding country as word spread.
Jerusalem was, in reality, several cities with a clear distinction between sections. The Christians flocked to the northwest, where the Church of the Holy Sepulchre was located, built over the site where Jesus was executed and the holiest place in Christendom. The northwest was Muslim territory, where the Dome of the Rock was located, the third most holy place in Islam, where the Prophet Muhammad made his ascent into heaven. In the southwest corner of the city were the remnants of the temple built by Solomon. Called the Wailing Wall by outsiders, the Jewish people preferred to call the area the Temple Mount. Ironically, on top of the mount is the al Aqsa mosque.
Like many others, Simon Sherev had traveled to Jerusalem when he heard the news. His duties at Dimona were minimal now that the nuclear weapons were staged forward. The country was on a war footing, like most in the world, and security was tight in the city. Sherev’s clearance allowed him to get close to the open area in front of the Wall. The massive stone blocks towered above him and he noted that in keeping with tradition the women were on the right side, the men on the left. Sherev remembered the first time he’d been on that very spot, many years previously. It was a tradition that new recruits in the Israeli army made a forced march of over one hundred miles, ending at the Wall. That day Sherev had been profoundly moved, but looking back, he wasn’t sure whether it was reaching the Wall or the fact that his training had been over.
To the left of the Wall was a stone gallery. He could see elite members of a counterterrorist unit guarding the entrance to where the Ark of the Covenant was being held. He could also see a large cluster of television reporters and their cameras nearby. Hasher Lakur was standing in a bright circle of lights, being interviewed. The fool, Sherev thought. Publicizing the Ark was one thing, but doing it there, in the most divided city in the world, was insanity.
He wondered how Lakur was explaining the Ark. Was he claiming it truly was the Ark of the Covenant that Moses had carried out of the captivity? In a way, that was true, but it was also true the Ark was an Airlia artifact. How would that go over? Sherev wondered. It was a desperate gambit at a desperate time. Sherev had seen the intelligence reports about the various Arab countries mobilizing. Could they finally bring together the jihad they had always failed to complete? Or would they fall on each other like jackals? Would showing the Ark unify long-suffering Israelis or sow fatal doubts?