“Got it.”
“So…you’re sure this thing’ll work, right?” Weaver had asked. “Trust me, you don’t want to promise something you can’t deliver. Holloway doesn’t take failure lightly. He’s very unforgiving.”
“Everything’s under control, buddy. Don’t worry. I can make this work. You can count on it.”
The call to Weaver had left him feeling very uncomfortable. What if I can’t make the device work? What am I missing?
Stop worrying, he had told himself. I’ll be famous when the world discovers I’ve built the first antigravity machine.
Even though he had previously assured Weaver that he had all the essential design plans, there ultimately was a missing set of equations necessary for operating the machine. The fallout from his over-zealousness was not taken kindly. He knew he’d dodged a bullet before, but to admit the unit was still non-operational a second time would be catastrophic. Aldin remembered again the last conversation with Weaver on the subject: “Don’t promise anything you can’t deliver. Holloway doesn’t take failure lightly. He’s very unforgiving.”
Aldin Mills couldn’t believe his oversight. He’d finally uncovered the necessity of another missing equation he knew was there. Unfortunately, this was not what he wanted to see. The inventor had hidden an interface program. The clues had been right in front of him the whole time. The hidden program provided the electrical sequencing for the nuclear core. Without this essential input, the machine was as good as scrap.
Stupid, he thought. In my eagerness to activate the world’s first antigravity machine, I overlooked that someone much more clever than me is behind the discovery. Of course the inventor would protect the final equations. What an imbecile! I’ve got to call Dallas and give him the news. There’s no other alternative.
Mills dialed Weaver’s cell phone.
“Aldin, how are you?” Weaver asked, answering his phone on the first ring.
“Not good, buddy,” Mills started. “We’ve got a serious problem. I can’t believe I overlooked it, but there’s still a missing piece in the Quantum equations. I’ve completed the structural connections, but there’s an interface program that somehow makes everything work. It channels the energy throughput to the core. The program must be hidden to stop anyone else from operating the machine. We’re dead without it, Dallas.”
“Well…you’re dead where you stand, my friend, and I’m probably in line right behind you. I’ll have to run this by Kilmer. He’ll decide what we tell Holloway. Are you certain there’s no way around it?”
“Unfortunately. I’ve looked at this from every angle…several times. I’ve completed the assembly and it’s obvious this last piece functions as the central nervous system of the entire unit. Only the designer can fix this problem. There’s no way to fabricate anything that will take its place,” Mills said dejectedly.
Weaver took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “Man, you’ve really put us in a box, pal. I recommended you for this assignment specifically to avoid complications. It’s my ass on the line here,” Weaver stated, keeping his composure, but the irritation in his voice was unmistakable. “This is now the second time we’ve had to go back for additional information. Our timetable won’t allow another mistake.”
“I know…believe me, I feel like such a fool.”
“Well, there’s nothing to be gained from second-guessing the matter,” he continued. Boss is gonna rip a gut on this one. We’ll likely have to kidnap Conrad. Jesus what a cluster, he thought
“Listen…I know I’ve let you down, Dallas. I feel terrible.”
“I’ll do my best to cover this up, Al…but no more screw-ups.
I’ll say that the antigravity machine is operational, but our guy at Quantum held back a secret program we couldn’t have known about until the fabrication was completed. That’s essentially the truth, right?” Weaver asked, making sure they were both on the same page with their story. This would be dicey enough without giving mixed signals.
“That’s the truth, man,” Mills replied. “Hey, thanks, Dallas. I owe you, buddy. I’ll make this right from here out. Consider it done.”
“Well, just see that you do, Al, and you won’t owe me a thing,” he said, hoping he was finally right about Aldin Mills.
This screw-up would be difficult to explain. There was no way to predict how Holloway would react to the news that the equations they stole from the Quantum Building were still incomplete. Nor was it a forgone conclusion that the solution would be to force Conrad to make the machine work. This news could have drastic ramifications on Holloway’s master plan. It would be up to Kilmer to present the facts and see where it took them.
In the meantime, Weaver hoped he could keep Aldin Mills alive long enough to complete the Fort Knox operation. On further reflection, he hoped to keep himself alive, too.
TWENTY-ONE
Johns Hopkins University, Maryland
18:30 HOURS
Dr. Sela Coscarelli was in the middle of titrating expensive adenosine triphosphate when she received the call from her sister. Once starting the process, she couldn’t stop until each step to synthesizing this high-energy molecule was completed. Molecular biologists considered ATP the energy currency of all living organisms, storing the energy cells needed to function. It was present in the nucleoplasm of every cell, and responsible for a myriad of physiological functions, all requiring an energy source. Muscle cells typically used the greatest percentage of this cellular compound, by virtue of the physical activities muscles performed for the body. It was Sela’s goal to harness ATP for muscular dystrophy patients in need of this precious molecule.
With the titration finally in order, Sela had a few moments before reporting to her evening teaching lab, where her graduate students assembled to discuss the status of experiments they conducted under her guidance. As she walked to class, she listened to the message from her sister. Hearing the news that her ex-brother-in-law was on the run slowed her gait, a pensive look replacing her customary professorial demeanor.
Damn Ryan, she thought. What is it now?
Sela quickly made her way to the lab. She was happy to see that her eager-beaver teaching assistant, Jordan Blair, was already there. They spoke briefly, and Sela mentioned that she expected to be late for lecture, but to proceed with reviewing the work assignments before she returned. This detail handled, she dialed Sarah’s number.
“Hey, sis,” Sela said, when Sarah answered the phone.
“Oh, thank God it’s you,” Sarah replied. “I’m beyond my wits today,” she said, her voice tremulous from the emotional strain. “I can’t believe this is happening all over again. I’m really worried that Ryan will kill him this time.”
“Okay…okay, let’s calm down. Tell me what’s happened,” Sela ordered. She listened carefully, trying not to jump to any conclusions, as Sarah relayed the particulars of the latest altercation between Ryan and Jarrod.
Sela shook her head, quietly listening to news of the trouble brewing somewhere in California. Most disturbing was that Jeremiah had decided to leave school under the premise of coming home to help his mother. She shared Sarah’s concern that Jer did sometimes have tendencies resembling the irrational traits of his father. She always believed it was just a matter of time before he was caught up in his father’s dysfunction. It didn’t surprise her that Jer wanted to get involved; after all, he was old enough that simple placation would no longer suffice. Sela decided to address this problem head-on.
“Well, I wish I had an immediate solution,” she said, when Sarah finished describing the sordid details. “But from what I understand… there’s not much else you can do. When Westbrook arrives, just tell him everything you know, including your suspicion that Ryan’s on his way to find Jarrod. Beyond that, you shouldn’t get any more involved.”
Sela paused, but her sister didn’t comment. “Honestly, I think Jer leaving school is our biggest concern. We both know he can be as pig-headed as his father. I don’t think he’ll be easily dissuaded from getting into the middle of this mess. Actually, it may be best if he’s home to keep an eye on him. Left to his own resources, he might just decide to go after Ryan. Then where will we be?”