David Golemon - Ancients

"Wait. You're basing all of this speculation from a story handed down to you? You're just guessing at this weapon's strength and the entire story on just hearsay. That's a stretch," Everett said.

"Normally I wouldn't expect you to believe it, Captain Everett, but in this case it's just a bit more than mere hearsay. The professor that discovered the maps and the scrolls and studied the designs in detail was named Peter Rothman--Carr's grandfather. The man the Coalition murdered in their pursuit of the weapon."

Everett remained stock-still and Jack nodded in understanding.

"Okay, so it's a little more than hearsay. Sorry to hear about your grandfather," Everett said, feeling like an ass.

"What would be the gain if North and South Korea went to war?" Jack asked, to get the conversation moving again.

"The gain is a weaker United States, Colonel, one that would no longer have the moral high ground on any world matter. With the harvest failures in Russia and China and their capitals and major cities leveled by earthquakes by the Atlantean Wave, the governments would not survive unless they were propped up by someone, or some entity."

"The Coalition," Jack said.

"Correct."

"Why the murder raid on Mr. Keeler's office?"

"That is the point we need to get to," Martha said. "As you know, the plate map was sent to Jackson Keeler's father. Just before the Coalition traced it to him with the help of the Nazis, he sent it away to a secure location. His son was the first recipient and then it was given to another Ancient for safekeeping."

"Who was it given to and where is it?" Carl asked.

"Where it's been for the past seventy years, young man: in a safe."

"Where's the safe?" Jack asked.

"Aboard a warship of the U.S. Navy--the very ship Jackson Keeler's brother was assigned to. Lieutenant Keeler did as instructed by his father and passed it to a secret member of the last family of Atlantis--the captain of his ship. The plate map remains onboard to this day."

"What warship is still active where the plate could be after all of these years?" Jack asked, perplexed.

"The USS Arizona, " Martha answered.

Jack and Carl looked away from the two old people and stared at each other for a moment. Collins wanted to say something but was speechless. Everett, on the other hand, was not.

"Jesus, Jack."

Collins and Everett were almost running down the hallway to get the information to Niles in Washington, when they heard a female voice call out from behind them. Jack saw Sarah McIntire running toward them, but the two military men did not slow down. Collins just waved her forward.

"Don't have time, McIntire," was all he said when she breathlessly caught up to them. "You'll be given a new assignment as soon as we clear it with Virginia and Niles. You're going to start reading some ancient scrolls."

"But, Jack, we have a sound theory about the earthquakes. We now know that they were possibly manmade and they may be caused and activated by--"

"Sound?" Jack said, cutting off her dramatic news.

Sarah skidded to a halt. "How in the hell did you know that?"

"Two Ancient Atlanteans told us," Everett said as he continued walking. Sarah watched the two men hit the elevator button and she ran to catch up.

"I think you have to explain that 'Ancient Atlantean' crack to me, boys."

Virginia felt out of place as she sat at Nile's Compton's desk. She was looking at a monitor that showed the faces of Martha and Carmichael and shook her head as Jack explained.

"And you're convinced they're speaking the truth?" Virginia said, not taking her eyes off the old couple.

Jack tossed a rubber-band-restrained scroll of paper onto her desk. "According to voice-stress polygraph, yes."

"We have to get this off to Niles and hope he can convince the president of its validity."

Virginia finally turned away from Martha and Carmichael on the wall-mounted monitor and tapped in her commands on the computer. After a moment, another monitor came to life and Niles was there, looking haggard and worn.

"What have you got?"

"Niles, as you know, Sarah here has come up with the way the earthquakes could have been initiated. But Jack here has just confirmed the theory and the people responsible for it."

"What?"

Collins stepped to Virginia's side to see Niles. Sarah was biting her lower lip as she looked at Carl, who stood grim faced.

"Niles, get to the president and make him understand that we now know something of the people who are responsible for all the unnatural phenomena happening around the globe. They are also the ones that hit our team in New York and also murdered Agent Monroe and his wife."

"I'll do my best, but Jesus, this is like something out of a bad spy movie."

"Maybe, but I believe them, Niles."

Niles just nodded and then the picture went blank.

An hour later, Alice brought in coffee for the four people in the conference room. She stood next to her seat and looked from Sarah to Jack to Carl.

"You three did a good job. If you don't need this old woman, I think I'll stroll down to security and take our guests Martha and Carmichael to the cafeteria. I'm sure they think our hospitality is left wanting to some degree."

"Just call and ask them to meet you there; they just may already have the keys to all the doors anyway," Carl quipped.

"What do we do now?" Virginia asked, as she sipped her coffee and grimaced, finding out that she didn't want it at all.

"We have alerted the National Parks Service in Honolulu and they will add on extra security until a detachment of marines arrives on station. The navy will provide around-the-clock surveillance and backup, and Carl and I are going there in about thirty minutes. Carl has asked for SEAL Team Six to standby also. These people do not mess around when it comes to getting what they want. Ask Niles to get his old friend the president to get clearance to dive on the old girl. The Parks Service is cooperating fully but is still very picky when it comes to the Arizona. "

"Well, it is a naval gravesite," Sarah said.

"Nonetheless, we have to dive on her. We must secure that plate map for two reasons. One--it proves that the Coalition is behind this mess, and two--we can't let these power-mad people get their hands on it."

"Good luck. In the meantime, I'm sure the FBI and the rest of law enforcement are going to be quite anxious to get the names of the men and women of this so-called Juliai Coalition," Virginia said as she finally slid her coffee cup away.

"Carmichael and Martha only have the name of one American Coalitionist that they know of through rumor only, a William Tomlinson. They think he's a pretty high up in their ranks, but are not sure. That's it."

"Lieutenant Mendenhall is about to throw the hatches of this place down tight, no one in or out. We just don't know how much knowledge these people have and what information they gained by torturing our people in New York. We have to base our reactions on the message left to us at the warehouse," Everett said, as he and Jack stood to go.

"We have redistributed the brain power around here now that we're relieved of the earthquake question. Sarah and the rest will be put to use with historical forensics, engineering, and reading ancient languages and deciphering the scrolls and maps. We need to know exactly what kind of science we are dealing with here."

"Well, if anyone can get a jump on fifteen thousand years of history, it's this Group," Jack said, standing up to leave.

"You two be careful, I know how much bullets are attracted to you. One of these days one may get up close and personal," Sarah said as she locked eyes with Jack.

"Are you kidding? We're faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a loco--"