David Golemon - Ancients

"Go catch your plane," Sarah said, cutting off Everett's teasing.

William Tomlinson sat in his ornate study with several of the key Coalition members. One fellow was an American named August Nelson, a former World Bank president who had been on the Coalition's payroll since 1969. He had funneled billions of American dollars and euros through the world's checks and balances in order to finance the immense payroll outlays for a private military the size of the Japanese defense force.

There were others of the Coalition inner workings who were key to the final plans being made, but it was the Englishwoman, Lilith Anderson, better known in the inner circle as Dame Lilith--which was a title actually bestowed by the queen herself--who brought the concluding stages of the Mediterranean operation to a resoundingly satisfactory finale.

"Dame Lilith." Tomlinson raised his glass of hundred-year-old whiskey. "Your Crete operation has gone off without a hitch. The way you have hidden our real intent on the island is astounding. I toast you, my dear, dear lady."

The magnificently dressed woman of fifty nodded her head and returned the gesture, smiling.

Tomlinson lowered his glass and looked at the eight-by-ten photos once again. "Unbelievably, there are entire sections of the dome still intact. I can even see columns inside it."

"As you can imagine, a great percentage of the dome didn't hold up to the tremendous forces that destroyed the island, but there are clear areas that were protected by the magma flows at the time of the island's demise. The old maps transcribed have shown us invaluable spaces that may hold some fascinating variables as far as possibly discovering the third Key--a nice backup just in case your operative, Dahlia, has any--misfortune in Hawaii. For instance, we believe the ruins of the large building, very hard to see in the initial photographs, may be what was described as the Empirium Chamber, the very seat of their government."

"Magnificent! And when do you think we'll get more than just a probe inside the dome?" Tomlinson asked, ignoring the slight about Dahlia's and her chances.

"We estimate sixteen hours, and we'll have people inside," answered Dame Lilith as she placed her drink on the table to her right. "But I must caution you that the initial testing of the air quality is disappointing. The environment is toxic to the extreme, but thanks to the tunnel opening we are starting to pump fresh air into the city."

"We expected as much. We could not very well expect part of an ancient city covered by magma and a trillion tons of rock and debris to be a Garden of Eden. How soon can we expect our equipment to be placed inside the magma chamber and city dome?"

"Our submersibles are inspecting the exposed section of the Crystal Dome as early as tomorrow. If they believe that exposed area will continue to withstand the pressure of the Mediterranean, we can start transporting the Wave equipment down the largest shaft on Crete in less than thirty hours."

"August, will we have added security in place by that time?" Tomlinson asked, sipping his drink.

"Yes, I believe so. Five hundred defensive troops on Crete itself, with another one hundred in the chambers below when the time comes; these of course will be our finest soldiers, the elite."

"Antinaval assets?"

"Already in place. If any navy or air force in the world starts poking around the area, they will have the surprise of their lives. They would be foolish, with our batteries of hidden SAM sites. I believe we are adequately covered until such time when we need not hide any longer."

"How exciting! Great moments started by great people, eh?" He raised his glass again.

After the toast was finished, Dame Lilith leaned forward in her chair. "William, I apologize for making light of Dahlia's abilities in the matter of recovering the map plate. I know it upset you. Its procurement is so very vital to our plans. Tell us, can she recover it?"

"Dahlia at this very moment is scouting the situation and should have a report forthwith."

"You have been right about everything thus far. We will never doubt your leadership. You have thought this out thoroughly and have earned the respect of all of us now inside the inner circle. Ours is the just way, the only way. The world needs us," Lilith said, and this time she raised her glass in tribute to Tomlinson.

They drank and relaxed, and Tomlinson held his audience captive with words.

"When the outside world learns of our plans, anyone outside of future history will think us some sort of James Bond bad guy, a mere cliche of evil. Little do they know this early on that we mean only good for our world. The changes in the way people live have been needed for more time than we will ever truly know. They are subservient to men and women who will drain them of even the minimal standards of a good life. While we will see to their every need, and give them the one thing governments cannot guarantee, a future. They just need to be led. They want to be led."

"Hear, hear!" they all said loudly as Tomlinson stood proudly.

"Here's to the man who will lead us all into our future, our destiny, William Tomlinson, to a brave new world!" Dame Lilith toasted.

"A brave new world!" They drank.

Later that evening, only four people sat in William Tomlinson's den. They were the true leaders.

"William, you have something to tell us?" Dame Lilith asked.

"We noticed you waited until the others left to pass on whatever it is on your mind," said August Nelson.

"We are moving operations to Crete much sooner than I said to the others. Once the Black Sea sound domes are in place, it will be the safest place to be when we strike at the heart of Russia. I have made a decision and I want your comments. I have planned a false strike at Russia. We will use Russia's paranoia against her. I am downing the Wave aircraft with all the equipment onboard."

"What would be the use of that?" Nelson asked.

"The livery colors of the aircraft will be changed to those of the U.S. Air Force. The blame will fall directly into the lap of the United States, and that will give us extra time to find the Ethiopian Key. I see no disadvantage in this action; it may even force the Russians' hand and make them move militarily in some other region, thinning America's military even further. Assets, I remind you, would be used against us. I must admit to you that I expected a harsher reaction from the new administration after the Roosevelt incident and the downing of those American and Japanese aircraft. Thus far, the president has been very restrained."

"Your changes have been timely thus far. Of course, whatever you think is necessary. We are still very much headed in the right direction and it will not take much more to make this new president take firmer action against those he sees as aggressors. This may be the straw, if we can get the Russians believing and retaliating."

Tomlinson nodded in thanks to Dame Lilith and August Nelson for seeing his plans clearly. He was about to stand and get a refill of whiskey when a light knock sounded on the door. Caretaker, just in from Europe, stepped in and closed the double doors lightly.

"Mr. Tomlinson, you have an important call from your asset in Hawaii, sir."

Tomlinson watched as Caretaker brought him the phone, then he nodded for the man to leave. He watched the older man slide his study doors open and then exit, ever careful not to divulge too much information to the man who could tip the balance of power in the Coalition with just a few words against him.