David Golemon - Event

"If I have even an inkling of evidence that this animal has survived the crash, I will immediately inform not only the initial Discovery team, but anyone who comes on-site what we may be up against. There can be no negotiation on that fact," Jack said, looking from face to face. "I have never kept troops in the dark or lied to them about what they're up against. I hope I'm clear and you back me on that. I've had some experience with people above me not giving my men and myself a clear picture of what we were up against, and it always turns out bad."

"You have my word, Jack. If it's alive, you have permission to inform everyone."

They were interrupted by a knock on the door. Niles called out and Commander Everett entered and held out a file folder to Jack.

"The Discovery team is assembled and waiting with the exception of Mendenhall and Jackson, who will join us at the airfield."

"Thank you, Mr. Everett, we'll be right in." Jack took the file folder.

Everett left the command room and closed the door. Jack turned and faced the three expectant faces.

"I explained earlier about Centaurus and Genesis. Now I think you should know who is behind them. But I believe you already have guessed. We had this package made up for you and just received it back from photo recon." Jack handed Lee the red-bordered Eyes Only file. He dipped his head and left the command room to brief his team.

Lee turned the file over and peeled away a red piece of tape and reached in and took out first the hard copy of the report Jack had already covered with him. This he handed to Alice. Then he pulled the blowups and computer-enhanced prints from the file. He looked at the first photo of a dark-haired man taken at a banquet. The only indication he recognized the face in the foreground was the momentary widening of his good eye.

"Now that's a face I never thought to see again," Lee said as he handed the picture over for Alice to see. "It has to be his son."

After a moment, Lee removed the last picture from the file and looked at the smiling face of the Frenchman. "Well, Jack and the boys earned their money. With this photo we have visual proof of just who it was Farbeaux's been working for all these years," he said, shaking his head. Then he sat up and looked at the picture more closely. Standing behind Farbeaux and unaware of the camera, die same as the Frenchman, was a face that Lee knew. He lowered the picture and closed his eye.

"What's wrong?" Alice asked.

Lee opened his eye and looked at her and handed her the last picture.

"Farbeaux?" she asked.

"No, not him, the rather tall gentleman standing behind him."

"Oh, God, is that the president?"

Lee didn't say anything.

"You mean the president knows Hendrix?" Compton asked as he took the picture and looked at it.

Jack had confirmed what Lee had suspected for fifty years or more, that their enemy from the time of the Roswell Incident to the present wasn't a foreign agency, but the mythical Men in Black who had always been but a rumor. It was now highly likely that their foe was a privately held company that existed with the help of some of the federal agencies, at least initially in the company's earlier formation hi the forties and fifties. The Centauras Corporation, and the think tank Jack mentioned, the Genesis Group, also led by Hendrix, were the people who sat in judgment on how to exploit the finds and discoveries they had gleaned from the crash wreckage they had stolen almost sixty years ago.

"Let's keep this knowledge to ourselves for a bit, shall we? We don't know how deep the connection goes between Centauras and the president. After all, it was a Washington event and the president was a young senator then, no crime in his being there. I suspect that maybe it's only certain elements that are assisting this corporation and not the entire federal community. I couldn't believe that the president would be an accomplice in this. But still"--Lee smiled-- "let's not take any chances."

Alice and Niles knew the look in Lee's eye. He was thinking about how to turn the situation in their favor.

"What do you think, Niles, did we find the saucer in time?" the old man asked tiredly, gladly changing the subject.

Niles stared at the far wall for a moment. Then he turned and removed his glasses and slid them into his pocket.

"I think I took too damn long to find it, Senator," he answered, walking toward the door.

Alice patted Garrison on the hand as they watched Niles leave the room to make his way to the briefing.

"Niles is too hard on himself," Alice said, "but Lord help us if he's right."

Lee used his cane to stand up; Alice quickly stood herself to help him into the briefing.

"I suspect we may need God's help, because for some reason I think it's going to happen this time around," he stated flatly. "Too damn many things happened differently, too many variables." He lightly took hold of Alice's arm. "And if the worst has indeed taken place, then God may be the only one who can stop it. Get the president and get Niles back in here. We'll find out real quick if the commander in chief is someone else's friend and not just ours, because we need to get Jack some help in securing that valley. Start working on a cover story for the army to move on. But make it one in which weapons, a lot of weapons, would be needed."

A Discovery team as laid down by Department 5656 protocol is an advanced team of required specialists and security personnel that will be present at the start of any field operation where security for the project and Group is of major concern. Deception to the general public is foremost to camouflage the nature of said Event.

Jack's team had gathered in the main conference room in order for the senator to observe. Jack's first brief was to Denise Gilliam, a doctor of forensic science from the University of Maine at Orono.

"Dr. Gilliam, besides your forensic duties, you will also be our field doctor. We're cutting back on initial personnel."

"But I..."

Jack shot her a look.

"Alright, I can do that," she said.

"That's exactly why I put you on the Discovery team, one person--two jobs."

Jack looked next to Josh Crollmier, a former member of the National Transportation and Safety Board, who would be serving as the crash expert.

"Mr. Crollmier, initially you will concentrate on the possibility of survivors, and you'll be starting without your team or equipment." Jack looked to the next in line after Crollmier just nodded.

"Signalman Willing," he said, looking at Lisa. "You will handle ground communications and set up video links to Nellis and Washington with your four-man COMM team. You will be issued sidearms and will double as site security until I get more people in theater, are we clear?"

"Yes, sir, we'll have COMMO up in five minutes."

"Dr. Robert Randall, you will handle the zoology aspect of the team. I know you served your time with the Group, but our zoologist is off base. In short, Doctor, it doesn't pay to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. You should never have paid a visit to the Group. Welcome aboard."

"I was drafted," he said.

"We need evidence of any life-forms that may have arrived with the vehicle ASAP. And the rest of you, don't ask," Jack said, heading off any questions about why a doc from the San Diego Zoo was coming along.

Then Collins looked at the rest of the security element of Everett, Mendenhall, Ryan, and Corporal Jackson. Everyone with the exception of Ryan had assault experience and heliocast jumps under their belt. Ryan would be backup cover along with the Blackhawk crew chiefs and gunners.

"Are two two-man teams on the ground enough?" Jason asked.