ptimistic reply. "I'd say go that way." He pointed toward a tunnel on the "Everyone hold on to something," Turcotte called out as land end. they descended below the edge of the crater's rim. They "After you," Kelly said, with a sweep of her hand. splashed into the lake without much of a jar and then were Turcotte led the way with Nabinger at his side, the others enclosed in total darkness. For half a minute there was following, with Kelly bringing up the rear. The tunnel was silence, and it was impossible to tell which way they were lit by lines of light that seemed to be part of the ceiling. moving. A point of light appeared ahead and slightly above The floor sloped up at first, raising faint hopes that it might them, growing closer. go up to the surface, but then it leveled out and turned to The light grew brighter, filtered through water, then sud- the right. denly they broke out into air again, into a large cavern. The bouncer lifted up above the surface of the water, which They entered a cave, somewhat larger than the Cube. filled one half of the floor, and settled down on dry rock on Three walls were rock, but the far wall was metal. On it was the other half. a series of complex control panels with many levers and "We're shut down," Scheuler announced as the skin of buttons. What caught everyone's attention, though, was the the disk grew opaque. He tried the controls. "It won't large golden pyramid, twenty feet high, that sat in the cen- power up." ter of the cave. Turcotte paused. It was similar to the one at Dulce, but larger. There was no glow above it, and Turcotte Four thousand feet above Easter Island, General Gullick didn't pick up any of the negative feelings he'd experienced watched helplessly as the bouncer disappeared into the wa- in Dulce. ters of the crater. He reluctantly followed the others as they walked in si- "Can you set us down on the airfield on the island?" he lence up to the base of the pyramid, staring at its smooth asked the pilot. surface in awe. Faintly etched in the metal were high runes. "Sir, that's a public airstrip. If we land there, the secret "What do you think?" Turcotte asked of no one in par- about this aircraft will be out." icular. "I'm sure this thing controls whatever took over the Gullick's laugh had a edge of mania to it. "Major, there's bouncer and is keeping us from getting out of here." 36O ROBERT DOHERTY AREA 51 361 "Why are you in such a rush to get out of here?" Kelly The fact that the island was Chilean and they were vio- asked. "This is the whole reason we came." lating international law didn't overly bother General Gul- "I was trained to always have a way out ready," Turcotte lick either. He ignored the agitated requests from the said, staring at the pyramid suspiciously. admiral in charge of the Lincoln task force and the relays "Well, cool your spurs," Kelly replied. from Washington as people in charge woke up to the fact "My spurs are cool," Turcotte replied. "I have the feel- that something unusual was going on. ing the only thing waiting for us outside of this cave is "I want an airstrike prepared," Gullick ordered. "Target going to be a lot of big guns." is the Rano Kao volcano. Everything you have. The target "This must be the guardian," Kelly said. is under the water in the crater." They all held their place as Nabinger ran his hands over The admiral would have ignored Gullick except for one the high runes. "Amazing. This is the greatest find in very important thing: the general had the proper code archeological history." words to authorize such a mission. On the deck of the "This isn't history, Professor," Turcotte said as he Abraham Lincoln smart bombs were rolled out and crew- walked forward into the room. "This is here and now, and men began attaching them to the wings of aircraft. we need to figure this thing out." "Can you read it?" Kelly asked. Two hours after beginning, Nabinger had a dazed look on "I can read some of them, yes." his face as the tendril unwrapped itself and flowed back "Get to work, then," Turcotte said. into the golden globe. Five minutes after Nabinger began, they were all startled "What have you learned?" Kelly asked as they all gath- when a golden glow appeared above the apex of the pyra- ered around. mid. Turcotte was pleased to note that he didn't get the Nabinger shook his head, his eyes slowly focusing back sick feeling that the other pyramid had produced. He was to his surroundings. "Unbelievable! It's unbelievable! It disturbed, though, when a gaseous golden tendril from the spoke to me in a way I couldn't explain to you. So much globe reached out and wrapped itself around Nabinger's information. So much that we never understood. It all fits head. now. All the ruins and discoveries, all the runes, all the "Take it easy," Kelly said as Turcotte started forward. myths. I don't know where to start." "This thing, whatever it is, is in charge. Let Nabinger find "At the beginning," Von Seeckt suggested. "How did all out what it wants." this get here? Where did the mothership come from?" Nabinger closed his eyes briefly, then began. "There was The first helicopter from the Abraham Lincoln came in at an alien colony--more an outpost than a colony as far as I one hour and twenty minutes after Gullick had landed at can gather--on Earth. The aliens called themselves the the Easter Island international airport. Given that there Airlia. were only four flights into the airport every week--and "As best I can determine, the Airlia arrived here about today was one of the off days--they had no trouble taking ten housand years ago. They settled on an island." The over the airfield. professor held up a hand as Turcotte started to ask a ques- 362 ROBERT DOHERTY AREA 51 363 tion. "Not this island. An island in the other ocean. In the would be a race through space. There was an additional Atlantic. An island that in human legend has been called factor too. One that the Airlia commander apparently con- sidered very important. He was the one who programmed Atlantis. "From there they explored the planet. There was a spe- the guardian, so most of what I learned is from his perspec- cies native to this planet very much like them." Nabinger tive. His name was Aspasia. "Aspasia knew that even if they got away, the trace of smiled. "Us. "They tried to avoid contact with humans. I'm not totally their engine would be examined by the enemy and back- sure why they were here. I would have to have more con- tracked, and Earth would then be discovered by the others. tact. I get the impression it might simply have been a scien- He pretty much considered that equivalent to sentencing tific expedition, but there is also no doubt that there was a the planet to destruction. He felt that factor by itself ruled out leaving. The regulations he worked under also said that military aspect to it." "They were taking over the Earth?" Turcotte asked. he could not endanger this planet and the life on it. "No. We weren't exactly an interstellar threat ten thou- "But there were others among the Airlia who weren't so sand years ago. The Airlia were at war with some other noble or so entranced by the regulations. They wanted to species, or perhaps their own species. I can't quite figure go back and not be stuck on this primitive planet for the that out from what it told me, but I think it is the former. rest of their lives. The Airlia fought among themselves. The word it used for the enemy was different. And if the Aspasia's side won, but he knew that as long as they had enemy had been some of their own I think I would be able the capability to return, it would always be a threat. He to tell because . . ." Nabinger paused. "I'm getting ahead also knew that even their enclave on the island, Atlantis, would eventually violate their noninterference regulation. of myself here. "The Airlia were here for several millennia, rotating per- "So he moved the mothership and hid it. He scattered sonnel in and out for tours of duty. Then something hap- his people. Some--the rebels--had already dispersed to pened--not here on Earth, but in their interstellar battle." other parts of the planet. Aspasia hid the seven bouncers down in Antarctica and"--Nabinger pointed over his Nabinger ran his hand through his beard. "The war was not going well and some disaster hap- shoulder--"he moved their central computer, the guard- ian, here to Easter Island. It was uninhabited then. He pened and the Airlia here were cut off. It seems that the took the last two bouncers back to rest with the mother- enemy could find the Airlia by detecting their interstellar ship." Nabinger took a deep breath. "That is, he did that drives." He looked at Von Seeckt. "Now we know the se- after he did one last thing. He destroyed their outpost on cret of the mothership. The commander of the colony had Atlantis so that if the enemy did come through this solar to make a decision: pack up and try to make a run for it system, they would not discover that the fire-heads had back to safety in their home system or stay. Naturally, the ever been here. He completely wiped out that trace of their majority of the Airlia wanted to go back. Even if they existence here on Earth and hid the rest." stayed and weren't spotted, there was always the chance Nabinger looked at the screen. "Aspasia left the guard- the enemy would find them anyway. ian on with the foo fighters under its control in case the "Of course, if they left, they would be spotted and then it 364 ROBERT DOHERTY AREA 51 365 way of the war changed and his own people came back to puter was in control of him. It wanted the mothership. this sector of space. Obviously, they never did." That was the thing the rebels wanted more than anything The professor turned from the computer. "Others else: the only way to get home." among the Airlia, those who did not agree with Aspasia, Von Seeckt turned to Duncan. "I told you we must not must have tried to leave their own message to their people, try to fly the mothership. General Gullick and his people knowing the guardian had been left on. might have brought the wrath of this enemy down upon "Now I know the why and how of the pyramids. They our planet!" were space beacons, built by rebels using the limited tech- "I don't think Gullick really knew what he was doing," nology they found and the human labor they could exploit Turcotte said, rubbing the right side of his head. to try to reach out to their own people if they ever came "The threat the Airlia faced was thousands of years close enough. ago," Duncan noted. "Certainly-- "And the bomb the rebels took. Aspasia knew about "Certainly, nothing!" Von Seeckt cut her off. He pointed that, but he couldn't go in and take it away, not without at the screen behind him. "This thing still works. The foo letting the humans know of his power and existence or fighters this computer controls still fly. The bouncers still without having the rebels set it off. fly. What makes you think the enemy's equipment isn't still "You see, the rebels, there weren't many of them. There functioning out there somewhere, waiting to pick up a sig- were never more than a few thousand of the Airlia on the nal and go in and destroy Earth? The Airlia turned the planet at any one time. And they went other places and mothership off because they were obviously losing their worked their way in among the humans. Jorgenson's diffu- war!" sionist theory is correct. There are many connections be- Lisa Duncan nodded. "This is beyond us. We have to tween all those ancient civilizations, and there is a reason bring the President here." they all started at roughly the same time, but it wasn't be- The golden glow suddenly went white, then a three-di- cause man crossed the ocean. It was because Atlantis was mensional picture appeared. It showed the early-morning destroyed and the Airlia spread out across the planet." sky and a phalanx of small dots moving across. "I saw a pyramid just like the guardian but smaller, down "What's that?" Duncan asked. on the lowest level in Dulce," Turcotte said. "You might not get the chance to talk to the President," "Yes, that was the computer the rebels hid," Nabinger Turcotte said. "Those are F-16's coming this way." said. "Not as powerful as the guardian but still far more advanced than anything we could comprehend. Gullick and his people must have just recovered that this year when the find was made at Jamiltepec in Mexico." "And Gullick turned it on," Turcotte said, all the pieces falling into place. "Yes," Nabinger said. "And it didn't work the way Gul- lick thought. He was no longer in control--the rebel com- AREA 51 367 In the guardian cavern everyone relaxed as they watched 3 4 the warplanes turn away, followed by the foo fighters. "Seems like this guardian can take care of itself," Turcotte said. "Is there any way we can get hold of Washington?" Duncan asked. "I need to get this madman Gullick re- lieved." "Can you ask the guardian to let us use the SATCOM radio in the bouncer?" Turcotte asked Nabinger. "I'll try," Nabinger replied. RAPA Nui (EASTER ISLAND) Gullick had one last card up his sleeve. He knew there was Gullick sat in the-back of the large Navy helicopter parked an Aegis-class cruiser in the Lincoln battle group. He on the runway and listened in on the command frequency grabbed the microphone and called the admiral. as the strike force moved in. There was enough ordnance on those planes to reduce the volcano to rubble. After The three-dimensional glow suddenly shifted perspective that--Gullick shook his head, trying to get rid of a pound- and showed four trails of flame coming off a warship. ing headache and think clearly. They would have to dig "What the hell are those?" Kelly asked, freezing Turcotte down to the mothership again. And then, then-- and Duncan in their tracks. "Are you all right, sir?" The navy lieutenant was wor- Turcotte spun around. "Tomahawk cruise missiles." ried. He didn't know what was going on, but one thing for "He's going nuclear?" Duncan was shocked. sure, the shit was hitting the fan. "No, those probably aren't nuclear, but they carry a hell "I'm fine," Gullick snapped. of a wallop," Turcotte said. "We've got bogeys!" the radar man called out. "Coming "Do you think the foo fighters can stop them? up out of the volcano." "No time. The foo fighters are chasing away the jets," Turcotte said. "They're out of position." The flight leader saw the foo fighters rising up to greet his They watched, mesmerized, as the four missiles hit su- planes. He'd been in the wardroom when the flight that personic speed and crossed the shoreline of Easter Island, had been dispatched to set the trap had gone down, their less than three miles away. engines shut down by these very same craft. "We've got maybe four seconds," Turcotte said. "Eagle Flight, this is Eagle Six. Abort! Abort!" The image blanked out, then returned, showing the is- The F-16's banked hard and kicked in afterburners, the land unchanged. foo fighters in hot pursuit. "What happened?" Kelly asked. 368 ROBERT DOHERTY AREA 51 369 On the Lincoln the admiral was asking the same question of his staff on the battle bridge. He ignored General Gul- On Easter Island, Gullick was still yelling into the radio in lick's screamed demands as he talked to the officers work- the back of the helicopter when the navy lieutenant took ing there. off his headset and looked at the general. "Sir, I'm under "Near as I can tell, sir, there's some sort of force field orders to take you into custody." around the volcano. The Tomahawks were destroyed when Gullick's face twitched and he ripped off his own head- they hit it." set. "What? Who the hell do you think you are?" The admiral rubbed his forehead. He didn't have a clue "I have orders to take you into custody," the lieutenant what was going on. He'd already lost six multimillion-dollar repeated. He laid a hand on Gullick's arm and Gullick fighters, and now four Tomahawks. "I demand you launch another strike!" Gullick was yell- ripped it away. ing on one frequency. "Don't you dare! I had served my country for over thirty "Sir, I've got communication with someone claiming years. This can not happen. We must succeed. We must fly they are inside that volcano," one of the men said. the ship." "Give me that frequency," the admiral said, ignoring The lieutenant had almost lost friends on the previous Gullick. He picked up a mike. "This is Admiral Spring- night's F-16 mission and he had his orders. He drew his field." pistol. "Sir, we can do this the easy way or we can do this "Admiral, this is Lisa Duncan, the President's science the hard way." adviser. You'd better listen up and listen good. Who autho- Gullick drew his pistol. The lieutenant froze, stunned rized you to attack this place?" that his bluff had been called. "General Gullick, ma'am." "General Gullick is insane." "He had the proper authorization codes and-- "Admiral, I want you to get me a direct line to the Presi- AIRSPACE, DULCE, NEW MEXICO dent. I'll give you my authorization codes to get that call through, and we'll get this all sorted out. Clear?" From its perch watching the mothership hangar the foo The admiral gave a relieved sigh. "Clear, ma'am." fighter came out of the north at over five thousand miles an hour. It stopped abruptly and hovered, three miles over the The golden tendril unwrapped itself from around Nab- mountain housing the Dulce facility. A tightly focused inger's head and returned to the orb. The orb pulsed and beam of golden light came out of it, aimed straight down. seemed to grow larger. It passed through the mountain as if it didn't exist. "What's happening?" Kelly asked. On the bottommost level the small pyramid was touched by "I don't know," Nabinger replied. "As much as I'm get- the beam and instantly imploded. The layers of the facil- ting information from the guardian, it's getting information ity pancaked on top of each other and the entire facility from me." was destroyed in less than two seconds. 370 ROBERT DOHERTY RAPA Nui (EASTER ISLAND) Gullick turned to the north and his mouth opened wide. A 35 high-pitched scream came out. He fell to the floor of the helicopter, dropping the pistol and pressing both hands against the side of his head. Dark red blood flowed out his ears and nose. The lieutenant stepped back, shocked by what he was watching. Gullick reached a hand up, the fingers twisted in pain, in a gesture of supplication. Then he collapsed in a fetal position and was still. The lieutenant stepped forward and rolled the body RAPA Nui (EASTER ISLAND) over. Lifeless eyes stared up at the morning sun. The view from the rim of Rano Kao was spectacular. Waves roared into the rocks a thousand feet below and the sea stretched out to the horizon, the setting sun creating hundreds of sparkles in the wave crests. The only thing marring the view was the silhouette of an aircraft carrier six miles off the coast. A jet roared past, carrying another load of politicians. The Abraham Lincoln task force was spread out around the island and the local airfield was packed with incoming air- craft. Turcotte squatted and picked up a rock, tossing it up and down in his hand. Kelly was standing nearby. Von Seeckt and Nabinger were still down in the cavern, studying the guardian computer. Nabinger had found the control that opened a shaft to the rim of the crater shortly after briefing them about the history. Then the others had begun to arrive, Duncan taking them down to see what had been found. Nabinger had communicated with the guardian again. There was so much information. Medical theory; physics; the universe; even the instructions on how to fly the mothership. It was all there. 'So what now?" Turcotte asked. "We're sitting on the biggest story of the century," Kelly 372 ROBERT DOHERTY said. "Hell, it's the biggest story of the last two thousand years." EPILOGUE She and Turcotte had seen Gullick's body. He told her his theory that Gullick had been controlled by the pyramid uncovered in Mexico. That Gullick had turned it on and powered it up, but then it had taken over. It all fit together now, and Kelly would very shortly have to leave to do her job and tell the rest of the world the story. "I miss Johnny," she said. "This is his story more than mine." "His death wasn't in vain," Turcotte said. RAPA Nui (EASTER ISLAND) "He helped bring to light the greatest story in history," Kelly agreed. It felt the power come in like a shot of adrenaline. For the Turcotte threw the rock out toward the ocean and first time in over five thousand years it was able to bring all watched it disappear. "I think about that alien commander systems on line. Immediately it put into effect the last pro- so many years ago. Aspasia. The decision he had to make." gram it had been loaded with in case of full power-up. "And?" Kelly asked. It reached out and linked with sensors pointed outward "And it took a lot of guts." Turcotte stood. "And he from the planet. Then it began transmitting, back in the made the right decision. It was what was meant to be." direction it had come from over ten millennia ago, calling out: "Come. Come and get us." "I didn't know you had this philosophical side to you," Kelly said. And there were other machines out there and they were listening. "This all had to happen. I grant you that. But"- Turcotte looked out to sea--"but I don't know if we're making the right decision to continue down there with the guardian. I don't know if this is meant for us, this knowl- edge, this technology ahead of our time. I talked to Von Seeckt. He said they're already giving the guardian more power, putting it totally on line." "You sound . . ." Kelly hesitated. Turcotte looked at her. "Scared?" She nodded. "I am."