Free Jaunt by Erik Kreffel Page A

decay had been emitted, leaving deadly fingerprints. Stockpiling enough particles to detonate a bomb would take only a matter of months.
    The summit, at second glance, had dissolved down to nothing more than empty promises and breast beating. Unfortunately for de Lis’ team, they were in the middle of this mess. Retrieving the specimens from Nepal had been highly dangerous, and had the Confederation known that the North American government had brokered a hush-hush deal with the CAC, war would become even more imminent. The freedom of the world seemed to be increasingly in their unsteady, and untested, palms.
    Week one at U5 was over.
    Gilmour and Mason rushed through the dark corridor, putting their jackets and ties on for the hastily adjourned briefing called by de Lis. The doctor had promised never to call on such short notice—only ten minutes—but he had insisted that this situation was of the utmost importance. So, the two agents scrambled from their quarters at oh-five-forty-five, their morning breakfast still an hour in the future.
    Once let inside to the theoretical studies lab, Gilmour and Mason headed for the junior staff gathering at the closed door to de Lis’ office. The senior staff were confering with de Lis inside, nodding their heads as he spoke.
    Crossing over to his door, de Lis opened it and said, “Thank you all for coming swiftly. Colonel Dark Horse a major break to announce, a find that might shift the course of our investigation. Colonel.”
    Dark Horse stepped out from behind de Lis, holding a holobook. “NorthPacCom has informed the DoD of a significant find, discovered at oh-thirty-one hours this morning. According to the Global Security Network, two craters have been discovered in the Northern Hemisphere, each matching the characteristics of the crater discovered some eleven days ago in Nepal.”
    “Here we go again,” Mason whispered into Gilmour’s ear.
    “After pinpointing the exact coordinates,” Dark Horse continued, “NorthPacCom has verified the first crater to be lying off the coast of Russia, in the Okhotsk Sea.” The lieutenant colonel scrolled down further. “The second crater, or third, total, if you will, is believed to be in Northeast Russia. Precise coordinates will be forthcoming.”
    Two more craters, Gilmour thought, each again buried deeply inside Russia’s backyard. The recovery of similar specimens at the sites by the Russian government, if they did indeed harbor the same objects, would seal the world’s fate. Armed with both the awesome power of the neutronic bomb, and the seemingly infinite possibilities of the bizarre jewels, the Russians could conceivably conquer the planet in a matter of months, or weeks.
    Damn, wasn’t this ever going to get easier?
    De Lis spoke again, “As you can see, the developments today will force us to change our priorities. Agents Gilmour and Mason,” he said, looking to the back of the crowd of scientists, “this is your area. I want your expertise in developing our strategy.”
    “I assume we’re going to go after the craters, Doctor?” Gilmour asked.
    “We have no choice. The Confederation’s already beaten us just by virtue of having the craters in their neck of the woods.”
    “I thought we’d agree.” He nodded, glancing at Mason before returning his eyes to those of the senior staff. “Let’s get to work.”
    Gilmour and Mason seated themselves at the table of U5-29, armed with holobooks while de Lis, Valagua, Waters, Dark Horse, Marlane, Roget, and Quintanilla sat next to them. Finally in the environment of their training and vocation, Gilmour and Mason truly felt like members of the Ottawa team, and they intended to take full advantage of this unforeseen opportunity to pull off the mission their way.
    “If we may, Doctor,” Gilmour started, “Agent Mason and myself have various contacts throughout the IIA capable of dealing with covert missions such as this. Missions that are not...kosher, if you read