Free Stone Soldiers 5: Black Knight Down by C. E. Martin Page B

normally do that," Dr. King said embarrassed.
    Laura broke free from Jason as he reverted back to his normal self. "And another fine meal," she said, patting the teen on the head.
    "W-where am I?" Dr. Parker asked, eyes fluttering open.
    "You're all right dear," Dr. Olson said , suddenly back beside the bed, holding Parker's hand.
    "A blanket, Jason," she said, pointing toward a cabinet.
    The teen obeyed, pulling out a wool blanket and covering Dr. Parker. Dr. Olson took over, shooing Jason back. "Her eyes are up here, young man."
    Dr. Parker lay back on the surgical table and closed her eyes. Dr. Olson checked her pulse then vanished. The door to the observation room opened again and before it could close, she was back at Kenslir's side.
    "So, where are you sleeping tonight, Mark? I've got lots of energy to burn off now."

CHAPTER TEN
     
     
     
    Dr. King was now wearing a pair of tactical targeting goggles in his lab. "Fascinating," he said, watching the series of images displayed in the goggles. They were images of the Black Knight, recorded on Colonel Kenslir and Josie's visit to the site.
    "Do you recognize any of the symbols? Colonel Kenslir asked. He was standing to one side, wearing all black- combat fatigue pants and long sleeve t-shirt.
    The Colonel and Dr. King were the only ones in the lab now. After a nice dinner, the group had broken up for the night, everyone going to their respective quarters.
    "Several do appear to be the same as those from the Arizona site," Dr. King said. "But not all. In fact, I would wager that there are multiple languages here."
    "How do we decode them?"
    "Max was unable too?" King asked, surprised.
    "He had insufficient information to draw any conclusions."
    "Very disappointing... cryptography is not my specialty though, Colonel. Why bring this to me?"
    "Prehistoric artifacts bother me," the Colonel said. "But it bothers me more that Washington ordered my withdrawal after I confirmed it was a Dark object."
    "The ways of the politicians are never clear," King said. He was working a small control box that was connected by a thin wire to a rifle magazine-sized black box on the table. That was in turn connected by a thin wire to the tactical visor.
    “So what do you think it is, Doc?”
    “Hard to say… but it may have the ability to absorb different forms of energy- to power itself. You said it has been known to change its orbit over time.”
    “What kinds of energy?”
    King thought about it. “Possibly all kinds. Solar, thermal- even etheric.”
    "Any thoughts on the priest I encountered?"
    King frowned and turned off the tactical visor, pulling it off his head. "That is something new- we've never heard of the Church doing anything more than exorcisms before."
    “I did some checking on the flight back- on what he was talking about,” Kenslir said. “There is something suspicious going on. The satellite crashed down on a farm that was purchased a year ago- one of five actually. Five adjoining farms all purchased at the same time.”
    “By the same people?”
    “Five different women,” Kenslir said. “When I ran them, they were all investors of a sort- they own multiple properties, businesses and so forth around the country.”
    “That’s very interesting. You think they knew the Anomaly was coming down?”
    “That’s too much of a coincidence for me.”
    “What kind of businesses do they own?”
    “A wide variety- why?”
    “Any common businesses?”
    Kenslir considered for a moment. “Well, they do each appear to own or be a partnered in livestock farms, some smaller shipping companies… and even some abortion clinics spread out around the country. Aside from that, just typical restaurants, start ups and of course, the strawberry farms they purchased."
    “Strawberries!” King exclaimed. “That’s very interesting…”
    “How so?”
    Dr. King crossed his lab, opening a cabinet full of books. He pulled one down and flipped through the pages. He stopped on a