Dark as Daylight Ch. 15

Laura you look ravishing. Are we having a better day today?"

"Yes Mr. Zabo, we are."

"Laura, I believe it's time for you to either call me grandfather, or William; either one will do."

"I believe I'll start off with William, grandfather will be a little stretch right now. Where are you going all dressed up?"

"We decided to join you at the opera."

"Don't tell me, because I already know. Your seats are in row eight, center."

"How did you know that Laura, did you look at the Playhouse seating arrangements?"

"No, just call it a good guess. Let's take our pictures, so we don't get to the opera late. Wait, will they hold the curtain until you arrive?"

"Do you really think I have that much power?"

"Do you really want me to answer that?"

The pictures went quickly. There were two studio photographers, and one videographer taping the entire event. It took 40 minutes, during which time champagne cocktails were served, along with finger sandwiches.

Laura said, "There's the Attorney General and his wife."

"I know, I sent a helicopter to get them. This is a very important affair we are going to tonight, and Tim has to meet certain people for when he runs for president."

"Mr. Kenshaw is going to run for the Presidency of the United States?"

"No, Timothy Kenshaw is going to become President of the United States. How do you think you are going to become director of the FBI? It is a political appointment you know?"

"We just had an election. The next election is four years away. How can you be so sure he is going to be the next president?"

"He is like you Laura, incorruptible. Special interest groups can go straight to hell as far as he's concerned. He will run dead center. Like our former president, Clark Atwater, he will tell the people what is possible, what is not, and why. His main area of change will be education. He will push the states to move out of the antiquated systems they are using now, and into the new areas of education needed to reinvigorate the middle-class. The jobs of the 60s, 70s, and 80s, are gone forever. The people who had them, and their sons and daughters who looked forward to them, will never see them again. This is the age of technology, and the United States must change its education system to where a fourth grader can write code, a sixth grader can build an electric engine, and everyone who graduates high school can get a good paying job in a forward looking economy made up on those promises."

"Do you know what chance he has of moving Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, and New Mexico out of their current educational thinking modes, and into the future. Textbooks are still made in Texas. They almost deleted the Civil War in the last history books. Slavery didn't exist. They were welcome farmers who were clothe and fed for their services to the landlord. The states will never allow a federal textbook, because they will see it as usurping states rights."

"I never said it would be easy, but it has to start somewhere, and it's going to start with Tim."

"Should I send my absentee ballot in now?"

"No, you can send yours in right after mine."

"I wish you were kidding William, but I know you're not."

"Good evening Tim, how was your ride?"

"It was beautiful William. Thanks for the use of the helicopter."

"It's not mine; it belongs to my daughter. She couldn't make the opera, and the helicopter was just going to sit there doing nothing, so we put it to good use. This is my future daughter-in-law, special agent Laura Burkart."

"I know Laura very well. How did she become your future daughter-in-law?"

"That is a discussion for dinner, after the opera. It would take too long now. Let's go everyone, our limousines await.

The opera was due to start at 7:30, and the Prelude began on time. However, the entire eighth row center was empty, and the Prelude continued to entertain the invited guests for the few extra minutes it took for those very, very important guests to arrive.

The paparazzi were stationed outside, and as everyone disembarked their limousines, lights flashed Jemma was in a beautiful coral gown, Gwen was in a mint green. However, when Laura exited her limousine, there was an audible gasp by the onlookers.

The photographers asked her to stand still so they could photograph her. She didn't want to be the center of attention, but William held up his hand to stop her. This was her moment, and he was not about to let it pass her by. As she was warned, photographers asked who made her gown. She let them know it was Carolina Herrera.

They now knew who made the gown, and almost forgot to ask her her name, and the name of her escort. They both grinned as they walked away.

They entered the eighth row from both sides, making sure that Joe and Laura sat in the center. As soon as the last person was seated, the lights dimmed, and the opera began. The night's special offering was 'Pelleas et Melisande' by Claude Debussy. It was outstanding by any measure.

*************************************

"I told you if you took a few days off and came up here to do some fishing with us, it would blow your mind. Look at the size of that salmon, and the big ones aren't here yet."

"Thanks for inviting me Lucius, things are getting so hectic back at the office, I needed some time away."

"What the hell is going on at the office Turner? Nothing new is coming down the pike is it?"

"No, nothing that would be due for the next 10 or 15 years. Scientists are working with NASA on that low impact supersonic aircraft, but there is always going to be the problem of fuel consumption. There is no way any airline is going to buy one of those things, when fuel is going to be the biggest factor. If we build one of those things that can carry 300 people, maybe we can break even. We can't build one like the Concorde with 120 seats, and come close to breaking even. It's just not a possibility."

"So what are you worried about? 10 to 15 years from now, you'll be playing golf in Palm Springs. Let some young buck worry about that thing. Your new 787 has the market tied up for the next 20 years. The Airbus 380 is a failure. They've already run out of orders, and they may or may not break even. They're only consistent buyer is Emirates, and if they continue to fall behind in their delivery schedule, they may lose a bunch of those orders. Personally, I think you have the airline industry by the tail."

"We would still like to build more 747 -- 9, but the orders aren't coming in. We thought UPS would order a few more, because they canceled their orders for the A380. It would keep our assembly line open longer, but those orders have not materialized.

We have three years' worth of work on the 747s, and then the line closes. We have to retrain, and then lay off a bunch line technicians. We hate to lose that talent.

"Talking about talent; Paul beat me for the first time, in a shooting contest."

"The wind must have been off that day."

"I came up with the same excuse, but we were at an indoor range."

"Oh well, I guess that didn't work."

"Nope, and I haven't heard anything but that out of him since."

"Are you talking about me beating you again sir?"

"No, I'm talking about putting you on the nose cone of the new super-rocket, and hoping you go to Mars with it. When is that thing do to lift off Turner?"

"If everything goes well 2024."

"You don't sound very optimistic."

"Lucius, space is hard. One wrong wire is all it takes for something to blow that thing up. Some of the scientists draw up schematics that only they can read. We have to call a special session to have them explain what they put on paper. It is absolutely frustrating for the engineers.

The engineers frustrate the facilitators. The facilitators frustrate the workers to the point they throw their tools in the air in disgust. They walk off the job, because they have no idea what they're supposed to do. That's why there are so many delays.

Everyone wants to do it perfect the first time. $1 trillion is an awful lot of money, and these guys are getting paid through the nose to build it. They don't want to be the one that's told 'you fucked up' when you threaded a piece of wire through this junction, and bared a piece of wire that grounded against a piece of metal, and blew up half of the crew module. You don't want to be told that you are the one that caused Apollo 13 to miss a moon landing. You are responsible for that mishap.

You would want to go home and shoot yourself, if somebody told you that you were responsible for a $1 trillion rocket blowing up."

"So if it's so easy to blow up that rocket by changing one schematic, why did you plan to blow it up, and set up an attack on the Good Luck 2."

"Lucius, you're out of your mind. I did no such thing."

"You were watched, videotaped, wiretapped, and eavesdropped upon for two years. So was every other member of the board of directors, and any other person who might have the ability to get to both facilities.

Over 400 investigators were assigned to the job of finding out who was responsible for the information we received from the Good Luck 1. No stone was left unturned. Every wiretap was legal, and gotten through the courts.

So don't tell me you had nothing to do with this abomination; just tell me why you did it. The board of directors has instructed me to find out why. Make it easy on yourself, and die quickly. You know my methods can be rather brutal. Don't make me use them on you.

You were Williams' friend, and through that friendship, you were my friend. I would rather put two bullets in the back of your head, while you are fishing, then strip the skin off your body so I can see the blood passing through your veins. Don't make me do that to you Turner. I did that to a soldier many years ago. I am a lot older now, and my hand is not as steady as it was then. Just tell me why you did it, and I will make your death a peaceful one."

"You won't believe me when I tell you why I did it. You will laugh at me, and torture me anyhow, because my reasoning was too simplistic for a man of science."

"I will not be the one to judge you. Whatever you tell me will go straight to the board of directors. They will decide your fate. They have already found you guilty of the charges against you, and I can kill you any way I want. However, they want to know why, and if you tell me why you did it, before I make a decision on how you die, I will wait for them to make that decision for me."

"Do you swear you'll do it that way?"

"I give you my word as an officer and a gentleman. I will wait for their answer before I take one step against you."

"Lucius, I have worked this out mathematically, using the computers at work, and at NASA. The Good Luck 1 has upset the balance of the universe. Lightspeed was never supposed to be broken. When it was the space time continuum was disturbed, and everything in the known universe was sent backwards. The Sagittarius A* was supposed to be swallowed up by the Super Giant Black Hole nearly 2 years ago. Instead, it has moved away from it. Nothing escapes a Black Hole. The gravitational effect of a Black Hole is so enormous light cannot escape it. Ever since the Good Luck 1 disturbed lightspeed, everything has gone backwards. God did not want this to happen. God created the universe to work one way. Even Luck, in his hubris, has destroyed God's plan. Soon we will all perish, because of this man's journey into an area God had forbidden to us to go."

"You are sure about all this?"

"Without a doubt, everything will come to an end soon."

"If everything was going to come to an end soon: why destroy a rocket that was only going to Mars. Your attempt to destroy the Good Luck 2, was simply a ploy to capture the two boys?"

"Yes. It would have been great if we destroyed the vehicle. The prime targets were the boys. I was going to burn them as an offering to God, in an attempt to save mankind."

"Is that it?"

"I told you it was simplistic."

"Okay, come back to the cabin with me, and I will call this in to central station. They will disseminate it to the board of directors. We should hear back from them tomorrow or the following day. In the meantime, you are free to roam around, fish or hunt to your hearts content."

"You're going to give me a rifle?"

"Why not, there are more rifles pointing at you at any given moment, then you will ever point at me."

"Lucius, if you don't mind, I think I will continue fishing."

"I have some good cut up bate in the outside refrigerator, if you'd like."

"It's much easier than cutting it up myself. I think I'll go to that rocky outcrop by that huge cypress. We were catching some big fish there."

"Enjoy the rest of your day, Turner. Salmon steaks and pine nuts for dinner."

"I can taste them already."

Three days later, as he was fishing, Lucius put two bullets in the back of Turner's head, and watched his body fall into the fast moving tributary of the North Pacific Ocean. He was washed out to the great ocean, and his body was never found.

**************************

Tuesday was a very rough day for Laura and Joe. She had to return to work in Washington, and he had to return to work in South Carolina.

He told her he was going to quit his job to be with her.

She said, "You idiot, who is going to protect the boys if you quit?"

"Tom."

"I would trust Tom to protect a dozen eggs."

"Tom is a very good soldier. He saved my life twice, when we were in battle."

"And you have been protecting his ass ever since."

"So what?"

"We will work this out Joseph. At least your bruises will heal."

"How many frequent flyer miles do you have?"

"A little over 1 million."

"Okay, here's what were going to do. You get two days off a week, and so do I. As long as they have you tied to a desk, when you get off fly down to Charleston to be with me. I will time my days off so I can fly back to Washington with you. We will be together 4 out of 7 days."

"You are a genius. When did you say you wanted to get married?"

"I believe I asked you that question, and moments later, I walked out on you. Why don't you pick a date; I'm sure it will be easier on all of us?"

"Why don't you ask your great-grandfather if he has a preference?"

"No, this is your day. You get to pick it. If he can't be there that is his problem."

"My what a big boy you are."

"I beat you two out of three."

"If you ever tell that to anyone at the FBI, Junior will be among the missing minutes later."

"Isn't he your favorite part of me?"

"No, he comes in second. I love how smart you are first."

"Agent Burkart, Mr. Constantine, you may board your aircraft now."

"On the way up here, we get bumped up to first class. Flying back to Washington, we are going by private jet. What is he going to do to us next?"

"If I were a betting man, I would say he is going to give us the wedding of a lifetime."

"Thankfully, you have almost 400 relatives coming to our wedding. If you were depending on me to fill up a church, it would be awfully empty."

"It wouldn't bother me one bit as long, as you were by my side."

"If you make me cry, I'm going to box your ears."

"You're going to have to stand on one of these seats to get that high."

"Joseph, you promised."

"I'm sorry, it was just too good an opening."

"Speaking of openings, do you remember this one?"

With lightning speed, her right hand was between his thighs, and squeezing his balls.

In falsetto he said, "Yes I remember."

"Let's keep our promises Joe, we will have a very easy marriage that way."

He lifted her up, until they were eye to eye.

"I am called a tree, and you are called tiny; get use to it." He kissed her until the venom in her heart turned to passion.

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is the captain speaking. We have been cleared to taxi to the active runway. Please make sure your seatbelts are fixed securely, and any loose items in front of you are placed in the trash receptacles. Our flight time will be one hour and 25 minutes. We have been given preferential routing direct to Washington National Airport. In all my years of flying, this is never happened."

"What can't that man do?"

"Run for president, because he was born in Italy."

"Thank you Joseph, but I already know who the next president is going to be."

"And how would you know that little bit of information?"

"He told me."

"Tell me who it's going to be. I'll call the Las Vegas odds-makers, and we will make a fortune."

"The Attorney General, Timothy Kenshaw."

"Wow."

*****************************************************

Moving forward 2 years

*****************************************

"Who knew we would be such great farmers?"

"In all honesty, I don't think it's us, It's the soil. It's never been disturbed, and it has all the nutrients in it, from the beginning of its time. Do you notice how big the babies are here as opposed to Earth? I don't believe Finch ever tested it, but I will make you a bet we are breathing 31% oxygen, rather than 21% as we were back there.

Jennifer was the first baby conceived in space, and born here. She is two years old, and 5 inches taller than any baby her age should be. All the children born after her are the same way. They are growing like, I'd like to say weeds, but we don't have any. We are going to have to build something to store all this extra grain, and cut down on the area we plant."

*************************

"Come on Doc, six-year old's make this putt, so can you."

"Would you keep quiet; I'm trying to concentrate."

"You've been standing over that ball for three minutes, would you hit it please. The cup is only 16 inches away."

"I know, but I can feel my father's looking over my shoulder."

Sandy walked over to him, grabbed the wooden club out of his hand, and pushed him aside. She addressed the plastic ball, and took one slow stroke. It went into the center of the cup.

She looked at her husband. "Joseph, until you can do that, you are not getting laid."

"But..."

"No Butt either."

**********************

Newton had perfected a sound device that only animals could hear. They tested it on the horses and cattle, and they ran away from it. They made hundreds of these devices using the chicken wire from the cages that used to hold the turkeys. The turkeys were now outside roaming around free.

Teddy had found a use for the hair that fell off the cattle. She made nests for the turkeys, and the birds loved it, because it was so soft. They began laying eggs in amounts they had not while they were caged. In short order, there were hundreds of birds running around, making nests of their own, and laying more eggs. Eggs were on the menu every day in the cafeteria.

Jennifer wandered off, as she often did. Since all the young children had to wear ankle bracelets, which told security exactly where they were, it was no longer a problem.

She was playing by the river, which now was only a slow moving stream. It had not rained in nearly 2 months, and there was barely enough water running down to keep a steady flow.

She was playing with a stick, writing in the mud, when she looked up and saw people on the other side, looking at her. She stood up, and walked to them. Although they were wearing funny clothes she waved.

"Hello. You live here?"

They didn't understand her language, and they looked at one another wondering what to do with this child.

Jenny made it easy. She reached up, took the hand of one of the new people, and pulled him towards the river. They all followed her. As they walked over a low rise, they saw the spacecraft, and people working and playing close to it.

There was a great deal of excitement among these travelers. This was the same group that saw this object make a turn in space, and hoped there were people on board. They had been right all along, and their leader was wrong.