Chapter 14

Larry and the women puttered around the lab while they waited on their employees to return. As they straightened up their work areas, they talked about what they could envision for the next several days. Unfortunately, none of them could see anything except trouble on the horizon. Even if the government didn’t make demands for the shield technology, they were sure to be involved deeply in the investigation to the point where no work could be accomplished. They also would have news media representatives sticking their noses into every nook and cranny. They had the choice of keeping the shield up for the protection and privacy it would afford or leaving it down and take a chance on unwanted people wandering around the campus or being attacked once again and not getting it up timely.

Finally they decided to keep Lander’s reactor operating at minimal power settings with the shield on minimum power so it could be hardened immediately if Lander detected a threat. His surveillance devices—both drones and electronic—were far superior to their earth counterparts. His reaction time should be more than sufficient to protect the facility. They also ordered Lander to immediately begin construction of the new shield projector.

Finally, around midnight, some of the employees began to straggle in with their families and some personal property—mostly family heirlooms and sentimental property along with their clothes. The influx of employees and families continued at a trickle throughout the night and reached heavy volume just after nine the next morning.

Just after ten a.m. the morning after the attack several black Suburban’s and a small convoy of military vehicles arrived at the campus. Ten black suited men walked arrogantly into the office of the complex followed quickly by several men in Army Camouflage Uniforms. The senior Army Officer was a full Colonel. They demanded to see Larry immediately on a matter of grave national importance.

The receptionist asked the men to be seated and called Larry on the in house phone system to announce the visitors. Of course he already knew they were there compliments of Lander’s technology. He instructed her to have them wait and he would send a guide to bring them to his office. He quickly moved to his formal office and took his seat. He wasn’t sure how to play the next few minutes but decided to see how far he got going on the attack before they could try and put him in the place they wanted him to be.

As soon as the men entered his office one of the black suited ones began to talk. Larry broke into the conversation and said, “I’m glad to see you so soon. Take a seat. As soon as I have seen and verified your identity we can get started. I have drawn up a plan for the defense of this facility that I hope meets with your approval. I must say I am impressed you have arrived as quickly as you have.”

The Colonel glared at Larry and the man who tried to talk first said, “What do you mean? We are here to investigate yesterday’s apparent attack on this facility and determine how you managed to sustain such a small amount of damage. This facility is now under government control. My people are setting up in your lobby now. We will need offices in which to work and access to all your records immediately.”

“Not going to happen; At least not immediately. I still haven’t seen any ID, search warrants or authorization for you to even be here if you’re not here to protect us.”

“Oh, you can bet we’ll protect this facility. If you have the shield we think you have we will definitely protect it. What I want to know is why you haven’t contacted the government about this shield? We have taken over this facility under the authority granted us by the Patriot Act. You are required to cooperate with us under that same act. Agents of the Department of Homeland Security and soldiers from the U.S. Army are currently securing the perimeter and this facility to insure your cooperation and the safety of the devices you have here.”

“You mean you’re not here to investigate the unprovoked attack on us and to provide protection so we can continue with our research?”

“NO, not hardly. Now, are you going to cooperate or are we going to have to do this the hard way?”

Larry resumed his seat behind the desk and looked at the men for a moment. Finally, he said, “Lander shield the perimeter and my desk. Make the shield opaque. Assist security in apprehending all unauthorized personnel within our shield immediately.”

The door to Larry’s office slammed open and two security guards stepped into the room. They held rifles on the men from the government while a third man carefully searched them. After they had been disarmed they were herded out of the office and into another building that held four cells. They were locked in one of the cells and the security team left. As they were leaving the lead agent said, “You can’t do this. We’re government agents and we’ve taken over this facility. I demand you release us immediately.”

The supervisory security agent said, “We don’t know who you are. You came into a private research facility without a search warrant. When you were asked for identification you did not provide it. You made threats to our President. Until we can verify identity and your authority to be here, you are our prisoners.”

The team leader yelled as the security agents left, “You are making a grave mistake. This is going to go very hard on you. Now get back in here and release us immediately.”

Within fifteen minutes all unauthorized people within the perimeter were in custody. Larry and his management team were meeting in the employee cafeteria. Larry said, “I’m afraid I was right. Those bozo’s tried to take over the facility. It looks as if we are on our own now.”