Chapter 10

The low, flatbed ranch truck with the generator mounted on it was slowly making its way to the switching station from the helicopters. As the crowd parted to let it through, the camera’s flashed and the news cams rolled, recording each segment of the activities.

There was a large, temporary stage built near the main switch that would divert the Oklahoma City utilities to our New-Age Power Module. On the stage, I saw the President and Vice President, and many of the top military brass. The Governor of Oklahoma was up there, with Oklahoma Senators and Representatives lined up on stage also.

This has been built up in such a manner, after General Langston saw our small prototype run, that everyone was here to see this new power unit carry the energy load of the city and the entire state.

There were vans and trailers from CNN, FOX, BBC, CBS, ABC, NBC, PBS, and all the local TV stations located across Oklahoma.

Carlton and his group of female grad students from OSU were center stage. All eyes and cameras were trained on them as they made the necessary preparations. Those girls look like a line-up of beauties in a pageant. I was proud of Carlton when he passed the DeWalt, 24-volt cordless drill to Brenda Mason. Carlton and the other assistants stood to the side so the cameras could get pictures of the starting process for the generator.

Brenda wanted to make sure that all who were watching here today and whoever may be watching across the U.S. and around the world, had a clear knowledge of what she was about to do. She held the cordless drill overhead, then she held it out toward Carlton, while he fitted the chrome socket wrench to the six inch extension in the drill chuck. She stooped and slipped the socket over the large nut on the flywheel of the turbine engine. Brenda motioned to Carlton, and he flipped a small lever on the side of the fuel cell.

With a simple whirring of the drill, the turbine engine began spinning freely, as Brenda held the cordless drill overhead to show them.

Most people never heard the engine running until someone handed Carlton a microphone. He placed the mic near the engine and a slight whirring sound came over the loud speakers. There was a chorus of oooooh’s and ahhhhhh’s as everyone here knew the engine was actually running. There were live feeds from here, back to the studios across the nation, recording the fact that the generator will soon be furnishing power the TV studios across Oklahoma ... and powering the telecasts sent to stations all over America and around the world.

Carlton waved his hand to the Governor, who was standing beside the main switchboard. With a flip of the switch on his end and a flip of the switch on Carlton’s end – in the blink of an eye – the power was transferred.

Instantly the turbine engine increased RPMs until it leveled off, running smoothly and quietly.

It was over, and just like that – just that simple – Oklahoma City was now running off this small generator, and it wasn’t even loaded. I looked over to see the President and the other dignitaries grinning and shaking hands as their pictures were made by Suma and the hundreds of other photographers here for the occasion.

Carlton waved to Adam, and Adam turned to speak to the President.

With a huge smile toward the cameras, the President pulled another switch, which transferred the entire state of Oklahoma AND Texas, to the new generator. The RPMs revved up just a bit more, then leveled off.

There was a loud roar coming from everyone on the stage, and the spectators who had heard about this event. All that was left now was the talk, and I was leaving that to Carlton and Adam.

Kendra, Suma, Carlton, Brenda and the others, were right in the midst of all the hoopla, trying to direct questions to those best suited to answer them. This went on for another hour before finally breaking up. When the crowd began to disperse, the cameras stayed along with the satellite transmitters.

Someone stated that they wanted to be nearby in case the small generator failed.

When the parking lot had cleared, there was a twenty vehicle convoy of Oklahoma National Guard troops rolling through the gate.

The men armed with assault rifles quickly took positions around the perimeter of the fenced grounds.

Adam waved me over to meet with the President, Vice President, and the Governor of Oklahoma. The Governor was the first to assure me that they would gladly run the generator for the remainder of the summer months with only a small service charge to the state’s electrical customers. He also told me he was going to introduce legislation to approve one of the new Power Modules be purchased before next summer.

Adam and I both pointed out to him that we wanted it in our contracts that the cost of electricity for the end users, would be reflective upon the cost of production. We could tell that he was reluctant to agree to this, then he told us it would be up to the legislature and the Public Service Commission to set the prices of utilities.

Adam was quick to inform him that it would also be up to our board of directors to approve the sale of Power Modules to any and all end users.

The Governor quickly let us know he would work with us, “Gentlemen, I think we can work this out to the good of the residents of the state. In the past, our cooperatives have always struggled to keep consumer costs down while providing energy to our customers. But now, we can concentrate on our antiquated power grids, without worrying about production costs.”

I got his attention when I told him. “Sir, Carlton and Adam have run the figures, and spread over a ten year period, you will be producing electricity for less than ten cents on the dollar of what the cooperatives are spending now. The only expense you will have is the upkeep of your power grid and the transmission lines already in use.”

“Have all your figures sent to me along with the initial cost of the generator, plus all financing and interest charges you require.”

“We’ll have that on your desk within the week, Governor,” Adam told him and we shook hands around the circle.

President Sullivan turned to Adam and asked him, “Professor Richards, how soon can you have another generator in operation? We need to have one running the Nations Capital in D.C. so we can get news of this out to all fifty states ASAP!”

“We can have another like this one in less than a month. It will take us at least six months to put together an assembly plant to mass produce these with all new parts and components.”

“Fair enough, please let me know when we can make the switch. We will introduce legislation to the Senate and The House to start budgeting Federal funding for each state to switch over to your Power Modules. It is my understanding the projected cost of a single nuclear power plant is over eight billion without cost overruns. Where will the price of your complete Power Module fall in?”

Adam answered calmly, “Sir, we haven’t had a chance to put a true price on it since we’re not in production, but we’re guesstimating somewhere in the range of three and one half – to four billion each.”

“Professor, are you sure about those numbers? We can have all fifty states running off your Power Modules for the next hundred years for half the cost of ten nuclear power plants.”

“Yes Sir, you can. Then, the cost of production and safety concerns with nuclear contamination, will be reduced each year after you replace the old, and run these new units,” Adam was smiling as he answered.

“Tell me, Mr. Boyd, will your company go public?” he asked me.

“Yes Sir, we plan to have our corporate papers in order in a few days. We’ll soon announce that we’re a public company with shares available on the New York Stock Exchange. We haven’t gotten that far just yet, but we’ve just recently hired these two very capable young attorneys to help us through all the legalities,” I answered, motioning for Susan and Leigh to step forward.

I introduced them down the line, to the President, the military brass and the other dignitaries present.

“Gentlemen, you need to remember these two young women. You will be dealing with them a lot more in the coming months and years,” I told them as Susan and Leigh beamed smiles at me.

The President leaned toward me, smiling as he spoke. “I understand that you and Professor Richards have a few contracts pending with the military. I’ve also heard some amazing stories about you personally, Mr. Boyd.”

“There’s no telling what people will say about me these days, Mr. President.” He grinned at my answer.

“Mr. Boyd, I’d like to meet with you at the White House when you get a chance to come that way.”

“Yes Sir, I’d be honored.”

“I’ll have my Chief of Staff call you soon and arrange a meeting with you and all your people.”

“Just let us know,” I shook his hand and he shook with Adam and Carlton before we left.

“Boyd, may I have a word before you head back?” General Langston spoke now.

“Yes Sir.”

“I’d like permission to move my men onto your place to start construction of the fences and the security setup as soon as tomorrow. I know we have a lot more to learn at your place and we need to have it secured and locked down from all the prying eyes which this event will create.”

“Yes Sir, I’ve been scouting it from the air and I have some ideas in my head that I’d like to go over with your man in charge when he gets there.”

“Fair enough, you know the place better than any of us. Tell him what you want and he will get back with me. Whatever you and he decide is needed, we’ll take care of it.”

“Yes Sir, and thank you for all your help in putting this together – and with the military contracts too. I hope you’ll come out when we get our new homes completed and spend some time with us.”

“I’ll make plans to do that Boyd. The President has asked that we get your permission to have the Secret Service set up a security command post there as well,” he said.

“You have my permission, Sir. Just tell them to get with me so we can all agree where the security command posts will be located.”

I saw Savana and Suma talking together and knew they were up to something.

Will you please go with us Savana? I’d like for you to be there, Suma told her.

Yes and here he comes now. Get ready.

“Boyd, Suma wants me to fly back with you and her. May I?”

“I’d love the company and I’m sure Suma will enjoy your company as well. I have a surprise in mind for both of you.”

“Oh Wow! What is it Boyd? You know I can’t stand it when you say that,” Savana was dancing and wringing her hands.

“Can’t tell you yet ... It wouldn’t be a surprise.” I grabbed them by their waists and we were gone in an instant.

I flew back along I-40 west and stopped at the same clearing among the trees where we’d stopped before. Suma was smiling and Savana caught on fast. They were both naked and holding hands as I stripped off my flight suit. After refolding and fastening it, I had their clothes bundled into my backpack and strapped over my shoulders. Suma ran her hands over Savana’s swollen belly and they smiled at each other.

“Let’s go.” I grabbed each of them by their waist once more as we lifted off.

Savana said, “I thought we were going to stay there a while.”

“I have a better place in mind,” I told her as we were already soaring two miles over Texas.

“Boyd, is that the Gulf of Mexico down there?” Savana asked as she looked down.

“Yes.”

“Are we going to the beach?”

“Yes.”

Two minutes later, we were on a white sand beach. It was mid afternoon local time.

“Welcome to Cancun, ladies.”

“Oh Boyd, I love you so much,” Savana cried as she hugged me.

“Boyd, you did bring me to the Blue Lagoon,” Suma cried also as she hugged, then kissed me.

“Well, Savana and I didn’t have a honeymoon and you wanted to lose your virginity in a romantic setting. This is the best I could do for both of you on such short notice,” I told them as we sat naked beside each other in the sand and watched the waves come in out of the bluest, clearest water I had ever seen.

“Boyd, we need towels,” Savana told me.

“I’ll be right back.”

I was a half mile up the beach at the five-star hotel in just seconds. I grabbed a armload of large white beach towels from the beach cabana and was back beside Savana and Suma in an instant.

“Now, let’s go wash the sand from our bodies, Suma. I want to help you and Boyd make love the first time,” Savana told her, grabbing Suma’s hand, pulling her to her feet. The two ran into the crystal blue water where they and romped and played, then called for me to join them. I never could refuse Savana, and now that Suma is naked and playing in the warm waters with her – I ran to join them.

“I wonder if we still have the ability to swim underwater and not have to breathe, like back home at the lake,” Savana asked.

“Let’s just see if we can. That would be wild if we can, no matter where we are.” We were standing in water about chest deep and about sixty feet from shore. I leaped into the surf and dove under, swimming away from the beach.

I knew the protective shroud was around me as soon as I submerged.

Savana and Suma were right beside me, laughing at the freedom of swimming underwater. We swam about two hundred yards from the shore before we surfaced.

Suma was ecstatic, “This is so unbelievable. I just love it.”

I agreed. “This is like scuba diving without all the gear and without having to worry about our tanks running out of oxygen.”

“Oh Lord, feel of my belly. Our babies love being in the water. I hope they have the ability to swim underwater like this,” Savana said as she grabbed my hand and placed it over her swollen belly.

I had to laugh when I felt them kicking, “They’re swimming already, the way they’re kicking and waving their hands.”

“Oh let me feel,” Suma reached over and rubbed Savana’s belly and the babies were going wild.

“Now I want babies too,” Suma hugged Savana and they both reached for me.

“Are you okay?” Savana asked Suma.

“I LOVE IT,” Suma yelled, just as she and I strained to add more babies to the clan.

“Gramps will be so happy. He thinks you two are the best people he’s ever met and he wanted me to be involved with your corporation so bad. Just wait until you meet my Granny too. She will be so happy with all our babies to love and take care of. I’m so happy at this moment. I love you both for giving me this opportunity and letting me be a part of your life.”

I pulled them to their feet and told them, “Let’s wash up in the ocean and I’ll take these towels back. I don’t want to be thought of as a thief.”

After returning the towels, we were airborne in seconds, with Savana on one side and Suma on the other. Suma asked how long it would be before we reached the ranch.

I answered, “Less than three minutes.”