Chapter 2

“I’ve known the wind so cold, I’ve seen the darkest days But now the winds I feel, are only winds of change I’ve been through the fire and I’ve been through the rain But I’ll be fine...”

The following morning, Mike got up, showered, shaved, dressed, and went to the dining hall, where he scarfed an omelet and a cup of coffee. Carrying the heavy binder Deke gave him the previous day, he went to the simulator, where Deke waited for him.

“Good morning, Mike. Glad to see you made it okay. How are you feeling? You don’t look well rested,” Deke said.

“I am a bit tired. Didn’t get much sleep last night,” Mike said. Deke looked at him, concerned.

“Is there something going on? Anything that might distract you from the mission?” Only a slut wife cheating on me with a man I thought was my friend, Mike thought.

“Just some personal problems,” Mike replied.

“Well, you need to forget about all that and get your head in the game, Mike,” Deke said. “Can you do that?”

“Yes, Deke, I’ve got this,” Mike said.

“Good. I’m sure the doctor can give you something to help you sleep if you need it. Did you review everything I gave you last night? Any questions?”

“Yes, I did. I was up half the night.”

“Let’s see how much you remember,” Deke said with a smile. “Go ahead, hop on into the simulator. When you’re strapped in, I’ll run you through the crash course in orbital navigation.” Mike dressed as he would for the actual flight and strapped himself into the simulator. Deke smiled as he inspected Mike’s suit.

“Good job, Mike. Remember, once you’re out of the Earth’s atmosphere, your control surfaces will be useless. That means no rudder, no flaps, nothing. Every move and every course change you make will be done through control jets. Like the reaction control system that we have on the X-15. Are you with me so far?”

“So far, yes. I know that much, but I haven’t had to use them very much.”

“But you have used them, right?” Deke asked.

“Yes, I have,” Mike said.

“So you know it doesn’t take much to affect a change?”

“That much I do know,” Mike said.

“Good. And you also know that any motion will continue until you counteract or change it, correct?” Deke watched Mike nod impatiently. “Most of your flight will be pre-programmed, so you shouldn’t have to do very much. But things can happen up there. So, I want you to follow the flight programs I’ve already established. Along the way, I may ... introduce ... glitches. Follow me?”

“I think so.”

“All right. Let’s get on with it,” Deke said. “And good luck.” Mike spent the next three hours going over the flight program. As promised, Deke “introduced” glitches to see how Mike would react. Mike got through most of the problems with ease but ended up getting “killed” a couple of times when the “ship” spun out of control and “broke up.”

“Damn,” Mike said when Deke’s smiling face appeared in the hatch.

“Don’t feel bad, Mike. If I had a nickel for every time I got killed in one of these things, I could retire a rich man,” Deke said, laughing. “Listen, why don’t we take a break? Be back in, say, 30 minutes?”

“Sounds good,” Mike said. “I could stand to take a piss. And I need to make a call.”

“Go ahead. I’ll see you back in a half hour.” Mike climbed out of the simulator and shucked off the bulky flight suit. After relieving himself, he called Harold.

“Hey, neighbor,” Harold said when he answered the phone.

“What’s the word?” Mike asked anxiously, hoping Jim didn’t spend the night with Rhonda.

“Your wife’s house guest spent the night, Major. I don’t think he was playing dolls with your daughter all night. He left about 0700 this morning,” Harold said. “I’m sorry.”

“Yeah. Me too, Harold,” Mike said, his world crumbling further.

“How well do you know Col. Tyson?” Harold asked.

“He was my flight instructor. I served with him in Korea for about a year. He came home before I did. He was the best man at my wedding, and I was the best man at his. He was like a brother to me,” Mike said.

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Harold said.

“You say he left at 0700?”

“Yes,” Harold said.

“Any idea where he went? He’s not here with me,” Mike said.

“Rita followed him out. I haven’t heard from her,” Harold said. Mike was confused ... WHY would Rita follow Jim? Something about this didn’t make sense to him. “Listen, Major. I think you should watch your back.” Now Mike was perplexed.

“Harold, what’s going on here? Really?” Mike asked.

“Not over the phone, Major. I know you’re confined to the base for now. Just ... be careful. I’ll contact you when I can.”

“What about my daughter?” Mike asked.

“We’re right across the street, Major. Don’t worry. We won’t let anything happen to her,” Harold said.

“I get the feeling you’re really not a public affairs officer,” Mike responded.

“We’ll talk later, Major. Just focus on your job. We’ll be in touch. Feel free to call later for an update. Oh, and one more thing...”

“What’s that?”

“Expect Col. Tyson to have a little ... chat ... with you. Take what he says with a grain of salt. Don’t over-react or give him an excuse to retaliate. You understand what I’m telling you?”

“I ... think so,” Mike said. “How do you know this?”

“I’d tell you, but then I’d have to shoot you, Major,” Harold said drily. Mike chuckled at that.

“I get it. You’re a comedian, right?”

“Now you’re learning, neighbor,” Harold replied in the tone Mike was used to hearing. “You’d better get back to it. We’ll be in touch.”

“Thanks,” Mike said, ending the call. He shook his head, wondering what would come next, then went back to the simulator, where he saw Jim speaking with Deke.

“Ah, there he is,” Jim announced with a broad grin. “Major Slayton tells me you’ve made real progress with the mission profile. Good job, Mike.”

“Thank you ... sir,” Mike said, doing his best to remain calm.

“Listen, Deke, if you don’t mind, I’d like to borrow the Major for just a couple of minutes,” Jim said.

“Of course, Colonel,” Deke said. Jim smiled, then motioned for Mike to join him in an unoccupied office. The smile disappeared when the door closed.

“Rhonda is under the impression that you’re considering a divorce,” Jim said.

“It’s what usually happens when someone cheats on her spouse,” Mike said. “What business is it of yours ... sir?”

“First off, I’m your commanding officer. Second, I’ve gotten quite close to Rhonda over the years,” Jim said. “And I’m concerned about her welfare. And yours.”

“But not concerned enough about our marriage to keep from screwing her?” Mike asked. Jim chuckled at that.

“Mike, you know I’ve always fancied the ladies,” Jim said.

“Yes, I know. I’ve covered for you a time or two as you may recall. I just never thought you’d actually go after MY wife.”

“Let’s see if I can help you understand what you’d be facing, Mike. Man-to-man. First, you’d have to pay alimony since Rhonda doesn’t have a job. Second, you’d have to pay through the nose for child support. You’d end up losing close to half your pay just for that. As a Major, you make, what, just over $600 a month?

“On top of that, you probably wouldn’t get to see Lisa very often. Maybe once every couple of weeks, assuming Rhonda doesn’t keep her from you. That little girl adores you. It would kill her if she couldn’t be with you. And to add insult to injury, I’d still be fucking Rhonda.”

“What about Janice? And your children?” Mike asked.

“What about them? I’ve managed to keep Janice in line all these years. I’ve taken good care of them over the years. If she tries to divorce me, it won’t go as well for her as it will for Rhonda. I’ll see to that. You know I have ... connections. That’s none of your concern, though. Rhonda is your concern. And Lisa.”

“So, what you’re telling me is that I should just turn a blind eye to what’s going on? Let you continue to fuck my wife and say nothing? Is that it?” Mike asked.

“Is that really such a bad thing, Mike? Hell, I’ve been fucking your wife since before you married her. You DO remember that it was me who introduced her to you. Has Rhonda turned you down for sex? Ever? I don’t think so. And from what I can tell, she’s been a good wife to you and a good mother to Lisa. And that’s exactly what I’ll tell the court. So, what if I ... borrow ... her from time to time? You didn’t know before, so what’s changed?”

“You sorry son of a bitch,” Mike hissed. “The two of you denied me children of my own. I can’t think of a more hateful thing.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I heard Rhonda say Lisa is your daughter. Is that true?” Mike asked. Jim sighed heavily before responding.

“Rhonda seems to think so. I’m not completely certain. Maybe she is. Maybe she isn’t. What difference does it make? Either way, your name is the one on the birth certificate, and you’re the one who’ll be paying child support. So, what’ll it be, Mike?” Jim asked with a smirk. Mike remembered what Harold told him, then mentally counted to ten before responding.

“Man to man?” Mike asked.

“Man to man. No rank, no command structure.”

“First, I’m going to nuke some space aliens,” Mike said. “And then you and I will settle this like men.” Jim’s smirk disappeared when he saw the look of determination on Mike’s face, and Jim nodded his head slowly.

“And what about Rhonda?”

“Who?” Mike asked sarcastically.

“Your wife, Mike. Rhonda.”

“From what you’ve told me, I’ve never really had a wife. Just someone who took my last name so she could get some government benefits. I loved her with everything I had and she crapped all over me. So as far as I’m concerned, she’s dead to me,” Mike said.

“All right, Mike. If that’s the way you want it.”

“In the meantime, stay the fuck outta my house. And away from my daughter. You wanna fuck the slut who lives there, you can take her to your house. Or get a motel room. Got it?”

“Yeah,” Jim said, wondering how Mike knew he spent the night in his house. “I got it. Just one thing.”

“What?” Mike asked angrily.

“Not a word of this to command. Or there will be consequences,” Jim said.

“That sounds like a threat ... sir,” Mike said.

“Consider it a ... promise,” Jim said. Mike sized up his enemy and nodded his head. He couldn’t believe this was the same man he had served with in Korea. Perhaps his life wouldn’t be such a mess if Jim had gotten shot down all those years ago.

“Are we done here, sir?” Mike asked tersely.

“Yes, Major. We’re finished,” Jim said. In more ways than one, Mike thought as Jim stormed out of the office. Walking to the closest phone in the office, Mike picked up the handset and dialed Harold’s number.

“Hey, neighbor,” Harold said when he answered. “I take it you just spoke with the Colonel.”

“I did,” Mike said. “He just left.”

“All right. Rita’s on it. I’ll swing by your quarters later this evening. We need to talk.”

“Yes, we do. He just threatened me.”

“Don’t let it get to you, Major,” Harold said. “And don’t worry about a thing. We’ve got your six.”

“Thanks. I’ll see you this evening,” Mike said before ending the call. Looking around, Mike spotted a yellow legal tablet. Grabbing a pen, he wrote a brief letter, folded it, and stuffed it into an envelope.

“Everything all right?” Deke asked when Mike returned to the simulator. Mike looked and saw Jim had already left the simulator room.

“Yes,” Mike said. “Let’s go nuke some fuckin’ aliens.”

“Now you’re talking,” Deke said, wondering what happened between the two men.

“Deke, would you do me a favor?”

“If I can.”

Mike took the sealed envelope out of his jacket pocket. “If I don’t make it back, could you please deliver this for me?”

Deke was a veteran of aerial combat in wartime and was no stranger to such requests. “For your wife, I assume?”

Mike shook his head. “No. It’s for the Office of Special Investigations.”

Shocked, Deke blinked. He was still focused on the mission and wanted this man focused on the task, also. There was no realistic backup. “And you are giving me this because it involves Colonel Tyson?”

“Yes,” Mike said. Deke could tell that whatever this was, it affected Mike worse than he let on.

“If I promise to deliver this under those circumstances, will that help you focus on this mission to the exclusion of all else?”

“Yes, it will.”

Deke put the letter in his uniform jacket. “Consider it done. Now for the simulator.”

...

After Jim left the house that morning, Rhonda sat on the couch, her mind going in a hundred different directions after the previous night’s conversation. Until then, she had never fully considered the implications of what she and Jim had been doing for the last ten years. It was all supposed to be fun and games, and no one was supposed to get hurt.

But now Jim sounded like a crazy man talking about crippling Mike’s plane so he couldn’t make it back home. She never even thought that the military would imprison Jim for having sex with her. How could they? He was a war hero, after all. And a high-ranking officer. Plus, he was a commanding officer and would become a general soon.

Rhonda went woodenly about her daily housework, her mind on her husband. Yes, Mike could be gruff at times, but never without good reason, and he always treated her and Lisa with warmth and love. Until recently, that is, when he overheard her conversation with Jim. Now she faced the real possibility of being divorced.

What would she do? Where would she go? How would she take care of Lisa? She had no skills, no money, nothing. Her parents were retired, and she had no other family. And deep down, she knew that Jim would eventually tire of her. She couldn’t spend the rest of her life as a general’s mistress. Then what? Sobbing, she dropped to the couch.

“What have I done?” Rhonda cried. She felt a tiny hand on her shoulder and looked into her beautiful daughter’s face.

“It’s okay, Mommy. Daddy will take care of it,” Lisa said in her sweet voice. Rhonda sobbed even harder as she hugged Lisa closer, knowing in her heart that Mike would indeed take care of things. Just not the way she wanted.

...

After spending more than eight grueling hours in the flight simulator, Mike was mentally and physically exhausted. He grabbed a quick meal at the dining hall, then went to his assigned quarters, where he planned to catch an hour or two of sleep before calling his daughter.

He was jolted awake by a pounding on his door. Opening it, he saw Harold holding a brown paper bag.

“Howdy, neighbor,” Harold cheerfully announced, pulling a bottle of root beer from the cold six-pack inside the bag.

“Hey, Harold,” Mike said, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. “Root beer? Seriously?”

“I would have brought something stronger, but I know you have a mission coming up. Besides, I know you like to keep the stuff around, so thought I’d liven your day. Mind if I come in? I’ve got some news for ya.”

“Well, come on in, then,” Mike said, wondering how much Harold knew. “I hope you’ve got something to open this with.” Harold smiled as he pulled a bottle opener from his pocket.

“Never go anywhere without my trusty church key,” Harold said, smiling. Mike chuckled for the first time in a while and accepted the opener. He opened his bottle and took a long drink of the cold liquid.

“So, what have you got for me?” Mike asked, motioning for Harold to take a seat.

“First, I have a little confession to make,” Harold said.

“Don’t tell me. Let me guess,” Mike said. “You’re really NOT Lt. Harold Keyes of the Public Affairs Office, are you?”

“Guilty as charged, Major,” Harold said, confirming Mike’s growing suspicions.

“So, who are you? Really? And who do you work for? OSI? FBI? CIA?”

“All in good time, Major,” Harold said mysteriously.

“Can you at least tell me if I’m supposed to salute you, or do you salute me?” Mike asked.

“That’s not important right now, Major,” Harold said. “What is important is making sure you complete your mission and return home in one piece.”

“What do you know of my mission?” Mike asked, perplexed.

“Enough to know that the lives of millions of people are in the balance,” Harold said. “My focus right now is on your commanding officer, Jim Tyson. He’s quite a piece of work.”

“‘Work’ isn’t the first word that comes to mind,” Mike growled.

“You know he’s on the short list for Brigadier General, right?” Harold asked.

“Yeah, so I’ve heard.”

“Well, it seems his ... extramarital activities ... have caught the attention of some powerful people. And they’re not too happy.”

“They’re not the only ones,” Mike hissed.

“No, I’m sure that’s true.”

“Is he being blackmailed or something?” Mike asked.

“That is one concern,” Harold said. “You know the Reds love to target guys like him with honey pots.”

“Are you saying Rhonda is working for the Reds?” Mike asked, incredulous.

“No, we don’t think that at all. But she could be seen as an accomplice after the fact.”

“Accomplice? To what?”

“Sabotage, Major. And possibly espionage.” That got Mike’s attention.

“What do you mean, sabotage?” Mike asked.

“Of the X-67C, Major,” Harold said. “Not bad enough to keep you from completing your mission, but enough to keep you from returning home safely.”

“How do you know this?” Mike asked.

“We’ve had your house bugged and wired for a few days now, Major. We’ve also tapped your house phone. I’m sorry for the subterfuge, but it had to be done. We heard him planning it.”

“You’re saying the man I’ve known all these years is trying to have me killed? Why?”

“Why do people do half the stupid stuff they do, Major? In Tyson’s case, he wants his cake and he wants to eat it, too. He knows you won’t stand for what he and Rhonda have been doing, so he intends to see to it that you can’t stop him.”

“You’re talking murder, Harold,” Mike said. Harold nodded in agreement. “And Rhonda is okay with this?”

“From what we heard, I don’t think so. But she hasn’t said anything to anyone about it, so at the very least, she’s an accomplice after the fact.”

“What will happen to her?” Harold shrugged his shoulders.

“That’s not up to me. She’ll probably get some time in prison, though.”

Mike reflected that particular action would mean he could get custody of Lisa. But what would he do as a single father in the Air Force with his ex-wife behind bars?

“Have you arrested Tyson yet?”

“Not yet. We want to give him enough rope to hang himself, and maybe see if he’s working with someone. Don’t worry, we’ll get him.”

“What about the X-67?” Mike asked.

“Tyson has already done his work. We’ve spoken to the maintenance crew and they’re going over the ship with a fine-toothed comb. They know to be low-key about it. I’ll check in with the crew chief tomorrow morning.”

“Maybe I should call Rhonda and encourage her to do the right thing,” Mike said.

“She’s not at home tonight,” Harold said slowly, looking Mike in the eye. “Tyson picked her up earlier and is spending the night with her in a motel off-base.”

“What about Lisa?” Mike asked, concerned.

“Rhonda asked Rita if Lisa could stay the night with us,” Harold said. “We told Rhonda she could stay if she wants. So your daughter is with us tonight.” Harold saw the pained look on Mike’s face. “You’re not sure if Lisa is really your daughter, are you?”

“No, I’m not,” Mike said. “I wish there was a way I could confirm that one way or the other.”

“Actually, there is,” Harold said.

“What?” Mike asked, shocked. “How?”

“Genetic testing and comparison. Technically, it’s still considered experimental, but we’ve had very good results with it. Genetics doesn’t lie. All we need are two samples, and we’ll know for sure. Interested?”

“Of course,” Mike said. “What do I have to do?” Harold pulled a small vial from his jacket pocket and extracted a long cotton swab.

“Just let me take a swab from inside your cheek. We’ll do the same with Lisa, then send the samples for analysis. We should know something within a few days at most,” Harold said.

“Let’s do it,” Mike said. He let Harold take a sample from inside his cheek. Then he returned the swab and wrote on the outside of the vial.

“I’ll get a sample from Lisa tonight and we’ll send them off.”

“And this is foolproof?” Mike asked.

“Absolutely,” Harold said.

“Thanks ... Harold. Or whoever you really are,” Mike said. Harold laughed.

“Harold is fine for now, neighbor. Well, I’d better get going or Rita will have my ass. Feel free to call the house and talk to your daughter if you want.”

“I will, Harold. And thanks again,” Mike said as Harold left. After closing the door behind his neighbor, Mike picked up the phone and dialed the Keyes residence. Rita answered after the second ring.

“Good evening, Rita. This is Mike Barnes. Can I speak with my daughter, please?”

“Hello, Mike. I take it you’ve spoken with Harold,” Rita said.

“I have, and I’d like to speak with my daughter.”

“Of course, Mike. Here she is.” Mike heard Rita pass the phone to his little girl. He smiled as he listened to her tiny voice.

“Daddy, are you alright?” Lisa asked.

“Yes, sweetheart, I’m fine. How are you?”

“I miss you, Daddy. Mommy left with Uncle Jim and said she would be gone for the night.” Lisa had always called Tyson “Uncle Jim.” There was a time when that would have made him smile, and now, it made him sick to his stomach.

“That’s what I heard, too. Are you having a good time with the Keyes?”

“Yes, Rita and I played hearts and I won,” Lisa said.

“Sounds like you’re having a good time, then,” Mike said.

“Yeah. Rita’s fun. Daddy, why is Mommy so sad?”

“I ... don’t know, sweetheart. Did she say something?”

“She was crying today and said she didn’t know what she was going to do,” Lisa said. Mike had a good idea but didn’t want to upset his little girl.

“Well, maybe after I get home I can talk to her,” Mike said.

“I hope so, Daddy. I don’t like it when Mommy cries.”

“I don’t either,” Mike said. They talked for a few more minutes, then ended the call, with Mike thanking Rita for watching over his little girl.

“It’s my pleasure, Mike. And don’t worry about you-know-who. We’ve got eyes and ears on them even as we speak,” Rita said. Who ARE my neighbors? Mike wondered.

“Thank you, Rita. I appreciate that,” Mike said, ending the call.

...

“Are you alright, Rhonda?” Jim asked as the two lovers lay in the motel bed. “You don’t seem to be yourself tonight.”

“I think that maybe we need to stop while we can,” Rhonda said quietly.

“Are you getting cold feet on me?” Jim asked. “We only have to get through the next day and a half.”

“So you actually did it? You sabotaged Mike’s plane?”

“Yes, I did that before I picked you up.”

“Well, what will happen?” Rhonda asked, dreading the answer but felt compelled to face her guilt.

“Let’s just say Mike will go out in a blaze of glory. Don’t worry. He won’t suffer ... much. He might get a bit warm, though.”

“What do you mean?” she asked apprehensively.

“I sabotaged his retro-units – the rockets he’ll need for re-entry. He’ll complete the mission but won’t make it back to earth.” Jim stated matter-of-factly.

“WHAT?” Rhonda cried, suddenly terrified by the reality of – murdering – her husband. This startled Jim, who hushed her hurriedly. Cries of passion from no-tell motel rooms were nothing, but hysterics might bring embarrassing attention.

“What can I say? Mike is the kind of guy who would go on a one-way mission if it meant saving the world. Damn hero. Hell, they’ll name schools and parks after him!” Shaken to her core, Rhonda looked at Jim in horror. Taken aback by her reaction, he tried to mollify her.

“Isn’t this what you wanted? Mike, out of your life without the mess of a divorce?”

She gasped, “I told you I didn’t want him dead,” she hissed.

“Well, you can’t have everything,” Jim told her cavalierly. “Just be tough for another day or so. Then it’ll be over.”

“How can you be so ... calm ... about killing a man you served with for years? A man who called you his friend?” Jim smirked at that.

“Part of the training. As a woman, you wouldn’t understand.”

“How many times did he save your life in Korea?” Rhonda asked.

“A few,” Jim said. “And I saved his ass a time or two as well. So, we are even. That’s how it goes in combat. You do what you have to do to accomplish the mission.”

“Even if that means killing the man whose wife you’re screwing? A man who thought of you as his brother and best friend?”

“Don’t get maudlin on me, Rhonda. It doesn’t become you. When this is over, you’ll have everything you wanted. You’ll be free of Mike; you’ll have some money, and you and Lisa will be free to go where ever you want.”

“And you?”

“Yes, you’ll have me as well. I’ll take good care of you and Lisa. Don’t worry.”

She stared away for several long seconds, her face a mask of conflict. Then, composing herself, she moved reluctantly moved closer to Jim. “I hope you’re right,” Rhonda said gravely. Tears formed in her eyes as she thought about her husband, who had done nothing to deserve what was about to happen. “I’m sorry, Mike,” she thought to herself.

Meanwhile, two men sitting in the back of a van parked across from the motel room made notes as they listened to the conversation, which had been picked up by an extremely sensitive parabolic microphone attached to the room’s window and recorded on a large reel-to-reel tape recorder.

...

“Well, Sergeant, what did you find?” the colonel asked early the following day as he approached the X-67, now attached to the wing of a specially modified B-52 bomber.

“This, sir,” the Air Force staff sergeant said, holding a closed fist. The colonel reached out and examined the components the sergeant handed him.

“What is this?” the colonel asked.

“Control modules for the retro-units, sir,” the sergeant replied. Seeing the confusion on the colonel’s face, the sergeant shook his head, cursing to himself, “Damn Army officers.” He took a deep breath and continued. “These control the rockets that allow the 67 to slow down enough to re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere, sir. Take a look at the pins on the bottom. You’ll see some of them have been cut, sir.”

“Cut?” the colonel asked.

“Yes, sir. Deliberately. I’ve replaced the units and performed a complete check of all systems. Everything is well within normal parameters now, sir,” the sergeant said.

“Did you report this to anyone?”

“No, sir. I did just as you ordered last night, colonel.”

“Who was the last person to touch this craft before you?”

“That would be Col. Tyson, sir. And yes, he would have the expertise to do something like this.” The colonel nodded as he took in what the sergeant told him.

“Are you sure this didn’t come to us with these plugs cut?” the colonel asked, already knowing the answer.

“Absolutely, sure, sir,” the sergeant responded. “The ship checked out fine yesterday after pre-fueling, and when we ran a complete recheck today, there was a slight voltage drop on the retrorocket A and B loops. That is consistent with the altered pins not making their intended connections, sir. We pulled the plugs, and there’s the reason.” The disgust on the sergeant’s face removed all doubt from the colonel’s mind.

“I see,” the colonel said. Looking at the sergeant’s badge and uniform name tape, he said, “Staff Sergeant Newton, are you the crew chief?”

“Yes, sir. And nobody’s going near that ship without me attached to them until they taxi out.”

“Thank you, Staff Sergeant Newton. I appreciate your thoroughness. Good job, son,” the colonel said, making a note in his pad.

“Thank you, Colonel,” Newton said.

“I’d like you to double security around this craft, Sergeant. I don’t want anyone else coming close enough to do something like this again. Understand?”

“Yes, sir,” Newton said. “Should I report this to anyone, sir?”

“You just did, Staff Sergeant. I’ll take care of it from here,” the colonel said.

“Yes, sir,” Newton replied. The colonel looked at the massive, ungainly combined aircraft and wondered what kind of a crazy man would actually go up in something like this.

“Just a couple of things, Sergeant, before I leave,” the colonel said.

“What’s that, sir?” Newton asked.

“First, say nothing about this to anyone. Understand?”

“Yes, sir,” Newton replied.

“And second ... I was never here.”

“I ... understand, sir,” Newton replied nervously, wondering who this Army colonel really was.

“Good. Carry on, Sergeant,” the colonel said, turning away. Newton watched the man get in his official car and drive off. After he was confident the crew chief couldn’t see him, the colonel stopped the car, opened a compartment, and pulled out a telephone handset. He dialed a number and waited for his partner to answer.