Chapter 61

When Doctor Kennedy fainted Jamie pulled the SUV into the first appropriate spot, which happened to be the parking lot of the previously mentioned restaurant. As soon as the vehicle came to a stop Kyle ran inside to get some ice and ice water. At the same time Bill and Jamie reclined Consuela’s seat to a thirty-degree angle and tried to get her comfortable. Poor Sharon didn’t have a clue as to what to do, but she vowed to never be caught unprepared like that again! After about ten minutes the fiery history professor slowly opened her eyes, allowing the world to slowly come back into focus. When she realized the concern on the faces of those around her some of her temper began to dissipate. Besides, except for not being told the names of the major people in the production of the movie, at whom should she be angry? She was still a little self-conscious about the fainting, of course, but she was used to embarrassing herself. She seemed to do it quite often.

Jamie asked Doctor Kennedy, “Who were you upset with when you fainted?”

“Robert Gray Hawk, the man who sent us up here. This movie was his idea, and he’s the one providing the initial financing.”

Jamie looked puzzled when he responded, “Doctor Kennedy, I’ve never heard of him. Our only dealings have been with a Mister Cashman and Malcolm Leven. I don’t even know if Mister Gray Hawk knows who might be involved.”

An astounded Consuela replied, “I’d have never even considered that possibility. I guess I just assumed he was playing a game with me. After all, he is one of the most ‘together’ men you’ll ever meet, and I never considered he might delegate this project to another. I think I’ll put my tirade on hold until I have more information.”

“Then do you feel good enough to eat something?” asked Jamie.

“As long as it doesn’t try to devour me first,” she laughed.

Mike Running Elk was exiting the courtesy shuttle when his cell phone began to chime. He thanked the driver and answered the phone.

“Mike,” he answered.

“We’ve got him. Meet us in room five eighty-three.”

Mike hung up and headed toward the designated room. There he found Brian and a couple of his team dressed in scrubs. The drugged CIA snoop was laying on the bed, tightly wrapped in a hospital blanket. “What did you find?” asked Mike.

“An RT four nineteen. It was attached between the folds at the edge of the privacy screen.”

“That’s a new one on me,” replied Mike.

“It’s a sound activated receiver that holds roughly thirty minutes of conversation and then transmits the entire memory in a burst of less than two seconds. What’s more, because it’s digital it can keep recording as it transmits. This is something a normal bug detector would have never spotted.”

“That’s wicked, and you’re right, it’s something a normal detector would have never spotted. What are its limitations?”

“The biggest one is range. A receiver, or repeater has to be less than a hundred yards away.”

Mike replied, “That’s not a big limitation. You can do a lot within a hundred yards.”

“I don’t disagree, and I think we’ll see more such gadgets in the future, except with more memory and a longer range.”

“Brian, you’re probably right. Now, what do we know?”

“At this point very little. We’ve the device and it’s turned off at the moment. He didn’t have a repeater on him, and we know he didn’t plant one inside the hospital after he arrived.”

“Then let’s give him a little shot and see what we can discover in that complex mind of his.”

Fifteen minutes later Mike and Brian stepped out into the hall. They were both angry and sick to their stomach. “Mike, what is happening to this country? We have the Vice President’s Chief Of Staff having a major CIA operative assigned to Homeland Security and ordering him to record the conversation between an unknown private individual and a Senator from their own party. A Senator who might be preparing to run in the next election - an election in which, due to the twenty-second amendment, the current president can not be a candidate.”

“Do you think the Vice President plans on running?”

“I don’t see it, as he’s always been a ‘King Maker, ‘ not the ‘King.’ He likes to work behind the scenes too much. Besides, even if he was planning on running, this is still wrong. It’s as bad as Watergate.”

“Actually I’d say it was worse. Those who broke into the Democratic Offices that night weren’t government employees, while Brad most definitely is. If this could be actually tied to either the President or the Vice President it’d be an impeachable offense.”

“So, where do we go from here?”

Mike replied, “My thinking is to get him out to his car. There can’t be that many Red Grand Cherokees in the parking lot.”

“That was smart asking about his car. What do think we should do after that?

“Help him develop enough memories in this drugged state he ‘remembers’ returning to the car. If you and someone else help him walk while generally staying out of his vision he probably won’t remember anything but the walk. While you travel softly describe thoughts and comments on various images. My guess is when he’s fully awake he’ll think he fell asleep while waiting for someone to be moved into the room. This means you need to find his receiver and plug it in his ear, and if I remember correctly, he always used his left ear. Later we can advise Longbow of the situation, as well as cautioning the Senator before he enters the room. We can always modify these plans later, if Longbow wants to handle it differently.”

“I’ll get it done. I probably ought to send one of the team out first to locate his vehicle.”

“Good thinking!” Mike responded.

“Mike, the tricky part of this operation will be getting him through the hospital and to his car without raising a lot of questions.”

“I won’t disagree with you on that observation. The only suggestion I can think of is to use a wheelchair to get him through the Hospital.”

The team leader thought for a moment and said, “Mike, I think you’ve the right idea, but the wrong approach. I’ll get one of the team to film the walk to the car, including all the sounds, and we’ll play that back to him before we put him in a sensory deprived situation and get him in the car. His mind should accept the video as experience.”

“That sounds like it might work, but move cautiously.”

“We will. We know this is Longbow we’re protecting.”

“Good.” Mike said, “Then I’ll head back to the hotel, but call me the moment Longbow is brought to the room. If he’s awake when he gets to the room, you’ll need to give him a quick summary. I can fill in more when I arrive.”

By the time of their 6:00 p.m. wake up call Hawk was awake enough for Brenda and Maria to know he was OK. It was amazing how refreshing a cuddling sleep could be. Especially when those doing the cuddling loved you as deeply as these two women. By 6:15 p.m. the three had showered and Brenda was dressed enough to let those bringing the food enter and get set up. Hawk and Maria joined her before the hotel staff had finished preparing the room and setting out the food. This allowed her to run back to the bedroom and finish some last minute items. She’d just rejoined her mates when their guests arrived.

The tone at the meal was light and friendly and everyone seemed to be excited about what was to follow. The few days in San Diego had established relationships, and though Hawk wasn’t with them during that initial period the group couldn’t imagine him not fitting in after the time they had spent with Maria and Brenda. This was greatly reinforced by Hawk’s easy manner while they ate. It was obvious to all that he wasn’t some executive type who reigned over his staff and company like a feudal Lord. Instead, they sensed Hawk was someone who would lead by example, and where possible, by consensus. It was a very positive time in the birthing of the new company. By 7:15 a.m. everyone had finished their meal. Then, while the dishes were placed on carts outside the suite’s door, Brenda and Lee Marten set up some white boards on easels. At the same time, Maria slipped back into the bedroom to check with Andy concerning her grandfather. The news she heard was very encouraging, and the smile on her face told Hawk and Brenda all they needed to know for the moment.

Hawk rose and joined Maria, giving her a gentle kiss before turning to the group, and saying, “I’m sorry gang, but there will be no boring speeches or long winded financial discussions this evening. Instead, we’re going to discuss the practical things we need to do to get this company off the ground and pick some of the first employees we want to hire. Also, since our lawyer and Dan Cashman aren’t with us this evening we won’t talk about corporate structure and things like that. I will say this entity, National Industrial Development Enterprises, will be primarily a holding company and a research operation. All actual production will be done by subsidiary companies that are acquired, or started from scratch.”

Everyone was a little surprised at the company name. Brenda and Maria were somewhat bewildered because a name had never been a part of their discussions with Hawk. They just couldn’t imagine him doing this on his own. The others either thought it seemed a little ostentatious for their little startup, or it didn’t emphasize their Indian or Apache heritage. Suddenly Bobby Bright Feather looked up from the pad where he had been doodling, and laughingly cried, “That’s brilliant! I love it.”

“What’s brilliant?” asked Joaquin, Bobby’s brother.

“The company’s initials, N I D E, create an acronym which forms the Apache name for itself, NIDE, ‘The People.’ To the government and others the name will sound normal and business-like, but to us it’ll have a very special and prideful meaning. Whoever heard of a stealth name?”

This immediately lightened the mood within the room, yet at the same time it reminded everyone of the importance of what they were doing. Suddenly the task at hand became more than just a job. Pleased with their having caught the acronym and their reaction to it, Hawk continued, “Now, I know you were told to be thinking about this, so it’s time for you to discuss your thoughts. Tonight, what I’d like to do is to keep things fairly general. We can get more specific in a later meeting.”

Ken Williamson, the man who had started as their driver in San Diego before becoming part of the human resources area of the team stood to speak. Though he’d only arrived from San Diego a few hours earlier he’d put a lot of thought into what he had to say. “Hawk, I think one of the key things we need immediately is an executive office. It doesn’t have to be penthouse lavish, but something that will assure the candidates and others we’re a viable and serious company.”

Dawn Baker, the fiancée of Lee Marten, added, “I agree with Ken. The motel in San Diego was fine for what it was, the initial meeting of a potential employer with a large group of prospective employees. But, this is your home territory, and you need to make a good first impression.”

“Dawn, I agree first impression is important, but why jump into leasing space and fixtures we don’t need. Though I don’t think it’ll take us long to get there, I’ve trouble seeing us in an office.”

“Hawk, you’re thinking only of the practical aspects. In many cases we’ll be offering jobs to people who are currently working at lower jobs with a well-known and successful company. We’re asking them to leave those lesser, but secure jobs and join us. For many of our candidates to be able to do that they’ll need to feel a sense of viability about the company and its executives. Our offices don’t have to be lavish, but they need to be more than a few folding tables and chairs.”

Hawk grinned as he replied, “Having come from a start-up software company I have to say those folding tables and chairs were pretty standard for us. At the same time, I think for where we are your points are well made, and since it was your idea Ken, I want you to pick some team members to help you find the space we need, at least for the short term.”

Bobby Bright Feather countered, “Since you said for the short term, I’m assuming you have some long-term plans along the same lines.”

“Yes, though the importance of the office area for anything but a place to work did not enter into it. I thought about some of the buildings around Williams Gateway. It would be close to home, easy to use as a base for our aircraft and a good place for research and development projects. The problem, as pointed out by Ken and Dawn, is we need something immediately. Something that can take a year or more to develop or build just won’t cut it.”

“What kind of R and D will we be working with?” asked Bobby’s brother, Joaquin.

“Joaquin, if I remember correctly you’ve a degree in metallurgy.”

“Yes, Sir. I have a masters from UTEP.”

“Then a lot of what we’ll be working on will be in your area of expertise, though it’ll branch over into ceramics, electronics, and physics, as well as some of the other disciplines.”

Stunned by this revelation Joaquin declared, “That covers a lot of area, Hawk.”

“Yes, it does, but we’ve a unique starting point: notes, samples, and drawings left to me by one of the most brilliant students to have ever attended Stanford.”

“Why didn’t he develop them himself?” asked Lee.

“Lee, this is why we have to be extra cautious. My friend was killed for his ideas by someone who was determined to get these notes, or to keep anyone else from using them. It’s my opinion the ‘someone’ was part of this nation’s energy industry.” There was a shocked look on all the faces except those of Hawk, Maria, and Brenda. They already knew the details behind what Hawk was saying.

Finally, after the outcry calmed, Ken said, “Hawk, if anyone but you had made such a statement I would’ve chalked this up to UFOs and conspiracy theories and walked out the door. Do you have proof of what you’re claiming?”

To read this story you need a Registration + Premier Membership
If you have an account, then please Log In or Register (Why register?)

Support the author's future writing by purchasing this book from Bookapy

The Hawk and the Chipmunk

Mike Lowe aka The Scot

$5.95