The Return of the Manhattan (12 page)

Brad interjected, thinking out loud, “Changing the past, even in some insignificant way seems like it could have enormous consequences, particularly if someone important lived or died. It’s what our science fiction writers call the butterfly effect. As far as I know, that is totally fiction.”

“Truth is stranger than fiction. However, you’re getting the idea; the probability of some catastrophic event occurring is high! That’s why we need your help. If we did it all ourselves, the impact on our civilization could be staggering. But if you or one of your countrymen accomplishes our mission with help from us only when needed, we think the impact—in theory at least—might be lessened. We have several theories with probabilities of success that our best minds have been working on, but we know little more about it than you.”

“Let me get this straight. You and the United States government in the year 2603 are willing to jeopardize all life itself in this monumental experiment you call Manhattan II?”

“Right on! This may sound threatening; I don’t mean it that way, but we will not allow anyone to stand in our way and stop us from accomplishing our mission! If you won’t be our agent voluntarily, then we will find someone who will!”

Brad wanted to be part of this adventure, no matter what the consequences, and didn’t hesitate any longer. “What is this terrible problem that will destroy your civilization?”

“We have run out of oil!”

Brad felt a twinge of guilt for being a part of his wasteful generation, “I admit; there are many prophets of doom today concerned with what we leave behind for future generations. We use oil products and gasoline as if there were no tomorrow. But what can we do?”

“We don’t expect you to change overnight the way you use your natural resources, but we hope to interject an attitude of conservation at the highest levels of government, which should help immensely over a six-hundred-year period.”

“I see, I suppose you want my decision now.”

“Yes, I know this has been fast and furious, but I’ve told you enough for an intelligent decision.”

“I’m not sure I believe you, but I sense in this a big challenge, and just this morning—which seems like ages ago—I made the decision to change my present job and seek out new challenges. I will help you if I can.”

“Good, now I can tell you, your patient Dana Higgins is responding well to treatment, and her recovery should be remarkable. Will you go now with my daughter to the hospital ward, and get a checkup so we can protect ourselves from any diseases you may have brought aboard. The rest of your crew is already there.”

CHAPTER 23

Laura Ashton was thrilled at the prospect of guiding Major Brad Anderson around the Manhattan. She was totally stricken, tongue-tied, and head-over-heels in love since the moment she saw him in person. The improbable happened; Cupid’s arrow pierced her heart with unerring accuracy. Of this she had no doubt. Her very being was filled to overflowing with incredible overpowering love. Never in her wildest imagination did she dream it could happen to her. She didn’t believe in love at first sight, but she supposed that her love had developed gradually over the past few weeks during those times she observed his behavior, his manners, his conduct, and seen all the qualities that made him her first choice. She had been completely unaware, but she had no doubt in her mind. With difficulty, she had been able to resist the fluttering of her heart, and stoically lead him to her father’s office without revealing any of her inner turmoil. She had never felt such wonderfully strange feelings before, probably because she had been so deeply involved in the Manhattan project over the years, and had little time for thoughts of romance. All her time and effort for the past sixteen years had been devoted to her studies, and her inputs into the project. But she was twenty-eight years old, and even though they had proven that a person could travel through time, there was no known way to stop the aging process—at least, none she knew about.

Her surveillance during the past few weeks hadn’t prepared her emotionally for meeting him face-to-face aboard the C9. She thought she was mentally ready, and even though he was her choice as the best candidate, shock ran through her entire body, as she was caught off-guard by the sudden vibrancy of his being. He stood there, devilishly handsome in his uniform, and her traitorous pounding heart shouted, telling her there could be no other. She was speechless, but took advantage of his reactions, letting him believe she had the air of calm and self-confidence as she turned her back, and led him from the aircraft.

As she waited for her father to finish his session with Brad, she couldn’t help wondering if his strong willpower, and his ideals that she had admired, might clash with their plans, making it difficult for him to cooperate. Some of the same qualities that made him her first choice could be personality traits that might cause him to refuse.

It was a welcome relief when her father gave the signal to escort Brad to the hospital, which meant her father had been successful. She opened the door as Brad approached, “I’m glad you’ve decided to join us; please come with me.”

“How did you know?”

“I didn’t, but I hoped you would. We have observed you for some weeks now, and I think we’ll make a great team. If you refused, he would have sent you back to your airplane with someone else. He knew how much I supported you as our first choice.”

“What do you mean we’ll make a great team?”

“I’m going with you, and together, we will carry out the mission.”

“In that case I’ll do what I’ve wanted to do since I first saw you.”

He pulled her roughly into his arms, weaving his fingers into her hair, pulling her lips hard against his as he kissed her possessively. She reacted with surprise and shock as she pushed against him, trying desperately to resist, but soon found that to be futile. Her calm facade shattered from the hunger and intensity of his kiss, and her own longing. She found herself responding involuntarily, enjoying it, reacting exactly like she pictured it in her mind, since the moment she first walked onto the C9. She melted against him reaching up, her arms encircling his neck, pulling closer, molding her curves to fit his body.

As suddenly as he grabbed her, he pushed her away. Her face turned a thousand shades of red with embarrassment, as she deeply felt his rejection, but she maintained her silence, deep in thought, as she guided him toward the hospital.

As Brad entered the hospital room, he felt the day’s brightness dim, figuratively turning to night as Laura departed, leaving him alone to face the medical staff. He walked almost the entire length of the ship, but couldn’t recall any details. At first he had been engrossed in their conversation, but even more in the way she walked, and the sound of her voice, so that nothing else seemed to matter except for that one moment when he forgot himself, and succumbed to sheer instinct. She was without doubt the most beautiful and desirable woman he had ever met. And now he had ruined any relationship that may have developed between them; even so, he was hooked, and had little power to resist. He had forgotten for that brief moment how he might have transmitted a fatal disease to her unwittingly. Just the thought of what he did caused him to pull back and release her suddenly, not realizing the deep sense of rejection she felt. He reacted with a startled expression as his thoughts were interrupted. “Major Anderson, welcome aboard our ship and to the ship’s hospital. Please relax and we’ll have you checked out before Laura comes back to show you your quarters. I see she has captured your heart, like the rest of us.”

Brad was brought back to reality remembering his crew and their patient. “Doctor, did you treat Dana Higgins, or do you know anything of her condition?”

“Yes, she is recovering rapidly. She had severe trauma, but she will be all right in a couple of days. However, I can tell you she wouldn’t have lived another fifteen minutes without the care she received here. I have no need to brag, but we do have the finest facilities and the latest medical equipment on board this ship.”

“Thanks, you don’t know how much of a relief that is. How about the rest of my crew and the other patients? Can I see them?”

“Your crew and patients are fine! They are resting comfortably in the next room under observation as you can see through the window.” He pointed toward the adjoining room. “They are in a hypnotic state but can continue normal functions, as well as keep up some sort of physical exercise while they are staying with us. Dr. Ashton will explain, but basically, we don’t want them to remember anything. They will be in a dream world while with us, and probably wouldn’t even recognize you. As soon as I finish with you, we will take them to their quarters where they can have some privacy and rest. By tomorrow, they will be able to get around and eat with us in the dining hall. You can talk with them, but don’t expect any real intelligent conversation.”

“And the other patients?”

“Their medical histories are interesting to me. Many of us have never encountered any of these diseases before. You see, long ago, we wiped out most forms of cancer, arthritis, and similar forms of viral disease. It may make your task more difficult, but with your permission, we will treat them, and in most cases, if not all, affect a cure.”

“I don’t know how it could make my mission any harder, but go ahead if you can help them.”

We need to check you over, so please step over here, and lie down on the table. This machine here will give you a complete painless body scan, and if you have any abnormalities, it will pick them out. We also need to get some blood, tissue, and urine samples to get a thorough check on you. It’ll only take a few minutes.”

Brad relaxed as Dr. Baker took a vial of blood, nearly as much as had been the usual practice in the Air Force physicals he had undergone in the past. Dr. Baker explained, “We plan to send one of our crew with you, and she will need to be inoculated against many of your common diseases that could otherwise kill her. We think your blood has most, if not all, of the antibodies needed to produce the serum. I hope you don’t mind. I’m sure you won’t miss this little sample.”

“Well, I don’t see how it would do any good to object. You’ve already done it.” He amazed himself thinking of how much trust he had already placed in Dr. Ashton and his staff. He actually submitted voluntarily to what could have been labeled medical experimentation. Wasn’t that the very thing that was usually reported in UFO encounters?

“Just relax a little while longer; we’ll have your tests completed, and we’ll show you the results immediately. Ah, this little computer can really crank out fantastic diagnoses in a hurry. Your heart looks good, and there’s no problem with your lungs. Looks like you’re one of the few in your time who doesn’t smoke.”

“I never have.”

“Good! You have a slight hearing loss in the very high frequency ranges. I suppose that’s normal for pilots who spend a lot of time around jet engines. Just a little buildup or hardening of your arteries; we should be able to take care of that with a short drug treatment, and that will greatly reduce your danger of heart attack, if you will take it for a couple of weeks. You have some nearsightedness in your right eye, which we can correct, if you desire.”

“Doc, you mean you can read all that from this little machine! That’s incredible!”

“Sure, and it’s pretty dammed accurate too.”

“Okay, patch me up, and make me good as new.”

“Your blood sugar looks good, and you have no known blood diseases. I see you have never had the three-day measles. That could have been a problem at your age, but I see you have been vaccinated.”

“That’s amazing, what can’t you do?”

“Oh, there are many areas of medicine we are researching. There are many mysterious parts of the brain that we can’t begin to touch. Some of the rarer diseases and mental disorders baffle us to a great degree, and as the evolutionary process continues, we regularly discover new diseases as they develop. I just need a urine sample, and we’ll be through. We don’t have to worry about you anymore—you are not carrying any bacteria or viruses that need concern us.”

The physical over, Dr. Baker gave him the drug in horse-capsule form, and told him to take one a day for the next two weeks. Laura appeared, almost as if she had been waiting outside the door. The sun was shining again and he couldn’t help but notice; she kept a little more distance between them as they made their way along the corridor.

He, too, was wary, and ineffectually tried to make casual conversation, “Gee, Miss Ashton, how can you anticipate so easily, and so exactly, when I’m finished with another phase of my initiation, or whatever you call it?”

She answered in an exaggerated professional manner, “Dr. Baker was helpful, and gave me advance warning; we work together very well as a crew.”

“I sure like the way you conduct physicals! It takes hours to complete a physical in the Air Force. Although most of the time is spent waiting to see the doctor. And then, I feel like most of their tests are invalid. They certainly don’t, or won’t tell me anything like your doctor told me after less than ten minutes.”

“Maybe he should keep you a little longer. He didn’t take time to check your mental health… . By the way, are you hungry?”

He ignored her barb, “I didn’t notice before, but I think I could eat a horse!”

She looked bewildered, “A horse! You don’t eat horses, do you? There wasn’t anything like that in any of the history files we studied.”

Brad laughed out loud, and their tension seemed to evaporate as he explained, “Nah, that’s only a figure of speech. But, surely you don’t trust our history books.”

Before she could respond, David walked around the corner, and caught sight of them, “You two must be getting along very well, that’s the first time I’ve heard you laugh all day. We knew you had a good sense of humor, and we’re certainly glad you can laugh after everything you’ve been through.”

“Thanks, I’m not so sure how well we’re getting along, but to keep my sanity, if I have any left, I need my sense of humor.”

David introduced a few of the other members of the crew as the dinner was served. Each course of the dinner was exquisitely prepared and delicious, though Brad had no idea of what most of it was. “What is this we are eating?”

Laura chuckled, “You don’t really want to know, do you? It might be horse!”

“Brad,” Dr. Ashton interrupted, “It’s time for the evening news. Would you like to see yourself on TV?”

“I would like to know what the reaction to all this has been back home.” Brad had almost forgotten about the aftermath of his aircraft’s disappearance.

“We are receiving signals direct from several of your satellites, and we’ll project one of the network’s broadcasts on the wall screen.”

The familiar CBS television news program appeared in sharp detail on a screen that covered the wall. There was a picture of a C9 breaking apart with a question mark superimposed over it. The broadcast began:

“Tonight, an Air Force C9A, a hospital version of the McDonnell Douglas DC9, is missing and feared down in a rough area of the Great Smoky Mountains in Eastern Tennessee. The aircraft was last heard from at 10:46 Eastern Standard Time this morning when it disappeared from the Memphis Air Route Traffic Control Center’s radar. The aircraft carried a crew of eight with five patients on board. Among them was a critically injured patient, the daughter of an Air Force General. The aircraft was receiving a priority routing direct to Andrews Air Force Base when the incident occurred. We now switch to our KMOX correspondent reporting live from Scott Air Force Base near St. Louis, the home base of the C9s. This is Stan Newell live from Scott Air Force Base; we have Captain Jerry White, the information officer with an official statement—

A C9 with thirteen aboard on a routine mission from Little Rock Air Force Base to Andrews Air Force Base disappeared this morning at approximately 9:46 Central Standard Time and is officially listed as missing. The FAA has launched a full-scale search and investigation, but we have very little information at this time. A list of names of crew and passengers will not be released until next of kin have been notified. I’m sorry; I have no further information at this time.”

[Stan Newell continued] “We have been informed that this is the first domestic aeromedical airlift aircraft that has been lost in the history of the Air Force. The 375th Aeromedical Airlift Wing had one accident in 1971 involving the C9A; however, at the time it was not carrying patients. They have also informed me that they have not given up hope that the aircraft will be recovered. Search and rescue teams have been up since early afternoon, but have not found any sign of the missing aircraft.”