At daybreak the same boy who alerted them the night before, came into their room to awaken them. As they were leaving, Warlock gave him a couple of coins. He smiled in gratitude and handed them large cups of coffee and a bag of breakfast bars. Security rode them out to the Skimmer with the two women in the back seat, both with plastic cuffs around their hands. By the time they got the Skimmer checked out and ready for lift off, the early fog began to lift. A bit of sunlight forced its way through thick, dark morning clouds.
The Skimmer was crowded with the two ladies in the jump seats. Warlock was back in the pilot’s seat and Martin next to him. For the next three hours they flew up and down the Youghigheny, between Bruner Run and Ohiopyle. Once Warlock thought he had picked up activity near an old fire tower at the nineteen-hundred foot elevation. He took the Skimmer down. They walked around, but found nothing. While they were on the ground, the weather changed and light rain began falling. Within an hour, the light rain changed to snow. According to their GPS map they were over Morgan’s Run and were swinging around back toward Ohiopyle, when Warlock noticed something on the ground. He swooped down onto an abandoned farm about a half mile off the river and the trail. They disembarked in a lightly snow covered field next to an old stone farmhouse. After securing the two women on the front porch, Martin and Warlock spent almost an hour scouring around the barn and the sprawling main house.
“This place is probably two hundred years old,” Warlock said, as he tried the front door.
“Guess so,” Martin responded.
Warlock finally forced the lock and the door swung open. The two of them walked around the house, checking the cupboards and looking into closets.
“Someone’s lived here and not too long ago,” Warlock said, as he stirred the still red embers in the fireplace.
“It’s been lived in, all right. It’s very neat, not a mess, but it looks like they left in a hurry. There’s a lot of stuff here.”
“Maybe they are coming back,” Martin offered.
“Don’t think so. Looks like all that is left is furniture. I don’t see any personal things. Anyway, we can check with Central on ownership of this place. You’re right, maybe someone’s still here, but I think they took off.
Nothing here for us. I don’t see any evidence of your friend Sloan, so let’s get going.”
After releasing the two women on the porch, they all returned to the Skimmer. Warlock said he wanted to inspect the landing gear, the three of them sat in the Skimmer as the snow continued to fall.Isabelle spoke up,
“What are you two doing anyway?” she asked.
Martin didn’t answer right away, then turned and said, “We’re on a search mission.”
“What are you searching for?”
“A man, an Anglo deserter. A man who is very dangerous to our new country.”
“Are you with Security?”
“Me, no, I’m just a patriot, but Major Warlock is a veteran Security man.”
“You said the man, the Anglo, is dangerous to your country. In what way?” Elena piped up.
“We believe he stole information about our Aquifer System. Do you know about it?”
“It’s the largest water system in the Hemisphere and it gets a lot of media attention. Apparently, other counties may not have access to that water,” Isabelle said.
“Well, that may be. It’s up to our country to determine how the water is allocated. It is our system and we will decide, not America, Columbia, or the UN, for that matter.”
“Isn’t that…”
“It isn’t anything and we’ve talked enough about it. Just know that we will have another passenger going back to Pittsburgh. If we pick him up today, he’ll have to be stored in the rear compartment and you will all be turned over to Security tonight. Any more questions?” he asked tersely. There were none from Isabelle and Elena.
Warlock climbed back into the Skimmer and started the engines. As they took off and swung east, Martin began to concentrate on a section of the topographical map in the Skimmer’s front panel screen. The river always returned to the screen as he drifted about the landscape.
“I asked you before about Fallingwater. What is it?” Martin spoke into the mouthpiece to a deeply engrossed Warlock who was studying the weather screen. “Warlock, what’s Fallingwater again?” he shouted.
“I heard you the first time, for Christ’s sake. Fallingwater was a house built by an American architect Frank Lloyd Wright back in the middle of the twentieth century. It’s built right over a stream, Bear Run to be exact.
As far as I know, its been empty for a long time, maybe ten years. A long time ago it used to be a big tourist attraction in the U.S. I’ll bet Mother Nature has sucked it right up. It’s not too far from here. Fact we were right near it yesterday afternoon,” he responded and went back to his task of flying as close to the curling and disappearing river as possible.
“We okay with fuel?” Martin said.
“Good shape, our cylinder has about twenty per cent left. If you want, we could make a whole sweep to Cumberland and back. The real problem is the incoming weather front, looks bad, real bad.”
“Well, maybe we should get back to Pittsburgh by mid-day. Sludge left a message wanting an update on our search. I’m sure he’s having some pressure put on him. So let’s keep trolling as long as we can, then head back to Pittsburgh. Maybe we’ll ask him for some help like some troopers with cycles that can travel the trail. I can’t believe that he’s gotten that far, so fast,” Martin said, rather disgusted.
“What’s the matter? Think he slipped through? You know man, you’re doing something no one cares about. I just checked the on-line security reports and there have been no more sightings of anyone on the trail. I mean Sloan may or may not have what you think. Secondly, so what? Security can probably counter anyone trying to screw up the system. But I got my orders, so we’ll give it one last shot. After that I’ll get you and your two guests back to base. You can do whatever you want then”, he said banking the skimmer.
“Ok, let’s do it,” Martin shouted. Martin looked behind at the women, who were both nodding off to sleep.
Then he turned and looked out through the portals. Down below, the density of the woods was amazing.
Occasionally an old road or a shiny roof would appear reflecting sunlight, but for the most part, it was desolate.
The two women were quiet behind Martin and Warlock. Isabelle was peering out of the small window. She looked at the back of Martin’s head, leaned forward and said, “Mr. McDonald?”
“I didn’t give you my name, lady.”
“I know you didn’t but your friend, Major Warlock called you that, so I assume that is your name.”
“Don’t get smart, lady. What do you want?”
“That place you mentioned before, Fallingwater is quite a spot, world famous. I taught a lot of history and Fallingwater was always part of the section on American landmarks. It was right up there with the White House and Lincoln Memorial. It’s a historical icon. It seems strange we are flying right over it.”
“What’s strange about it? It’s another relic of a bygone era. As the Major said, it’s probably covered by the woods by now.”
“Quite a shame, I’d say. It’s the most historic place around here, that’s for sure” Isabelle responded loudly.
Martin heard her and then looked at the GPS map. Suddenly, a thought hit him as he looked back out the side window of the skimmer. “Listen, Warlock, I have an idea. Can you land near Fallingwater? If the map is correct, it’s back there a way. I got a hunch, a hunch that our historical genius couldn’t pass up a last opportunity to see that place, especially since I remembered he brought it up on his library research scan. Can you find a spot to land? I’ll look around a bit and then we can take off for a sweep to Cumberland before heading back.”
“Sure, if that’s what you want. I’ll bring it up on the screen.”
Martin looked over at Warlock who was directing a laser pointed light on the colored map and began to magnify to a specific degree setting. “That’s the right coordinate. It will take a second. You watch while I buzz around again.”
The two women were silent in the back seats. Then Isabelle leaned over and talked into Elena’s ear. After a few seconds, she came away and looked outside. She sat back and closed her eyes as if trying to catch a nap as the Skimmer zoomed over the river visible below. Martin had been watching her and turned to the black lady sitting squarely in the tiny seat.
“No secrets, teach. By the way, since you’re a professor, you’re going on a field trip. You’ve read about it and taught it, now lady, you’re going to visit it. We are going to drop in on that historical place from the good old USA, Fallingwater,” Martin said.
“I can’t believe that we are actually going there. I’ve always wanted to see it. Such a miracle,” Isabelle said smiling and looking over at Elena.
“I think that Anglo, who is a history nut, might have taken a detour. If not, no harm done, we’ll be in Pittsburgh late today. So ladies we’re heading down to this “masterpiece”, as you call it. Hopefully our quarry thinks it’s a
“masterpiece”. We’ll be there in a few minutes.” He turned to Warlock, “How’s it looking? Can we go in?”
“There is an open field where we can land.,” Warlock replied. “I’ll land there.”
“That looks perfect but can you cut the power a bit. We should try and come down as quietly as possible, just in case he’s here.”
“No problem.” Warlock turned to the two women in the back seat. “Ladies, we’re going to land in a minute”.
Both straightened up in unison, looking outside as the craft dipped lower over the trees.
Suddenly the Skimmer slowed, quieted, swept even lower over the trees, circling once again, before slowly descending into the open field. It was a quiet and delicate landingWarlock looked out of his window to the site where they had landed. “Look’s like we walk up that pathway,” he shouted. Martin was out first, then turned to help the two women exit.
“You coming now, Major?” he yelled up to Warlock, who was fiddling with the weather station.
“I’ll be along. I am trying to get an idea of the weather for the next couple of hours. That cloud bank last night was a teaser, nothing happened, but apparently the real thing is coming in later today, a cold front with some big time snow. I’ll catch up with you in a few minutes.”
“Okay, let’s go you two.”
Martin reached under his jacket and rearranged his laser gun. Warlock was the Security guy, but he was glad he had picked up the weapon especially since he had the women under his watch. For some reason, which he hadn’t figured out, he was suspicious of them. Their story made little sense to him. He had made a point to himself to talk to Warlock about his concerns as soon as they got to Fallingwater. Meanwhile, he would keep close tabs on them with his laser gun ready just in case.
“This place looks desolate,” said Martin. The women, hooked together, walked behind him as they moved cautiously up the walkway. The noise from the roaring water could be heard and Isabelle looked at Elena, smiled, and gave the wrist cuffs a slight jerk. At the top of the rise, they could see Fallingwater through the trees.