It was close to noon. Kurt and Elizabeth sat listening to the forceful flow of the mountain stream roaring under the rock-born home. The light snow had melted on the ground, but according to this morning’s weather scan, a new and much larger storm was on the way. Kurt had thought about starting a fire in the stone fireplace, but he was afraid the smoke might draw unwanted attention. They were both quiet, watching the stream below. Kurt glanced at his watch, it was now a few minutes before noon.
Kurt and Elizabeth walked to the outside porch, entered his numbers and looked at the video screen. All that came up were three words, “ON SCHEDULE-TODAY”. It was noon and contact had yet to be made. He
walked inside and said, “Well, there was a new message.”
“What was it?” Elizabeth quickly asked.
‘On schedule today’, is all it said,” Kurt replied.
“What do you think that means?”
“We wait. If nothing happens today, we stay until noon tomorrow. That’s the way I read it.” By this time tomorrow, we will be on our way, either to Columbia on our own or somewhere with our UN contacts. I say we take some time to enjoy Fallingwater and later, if necessary, we can plan our trip to Columbia.”
“Sounds like a plan to me,” Elizabeth replied.
As if on cue, they heard muffled sounds coming from the walkway. Kurt looked over the porch wall and
muttered in disbelief. “Oh, my God, I don’t believe it.” It was like a slow motion sequence in a movie. Coming down the walkway was Martin McDonald, followed by two black women in blue uniforms with their wrists tied in front of them. Behind them was a large, square man in a Security uniform. Kurt was instantly in a panic state as his body tightened.
They quickly moved inside, “It’s McDonald, the guy from my house. The one I told you about. My God, this is a nightmare. What in the hell is he doing here?” he shouted.
“Kurt, what’s wrong? What’s going on?” she said.
“This is incredible, he’s the one who was snooping around my room. The guy I had the arguments about
patriotism, Martin McDonald, that’s him, coming down the walkway. Why the hell is he here, of all places?
And it looks like those women are his prisoners. Elizabeth, this looks bad. Must have something to do with that Skimmer we saw yesterday. He must be searching for me. For me, not you. We have to get you out of here.”
He looked out through the window of the living area. He could see the group had stopped and Martin was talking to the other man. “They’ve stopped, this may give us some extra time.”
Kurt turned to Elizabeth who was packing her backpack. You can get out now. You know the trails and you can be home by tonight,” he said anxiously.
“Sloan, I made a commitment. We’re in this together. Who knows what he’s up to, but whatever it is let’s deal with it.”
“Okay, but let’s see if there’s enough time to find a way out of here. Maybe we can get up to the Guest Quarters and into the woods,” as he hurriedly grabbed his backpack and slung it over his shoulders. “Somehow he’s followed me,” he shouted over to Elizabeth, who was dressing in her hiking outfit.
“Hey, calm down. So what if he finds us here. We’re old friends. What can he do, anyway?” she said.
“The file I made. The data I told you about, the chip. For all I know he works for the Administration. That would explain his paranoia about me. Maybe he found out what I was researching. I don’t know. I do know the guy doesn’t like me. Maybe he found out about the data and also figured out that I was trying to leave the country. That would be easy by just checking my work station. He already knew I wanted to leave from the last time we argued. Elizabeth, this guy is a fanatic patriot of Atlantica. He hates everything about our Anglo heritage, his being here is no coincidence. The man is on a mission and I’m the object of that mission. “Let’s get out before he comes back.”
“You told me the file wouldn’t hurt the country?” she said warily, as she put her pack over her shoulders and adjusted the straps.
“I don’t think it will, but I am sure it will help the UN stop whatever Atlantica is trying to do. The data is in a capsule in my sleeve pocket,” he replied tapping his right arm. “If he finds this, I’m history and not the kind I enjoy.”
“Can it be that important, Kurt?” she asked.
“It certainly could be. It’s critical to the discussion of sharing the Aquifer resources.” He tightened the straps and zipped closed loose pockets.
Kurt, “Okay, everything is packed.” Elizabeth followed Kurt through the open living space onto the outside deck.
Voices could be heard again coming from the front door. It was hard to hear what was being said because of the water roaring from below.
“Dammnit,” Kurt said, “we’re stuck. The only way out of here is through the stairwell, into the water and that won’t work,” he said. “Okay, let’s just play it by ear. Let me talk. I know this guy.”
“I say we go back in and drop our backpacks, so they don’t think we were trying to run,” Elizabeth said.
Together they returned to the living area.
Kurt leaned over and took off his right hiking boot and detached the heel exposing a square compartment. He unzipped his right arm jacket pocket, pulling out the silver capsule. He looked closely at the tiny object held in his hand amazed at the power it contained “It’s all in here, Elizabeth,” he said.
“Kurt, let me have it,” she suddenly demanded. “What would you do with it?” he asked. The voices from outside were becoming louder.
“They won’t search me as they will you. Hurry give it to me,” she said quickly.
“I can’t do that,” he said.
“Kurt we’re together in this together. Let me have it,” she said, holding out her right hand.
He looked at her, knelt down unhinged the heel of his hiking boot, pulled out the silver capsule and handed it to Elizabeth.
“Now, go see them. Act very surprised. Think of something. Go ahead, I’ll hide this. Hurry. Act normal, whatever that is,” Elizabeth said as she began to adjust the belt on her tan pants.
Kurt went to the front door and could hear them talking. “They don’t know anyone is here, that’s obvious. That son of bitch, McDonald. What’s he trying to do?”
“Listen, the capsule is hidden. Go around and shout at them from the porch. Let them know we know you’re here. Act surprised, but normal.”
Kurt went out to the side porch, he could see the security man coming down the path carrying what appeared to be a laser weapon. Kurt yelled, “Who are you and what are you doing here?”
Warlock raised his laser gun and pointed it at Kurt and shouted “That’s more of a question I should be asking you. Who in the hell are you and what are you doing here.”
“I’m a tourist,” Kurt quickly replied.
Warlock suddenly laughed and said, “That’s a good one, all right.” Then the smile vanished and he yelled again,
“Who the fuck are you, Mister?”
“I might ask you the same thing, except that I can tell you’re probably with Security,” Kurt answered.
“You got that right. Is your name Sloan, by any chance?”
Kurt looked down at him and answered firmly, “Sure is. How’d you know that?” he replied.
“I can’t believe it. McDonald was right all along. He had a hunch about you and needs very much to talk to you.
Come around to the front. I’m going to use this lock buster, and you can greet your old friend.” Warlock walked along the path toward the front door.
Kurt went back to the front door where Elizabeth was already waiting.
“When the door opens, you greet him and the others. Introduce me and tell them you and I are family friends from the old days. You came to my farm and we decided to visit Fallingwater since it has always been a favorite place of ours.” As she finished, there was a smashing sound from the entrance area. Male voices could now be heard.
The wooden door was slowly pushed open and McDonald entered and looked right into the Kurt’s face. He had the same smirk on his face that Kurt remembered so vividly from their past encounters. Martin turned to see where Warlock and the two ladies were. He motioned to Warlock. “He’s here. I sure nailed this one,” he said defiantly.
Kurt took a step towards Martin and said, “McDonald. What the hell are you doing here?”
Martin didn’t budge, but looked over at Elizabeth, who stood, straight up like a soldier at attention. He turned back to Kurt, as the expression on his face changed quickly from a smirk to a tight grimace.
“Well, that’s a good question, Sloan. One that I don’t have to ask you because, oddly enough, I know what you are doing here. Not here, in this pile of crap, but in the mountains. It’s a long way from Greenfield and the Castro Library, Sloan. Doing research?” he laughed. As he said that, Isabelle and Elena came through the front door still handcuffed with Warlock right behind them. They walked up to Kurt and Elizabeth and nodded.
“Couple of fellow travelers, Sloan. Don’t know what their story is yet, but of course I know what yours is,” he said.
“What the hell does that mean?” Kurt countered.
“ My Security man, Major Warlock is with me and we’re taking you back to where you came from. These two ladies are going with you. There are some very important people that want to talk to you. In case you get any ideas, we are both armed, so don’t think of getting away from us. He pulled out a small laser gun from his belt as he turned to Elizabeth. “Who’s your friend, Sloan?” he said to Kurt.
Kurt, who had been trying to keep cool snapped, “Elizabeth Morgan, an old friend of my family, who lives near here. She showed me a route to get here and now is going back to her home.”
“No one is going anywhere Sloan, especially you. We didn’t make a special trip to see this house of rocks.”
Kurt looked at Martin and said, “You mean to tell me you came here looking for me, to take me back to Pittsburgh. Why, for God’s sake. I’m a historian, visiting a place that is one of the great treasures of architecture. That’s all, McDonald. You’re standing there holding a gun on me like someone out of an old movie. You came all the way here with Security to take me back to Pittsburgh. I appreciate the concern and the offer, but McDonald, that is my home, for Christ’s sake, and it has been a hell of a lot longer than yours.”
“That’s the first bit of truth you’ve come up with. It is your home, and that’s where you’re going back to,”
Martin responded. “But Sloan, I don’t think you had any intention of going back.”
Warlock walked up to them and Martin said to him, ”See what I found. Do you believe it? My hunch was right.
He’s here, bigger than shit.”
At that moment, Isabelle and Elana moved forward to where Martin, Warlock, Kurt and Elizabeth stood. The women reached out to Elizabeth in greeting and they shook hands. Then the two of them went to Kurt and did the same thing. “I’m Isabella Dupree,” she exclaimed in her usual enthusiasm. “This is my associate, Elena Carver.”
At that point Martin interjected, “Warlock, this is my man. The one we’ve been flying all over these mountains for the last couple of days to find. The one that’s going back to Pittsburgh with us. The other one is supposedly a friend.”
Warlock looked at Kurt and said, “So you’re why I’ve been zooming all over this countryside. McDonald your hunch worked out. I’ll bet this is the guy the Security squad chased along the river day before yesterday. Right near the walkway. It was on the Security alert report.”
“No doubt that would have been Sloan. I remembered a photo he had in his room. It wasn’t there the other night. It was a large color shot of this place. I didn’t put it together until I saw Fallingwater on the map.
Anyway, it paid off. So Sloan what are you really doing here?”
“I’m a tourist. The first one in a long time, the way this place looks.”
“People have got more important things to do these days than look at some relic of the old United States of America,” Martin said mockingly.
“Well genius comes in all colors, McDonald. Maybe some day you will recognize that, meanwhile Elizabeth and I are about done here. I don’t know why you’re here, but we’ll be off. I can’t say it was nice seeing you, McDonald. Ladies, and gentleman”, he said looking first at Isabelle and Elena, and then Warlock. He reached for Elizabeth’s hand and started walking back to their equipment.
“Nice try, Sloan. Let me explain something to you, slowly. Maybe then you’ll get the message. You are employed, still, by the Administration of Alleghenia in Pittsburgh for the Atlantica Republic. You get paid, each month by debit to your national account from our Treasury in Nuevo York. For that you do research and data gathering for the Historical Division, more specifically and recently researching the development of the infrastructure of early Pittsburgh and Pennsylvania. Your topic lately seems to have been the development of the subterranean water system according to your log-ins. Funny thing is your superiors never authorized you to be researching the water system. Why would you be researching subjects not in your work classification, Sloan?” he asked angrily, looking right at Kurt.
“I’m not going to answer you McDonald. We’re leaving now. Elizabeth needs to get back to her farm. So unless you’ve got more questions, we’ll be on our way.”
“Warlock, I may need your assistance. All depends on bright boy here.” Martin said bringing up his gun again.
“Put that away, McDonald. War is my game. I know how to use that buzzer. You just decide what you want to do with him.”
Warlock took the gun from McDonald, waving it at Kurt.
Elizabeth watched McDonald and then turned to the two black women who were standing back by the fireplace.
The tall one looked at Elizabeth, a slow smile taking over her broad face. Elizabeth smiled back as if she had received a silent message.