“Good morning Mr. Secretary, they are waiting for you.” She guided them to the Situation Room.
Secretary of Defense Greer Houseman walked in with General Benjamin Larkin in tow.
Before them with scowls on their faces were White House Chief of Staff Cal Dixon, Secretary of Homeland Security Kelsey Osgood, FBI Director Fawn Ralston, and the Attorney General Helen Thatcher.
They were seated shortly before the doors opened and President Dan Jarrett marched in and took his seat at the head of the table. “Greer, explain this,” he ordered.
Secretary Houseman looked at the people around the table then focused on the president. “Mr. President, we have been informed that a threat of great magnitude is upon us, and we must contain it–”
The president held up his hand to silence him. “We understand that. What is it specifically that requires the lockdown of the Delaware Valley?” His voice was stern.
Houseman nodded to the General. “I asked General Larkin to join us, because he is best equipped to answer that question.”
“General.” The president prompted.
The General cleared his throat. He had never been in the Situation Room before or been in any room with the president other than ceremonial. “Mr. President, we have reason to believe that Dr. Alvin Grace has developed and stolen technology that in the wrong hands could be devastating to this country.”
“What is it?” the president asked impatiently.
The General nervously repositioned himself in his chair. “It is a nanoparticle technology that has vast potential. As an example, it can render an object invisible.” The room was silent, and there was a stunned look on every face. “We believe that Dr. Grace stole the technology, and we are trying to apprehend him. He was last spotted in Camden.”
“What proof do you have that he stole it?” the president asked.
“His assistant committed suicide and left a note to that effect. We’ve handed everything over to the FBI,” the General said. He was beginning to get into a more comfortable mode. Logan had engineered the suicide, the note and the conclusion that was reached.
“Is Grace a security risk? Will he try and sell this technology?” the president asked.
“We are fearful that he will, sir,” Houseman answered.
President Jarrett took off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes, trying to give himself a sense of calm. After a moment, he slowly said, “What is the plan Kelsey?”
The Secretary of Homeland Security handed the president a file marked Containment: Classified. “We believe that a lockdown of the Delaware Valley is in order–all means of entry and exit. The media and social networks will actively circulate Grace’s profile as a wanted terrorist. His face will be everywhere. We’ll be–”
The president interrupted, “Can he make himself invisible?”
All eyes turned to the General.
“Right after he finished that component, he fell off the grid, so we don’t fully understand–“
President Jarrett slammed the table with the palms of his hands, startling everyone. “Do we have a copy of the technology? What do we know?”
“Yes sir, our scientists and engineers are analyzing it as we speak, and we’ll have the details shortly,” the General answered nervously.
“Who else worked on the development of this?” Cal Dixon asked.
“Just Grace and his assistant,” the General answered.
Everyone in the room was incredulous.
“Just two men?” the president asked, enunciating every word.
“Yes sir … Dr. Grace’s capabilities are on a level that may be higher than even Einstein’s,” the General said.
After what seemed like a long time, the president spoke. “Helen, can we lockdown the Delaware Valley?” he asked.
“Yes sir, we have the power to do that,” the AG answered tentatively.
“How real is the intelligence that he is in the Delaware Valley?” Cal Dixon asked.
“We have him on a surveillance feed in Camden, yesterday,” Director Ralston answered.
“Then, he could be anywhere,” Dixon said.
“Yes,” Ralston answered.
The president stood, “All right, get the media and social networks cranked up. Once he’s spotted, lock down wherever that is. Cal, get it done.”
“Yes sir.”
The president marched out with a worried and disgusted look on his face.
Cal Dixon looked around the room. “I want a plan on my desk in one hour. Make it happen,” he said through gritted teeth. He had never been comfortable with the black box of defense spending, and this situation filled him with a sense of foreboding.
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