One thing for sure, the Government was up to something out in the desert of New Mexico. What he would have to decide was whether he had the courage to see this thing through. He put all the materials back into the backpack and locked it in this bottom desk drawer.
He needed to get some fresh air and think. He decided to walk down to Michael’s Pub and grab a sandwich. When he walked out the door he saw the two men standing across the street. He turned and started walking down the street and the two men kept pace with him.
Were they just waiting for him to get out of the office so they could attack him? His head was reeling with different possibilities. He quickened his pace but the two men remained alongside of him. He reached Michael’s and ducked inside.
He took a big breath. He was safe in here. Maybe he could go out the side door and leave undetected. Just then, the door opened and the two men came in. They ordered and sat at a table just a few feet from where he was seated. He could overhear them talking about accidents that had happened to people that they had known. Now what?
He finished his meal and decided that there was no way around it; he was just going to have to leave. When he walked out the two men were still eating. They watched him through the window as he walked back toward his office. They made no effort to follow him back. He was definitely relieved when he finally reached the door and went inside.
“No one followed you here did they?” Snapp asked.
“I don’t think so. I’ve gotten pretty good at knowing when I have a tail on me. I take precautions,” Lake said.
“Good. Good.”
“This is some turn of events. What happened?”
“I got a visit a couple of weeks ago from two goons who made veiled threats about me continuing with this investigation.”
“So, welcome to the club. Now you understand what it is like. At least you still exist. What did you find out about my past?”
“Like you said, you don’t exist in public records. Someone has methodically erased your records. Even when confronted with the facts, they refuse to acknowledge you. It’s damned freaky,” Snapp said.
“You should be on my end,” Lake replied.
“It certainly would be disheartening.”
“More than that. It’s really devastating. No one will believe anything you say because you have no certifiable proof of who you are and what you have done.”
“I think the men were from EG & G,” Snapp said.
"Yes, of course. That would be consistent. They hire some real primates. They are as subtle as a lead balloon,” Lake said.
“I want you to tell me more of the story. I feel confident that you are who you say you are and that you have been involved in a special government project. I have been able to confirm some of the things you told me,” he said.
“Well, that’s a start. Since you have already met the good folks from EG & G you can get some feel for how they treat people. It’s the same for those who work under them. They use fear and intimidation to keep the scientists under control,” Lake said.
“Do you know a Dr. Dan Cane?”
“Dr. Cane. Sure. He was one of the MJ-12 Group,” Lake said.
“He was. I talked to him and he told me about the Magnificent 12 Group but didn’t mention that he was a part of that group,”
“Not the original group. I think he was like the fourth or fifth replacement person chosen. He is really quite brilliant, certainly the best in his field,” Lake told him.
“Replacement?”
“Sure. As someone would die or leave the program they would find a top person to replace them”
“I see. He recognized you as Dr. Robert. Is that the name you went by at S–4?”
“Yes. They always change your last name. They say it is for security reasons. I think it’s so that it will be easier to deny your existence if necessary.”
“Did you know any of the others?”
“I knew several by their cover name, later I was able to find out a couple of their real names,” Lake told him.
“Who were they? Anyone the average person would know by name?”
“Sorry, no Doctor Spock. These are real people.”
“Give me a couple of names so I can check this out as well,” Snapp said.
“Sure. Let’s see. I remember Vannevar Bush. That’s rather ironic when you think about it.”
“Bush. Yes, it is ironic,”
“Someone named Detlevv Bronk, a Hungarian, very heavy accent. Couldn’t understand half of what he said. Seems like someone named Hunsacker or Hunsaker, something like that, was also one of the twelve.
“Who was the head honcho?”
“Overall? Kennedy when I was there.”
“I mean under President Kennedy?”
“I honestly don’t know.”
“What about people like Einstein and Oppenheimer?” Snapp asked.
“I’m sure they were considered, probably on the original list of prospects, but I doubt they were actually a part of the MJ Group. They were far too famous and it would have been much harder to hold them back. They were not afraid of the government so controlling them would have been next to impossible. It would be hard to make either of them disappear don’t you think?”
