“As for your first question, what do I think? Honestly, I don’t know what to think. I guess even though it sounds contrived and far-fetched, there are many elements of truth. Could what they say be true? I guess I would have to say, yes, it could be.”
“And General Devin? What’s your take on him?”
“I don’t have any. We have not looked into Devin at all. Mostly because we can’t find any real information on him since he was placed in command at Nellis. One thing we know is that what goes on at the Gunnery Range is on the up and up. What goes on at the other facilities, we are not privy to by Executive Order 948.22.89,” he said.
“I have to say, I have some reservations about not knowing exactly what General Devin is doing there,” the President said, sitting back down.
Of course he knew about the other things but he didn’t want to play his hand just yet.
Eller sat looking at the huge fireplace that dominated one end of the room while the President sat rubbing his chin, deep in thought. He seemed on the verge of saying something several times but stopped each time. He stood up and started pacing again. Whatever it was, he was struggling with what to do next.
He stopped in mid stride and said, “How long have we known each other Raymond? Fifteen or sixteen years?”
“Yes sir, something like that.”
“Have you ever known me to be indecisive?”
“I have known you to be careful about making many important decisions but indecisive? No, I can’t ever remember a time like that Mr. President.”
“And yet I am not sure how to proceed with this matter. The implications are huge. This is the atomic bomb of problems. Damned if you do and damned if you don’t. I’m just thinking out loud about possible ways of handling this. Let’s suppose that what the three men are saying is mostly true. And let’s say their implication that General Devin is working on an unauthorized project that may turn out to be a weapon of some sort, is also true. We would be faced with a huge problem. Taking the general out of the picture could set back every other project in progress. Not taking him out of the picture gives him free reign to do whatever he wants. As of now, he only answers to me, but I have no way of knowing what he is really up to out there in the desert. I can read the reports but how do I know they are the truth?” the President asked.
It was a rhetorical question so Raymond didn’t interrupt.
“What is needed is for General Devin to have to answer to someone who can check up on what is happening out there from time to time. Especially at the S-4 facility. While that sounds all well and good, it means another person added to the growing list of people who know about our national secrets. Too many already know. If Snapp goes public, all hell will break loose, don’t you think?”
Eller waited a second before answering in case he started back up again.
After a few seconds he said, “Yes sir. I do. We are fortunate in some ways that Snapp did come to us first instead of just reporting the story to the general public. It was a real service to the country. He may not have realized it, but it gives us a small window to take whatever action you feel is appropriate in this situation.”
“Whatever action is appropriate. Therein lies the problem doesn’t it?”
“Yes sir, it sure does. Since Truman started all of this, I suppose the saying that ‘the buck stops here’ was never truer than in this situation.”
The President chuckled. It was the first light moment since they had started three hours ago.
“Damn that hardheaded Truman. Look at the pickle he has gotten me into,” he joked back.
“Sir. You know I will do whatever I can to help. If you want me to bury this, I can do that. If you need me to…whatever you decide, you can count on me.”
“I appreciate that and know it to be true. I don’t think we should bury this. I would like for you to try to convince Mr. Snapp that we need additional time to prepare an adequate response and to make some inquires of our own into these allegations. If he refuses to go along with it, so be it. We will do whatever we have to at that time,” the President said.
Raymond wasn’t sure exactly what that meant but he didn’t press the issue at this time.
“Ray, I need someone to check into whatever is going on at Area-51. Someone who can control Devin and keep him in check. I need someone whom I trust not only with the nation’s top secrets, but whom I trust personally.”
“I think that sounds reasonable, Mr. President. You do not have to worry about my office. We will turn everything over to whomever you select,” Raymond replied.
“Good Ray, I’m glad you see it that way because I’m going to really dump on you. I want to instruct General Devin that from this time forward he will report directly to you and you will pass along pertinent information to me.”
Raymond looked at him in surprise. He wasn’t qualified for this kind of assignment.
“Sir, I’m not qualified. I don’t have a degree in astrophysics or whatever it takes.”
“Neither does General Devin.”
