“So, it may be nothing at all. Just talk by a bunch of cooped up scientists with time on their hands,” the President said.
“That could well be, but my gut tells me that something else is going on.”
“It’s hard to call someone on the carpet on just a gut feeling. I don’t doubt you’re right, but we need to know more.”
“Just one other thing. The security force for the base is not our military. They take their orders from the general but they are from the outside.”
“Outside? On a military base? That’s interesting. So then they don’t technically fall under the jurisdiction of the Commander-in-Chief. Who do they work for, other than taking orders from the general?
“I don’t know but I intend to find out.”
“Yes. That would be useful.”
“Another small item. I found this paper with the words ‘THE HUMP’ and 5725 on it. It was on Level-9. I think it refers to a topographical location at Groom Lake. I don’t know what it means yet, but I think I need to keep probing that as well,” Raymond said, showing him the piece of paper he had found.
“That could mean anything or nothing at all,” he said handing the paper back.
They talked for a few more minutes before the President said, “So, when do you think you should go back out for another visit?”
“I think I should be there when the Su-12 is delivered to the base. They will store it in hanger 18 and I want to know more about it. All I saw was a thousand pieces laid out on the floor in hanger 15.”
“Who has the contract?”
“Lockheed.”
“Make sure they notify you immediately when they are ready to release it.”
“Yes sir. I’ve already taken care of that.”
“Excellent. I can rest a lot easier with you on the job, Ray. Thank you. Now I’m sure you have a lot to do so I won’t keep you any longer,” he said. The side door opened and Raymond was shown out.
“Raymond, nice to have you back. Look at your tan. I’m jealous,” Sarah said as he stuck his head in her new office.
She had finally gotten around to decorating it and it wasn’t nearly as bleak as the last time.
“It’s nice to be back. The tan is part of the occupational hazard. Listen, I just left the President after a two hour meeting. Do you have time to bring me up to speed?”
“I’ll make the time. Your office or here.”
“I’m here, let’s just do it if you can.”
“I can indeed. I’ll send for sandwiches,” she offered.
“You have no idea how much I would appreciate that,” he said, smiling
“I figured as much since you have been with the President. All refreshment, no food.”
“Boy, have you got that right.”
Sarah updated him on the current case files and their status. She went over the surveillance reports from Lake and Barnett but there was little new. Obviously Snapp’s death was ruled a homicide but no headway had been made on identifying the perpetrators. The bomb was made in the US and the detonator was from a company called RenTech. They supplied them to half of the outlets in the US that specialized in that kind of equipment.
“So, for now it is a dead end?”
“Sorry to say, yes. We have found out that a shadow team has been watching both Lake and Barnett. Willis was able to spot them and tail them back to their employer.”
“Who is that?”
“A company called EG & E. They are out of Georgetown,” Sarah said.
“EG & E. I’ve seen that someplace.”
“Well, they supply security for nuclear reactor facilities and according to Lake and Barnett to the good folks at A-51,” she replied.
That was it. It was on the back of his badge. ‘Property of EG & E’. Do they supply the security for Groom Lake as well, he wondered? He wanted to ask her more but it was best to leave it like it was. She did not know what he was officially working on. He was sure she could figure it out without much of a problem but she was too smart to ask.
“What do we know about them?”
“Not as much as I would like. I had a friend in another branch of the government who let me see the file on them. They seem on the up and up but that doesn’t explain them watching Lake and Barnett.”
“I’ll see what I can dig up. I have a few contacts too. Anything else?”
“That about covers it. Oh, I don’t know about Laura. She may still want to talk to you.”
“Damn. I hope not. I don’t have time for her silliness.”
Sarah just shrugged.
Groom Lake is located in the Emigrant Valley region of the Nellis Bombing and Gunnery Range. It is a dry lake bed that was once used by the U-2 and SR-71 Blackbird spy planes for testing. In wet winters a shallow lake forms. The entire area is closely monitored by base security teams called Det–1 or Det–3. This is the code name for detachment one and detachment three.
Det-2 is assigned duties at the main base where the landing strips are located and the hangers used by the CIA for their special projects. The outer perimeter security force, code named K-Mart or sometimes call the ‘Cammo Dudes’, keep civilians from encroaching on the government installation.
