Mine: The Arrival by Brett Battles

Author:Brett Battles [Battles, Brett]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: end of the world, first contact, thriller, suspense, mind control, alien, mystery
Published: 2016-08-08T18:30:00+00:00

EIGHT

Washington, DC

October 21, 1942

DURANT ARRIVED IN the capital via military transport just after sunrise.

From a Western Union office in the city, he sent a telegram to Grace Tully, the president’s secretary.

The Williams Report is in. Please advise.

Though she would have no idea what this meant, she had been instructed to always inform her boss when telegrams concerning the Williams Report were received.

Durant then headed to the apartment he rented with project funds, and freshened up while he waited.

The call came at 11:26 a.m.

“The president would like to see you at two p.m.,” Miss Tully said.

“I’ll be there. Thank you.”

Durant arrived at the West Wing thirty minutes before his appointed time.

“Something’s come up,” Miss Tully said once he was escorted to the anteroom of the Oval Office. “If you can, the president would like you to wait and he’ll squeeze you in at the first opportunity.”

“Of course.”

Not long after he took a seat, General Patton and Admiral Hewitt arrived and were immediately led in to see FDR. The president’s next appointment was with a man Miss Tully referred to simply as Congressman. Following him, a uniformed admiral Durant didn’t recognize and a man in civilian clothing entered the Oval Office together. Their meeting lasted until a few minutes past 3:30.

As they were walking out, Miss Tully’s phone rang.

“Yes, sir?” she said. “Very good, Mr. President.” She hung up and looked at Durant. “You have ten minutes before his next meeting starts.”

Durant hurried into the Oval Office. Though this was the fourth time he’d met Roosevelt there, the sense of awe he felt as he crossed to the president’s desk was as intense as it had been on his first visit.

“Dr. Durant,” FDR said, motioning to the empty guest chair. “Good to see you again. Have you brought me good news?”

“I wish that were so, Mr. President,” Durant replied as he sat.

“I don’t need to remind you how important any discovery you make could be to the war effort.”

“No, sir. We are well aware of that. And we are doing our best.”

“I’m sure you are. But we need results, not wasted effort.”

“Yes, sir.”

There was a tense moment of silence before the president said, “I assume there’s something you wanted to discuss.”

“There is.” Leaving much of the details out, he told the president about Goodwin’s passing and the need to find a replacement.

“If you’re coming to me for recommendations, then I’m going to be concerned.”

“No, Mr. President. I know exactly who we need. What I’m hoping you could help with is assistance in his recruitment.”

Durant removed a folder from his briefcase and set it on the president’s desk, opening it to show FDR the sheet of paper inside.

The president read for a few moments and then looked up. “You don’t like to make things easy, do you?”

“He’s the best.”

Roosevelt looked at the paper again. “Is there a backup?”

Hesitantly, Durant said, “Yes, sir.”

“One that’s more realistic?”

“He’s in California.”

“I see. But he’s not as good as…” He tapped the file.

“No, Mr. President. Not even close.”

Roosevelt closed the folder.

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