The Sleepwalker and the Spy by David Luchuk

Author:David Luchuk [Luchuk, David]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781927854754
Publisher: HarperCollins Canada
Published: 2014-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

Mr. President. I trust you are in position. It is my pleasure to send the first voice transmission ever broadcast from an airborne station. I am indebted to you for this opportunity to demonstrate what science can achieve in the service of our great nation.

The room was stunned to silence. Lincoln was impressed. He invited Dr. Lowe to explore how the equipment could be used on the battlefield. The President also asked a favour. He wanted the Protocol to fly over the canal route to Washington and report any activity that seemed unusual.

Lincoln was determined to bring the flotilla of slave ships north. To him, it was precious evidence that his naval blockade was disrupting the southern way of life. He took every precaution to make sure the passage was safe.

Dr. Lowe agreed. He thanked President Lincoln for trusting him with the task.

The Protocol drifted away from Washington. I was recovering from the operation, feeling about as bad as I did when Kate dragged me off the turf at Bull Run. I certainly did not relish the idea of skirmishing with Confederate forces in this state.

“Never fear, Robert. There will be no soldiers on the canal.”

“How can you be certain?”

“Because the south wants to separate, not invade. If there is any danger in bringing those slaves north, it will not come from the Confederate army.”

“Why fly over the canals at all then? We should have a look at that flotilla.”

Dr. Lowe clapped his hands together.

“We will. But first, this is an opportunity to fly into no-man’s land between the warring armies. It is the perfect time to test one of our new weapon systems.”

“Test it on what?”

“A railway company’s dirigible malfunctioned somewhere out there. It has been circling in aimless flight without a pilot since the battle at Bull Run. The company can’t seem to bring it in so we’re going to bring it down.”

“What? Over Bull Run, you say? Is it a PWB dirigible?”

I tried to sit up in my gurney. It had not even occurred to me that the dirigible I flew to the battle might still be in the air.

“Yes, my boy. Settle down. You will undo all our fine work.”

I put my head back down. The outburst clearly got the professor’s attention.

“How in the blazes did you know the dirigible belonged to PWB?”

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