Professional Documents
Culture Documents
When Professors James Flanagan and Thomas Nellings from Brooklyn College
Zero Point
of Natural History embark on a trip to Kentucky to inspect recently discovered artifacts
in Mammoth Cave, they expect to find typical North American remains. But from the
moment they inspect the artifacts, they know their lives have changed forever.
Wi l l i a m J a m e s
Their routine investigation quickly turns into a high-stakes adventure that could
eliminate humanity’s dependence on fossil fuels. Flanagan and Nellings could lose
their lives or usher in a new age of peace and prosperity. But will humanity survive
long enough to make the transition?
$XX.XX U.S.
ZerØ Point
Power of the gods
William James
iUniverse, Inc.
New York Bloomington
ZerØ Point
Power of the gods
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic,
electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage
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tions embodied in critical articles and reviews.
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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any Web addresses or links contained in this book
may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. This is a work of fiction. All of the
characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either the products of the
author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. This book is meant for entertainment purposes only. Any
resemblance to any real company, organization or group, individuals, and or real persons, living or
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fictional story.
v
Major David Mitchell; US Air Force Pilot
Colonel Steve Hall; US Air Force - Chief of Security at Tonopah Test
Range at Nellis
Captain Donald Shaw; US Air Force - Special Forces Commander at
Zero Point
Captain Jerry Reed; US Air Force - Special Forces Commander
Chief Master Sergeant Ronald White; nick name Whitey - Special
Forces
Corporal Roger Woods; Special Forces Medic
Staff Sergeant David Miller; Special Forces
Staff Sergeant Roberto Martinez; Special Forces
Sergeant Lewis Garcia; Special Forces
Lieutenant Evan Parker; Technical Specialist
Sergeant Bob Wright; Special Forces
Corporal Danny Hall; Special Forces
Airman First Class Adam Green; Special Forces
President Andrew Clark; President of the United States
Mark Ford; Secretary of Defense
General Mark Dewey; Air Force Chief of Staff
Admiral Sam McCartney; U.S. Navy Chief of Staff
General William Moore; U.S. Army Chief of Staff
vi
Boris Cheslav; CIA agent on assignment at the National Reconnaissance
Office
Pavlo Oleksiy; a freelance mercenary
vii
Gina Stewart; One of the rescued victims from the Mars Base
Lewis Green; One of the rescued victims from the Mars Base
Anunnaki Characters
viii
Preface
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William James
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not the center of the universe. Galileo was ultimately allowed to live in
exile but only after recanting what he knew to be true.
The fact is, over the long course of history the experts have often been
wrong. The Earth is not the center of the universe and the ancient
Sumerian records correctly describe our solar system. The Sumerians
and other societies have recorded a diverse account of our ancient past
and yet almost all agree on a central theme. That in times long past,
the Earth was visited and once ruled by a race of intelligent beings that
descended from the heavens in great flying machines, radiant as the
sun.
The Sumerians of Mesopotamia called these beings, Anunnaki; the Bible
refers to them as the Anakim, Anak, ‘Nefilim’ (nephilum). Nefilim in
Hebrew means ‘giants’ or ‘those who have come down from heaven’.
They were known by many names, and they played an important role
in forming our modern civilization.
Throughout our history, most intellectuals have insisted that these
beings are mythical but how many times have the leaders of intellect
been wrong? Even modern science has a hard time discerning the true
makeup of our own solar system. Every time a probe is sent to scan a
distant planet the intellectuals have been stunned to discover that their
theories or assumptions about the planet were more often than not,
wrong.
I wrote this book because I had to. Zero Point – Power of the gods, is
an adventure novel, based on real discoveries in many fields of science
and the ancient records of civilizations long past. It is my hope to stir
the reader’s imagination to consider the possibilities of this fantastic
energy source. Who knows, one day we may tap into that unlimited
Zero Point Energy. If that happens, we will surely explore the galaxy in
great star ships.
xi
Chapter 1
Professor James Flanagan and his wife Patricia entered the lecture
hall at the Brooklyn College of Natural History where the sometimes
controversial Doctor Timothy Gear was scheduled to speak. The topic
for this evening was Ancient Alien Astronauts and Their Influence on
Human History. Though he was not thrilled with the subject, Professor
Flanagan had reluctantly agreed to accompany his wife and promised
to keep an open mind.
Jim Flanagan was a Professor of Archeology at the Brooklyn
College of Natural History. He was a six-foot tall, forty-one year old,
who was quite comfortable with his intellectual lifestyle. He jogged
three times a week and tried to watch his calories. Set in his ways,
he disdained outside interference into his narrow academic world. As
an archaeologist, his work had taken him around the globe. During
his journeys, he had often heard stories of ancient gods from outer
space, but he has always dismissed such tales as just that, stories and
legend. Nevertheless, in recent years, Jim had recognized a pattern of
similarities in many of these myths. No matter what continent he has
visited, the reports of ancient astronauts were always present, but as
a man of science, he could not give them credence. After all, he had
worked hard to gain his teaching position, and he was not about to
throw it away on some off the wall belief in ancient legends.
Jim paused to look around the auditorium, hoping none of his
colleagues had decided to attend this evening’s lecture. “Whew, looks
like I’m in the clear.”
Pat shot Jim an angry look. “Would you stop your complaining?
We’re here, and we’re going to enjoy ourselves, so put your ego to bed
and find us a good seat.”
Realizing he had stuck his foot in his mouth, Jim nodded and
scanned the auditorium for two empty seats, preferably near the rear
exit.
“Come on, Jim. This isn’t going to hurt.”
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Pat stiffened her stance and gave him the look again. “I thought
you were only going to be gone for the weekend.”
“So did I, but now I’m told a new cavern was discovered and there
are a lot of artifacts to be inspected. I hear there could be some new
evidence that the Paleo-Indians may have used sophisticated hand tools
more than 12,000 years ago. As a result, the University is insisting on a
thorough investigation for the National Park Service, and I need to be
sure we do a good job. This could be a real boost for my career.”
“It just seems to me that you could have done a better job with
the planning. I mean, why can’t Tom pick you up in the morning?”
Jim received a small reprieve as the crowd began returning to the
auditorium. He chose to ignore Pat’s question and grabbed a small
coffee. “We’d better get back to the auditorium.”
Jim and Pat returned to their seats, and moments later, Doctor
Gear returned to the podium.
Doctor Gear wasted no time and immediately went into a slide
presentation, displaying several photos of an Egyptian temple wall
in Abydos. This particular temple wall contained ancient carvings,
depicting several different types of flying machines. One of the carvings
was an obvious image of a helicopter. Doctor Gear insisted that
these carvings represent real aircraft, not some mythical or religious
mystery.
The photo of the helicopter carving caught Jim’s attention, and
he glanced at Pat to comment, but noticed that she was fully engrossed
in the presentation. Perhaps it would be better to allow her to enjoy
the moment.
When the conference ended, a small crowd quickly formed
around Doctor Gear, but Jim glanced at his watch. “I know you’d like
to stay, but I do have an early flight in the morning.”
To his surprise, Pat seemed content. “You’re right. We’d better
go.”
The drive home was quiet, and Jim looked forward to crawling
into bed as soon as they arrived home. Pat’s thoughts, however,
remained with the lecture.
As Jim steered the Buick into their driveway, Pat broke the silence,
“Well, what did you think of Doctor Gear’s lecture?”
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5
Chapter 2
The twin engine Cessna droned high over the Kentucky landscape as
Jim nudged Tom for the third time.
Tom raised an eyebrow and then yawned as he struggled to clear
his head. “Oh, man, I had a good nap. Too bad you had to wake me.”
“Your snoring was drowning out the engine noise,” Jim teased.
“How far is it to Brownsville?”
“We’re just about there.”
Jim switched the aircraft transceiver to the Owensboro Daviess
tower frequency and within minutes, he canceled their flight plan and
set the autopilot at 6,500 feet. The Cessna angled over and began a
gentle descent. “We’ll be landing in 30 minutes or so.”
Tom scanned the quilted landscape below. “Hope your friend has
a nice smooth runway.”
“Actually, it’s a grass strip.”
“A grass strip? I hope we’re not going to land on someone’s front
lawn.”
“Don’t worry. Larry takes good care of his field. By the way, I
phoned him while you slept. He’s invited us to stay for supper, but I
told him we’d best check in with the park services before we made any
promises. Once that’s out of the way, we can play it by ear, though
supper with Larry does sound good.”
Tom grinned. “Like I always say, never pass up a free meal. Besides,
I would like to get to know this guy.”
Jim leaned forward and pointed to a small strip of grass, “Here
we are. That’s Larry’s place, just ahead.”
Tom stretched his neck to peer through the windscreen, “We’re
going to land on that tiny speck of grass?”
Jim chuckled as he began pushing buttons and throwing switches
in preparation for landing.
7
William James
Larry Johnson had just parked his lawn tractor along side of his
barn, when he heard the engines of a light aircraft. Out of habit, he
looked skyward and spotted a Skymaster on its final approach to his
grass runway.
At six foot one, Larry weighed in at one hundred and ninety five
pounds. He’s never been married and had recently accomplished a life
long goal, to retire at an early age. Nevertheless, at age forty-eight, he
had come to realize that early retirement was a big mistake.
A smile formed on Larry’s face as he headed for his pickup truck.
It would be good to see his old friend.
The Cessna bounced when it touched down, and Tom breathed a
sigh of relief. “Ah, good old terra firma, it’s good to be back.”
Jim pulled the Skymaster alongside of Larry’s Cessna 172 and
shut the engines down. “It’s 11:30. We’ve made good time.”
The two men climbed out of the Skymaster and stretched their
legs. Jim glanced towards the barn and spotted a pickup truck moving
across the open field. “Here comes Larry.”
Tom glanced at the truck. “I hope he has a bathroom. I’m
floating,”
Jim chuckled. “I’m sure he does. Larry was never one to be without
the amenities.”
The truck slid to a halt, and Larry climbed out with open arms
as he walked towards Jim. “Oh boy, it’s good to see you! I’ve been
counting the hours since you phoned.” Larry grabbed Jim and gave
him a big bear hug.
He released Jim and reached for Tom, but Tom was quick to step
back. “Please, don’t squeeze me. I could really use a bathroom.”
Jim and Larry glanced at each other and then broke into a long
chorus of laughter. Jim was in tears when he finally recovered enough
to make the introductions. “Larry, this is my good friend and colleague,
Tom Nellings. He’s a professor of anthropology, but don’t let that fool
you. He’s a regular guy.”
Larry gave Tom a firm handshake. “If you’re a friend of Jim, you’re
a friend of mine. Welcome to my home.” Larry gestured towards his
truck. “Come on, let’s get this guy some relief. We’ll run over to the
house, and you two can freshen up.”
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William James
“Are you sure we wouldn’t be putting you out?” Jim asked, wanting
to be sure that his friend was okay with an extended stay.
Paulus entered the room with a pitcher of lemonade and three
large frosted glasses that he carefully placed on the coffee table. “Here
you go, gentlemen, and there’s plenty more. Relax and enjoy yourselves.
I’ll be in the kitchen if you need anything.”
Larry sat on a large sofa and poured a glass of lemonade. “Thank
you, Paulus,” he said.
“Yeah, thanks a lot,” said Tom.
Paulus smiled. “You’re very welcome.” As he turned to leave, he
paused and looked to Jim. “Perhaps the two of you can breathe some
excitement into Larry. He’s been kind of down since his retirement.”
Paulus returned to the kitchen, and the sunroom grew uncomfortably
quiet.
Jim broke the silence. “Is retirement not agreeing with you?”
“You’ll have to forgive Paulus. He’s just looking out for my welfare.
It’s not that I don’t like retirement; it’s just that I feel lost. I mean, I
used to get up at five a.m., and by six, I was out the door and ready for
another day of discovery, but now I’m just plain bored. I’m seriously
considering going back to work. I have a lot of contacts in the aerospace
industry, and I’m sure I can find something that interests me.”
Jim glanced at Tom and asked, “What do you think?”
Tom rubbed his chin. “Hmm, I don’t know. He might like it.”
“I might like what?” Larry couldn’t stand the suspense.
“You’re welcome to tag along with us,” said Jim. “It’s not rocket
science, but our work can be interesting. We never know what we
are going to find on these outings, and who knows, you might enjoy
working with us on this project.”
Larry paused to consider Jim’s offer. “You know, maybe you’ve got
something there. It sounds like fun. Give me a day or so to settle some
business in Brownsville, and I’ll be happy to join your quest.”
Tom held his glass up high. “Then it’s settled. Just wear some old
clothes because we tend to get a little soiled when we’re in the field.”
10
Chapter 3
Jim swung his feet over the side of the twin bed and sat motionless
as he struggled to clear his thoughts. The old wooden floor was cold,
and Jim couldn’t remember if he had packed his slippers. What was
that annoying sound? He squinted through blurry eyes and spotted the
culprit sitting on the nightstand. An obnoxious little alarm clock was
taunting him with its blaring noise. He reached across and fumbled
with the little demon until he found the off button.
“Ugh, I hate those things.”
His brain cells began working their magic, and he remembered
why he had set that alarm clock for 6:00 a.m. He spotted Tom, lying
fast asleep in the adjacent twin bed and felt a touch of envy, knowing
that Tom had slept through the alarm’s insufferable assault.
“Tom, wake up!”
Tom opened his eyes ever so slightly. “Oh, leave me alone.”
“Come on, buddy. It’s time to go to work.”
“Wake me after you shower.”
The hot shower did wonders for Jim’s disposition, but it was the
smell of freshly perked coffee and fried bacon, that motivated him to
hurry. As he stepped out of the shower, he called to Tom, “Come on,
boy, it’s your turn.”
Jim hurriedly dried himself and fumbled through his suitcase for
some clean underwear. By now, he was wide-awake and moved quickly
to get himself dressed. As he exited from the bedroom, he could hear
the shower running and called over his shoulder, “I’ll see you down
stairs!”
The hot water was all but gone, and Tom was moving as fast as he
could to escape the icy cold shower. “I’ll be right there!”
Jim entered the kitchen where Paulus was frying some eggs.
“Good morning, Paulus. Boy that smells inviting.”
“Good morning, sir. I hope you’re hungry.”
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William James
Jim grabbed a clean cup and poured himself a hot coffee. “I’m
starving, but what I really need is caffeine. It was well past my bedtime
when we climbed into the bed last evening.”
Paulus chuckled under his breath. “Yeah, when Larry left about a
half hour ago, I noticed he was moving a little slower than usual.”
“Oh, sorry I missed him.”
Paulus glanced at Jim and smiled. “I’m delighted you and Tom
have decided to stay on. Larry could use some diversion. His retirement
is not… how should I say this?”
“I know what you’re trying to say, but he’ll be fine. He just needs
some new direction.”
“Yes he does. That man has spent most of his life in cutting edge
design and research, and now he’s beginning to realize just how much
his work meant to him.”
“Well, he’s never been married, so I guess his work was
everything.”
Tom shuffled into the kitchen and poured himself a cup of coffee.
“Why? Why did we stay up so late last night? I believe it was around
2:00 a.m., when we finally got to bed.”
Jim nodded. “We’re old enough to know better, but we sometimes
lack the wisdom. It’s a good thing we loaded the equipment into the
van last night. I don’t think we’re up to doing any heavy lifting this
morning.”
Tom plopped himself into a chair at the breakfast table and took a
sip of coffee. As he savored the flavor, a ghastly thought suddenly came
to mind. “Oh man, oh man,” he groaned.
Jim looked across the table. “What?”
“How far into the caves will we have to lug our equipment? Please
tell me it won’t be far. Lie to me if you want to.”
Jim shrugged. “One can only hope.”
Paulus set a large plate of bacon, eggs, and rye toast in the center
of the table. “Dig in, gentlemen. It sounds like you’re going to need
your strength.”
Tom and Jim ate heartily. When they finished, they thanked
Paulus for the breakfast, headed out the back door, and climbed into
the borrowed government van.
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As Jim steered the van into the parking lot at Mammoth Cave, he
spotted a young ranger exiting the park office. Jim pulled into a nearby
parking space and called out, “Officer, I wonder if you could help us.”
The ranger walked over to the driver’s side of the van. “I thought
I recognized this vehicle. You must be the two professors from
Brooklyn.”
“Yes, I’m Professor Flanagan and this is Professor Nellings
and…”
“I’m Bill Roberts. Just call me Bill. I know exactly why you’re
here, and I’d be happy to show you around.”
Jim smiled. “Thank you Bill. Tell me, how close can we get this
van to the excavation site?”
Bill thought for a moment. “It’s only a hundred yards from the
parking area to the cave entrance, but once inside the cave, I’d say it’s
nearly a mile to where we discovered the artifacts.”
Tom let go with a loud groan. “Oh, I knew it! I just knew it!”
Bill gave Tom a quizzical look.
“Don’t mind him,” said Jim. “We had a very late evening, and
we’re not looking forward to lugging all of this equipment.”
Bill chuckled. “It’s no problem. I understand. I’ve had one or two
nights of regret along the way. If you’ll wait here a moment, I’ll get
my duty cart, and you can follow me. I’ll show you where to park the
van.”
Jim waved cheerfully as the officer walked away, but Tom was still
concerned about lugging the equipment. “Do you know how heavy all
of this stuff is?”
“Come on, Tom. It won’t be too bad, and besides, we can probably
get the ranger to help us carry some of the gear.”
Tom grinned. “Now that’s what I like about you, always
thinking.”
A small, propane powered cart appeared along side of the van.
“Follow me, sir,” called Bill. The little cart accelerated, and Jim followed
with the van. Within a few minutes, they arrived at a large parking area
where the ranger slowed to a stop. He dismounted the cart and walked
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William James
to the van. “This is it. You can leave your vehicle right there. We’ll have
to walk the rest of the way, but the cave entrance isn’t too far.”
Tom leaned forward. “I hate to ask you, but would you mind
giving us a hand with our gear?”
“No problem. In fact my supervisor is on his way to assist.”
Within moments, a second cart pulled alongside of the van, and
two burly rangers climbed out. The older of the two, a man in his
forties, approached Jim and said, “Gentlemen, we’re here to help you
with your equipment.”
Tom smiled. “Bless you, officer. We really appreciate the offer.”
Tom opened the side door to the van and began passing the gear to
Jim.
Jim sorted the gear by type as he laid each item on the asphalt.
When all of the gear was unloaded, Tom locked the van and began
a mental inventory of the equipment.
Jim grabbed one of the tripod mounted work lamps and a heavy
sack of battery packs. “Oh jeez,” he murmured, “I’m getting too old
for this.” He struggled to sling the sack of batteries over his shoulder.
“If we grab what we can carry, we might get all of this stuff moved on
one trip.”
Each man picked up a few pieces of equipment, and the small
group began walking in single file. Within a few minutes, they reached
the entrance to Mammoth Cave. The lead ranger stopped and looked
back. “Here we go, gentlemen. Everyone check your flashlights.”
Fifteen minutes later, the combined effects of terrain and heavy
equipment were taking a toll on the men, and they stopped to take a
needed rest. Tom was breathing heavy as he set his gear on the ground
and took a seat next to it. He pulled a bottle of water from his pack
and glanced at Bill. “Are we there yet?” he asked as he tried to start
breathing normally again.
“We’re a little over halfway there.”
Tom took a big gulp from his water bottle. “Whew, that’s good
to hear.”
They rested a few minutes, and then the lead ranger stood and
called out, “Ok, let’s go.” Each man grabbed his gear, and the small
group continued to advance deeper into the caverns. Before long, they
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ventured off the well lit tourist path. As he looked around, Tom noticed
small red dots, knee high and about the size of a half-dollar, painted on
the cave walls. He wondered what they were for, but he was too tired
to ask.
The men moved on for nearly ten minutes before Bill suddenly
called out, “This is it!” He shined his light into an opening that branched
off to the right. The opening was marked with wide yellow tape and
stamped with the word DANGER in large black letters every few feet.
Bill turned to face Jim. “We believe this side cavern appeared after
a minor quake we experienced last year.” He pointed his light toward
a large rock that lay in front of the opening, “This rock was apparently
covering the entrance, but the quake must have jarred it loose. No one
ever comes back this way, so we never knew it existed until recently”.
There are plenty of relics in there, including a large stone with some
weird markings.”
Jim shined his spotlight into the tunnel and was amazed to see a
multitude of artifacts scattered across the cavern floor. He swung his
light back and forth until he saw a large rectangular stone covered with
hieroglyphs. The stone appeared to be more than eight feet tall. “Wow,
this is really something.”
Officer Roberts nodded. “That’s why we called you folks. We’ve
never seen anything like it, but don’t worry, no one has disturbed
anything.”
“Let’s drop the equipment here,” said Jim.
As the rangers prepared to return to the surface, they explained
the only way to the surface was to follow the red painted marks back to
the main tunnel. Jim and Tom thanked the rangers for their help, but
as the rangers turned to leave, Officer Roberts stopped and turned to
Jim. “We seldom come this way, so you’ll be on your own down here.”
As he turned to leave, he called back over his shoulder, “Be careful!”
Within a few short minutes, the rangers were gone.
Tom looked on as darkness swallowed the last trace of light from
the rangers’ flashlights. “Have you ever noticed how dark it really is in
these deep caves?”
“Yeah, I don’t think I’ll ever get used to it,” Jim replied.
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William James
Jim grabbed a portable work light. “Let’s get started and see what
we have here.”
“At least, there is standing room.”
The two men proceeded cautiously into the tunnel. Not wanting
to destroy an artifact by rushing forward, they carefully surveyed the
cavern floor and picked out a good area to set up the work lights.
Within a few minutes, light flooded the cavern.They stood next to the
work lamps and slowly scanned the walls, floor and ceiling. “What do
you think?” asked Tom.
“I think we’ve got our work cut out for us,” was Jim’s reply.
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Chapter 4
The work lights provided a much better view of the cavern, allowing
Jim to estimate the ceiling to be 15 to 18 feet in height. It looked to
be about the scale of a basketball court. There were many hand tools
and wedged shaped stone blocks scattered near the entrance, giving the
impression that someone had tossed the tools into the cavern at the last
minute before the entrance was sealed. An assortment of hand tools,
pottery and clay tablets lay strewn about the cavern floor, but what
really captured their attention was the large rectangular block of stone
on the back wall. Taking extra care not to disturb the artifacts, they
cautiously approached the monolith. When they got to within a few
feet of the ancient stone, they stood in silent awe.
“No way,” whispered Jim.
“This is cuneiform writing.”
“It can’t be.”
Tom moved a little closer to the monolith and pulled a small
soft brush from his belt. Ever so gently, he carefully brushed the dust
from the upper portion of the monolith, and then stepped back to
stare in silence. Several minutes passed while Tom attempted to
decipher the glyphs. When he was satisfied, he turned to Jim. “I believe
it says something about Lord Enki and a Chamber of Fate. There’s
also something about a Tablet of Destiny and Lord Marduk’s celestial
chariot. I’ll know more when we get it cleaned up, but for now, the
question is how did it get here?”
Jim stared at the monolith. “The only glyph I recognize is Lord
Enki. I remember seeing it on a Sumerian tablet at the Cairo Museum.
But how did a stone with Mesopotamian hieroglyphs end up in a cave
in North America?”
The two men stood in stillness as they pondered the possibilities,
and ramifications of such a discovery. Cuneiform hieroglyphs are the
earliest known form of human writing, dating back over six thousand
years. Cuneiform originated in Mesopotamia, but there was no way
17
William James
to explain how that form of writing ended up on the other side of the
planet.
On one hand, the discovery, if true, would not only upset current
scientific teachings, but also there would be religious repercussions. On
the other hand, it could be one of the greatest archeological discoveries
in recent history.
Jim gazed at the assortment of tools and tablets on the cavern
floor. “We need to evaluate and catalog the rest of these items. Some of
them may give us a clue as to what occurred here.”
“You’re right. You decide where to start while I’ll get our gear.”
Tom stepped out of the cavern and returned a few moments later with
a large bag of equipment. “Well, where do you want to start?”
Jim seemed startled by the question. “Oh, yes. Let’s start at the
cavern entrance and work our way in.”
Tom agreed. “That works for me. I’ll start probing. Would you
mind doing the paper work?”
Jim found it difficult to focus on the job at hand; his thoughts
kept returning to the cuneiform text. “Go ahead, I’ll follow.”
The two men went to work, locating, identifying, photographing,
and cataloging each item. It was slow and tedious work, but it came
with the field of archeology. Numerous drawings and hieroglyphs
covered the cavern walls. Tom paused to inspect one of the carvings,
and after a few minutes of study, he realized that the carving was an
account of Lord Enki’s journey to earth.
“Jim, these glyphs tell the story of Lord Enki and some of his
hardships while traveling to earth. I’ve seen a similar account of this on
a six-thousand-year old Sumerian tablet.
Jim moved to Tom’s side and gazed upon the glyphs. “What does
it say?
“It says that Enki was on his way to the seventh planet, Earth, but
running low on water, he was forced to land on the sixth planet to take
on fresh water. I should point out, that the name of the sixth planet is
Lahmu. If you’re approaching Earth from the outer solar system, Mars
would be the sixth planet.”
Tom paused a few moments to study the glyphs. “Ok, it says
that Lahmu had an abundance of water, but the atmosphere was not
18
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good for breathing, and then it goes on to say that Enki left the planet
Lahmu, but he ran into the Hammered Bracelet. He had to use some
of the water that he had taken from Lahmu to push the large rocks in
the Hammered Bracelet out of his path.”
Tom bit his lower lip and stared at Jim. “I remember reading
about this in one of Zecharia Sitchin’s books.”
“Really?”
“Yes, but we’ve got to ask ourselves, how did this story get here?
Not only that, but if it’s just an ancient story, how did the ancients
know about the thin atmosphere on Mars? We now know that Mars
was once abundant with water, but these ancient glyphs describe the
water and the polar caps of Mars. How could the ancients have possibly
known about the water and polar caps on Mars?”
Jim slowly shook his head. “I don’t have the answers to any of
those questions, and I have no idea how or why these glyphs are here
in North America. This whole site is a mystery. It’s going to take years
to figure this one out.”
Tom laughed aloud. “You said it, brother.”
Jim was excited with the discovery of the stone monolith.
Cuneiform glyphs had originated in Mesopotamia, and finding them
in North America flew against all that anyone knew about the ancient
world. The Mesopotamians were not a seafaring civilization, yet here
was the proof that at some point in days of old, they had indeed
journeyed to North America. This discovery would cause a real stir
and force many to take a closer look at traditional teachings of ancient
Mesopotamia.
Jim’s excitement was tempered with a fear that he and Tom were
about to be thrown into the tumultuous world of scientific skepticism.
There were many pet theories out there, and this discovery was going to
upset more than a few of them. He feared that he and Tom were about
to be run over by an archaeological stampede, which in the end, could
be very beneficial to their careers, and at the same time, it could also
end their careers. He had seen other discoveries, which upset the long
established concepts of human origins, and more often than not, the
one responsible for upsetting the cart was often branded a charlatan or
blacklisted by elitist educators.
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tons. We can purchase some pry bars at the local hardware store. If we
wrap them with some soft material, say duct tape, we may be able to
nudge the monolith enough to see what’s behind it.”
Tom’s heart was pounding. “Let’s do it. For all we know there may
be another hidden cavern.”
“That’s what I’m thinking.”
They carefully backed away from the monolith and exited the
cavern. Finding their way to the surface was easy going since they only
had to carry their lights and the rechargeable batteries. Twenty minutes
later, they could see sunshine streaming into the darkness. It was a
welcome sight after hours deep in the cave.
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Chapter 5
The alluring aroma of hot coffee and fried bacon filled the old farmhouse
when Larry entered the kitchen and sniffed the air. “Good morning,
Paulus.”
“Good morning, sir.”
“Man that smells good.” Larry poured himself a coffee and then
turned to Paulus, “I appreciate your efforts to make our guests feel
welcome.”
“Thank you, sir. It’s my pleasure to…” Their conversation cut
short as Jim and Tom entered the kitchen.
“Good morning,” said Jim.
Tom whiffed the air. “Mmm.”
“Gentlemen, come sit down,” said Larry.
As they settled in around the kitchen table, Tom looked to Larry.
“Say, you wouldn’t happen to have a couple of pry bars, would you?”
“Yes, in fact, I have several. You’re certainly welcome to use
them.”
“Great,” said Tom. “We are thinking of moving that big stone
monolith. We suspect there is another cavern behind it, but we want to
be careful not to damage the stone. A pry bar wrapped with duct tape
would allow us to move the stone without damage.”
A big smile crossed Larry’s face. “I am the king of duct tape.”
Tom grinned. “Never fear, Larry’s here.”
The men broke into laughter. Even Paulus joined the merriment,
and a feeling of camaraderie filled their hearts with cheer. As the
amusement slowly subsided, the conversation turned to the day’s
schedule. Moving the monolith would be their number one priority.
Nevertheless, Jim was concerned with preserving the site, and it was
agreed to keep things quiet until they had thoroughly investigated
the artifacts. The last thing they needed was a bunch of curious
scientists trudging around the site before they completed their own
investigation.
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The sun was just above the trees as the van pulled into the parking
lot at Mammoth Cave. After Jim parked as close as he could to the
walkway, He and Tom exited the vehicle. Tom pulled the water and
equipment out of the van, and they divided the provisions between
them.
As they walked towards cave entrance, Tom suddenly chuckled.
“What’s so funny?” asked Jim?”
“Maybe we should invest in a mule,” Tom suggested.
Jim concurred. “Sounds like a good idea. I’m not up to carrying
all of this stuff.”
They trudged on into the cavern and didn’t stop until they arrived
at the entrance to the newly discovered site. Jim paused to shine his
light back and forth between the cavern entrance and the large stone
that had once covered the entrance. He studied the scene for a few
minutes. “It looks like this stone was cut to fit into the cavern entrance
in a deliberate effort to hide the cavern. Do you see what I mean?” he
asked.
“I think you’re right.”
Jim led the way into the cavern where he plugged the batteries
into the work lights and flooded the area with white light. Then he
set up a work light directly in front of the monolith. For several long
minutes, the two men stood in silence and gazed upon the ancient
stone and its hieroglyphs.
“What do you think?” asked Tom.
Jim shrugged. “I don’t know what to think. Can you translate
it?”
“I would need several hours to study it, but the message seems
to be centered on the Anunnaki gods Enlil, Enki and Marduk and
a great war between the gods. Now that I think about it, the ancient
Sumerians wrote of a war between the gods. I believe it was Enlil’s son,
Marduk, who in 2024 BC incited a war where nuclear weapons were
eventually used to obliterate a spaceport in the Sinai Peninsula.”
“Tom, you’ve got to quit taking those legends to heart.”
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Chapter 6
As Jim stepped through the hidden doorway and into the narrow
passage, his heart was pounding so hard that he could actually hear
it beating. His one million candle power flashlight cut through the
darkness to reveal a ceiling, which he estimated to be around twelve
feet high. Glancing over his shoulder, he whispered, “At least we have
enough headroom.”
Tom was too awed to respond, for he realized that no human had
walked in this tunnel for untold millennium.
Moving cautiously through the darkness, they came upon several
cuneiform messages, carved into the walls. After traveling more than a
hundred feet, the narrow passageway abruptly opened into an immense
cavern. At first glance, they estimated the size of the cavern at one
hundred yards wide and the ceiling, roughly eighty to one hundred feet
high, but looking straight on into the cavern, even with their powerful
lights, they were unable see the other side.
The walls near the mouth of the cavern looked like smooth
glass, as if polished by some high-tech machinery, but there were no
writings or symbols. As Jim and Tom pushed on into the darkness, they
noticed the floor had a slightly downward angle and the cavern steadily
widened.
Roughly, eighty yards into the cavern, Jim glanced over his
shoulder and asked, “Did you remember to bring your canteen?”
“Don’t worry. I’ve learned the hard way, and to tell you the…”
Tom suddenly gasped and stood speechless with his light streaming
into the darkness ahead.
Jim looked forward and shined his light into the same direction.
“What on earth?”
“You took the words right out of my mouth.”
Both men stood in silence and stared. In the darkness ahead,
roughly sixty yards, stood a large dome shaped structure, approximately
fifty feet in diameter. The structure’s outer walls appeared to be nearly
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twelve feet high, and the top of the dome extended upwards an
additional eight to ten feet.
Side by side, Jim and Tom cautiously approached the structure,
but as they neared to within a few feet of the structures outer wall, an
opening suddenly appeared, and a door slid silently into the wall.
Jim balked and then whispered, “Something’s not right, here.”
“I’ve never seen anything like it.”
“What is it?” Jim asked.
Tom shrugged. “Your guess is as good as mine.”
Cautiously they peered into the structure. Although the interior
looked dark, they could see tiny pulsating lights. There was no sound,
just those tiny flashing lights of varying colors. Jim shined his light
into the structure to reveal a surreal scene of advanced technology.
He glanced at Tom and said, “Let’s check the outside perimeter for
markings.”
Jim began a slow walk around the structure with Tom quietly
following a few feet behind. They inspected the outer wall and the
surrounding cavern floor but could find no identifying markings. The
structure’s surface was a smooth, seamless, and slightly coppery in
color, and the only obvious entrance was the single doorway that had
opened as they approached.
When they had completed their walk around, Tom placed his
hand on the structure. “Hmm, judging by the amount of dust, I’m
guessing that it’s been here a very long time.”
“Yeah, but what is it, and who put it here? The surface looks
metallic, but it feels like glass, and there are no power cables running
in or out, but there is obviously some source of electrical power inside.
Look at the dust around the immediate area. The only footprints
around here are ours.”
Tom peered cautiously into the entranceway. “Maybe we should
go inside. Perhaps it’s just a telephone switching station.”
Jim laughed dryly. “Yeah, right.” He cautiously approached the
doorway and called out, “Is anyone home?” There was no response.
“Let’s go in and check it out.”
Jim stepped warily through the entrance and immediately felt
thousands of tiny legs crawling all over his body. At the same time, Tom
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Jim noticed that one of the data screens was active, but he was
confused by what he saw. “Tom, these are obviously computer screens,
but the display data is in glyphs.”
Tom moved in for a closer look. At first, he thought he was
looking at cuneiform, but he quickly realized that while it had many
similarities, this writing was in a more sophisticated language. He
studied the screen and then looking somewhat bewildered, he turned
to Jim. “I have no idea what it says but…” He paused to study the
glyphs. “It looks very similar to the original cuneiform, perhaps a
highly advanced cousin to it.”
“Listen,” said Jim, as he looked to his right and then slowly turned
in a complete circle.
Tom held his breath and strained to hear what Jim was referring
to, but there was only silence. “What? I don’t hear anything.”
“That’s just it. We have all of this equipment, but no noise. No
humming, no relays, no fans, no nothing; it’s completely silent.”
The two men stood in silence, straining to hear the minutest
sound, but it was absolutely, dead quiet.
Tom walked around the interior and carefully studied each of the
data screens. He determined that only one screen was actively scrolling
text, but he also noticed there seemed to be no place for input.
“Jim, I don’t see a keyboard or anything that could be used for
input. It looks like this equipment is monitoring something. Yes, this
must be some kind of monitoring station.”
A feeling of uneasiness gripped Jim, “Something’s not right. Let’s
get out of here.”
Jim exited the structure with Tom in tow. “What’s wrong, Jim?”
Tom asked nervously. He shared Jim’s uneasiness.
“I don’t know, but we don’t belong in there. We have no idea what
this is or who put it here, and for all we know it could be dangerous.”
“So what are you saying?”
“Let’s call it quits for now and go back to Larry’s place. We’ll tell
him what we’ve found in here. He’s been around high-tech equipment
for most of his adult life. Perhaps he can shed some light on this.”
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The two men began to retrace their footsteps back to the original
site, but Jim was still skittish. Tom had his own suspicions, but he
wasn’t ready to share them, at least not yet.
They quickly covered the distance to the narrow tunnel and
wasted no time passing through it, but when they reached the exit, they
found that the stone monolith had swung shut. Jim pushed as hard
as he could against it, but he couldn’t budge the heavy stone. “That’s
strange, the door closed behind us.”
Tom whispered nervously, “Just get it open.”
“Look, there are hieroglyphs on this side of the door.”
“That’s nice. Now how are we going to get out of here?”
Jim spotted a circular hand carving, similar to the one he had
seen when he first opened the door. He gave it a hard shove and sure
enough, the door swung open.
“Whew, I was worried that we were about to become entombed!”
exclaimed Tom.
“I know what you mean. Let’s gather up the batteries and make
our way to the van. We have a story to share with Larry. If anyone can
give us some insight into what this place is, it’s Larry.”
“I wouldn’t be too sure about that. He may be familiar with high-
tech gadgets and such, but I’ll bet he’s never seen anything like this.”
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Chapter 7
Larry sat on his front porch, relaxing in a lounge chair and enjoying
an iced tea as he contemplated retirement. After a lifetime of pushing
himself to excel, Larry Johnson was feeling useless. A sense of depression
and loneliness tugged at him, and he realized that he had to find a
new direction in life. His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of
squealing tires on hot asphalt.
The government van seemed to be in an unusual hurry as it
traveled up the long driveway, sliding to an abrupt halt near the porch.
Jim and Tom exited the van and hurriedly walked towards the porch.
Larry could see that something was wrong. He put his tea aside and
stood to greet his guests, but before he could say a word, Tom blurted,
“Larry, we need your help!”
Surprised and somewhat taken back, Larry said nothing. He
simply looked on as Jim and Tom stepped onto the porch.
“Sorry to barge in on you like this,” Jim apologized, “but Tom is
right. We do need your help.”
“You boys seem a little upset. What’s going on?”
Jim tried to respond, “Well, I ah, oh boy, help me out here,
Tom.”
“Maybe we should sit down. This isn’t going to be easy, but I’ll
give it a try.”
Larry returned to his seat, and Tom and Jim pulled a couple of
chairs in close to him. He could see that they were eager to tell him
something. but neither of them said a word. “Well, come on, speak up.
What’s wrong?”
Tom glanced nervously at Jim and then looked to Larry. “I don’t
know exactly how to say this, but we need you to come with us.”
“Sure, but…”
Jim interrupted. “No, Larry, we’d like you to come with us now.
Please, we’ll explain on the way.”
Hesitating a bit, Larry scrutinized the look on Jim’s face. “Ok,
just let me get changed into something more suitable.”
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Tom and Jim sat in silence while Larry entered the house to make
a quick change of cloths. When he returned, the three of them climbed
into the van. Jim took the driver’s seat while Tom scurried to the front
passenger seat, and Larry pushed aside a clutter of tools and books as he
climbed into the bench seat directly behind the driver’s seat.
No one said a word when the van accelerated down the driveway
and Larry began to feel a little uneasy. “Ok, boys, what’s wrong?”
Jim glanced over his shoulder. “We’ve discovered something at
the site, and we need your opinion.”
Larry laughed aloud. “Well, I’m no archaeologist. How could my
opinion matter?”
Tom leaned back so he could look Larry in the eye. “This has
nothing to do with archaeology. We think we may have stumbled onto
some secret high tech equipment. We’d like…”
“Wait, wait. You’re saying you found some high tech equipment
in Mammoth Cave?”
“Oh yes.” replied Tom.
“What kind of equipment, and what makes you think it’s secret
equipment?”
Jim glanced into the rear view mirror. “We’ve been working at the
original site; we’ll call it the Alpha site. Anyhow, we discovered a hidden
passageway so we naturally decided to investigate. The passageway
opened into a huge cavern, nothing unusual but when we began to
explore the cavern, we discovered a dome shaped metallic structure.”
Larry’s eyebrows rose slightly. “Ok,” he said slowly.
“This structure is sitting in complete darkness, in the middle of
an underground cavern. As far as we know, there is only one entrance
to the cavern, and that entrance was hidden. When we went inside the
structure, we found it to be full of strange electronic equipment. I tell
you, Larry, it gave us the willies,” Jim confessed, not at all embarrassed
to admit that he had been afraid.
“Oh, come on. Are you guys pulling my leg?”
Larry waited for a witty reply, but no one was smiling, and neither
Tom nor Jim responded to his question.
“Ok. What kind of equipment are you guys talking about?”
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“That’s just it,” said Tom. “We’ve never seen anything like it.
That’s why we’ve ask for your help. Jim says that you have been around
all sorts of high-tech gadgets and you should be able to tell us if it’s
some secret government stuff, because if it isn’t...” Tom’s voice faded
to an indiscernible mumble as he slowly shook his head and stared at
the floor.
Larry noticed a quiver in Tom’s voice. He understood what
his friends were asking of him, but what could he offer? It was true
that he had worked on various top-secret government projects, but
he really didn’t see how any of that could matter. Moreover, if what
they described were some secret government project, he could only tell
them to say nothing to anyone and leave it at that. Most likely, they
had stumbled onto some experimental equipment from the National
Geological Service, and in the darkness they simply failed to recognize
it. Nevertheless, they were his guests, so he decided to be polite and
inspect the equipment. After all, it might be fun to spend an afternoon
exploring the caves.
“All right, take me to the site, and we’ll have a look see.”
When the trio arrived at the Alpha site, Jim explained how the
cavern had been purposely covered over. He made a point to show
Larry the huge boulder that had come loose during the recent tremor
and how it obviously had been carved to the proper shape to cover the
entrance. He took his time explaining exactly what their job demanded
and how they went out of their way to catalogue every item. Near
the end of his little tour, Jim was jovial, but when they moved to the
monolith, he took on a more serious tone.
“This stone monolith is most intriguing. First of all, these
hieroglyphs should never show up on the North American continent,
yet here they are.”
Larry stood in close to the monolith. He reached out and ever
so lightly slid his fingers across a line of text. “Why do you say this
shouldn’t be here?”
“These hieroglyphs are the oldest known form of writing, dating
back more than six thousand years. It’s a well-established fact that
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Chapter 8
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part of the system, with the hopes of one day bringing these discoveries
to light for the benefit and betterment of humanity.”
“I can understand that,” said Tom, “but I have another question.”
Larry nodded. “Go ahead and ask away”
“What powers this kind of technology?”
“That is a very good question. We don’t fully understand the power
source, but it is electrical, and it seems to draw on something called
Zero Point Energy. According to verifiable experiments, which began
shortly after the Roswell crash, this Zero Point Energy is what powers
the entire Universe. My colleagues and I believe that the aliens have
managed to tap into this energy and have found a way to channel it to
power their spacecraft. We also have a fundamental understanding of
the actual workings that make these craft defy gravity. In fact, we have
created several prototypes that can actually hover, but these prototypes
are nuclear powered.
“The last I heard, a small group of researchers were very close to
perfecting a Zero Point Energy Collector. If and when they accomplish
this, it can truly change the course of human history, but…” Larry’s
lips tightened and his face became terse, “they’ll never relinquish that
technology. I’ve learned that when people have absolute power, they
tend to hold onto it.”
Jim’s knees felt as if they were about to give out. “Holy crap,
Larry! I never dreamed that you were involved in anything like this. I
thought…”
“I’m sorry, but I was sworn to secrecy, and don’t forget, you
have sworn yourselves to secrecy. In this dome, there is a perfectly
functioning Zero Point Energy Module, and I have no intentions of
involving any government entity in researching it. That’s why I insisted
on your silence in this matter. I intend to call in a small group of
civilian scientists and allow them to study this in complete secrecy, but
I’ll tell you, if a certain group within the Department of Defense gets
a whiff of this…” Larry stopped in mid-sentence and turned his back
on Tom and Jim.
“Wait a minute. Are you inferring that just by our knowing of
this, we could be in physical danger?” asked Tom.
“Yes, unfortunately, that’s exactly what I mean.”
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Chapter 9
Jim had no intentions of mixing danger into his life’s work. “For
heavens sake, Larry, what have we gotten ourselves into? From what
you described, we could end up dead!”
“Now-now, let’s not overreact. I have given you the worst-case
scenario, but if we are careful and develop a good plan, we could bring
humanity into a new age of peace and prosperity.
“Imagine a world with a clean, non-polluting, endless source
of energy. Imagine the power to colonize the solar system, and try to
imagine the new technologies that will literally rain down upon our
civilization. Is that not worth some risk?”
“You’re right,” said Jim, “but I hope you’ve got a good plan,
because I would like to see my wife again.”
“Yes, and except for the part about dying, I’m in,” said Tom.
Larry laughed as he patted Tom on the shoulder. “I promise to
do my best and to keep us safe, but before we do anything, we need to
thoroughly explore this cavern.”
“All right, everyone grab a light. Let’s do it,” said Jim.
Powerful one million candlepower lights cut into the darkness
as they slowly extended the search area and moved deeper into the
immense cavern.
Fifteen minutes went by, and they saw nothing but darkness and
the highly polished rock. “Man this place is immense,” said Larry.
Jim laughed aloud. “You could put a small town in here.”
“How long do you think this cavern’s been here?” Larry asked.
Jim studied the glossy finished rock around him. He had never
seen a stone surface like this, and knew of no natural process which
might create such a fine finish. Perhaps a geologist could give him an
answer. He really couldn’t say how old the cavern was so he turned to
Larry. “I would guesstimate it’s been around at least ten thousand years,
but that’s just a guess. I’ve never seen rock with a finish like this.”
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Tom rubbed his chin as he inspected the floor. “What I can’t get
a grip on is the smoothness of the rock. It’s almost as if this cavern was
manufactured.”
Larry nodded. “It does look unnatural.”
A few minutes passed, and Jim noticed that Larry had stopped
and was trailing behind. Assuming his old friend was becoming tired,
he nudged Tom and gestured for him to look back towards Larry. That’s
when they noticed the strange look on Larry’s face.
“What’s wrong?” asked Jim.
There was no response from Larry, and an awkward sense of
uneasiness tugged at Tom, as he moved to Larry’s side. “Is something
wrong?”
Larry stiffened and stood motionless. Holding an unsteady light
in one hand, he pointed ahead with his free hand.
Jim turned and shined his own light in the same direction.
“Wahoo,” shouted Larry as he ran forward, nearly knocking Jim
over as he passed by!
Tom gasped, “What?”
Jim and Tom instinctively fell in behind Larry, and Tom blurted,
“Where we going?”
“Larry’s spotted something up ahead!” exclaimed Jim.
They ran for nearly fifty yards before Larry slid to a sudden halt.
“Good God! I can’t believe it!”
Tom and Jim came to a stop alongside Larry. Gasping for air, they
nearly fell over in disbelief as they looked upon a bizarre scene.
“Holy crap, it’s a saucer!” exclaimed Tom.
Jim shook his head in disbelief. “No way, it’s impossible!”
The three men stood in quiet awe. What they had discovered
would boggle the mind of any skeptic, yet there it stood, covered in the
dust of forgotten time.
Larry slowly approached to within a few feet of a large disked
shaped object, which sat on top of what appeared to be three metallic
pillars or possibly landing gear. “My Lord, this thing is massive. Look
at it! It’s at least two hundred feet in diameter.”
Jim’s mind was spinning as he tried to convince himself that this
simply could not be happening. With a weak and somewhat shaky
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William James
When they finished their walk around, Larry walked under the
leading edge of the disk and motioned for Jim and Tom to follow.
“Let’s investigate the undercarriage. We’ll start with the landing gear.”
After a methodical inspection of the landing gear revealed nothing,
they then turned their attention upwards to investigate the disk’s belly,
and within minutes, Jim called out, “Hey, I’ve got something here!”
Larry and Tom gathered at Jim’s side. “What is it?” asked Larry.
Jim shined his light straight up to reveal the image of a hand.
It was the exact image of what they had found along side the stone
monolith, but this image appeared to be laser-etched into the skin of
the craft.
Tom shook his head in disbelief. “Go ahead, Jim. You do the
honors.”
Jim reached up, placed his right hand onto the image, and pressed.
A sudden flash of light from the surface area around the image startled
him. The trio stepped back as a long rectangular seam suddenly formed
near the image. A high pitch whirring sound emanated from within the
saucer, accompanied by a loud hissing noise. Air suddenly rushed out
of the craft, kicking up a cloud of dust as a ramp descended from the
craft’s immense belly.
“Whoa!” exclaimed Larry.
Jim shook his head in disbelief. “This can’t be happening!”
Tom put his hand on Jim’s shoulder and whispered, “Easy, Jim.”
Larry stepped onto the bottom of the ramp and asked, “Who’s
first?”
Tom pointed his light into the saucer and started up the ramp,
but he only managed a few steps before he suddenly froze. A look of
bewilderment appeared on his face as he tried to speak, but he could
not form the words he wanted to say. His mind was numb as he stepped
backwards down the ramp. He hyperventilated and gasped for air, and
finally managed to speak. “I… my God, it’s an image of Enki!”
Tom’s knees gave out, and Larry grasped him by the arm to steady
him, “What are you talking about?”
Tom struggled to steady himself. “The image at the top of the
ramp; I’ve seen it before. In fact, there are many carvings of this exact
image throughout Mesopotamia. Enki is an ancient god from a planet
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William James
Eventually, some four hundred thousand years ago, they discovered rich
gold deposits in modern day South Africa. They immediately searched
for a location to establish a base of operations. The chosen area had to
have a good climate and plenty of water, and they found just the right
conditions in ancient Mesopotamia.
“I should point out that four hundred thousand years ago, the
Mesopotamian region was mostly marshland, a fact that coincides with
the timing put forth in the ancient Anunnaki stories.
“Ultimately the Anunnaki built a spaceport that came to be known
as Sippar. It was located just south of modern day Baghdad. They also
built a mission control center called Nippur, which was located farther
south-southeast of modern Baghdad. Nippur became the central hub
for the Anunnaki. It was the Sacred City of their leader, Enlil.
“The image at the top of this ramp is Enki. He was the half brother
of Enlil, but there was an ongoing rivalry between them.”
Larry interrupted. “You mean they fought?”
“Let’s not get ahead of the story. Ah, where was I? Oh, yes.
Mining operations were established, and several hundred Anunnaki
came to Earth to serve as laborers in the gold mines. Over time, they
mined a lot of gold and shipped it to their home world. The rank-
and-file Anunnaki toiled in the mines for over a hundred thousand
years, but even with their technology, the mining was dirty, hard, and
dangerous work, and many Anunnaki grew tired of the dingy working
conditions.
“Oh, I forgot to mention that the Anunnaki had a very long
life span, perhaps several hundred thousand years. Can you imagine
working like a dog, in a dark and dusty mine for a hundred thousand
years or so? It must have been a literal hell for the workers, and
eventually they rebelled. Fortunately, they reached an agreement with
Enlil to provide relief, but Enlil found himself between a rock, and a
hard place. He really had no solution to the problem, so he turned to
his brother, Enki.
“Enki was not a politician, but he was a scientist. He came up
with a plan to capture some of the primitive life forms that flourished
on Earth. He wanted to see if they could be trained to work in the
mines, and eventually he found a species that showed real promise.
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Chapter 10
Much of Tom’s story made a lot of sense, and Larry wished he had
known of these things twenty years ago. Larry stood to his feet and
put his hands into his pants’ pockets and gazed at Tom. “You’ve just
answered a lot of questions for me, but you’ve also created a host of
new questions.”
“How’s that?”
“I’m talking about all of the reported UFO sightings during the
past fifty years. Maybe these Anunnaki are still visiting Earth. You
know, to kind of check up on us.”
Tom frowned. “You could be right, but don’t make the mistake
of thinking the Anunnaki have benevolent feelings for our species. You
have to understand that according to the ancient tablets, the Anunnaki
looked upon us as mere slaves. In fact, when they had no further need for
us, they stood by during the great flood and hoped for our extinction.
The point is, if the Anunnaki are still coming here today, they are most
likely looking for new slaves. Think about that. How many people,
worldwide, disappear each year and are never seen again?”
A look of concern formed on Larry’s face as the significance of
Tom’s words sank in. “Good God, I hope you’re wrong. We’ve got
to investigate this saucer, but at some point we have to consider the
possibility that the Anunnaki may still be harvesting slaves and…”
“Ok,” said Jim. “I’ve heard enough about aliens and gods. Let’s
just see what’s inside of this thing and go from there.”
“Lead on,” said Tom.
Jim walked up the ramp and stopped to view the image of Enki.
He shrugged and noticed that the ramp exposed a narrow corridor to
the right and a second corridor to the left. The flooring was flat and
level, but the walls within the corridors extended upwards and arched
inwards. Deciding to explore to his right, Jim cautiously entered the
passageway and felt the familiar caress of electrons removing the dust
and grit from his clothing. “Whew, that tickles.”
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Larry passed through the electronic field and shook off the goose
bumps. “I’ll never get used to that.”
Tom was last in line. As he passed through the electronic screen,
lights began automatically switching on throughout the craft’s interior.
There were no visible light fixtures, yet light seemed to be everywhere.
Jim stopped and turned back towards Larry. “You’re the technical
wizard. You lead.”
Larry nodded. “Let’s look around but don’t touch anything. We
don’t want to do anything stupid and end up with a damaged ship.”
Larry made his way, past Jim and then glanced back over his
shoulder. “Let’s continue down this corridor. It appears to extend in a
complete circle around the interior of the craft. We’ll follow it and see
if it circles back to the ramp. I’d like to get a good picture of how this
thing is laid out.”
Larry moved on with Jim and Tom close behind. They noticed a
side corridor branching left, toward the center of the craft; however, as
they drew near, they saw that it angled upwards sharply into the craft’s
upper dome.
Larry peered into the opening. “This seems to lead to an upper
level. Anyone got a note pad?”
Tom pulled a small pad from his shirt pocket and handed it to
Larry. “Here’s one.”
“Thanks, I’d like to make some notes on the layout.”
“Good idea,” Tom concurred.
Larry paused to make a notation of the side passage. “We’ll count
the side corridor, and note their direction. Later on, we can use this to
draw a diagram of the interior.”
Larry quickly finished his notations and then moved on. Within
a few moments, they could see a pair of corridors. One branched off to
the right, into the outer edge of the saucer, the other one branched to
the left toward the center of the saucer. Again, Larry stopped to make
a notation.
Nearly fifteen minutes later the trio emerged from the ship and
gathered in a circle near the bottom of the ramp. Jim and Tom held their
lights steady for Larry as he finished a sketch of the main corridor.
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Zerø Point
Larry was correct in his speculation that the corridor would form
a circle within the craft. Their inspection identified three side corridors
which branched into the outer disk section, three side corridors that
angled up into the upper dome section, and two side corridors that
branched downward and in toward the center of the craft.
“Well, what do you think?” asked Tom.
Larry looked up from his sketch. “I think we need to take a break
while I finish this drawing, and you know what? I’m hungry.”
Tom grinned. “I’m a little hungry myself.”
Jim raised his light and shook it gently to get attention. “I have
an idea. Our packs are back at the dome structure. I’ll go back and get
the food, and some fresh batteries. You two can stay here and finish the
sketch. I won’t be long.”
“It’s a long dark walk. I’ll go with you,” said Tom.
“Thanks, but I’ll be fine. This isn’t my first tour in a dark cave.”
Tom nodded. “All right, but be careful. We’ll be waiting right here.”
Larry looked a little concerned. “Are you sure we should split up?
I wouldn’t feel safe wandering around in this darkness by myself.”
Jim chuckled as he turned to begin the long walk back to the dome.
He called over his shoulder, “Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine.”
Larry nodded and looked to Tom. “Well, you two must know
what you’re doing.”
“Don’t worry about Jim. He’s no stranger to caves.”
Larry sat down on the ramp. “Want to hold the light for me while
I finish this sketch?”
Jim worked up a good sweat as he made his way back to the
dome. His mind reeled, and his body felt disconnected as he walked
along in the darkness. He had never put much credence into UFO
sightings, and he had always dismissed the ancient myths of alien
astronauts. After all, he was a man of science, and if he couldn’t see,
touch, or feel something, it didn’t exist. After years of scoffing at claims
of UFO sightings and alien abductions, he was now confronted with
the truth.
Ten minutes passed quietly while Larry completed his sketch.
When he finished, he looked to Tom. “What do you say we go back
into the saucer and explore the upper section?”
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William James
“All right, Jim won’t mind. He doesn’t like being around this
thing anyhow.”
Larry walked up the ramp and stopped to study the image of
Enki. “I wonder how old this ship is.”
Tom shrugged. “Lord knows. Lord God, that is.”
Larry turned to his right and entered the main corridor. He passed
through the electronic screen and almost immediately saw the first side
corridor, directly ahead and to his left. When he reached the corridor,
he paused to wait for Tom.
“Tom, this side corridor definitely leads to the upper domed
section. The angle looks a little steep, and the flooring is a ramp rather
than stairs. You may want to wait until I get all the way up there before
you follow. I wouldn’t want to land on top of you if I slipped.”
Tom looked into the passageway. It was narrower than the main
corridor, and the steep upwards angle easily convinced him that Larry
was right. “Ok, I’ll wait here.”
Larry leaned forward and stepped into the passageway. He only
took a few steps before coming to a sudden halt. He glanced over his
shoulder and looked down at Tom. “Hey, you’re not going to believe
this. The gravity in here is different from the gravity where you’re
standing. Look, I can stand straight up and perpendicular to the floor.
It feels like I’m on straight and level ground.”
Tom couldn’t believe his eyes. Larry was in a corridor that
angled upwards at nearly forty degrees, and yet he was easily standing
perpendicular to the corridor’s floor. “Maybe there is some kind of gravity
control that kicks in when someone steps through the passageway.”
Larry continued up the narrow passage. “Yeah, that makes sense.
Come on!”
Tom stepped into the corridor. “This is wild. Who’s going to
believe this?”
“No one is going to believe this. Remember? We say nothing
about this to anyone one.”
“Oh yeah, sorry; I know nothing, my lips are sealed.”
Larry stepped out of the corridor and into the craft’s upper dome.
He turned around and reached out to give Tom a hand. “Take a hold,
buddy, that last step is a little tricky.”
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Chapter 11
Larry and Tom stood in the upper dome section of the saucer, awed by
surreal scene of exotic, high-tech equipment. “This must be the main
control room or flight deck,” said Larry.
“If you say so,” whispered Tom.
Larry marveled at the sleek lines and high-tech design, but where
did the pilot sit?
He observed a large disk shaped column that dominated the
innermost area of the flight deck. It looked like a giant copper coin,
and though broad, the column only protruded about ten or twelve
inches above the flight deck. Twelve seats formed a circle on top of the
column, and all of the seats faced inward, towards a central tower of
high-tech equipment, which stood to a height of six to eight feet.
The upper portion of the dome ceiling appeared to be a huge
curved mirror, which reflected and intensified the internal lighting.
Larry walked to the center section and studied the layout. “I count
twelve seats, but there are no controls, at least there are no controls that
I recognize.” He studied one of the seats close up. It appeared to be just
the right configuration for a human, and he observed that every seat
was in a fixed and reclined configuration.
“I don’t see any seat belts or safety harnesses. That’s strange. How
do they get away with that?”
Tom chuckled. “This is like something out of Star Trek. Maybe
you should ask Mr. Spock.”
Larry raised an eyebrow in an attempt to imitate Spock. “Curious,
most curious, you may have something there.”
Both men broke into good-natured laughter, which served to ease
the tension and to temper their uneasy enthusiasm, but the reprieve
was short lived. Larry moved away from the central control station to
inspect the unfamiliar high-tech equipment, which ran all along the
outer wall. He noticed several built in data screens, similar to the ones
back at the dome structure, but as he continued his inspection, several
questions kept nagging at him. If this saucer has truly been sitting here
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William James
About the same time that Larry and Tom entered the control
room, Jim returned to the site. He noticed the work lights were still
on, but Larry and Tom were absent. He called out, “Hello! Tom, Larry,
where are you?” but there was only silence. Jim figured they must be
inside the saucer so he dropped his backpack near the ramp and began
unpacking the food and batteries. He still felt a little unsettled with the
discovery and was mulling over the possible consequences to his career.
Deep in his own thoughts, he failed to notice the low-pitched whirring
sound, emanating from the saucer. He stood at the bottom of the ramp
and called to his companions again. “Hello! Can you guys hear me?”
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Zerø Point
To his surprise, the ramp abruptly closed. Now he was alert and
fully aware of the whirring sound. He backed away from the ship and
noticed the ships outer skin changing color. No, it was glowing.
As whirring sound grew louder, Jim shifted into full panic mode
and turned to distance himself from the saucer. He ran nearly fifty yards
and was aghast to see his shadow appearing in front of him. Sliding to
a stop, he spun around to glimpse at the ship, but by now its outer
skin was too bright to look at. He looked down, put his hand over his
forehead to protect his eyes, and slowly backed away from the saucer.
The whirring sound changed to a rumbling growl and then shifted
into a whining scream. He knew he had to put more distance between
himself and the saucer!
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Zerø Point
Jim threw himself face down onto the cavern floor, anticipating
the saucers imminent crash into the stone ceiling, but an unexpected
silence suddenly filled the cavern and the intense light vanished. He
stood to his feet and peered towards saucer, but it was gone. The work
lights were still lit and pointing to where the saucer had sat, but there
was no saucer. The fine layer of cave dust, which had covered the saucer,
was now a choking cloud. Astonished, Jim pointed his flashlight at the
ceiling, but the stone was pristine. No burn marks, no scorch marks,
no nothing, and no friends. He called out for Larry and Tom, but the
only sound he could hear, was the echo of his own voice.
Jim walked back to where the saucer had been sitting. “What on
earth happened?” he whispered.
He covered his mouth with his shirt collar to keep out the dust
and stood quiet for several minutes while he struggled to understand
what he had just witnessed. Where was the ship? What happened to Tom
and Larry? Are they all right? His brain reeled as a thousand questions
overwhelmed his thoughts, and Jim knew that he was about to lose his
mind. His body quivered as he stared at the cavern floor in silence.
A loud screaming shattered the stillness as the darkness suddenly
turned to day. Jim glanced up and immediately knew what was
happening. The saucer was returning, and he was about to be crushed!
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Chapter 12
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Tom leaned forward in his seat and placed both of his elbows on
the kitchen table. He rubbed his eyes and looked across the table at Jim.
“Brother, it was unbelievable. Larry told me not to touch anything, but
at the time, I really didn’t see any harm in taking a break in one of the
seats. Larry was engrossed with the gizmos along the wall, so I figured
to relax and let him study them without any interruption from me. Big
mistake! I really don’t remember touching any controls, but apparently
I did.”
Tom paused as he tried to recall exactly what happened.“ I’ve got
to be honest. I really don’t know what happened. There was a whirling
sound, a screeching noise, and then there was a bright light. The last
thing I remember was looking up and seeing the cavern collapse onto
the saucer. Man, I was scared. I guess I fainted.”
Tom swallowed hard and shook his head slowly. “The next thing
I know, Larry was tugging on my arm and yelling. I looked up and saw
the night sky.”
Jim interrupted. “Wait, how could you have seen the cavern
ceiling? Is there a skylight or window on top?”
“No. The entire upper portion of the dome became transparent.
It was really weird. Larry and I could see the stars through the dome.”
“Ok. So how on earth did you two geniuses land the saucer?”
“We didn’t,” said Larry, chuckling.
“Well who did?”
“We don’t know how, but when Tom got out of the seat, the
saucer hovered a few seconds and then returned to the cavern.”
Jim scrunched his nose. “The saucer landed itself? Maybe there is
some sort of auto-pilot built into the saucer, but I still have a question.
How did the saucer pass through several hundred feet of rock as if it
were moving through air?”
Larry nodded. “I’ve given that a lot of thought. I believe the
saucer can temporarily shift out of phase with our dimension. This
would allow it to ignore the laws of physics which govern our universe.
What I mean is, when the saucer enters subspace, our physical laws no
longer apply, and it can pass through solid matter. The loud screaming
noise we heard must be vibrations which are triggered when this sort of
dimensional shift occurs.”
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Jim hit himself on the side of his head and exclaimed, “Oh! I
should have known!”
“Yeah, Jim, it was as plain as the nose on your face,” said Tom,
chuckling.
The trio broke into a chorus of nervous laughter for several
moments.
“All right,” said Larry, as he regained his composure. “We’re in
agreement that we need to keep this quiet. Right?”
Jim and Tom were still struggling to control their laughter but
nodded in agreement.
“Ok then, here’s the plan. I have a friend, Bob Hicks. He’s been
involved in some of our country’s most secret projects. I’d trust this guy
with my life. If it’s all right with you, I’d like to get him out here to give
the equipment a thorough exam.”
Jim nodded. “Hey, buddy, you do whatever you feel is best. This
secret hush-hush stuff is out of my league.”
Larry reached for his cell phone. “All right, I’ll call him right now.
I know it’s late, but I’m sure he won’t mind.” Larry dialed the numbers
and waited in silence as the call went through.
“Bob, this is Larry Johnson. Sorry to call you so late at night, but
I’ve got something that’ll change your life.”
There was a moment’s pause as Bob Hicks looked at the clock on
his night stand. “Larry, I was dreaming about this nice girl I met today.
Do you know what time it is?”
“Yes, I know, but you’ll be thanking me for calling you. I
promise.”
Bob sat up and threw his legs over the side of his bed, “What do
you have?”
“I can’t say anything on the telephone. Can you fly out to my
place in the morning?”
There was a long pause as Bob tried to clear his brain. “If anybody
else had asked me to drop everything and come running, I’d say no, but
I know you, and I know you’re not one to cry wolf. I’ll be there.”
“I promise you’ll thank me for letting you in on this one.”
“I’ll be flying my Beechcraft Baron. Is your landing strip in good
shape?”
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“You know it is, and the weathers been nice and dry. Don’t worry;
your plane won’t get muddied up, like the last time.”
“I’ll be there before noon.”
“I’ll see you then. One more thing. Say nothing to no one, and I
mean no one.”
“I understand.”
Larry hung up the phone and looked to Jim, “I must say, he took
that quite well. He should be here around noon.”
“Just curious, who is this guy,” said Jim?
“Bob and I go way back,” Larry explained. “We’ve worked on a
lot of projects together, and over time, we’ve become good friends. He’s
a straight shooter and tough as nails.”
The late night meeting was interrupted by a creaking sound from
the hard wood floor as Paulus entered the kitchen. “Sorry to interrupt
your meeting, but I hear a late night snack calling my name.”
Larry chuckled. “Go for it.”
Jim looked to Larry and gestured towards Paulus, but Larry smiled.
“We don’t have to worry about Paulus. He didn’t come to me through
some temp service. In fact, he has a higher security clearance than most
of the people that I’ve worked with. You can relax. He’s ok.”
Jim chuckled. “Paulus, you seem to be a mystery.”
“Paulus is more than my personal assistant. This manservant
routine was his idea, and he is pretty good at it. It’s a good cover. The
truth is, he’s an Aikido Master, an x-navy SEAL, and he serves as my
bodyguard. Believe me, he’s no one to trifle with.”
“Jeepers,” said Tom. “I would have never guessed. Never in a
million years.”
Tom and Jim couldn’t help but stare at Paulus as he finished
making himself a snack of milk and toast.
Though he heard them talking about him, Paulus remained silent
and then turned and smiled. “Good night gentlemen.”
Jim continued to stare at Paulus as he exited the kitchen. “Humph,
I never suspected. How could I have missed that?”
“Don’t take it personal.” said Larry. You weren’t supposed to
know.”
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Jim glanced at his watch, “I know it’s late, but I’ve got to call my
wife. Don’t worry. I won’t say anything about the alien stuff. I just want
to tell her that I may be here a little longer than expected. I’ll make up
some excuse. If I did tell her about any of this, she would be at the front
door before sunrise.”
“You go ahead and call your wife, but I’m going to bed,” said
Larry.
Tom pushed away from the table. “Me, too.”
Jim pulled his cell phone from his waist. “I’ll be along in a few
minutes.”
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Chapter 13
It was well after 9:00 a.m. when Tom awoke. He glanced at the clock on
the night stand and couldn’t believe how late it was. Jim was nowhere
to be seen so Tom headed straight for the shower. The water was cold
so he hurried to finish. He got himself dressed and then made a beeline
for the breakfast table with hopes that Paulus had saved him some
food.
Larry and Jim were sitting at the kitchen table when the creaky
old floors alerted them to Tom’s approach.
Tom entered the kitchen and waved to Larry. “Good morning.”
“Good morning, sleepyhead.”
“Sorry for sleeping in so late.”
Larry smiled. “We had a very exciting time yesterday. It’s only
natural for the mind to want to recoup. Come, grab a seat. Paulus
saved some hotcake batter for you and there’s some extra bacon on the
stove.”
“We’re not going anywhere till Bob arrives, so relax,” said Jim.
Tom slipped into a chair next to Larry. “Mmm, that coffee smells
good. By the way, where is Paulus?”
“He’s right behind you,” said Larry, chuckling. “Are you sure
you’re awake?”
Tom twisted around in his seat. “Oh, sorry, Paulus, I didn’t see
you.”
“No problem. Would you like some breakfast?”
“I sure would. That is, if it’s not too much trouble.”
Paulus placed a cup of hot coffee on the table and slid it in front
of Tom. “It’s no trouble.”
“Thank you,” said Tom as he raised the cup to his lips and sipped
the hot liquid. “Oh man, that hits the spot. Has there been any word
from your buddy, Bob?”
Larry stood and walked to the end of the kitchen counter where
an aircraft transceiver was monitoring a special frequency for small
airports. “When he gets close enough, he’ll call us on the Unicom
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channel. I have several remote speakers around the house. We’ll hear
him.”
Tom glanced at the small transceiver. “Hmm, I thought that was
a CB radio.”
The men finished breakfast, and Larry led his guests to the front
porch for some quiet conversation. As the chat ensued, it became
apparent that Jim was somewhat despondent over the whole affair with
the alien craft.
“Look, fellas, I don’t mean to put a damper on what we’ve
discovered, but I’ve seen too many well meaning scientists fall into
ridicule for upsetting the status quo. This is why I’ve always avoided
anything that could get me labeled as a maverick.”
“I understand where you’re coming from,” said Larry. “Don’t
worry. If or when this goes public, I promise to keep your name out
of it. Let me explain my position. During my career, I have witnessed
the cover-up of inventions and discoveries for profit’s sake. Large
corporations will sometimes purchase the patent rights on a discovery
and then sit on them to stifle competition. The military industry is
a good example of the same behavior. I’ve seen truly good designs,
thwarted in the name of national security. I understand the need for
secrecy and security, but too often, the cloak of national security stifles
advances that could benefit all man kind.
“Over the years, I have quietly developed a plan and patiently
waited for the right opportunity to present itself. Now that it’s here,
I’m not about to give it up.
“The potential benefits to all of humanity are staggering. Think of
the benefits to humanity if we play this right and get this technology
into the public domain. The scientific advances would be staggering,
but my main goal is to bring this energy technology to the free market.
We can patent this technology and then license it for manufacture. I
would never want to sell the patent rights to any single company. This
technology is the key to a golden future for all humanity, and I don’t
want it to slip away.”
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It was twelve minutes after eleven, and the men were still on the
front porch when the aircraft transceiver crackled to life.
“Excuse me, but that’s Bob calling,” said Larry as he hurried to
the kitchen. He grabbed the microphone and keyed the transmitter.
“Hey, Bob! Good to hear your voice. The winds are calm, and the field
is clear. Come on in, buddy.”
The drone of aircraft engines accompanied Bob’s voice through
the speakers, “Roger that. Paulus, if you can hear me, I’m looking
forward to your special blend of coffee.”
Larry extended the microphone towards Paulus and keyed the
transmitter.
Paulus grinned and said, “I’ll put on a fresh pot, just for you!”
Minutes later the Beechcraft Baron touched down on the grass
strip, and Bob guided the craft to a spot along side of Jim’s Skymaster,
where he killed the engines. As he climbed out of the Baron, he could
see Larry’s pickup truck bouncing across the field. Larry slowed to a
stop along side of the Baron and exited the truck.
“Hey, buddy! It’s good to see you!” exclaimed Larry.
As the two men shook hands, Bob noticed Tom and Jim climbing
out of the pickup. “Looks like you’ve got company.”
Larry turned to face Jim and Tom. “I want you to meet two
friends of mine. They’re a couple of professors from Brooklyn College
of Natural History. This is Professor of Archaeology Jim Flanagan and
Professor of Anthropology Tom Nellings.
“Bob is a nuclear physicist. He also holds a degree in Astrophysics,
and he spent ten years with the Department of Energy. He currently
works at Michael Air Force Base, in Utah.”
After introductions and handshakes all around, Larry patted Bob
on the back. “Bob, these professors are regular guys, so just call them
Jim and Tom.”
“It’s good to meet you. You can call me Bob or Hicks. I answer to
both and a few other names that I won’t mention.”
Larry snickered. “Yeah, he answers to some names that I wouldn’t
care to repeat in mixed company.”
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The men laughed as Bob opened the cargo hatch and passed a
suitcase to Larry. After Larry tossed it into the back of the pickup, Bob
pitched him another suitcase and closed the hatch.
Larry tossed the second suitcase into the pickup too and called
out, “Let’s go boys! Paulus has plenty of refreshments for us.”
Bob looked to Larry. “I was glad to hear that Paulus is still with
you. I guess he’s going to stay on through your retirement.”
“Are you kidding? I’d be lost without him. He keeps me on the
straight and narrow and who else would put up with me? If I’d been
married all of these years, I’d have someone telling me that my priorities
were all wrong. On the other hand, Paulus has been a real blessing, and
as you already know, he’s a great cook.”
Bob chuckled. “Now that is a good point.”
They piled into the truck and drove back to the house where Jim
and Tom retreated to the sunroom while Larry and Paulus settled Bob
into an upstairs bedroom.
Tom took a sip of iced tea and shot Jim a thoughtful look, “So,
are you ok with our situation?”
“To tell you the truth, I wish I’d never heard of Mammoth Cave.
This is going to turn our worlds upside down.”
“Maybe so, but you’ve got to admit it’s the discovery of a
lifetime.”
Jim looked Tom in the eye. “I don’t want this kind of excitement.
In fact, I’m thinking of finishing up here and going back home. Don’t
worry; I wouldn’t give away our secret.”
“What are you saying? Come on, Jim, you could use some
excitement in your life. Embrace it, and one day you’ll look back on
this as a great adventure.”
Jim’s face flashed with anger. “Don’t you get it? I don’t need an
adventure! I’m not Indiana Jones, I’m a college professor. I’ve got a
good marriage, I love my work, and I don’t want to lose any of that.”
“I understand what you’re saying, but think about the possibilities.
Think of the good that could come from unlimited energy and planetary
exploration.”
Jim responded with silence and stared at the floor, but Tom
persisted.
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“Think about this. If and when they figure out how this stuff
works, you know they’re going to get around to exploring the solar
system and beyond.” Tom leaned to one side in an attempt to get Jim
to look at him. “At some point they’re going to need archaeologists
up there. Now tell me you wouldn’t like to be the first to discover a
prehistoric civilization on Mars or some other planet.”
Jim’s eyebrows rose and he managed a little smile. “I never thought
of that.”
“Maybe you should quit sulking and consider the possibilities.
You know, expand your mind. There’s a lot more to this world than our
work at the college. Sure, we go on a dig now and then, but it’s always
about the college and our careers. This is one chance in a lifetime,
maybe a hundred lifetimes. Don’t throw it away because of the personal
inconvenience it might bring.”
Jim slowly nodded in agreement. “Maybe you’re right.”
Tom handed Jim a glass of tea. “There is an old saying, and I
know you’ve heard it: sometimes we can’t see the forest for the trees.”
“You’re right. Thanks. I guess I really should hang in here and see
where this goes.”
“That’s more like it.”
Their conversation was interrupted with the sound of laughter
as Larry and Bob entered the sunroom. “Well, did you get Bob settled
in?” asked Tom.
“Yes, we took very good care of him,” said Larry.
Bob took a seat in a wicker chair and looked to Jim and Tom. “So,
how did a couple of college professors get mixed up with the likes of
Larry Johnson?”
Jim shook his head and glanced at Larry. “You want to tell
him?”
Larry took a seat next to Bob. “Jim and I go way back, but he’s
here today because of his work. His college has sent him and Tom
out here to investigate some artifacts at Mammoth Cave. They’ve been
doing this kind of work for years.”
“Ok, but . . .”
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74
Chapter 14
The men were about to enter the Alpha site when Larry called ahead,
“Hold up, Jim! I want to show Bob how this cavern was hidden for
God knows how long.” Larry shined his light on the large boulder that
had kept the entrance hidden for untold ages. “This boulder used to
cover the entrance to that cavern, but it came loose during a minor
earth tremor. If you look closely, you can see it’s been shaped to fit
precisely into the entranceway.”
Bob examined the boulder and then turned to inspect the
entranceway, “You’re right… and if you look close, you can see the
entrance has had some tooling along the edges. Hmm.”
Larry shined his light into the cavern. “Ok, Jim, lead on.”
Jim entered the cavern and walked straight to the stone monolith.
As the men gathered beside him, Tom began to explain the significance
of the monolith.
“We found several tablets and wall carvings in here, but this
monolith is the kicker. It tells a story of Lord Enki, who was an ancient
god of the Mesopotamian region. It also refers to a Chamber of Fate
and a Tablet of Destiny. These references are right out of some of the
ancient Sumerian records.”
Tom pointed to the lower half of the monolith. “Down here it
makes reference to Lord Marduk’s celestial chariot. I haven’t had time
to do a complete translation, but there’s a lot of history carved into this
stone.”
Jim stepped to the right side of the monolith and looked to Bob
as he pointed to the circular wall carving. “As you see, this wall carving
represents a hand, but watch closely.” Jim placed both hands on the
carved image and pushed hard. The carving slid backward with a
metallic clunk and the monolith opened.
Bob took a quick step back. “Wow! Now that’s cool!”
Larry chuckled. “If you like that, wait till you see what’s behind
door number two.”
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Jim led them through the long narrow tunnel and into the massive
cavern.
“Whew, this is really huge!” exclaimed Bob.
Tom shined his light at the ceiling and then into the darkness
ahead. “It’s the largest cavern I’ve ever seen. Follow Jim. It’s just a little
further.”
Jim moved on until the dome structure came into view and then
stopped to wait for the others to catch up.
Bob came from behind and stood next to Jim. “What on earth?”
“We call this the Beta site,” said Larry as he took the lead and
approached the dome. When he got to within ten or twelve feet of the
structure, he stopped. “I’ll let you do the honors Bob.”
“You’ll let me do what honors?”
“Just walk over to the structure.”
Bob looked at the dome and rubbed his chin. As he approached
the dome, a doorway suddenly appeared, and the door slid quietly into
the wall. Cautious, Bob peered into the structure, “What is it?”
“That’s what we mean to find out,” said Larry
As Bob stepped into the structure, he heard a hissing sound
and saw tiny sparks flashing around his arms. Startled, Bob jumped
forward, spun around and began smacking at the sparks, but they were
gone. “Ye gad! What on earth was that?”
Larry broke into animated laughter, mimicking Bob’s reaction
to the sparks, “Sorry, I should have warned you, but you were
entertaining.”
“That wasn’t funny. I thought I was on fire. What was that?”
Larry composed himself as best he could. “It seems to be some
sort of electronic cleaning field. You’ll notice that there is no dirt or
dust inside of the structure. In fact it’s like a clean room.”
As Bob turned to scrutinize his surroundings, the walls took on
an eerie greenish glow. “I was about to ask where the light switch was
located.”
Larry entered the dome and moved to Bob’s side. “I strongly
advise against touching any of the equipment. We’ve already had one
bad experience.”
“What do you mean? What happened?”
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“I’ll tell you later. Right now, I’d like to point out a few things
about this structure. First, it’s sitting on solid rock, and there are no
power cables feeding electricity in from the outside.”
Larry moved towards the structure’s central tower. “Come and
look at this.”
Bob moved in close as Larry pointed to an active data screen. “Do
you recognize anything on the screen?”
Bob leaned in for a closer look, and then whispered, “What
the…” With raised eyebrows, he turned to look at Larry. “Do you
know what this is?”
“I’ve got a pretty good idea.”
“Ok. I’m all ears. What is it?”
“This dome has obviously been here for several thousand years.
It has its own power source, and this equipment is definitely not from
Radio Shack. All of the facts define this structure as alien, but what’s
most intriguing is the power source.”
Bob’s eyes returned to the data screen. “What do you think?”
“I know I haven’t given you all of the facts, but if you’ll bear with
me, I’ll lay it out for you.”
Bob nodded. “Ok.”
Larry pointed to the data screen. “I believe this central tower
houses a true Zero Point Energy Module, and it’s been quietly providing
power to this facility for thousands of years.”
Bob’s eyes grew larger. “How sure are you about this?”
“I’d say I’m one hundred percent convinced that this station
is powered by a Zero Point Energy Module. This is the holy-grail of
energy research.”
“You’ve definitely got goose bumps crawling up my back,” said
Bob, turning to look at the equipment stationed along the outer wall.
“You say there’s more?”
Larry looked at the entranceway. “Ah, yes but it’s not here.” He
motioned for Bob to follow him. “Let’s move on to the Gamma site.”
“What? There’s another structure?”
Larry grinned. “Well, yeah, sort of.”
“Come on Larry, quit the teasing. What do you have?”
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Tom and Jim were standing outside of the doorway as Larry and
Bob exited the structure. Larry looked at Jim and asked, “You want to
take us to the Gamma site?”
Jim ignored the bewildered look on Bob’s face. “Follow me,
gentlemen.” They continued on in a single file with Bob in quiet awe.
At age 45, Bob has been around some of the nation’s most advanced
military projects, and he knew the military would do anything to get
their hands on something like this. Bob respected the military but he’s
aware of a fanatic fringe within the military who answered to no one.
He completely understood Larry’s insistence on secrecy.
Jim spotted the faint silhouette of the saucer and stopped. “This
is it!” The men came forward and stood at Jim’s side.
Bob strained to see the large object outlined in the darkness.
“What is it?”
“I think you’ll want to see for yourself,” said Larry.
Larry, Jim, and Tom stood back and watched as Bob walked slowly
toward the object. He moved ahead about fifteen yards and suddenly
stopped. Everyone stood in silence and watched as Bob’s light began
to quiver. They let him be until finally he slowly turned around and
whispered in a small, shaky voice,, “Holy Mother of God.” He tried to
join the others, but his legs were overloaded with adrenaline and his
brain was reeling. “Are you guys pulling my leg?”
Larry smiled and answered softly, “It’s for real, Bob.”
Bob turned to face the saucer and stood motionless. “Now I
understand why you didn’t tell me everything. I would have laughed
in your face.” He slowly edged his way towards the saucer. “Have you
examined it?”
“We took it for a spin,” said Larry.
It took a moment for Larry’s words to register, but when Bob
finally realized what Larry had just said, he spun around, his eyes
bulging and his voice raised several octaves. “You did not!”
“I’m serious. Tom and I took it for a spin. We didn’t go far. We
just took it up to ten thousand feet or so and hovered for a few minutes
over the park.”
“What are you saying? Do you mean to stand there and tell me
that you just climbed on board and fired this thing up?”
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Larry was savoring the moment. “That’s exactly what I’m telling
you.”
Bob pointed his light at the cavern ceiling. “Oh come on. How
did you get it out of the cavern?”
“I’m not a hundred percent sure, but I believe the saucer can
slide in and out of our dimension. What I mean is the saucer will
temporarily shift out of phase with our dimension. It actually enters
subspace, allowing it to pass through solid matter. The process is a little
noisy, but it works.”
“God all mighty!” whispered Bob. “You’re telling me the truth,
aren’t you?”
“I got no reason to lie to you, but I have to admit it was fun
watching your reaction when you first saw the saucer.”
“I’ll bet it was. You always did have a perverted sense of humor.”
Tom chuckled. “Don’t feel bad. We all needed a shot of oxygen
when we first saw this thing.”
Bob looked to Larry with a childlike anticipation and asked, “Can
I look inside?”
Larry smiled. “I thought you’d never ask. Follow me.” He led
Bob to the saucer and pressed the sensor to lower the ramp. A hissing
sound emanated from the saucer as the ramp opened. “Ah, just one
thing Bob.”
“What’s that?”
“Don’t touch anything.”
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but the monolith is too big for us to move. I’ll leave that problem
with you and Larry. We can always come back for the tablets when the
timing is right.”
Larry entered the kitchen and headed straight for the coffee pot.
“Good morning, good morning.”
Bob stood and held his cup out for Larry to freshen. “Jim and
Tom are going to finish their work at the Alpha site and head home
tomorrow. While they’re closing shop, why don’t you and I make some
phone calls?”
Larry took a seat at the table. “We’ll make some calls, but what’s
this about Jim and Tom leaving?” He looked across the table at Jim.
“This is kind of sudden. I thought you were going to stay on for
awhile.”
Jim shrugged. “No, we’ve got to get back to the university. You
and Bob can handle things from here on out. You don’t need to be
tripping over two college professors.”
Larry sensed an uneasiness in Jim’s voice but decided not to push
him, “Can you keep the technology part of your discovery quiet? I
mean, with the University.”
“No problem. We’ll wind things up today and head back home
in the morning.”
Tom looked like an abandoned child who had to say something.
“Wait! We can’t turn our backs on this technology.”
“We’re not turning our backs on anything; we’re turning it over
to two people who have the proper credentials to explore this properly.
This discovery is definitely out of our league, and I think it’s time for
us to step aside. There’s nothing left for us to do here, and we’d only be
in the way.”
Jim leaned back in his chair and looked to Larry. “You can call us
if you need us.”
Larry was saddened with Jim’s decision, but he respected it. “I
understand. You have your own responsibilities. Just be available if we
do need you.”
“No problem,” said Jim, glancing at Tom. “Well, let’s get
started.”
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Tom stood to his feet but said nothing as he walked out the back
door and climbed into the van.
Jim rolled his eyes and glanced at Larry. “I’ll see you guys later.”
He walked outside and approached the van, mumbling to himself, “It’s
going to be a very long day.”
Bob watched Jim as he followed Tom to the van. “Tom seems a
little upset.”
“I can’t say that I blame him.” said Larry.
Bob tapped his fingernails in a random rhythm on the table,
“Maybe Tom could stay on. I can fly him home whenever he decides
to leave.”
Larry drew a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “I don’t know. Let
them work it out. We’ll play it by ear. Right now, we need to get some
people out here.”
Bob pulled a small notepad from his shirt pocket and said, “I’m
already working on that. I’ve made a small list of people that I feel we
can trust.”
“Anyone I know?”
“Probably.” Bob handed the list to Larry. “We can start making
phone calls after breakfast, but we’ll have to be careful. If we get too
many people involved, we’re going to have a leak.”
“I know.” Larry glanced across the kitchen where Paulus had just
finished frying some bacon. “Paulus, would you join us for breakfast?”
Jim and Tom returned to the Alpha sight and began switching on
the work lights. “You haven’t said a word since we left the house. Are
you angry at me?” Jim asked.
“Let’s just say I’m confused. You said that you were going to hang
in here, and now you’re packing it in. What gives?”
“I know what I said, but I’ve thought it over. I’ve got a wife and a
career back home, and that’s what’s important to me. We’ll be ostracized
if we go public with this alien stuff. I phoned Pat last night and told
her I was coming home. Don’t worry; I didn’t mention anything about
aliens. I know you’d like to stay on, but we’d only be in the way. Larry
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Bob and Larry spent hours making phone calls. They needed to
entice the best people to join them in developing their newly discovered
find, but they had to be extremely careful not to let the cat out of
the bag, so they made a cover story. There was going to be a seminar
on energy research, two weeks from today, and only a select group of
scientists were invited. It would be a three-day seminar, and the selected
few were urged to plan on staying for the entire program. Casual wear
was mandatory.
Larry finished a conversation with the last of the prospective
scientists and placed the phone on the kitchen table. “Well Bob, that
should do it. You think all of them will show?”
“I hope so. We’ve made it sound exciting. If they believe there’s
been a real breakthrough in their field of research, they’ll be here.”
Larry nodded. “We pumped it up enough to make it sound
enticing. Maybe we weren’t exactly telling the truth, but I think they’ll
understand our predicament, once they see what we have.”
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The days passed quickly as Bob and Larry work feverishly to prepare for
the seminar. They put their heads together and created a detailed report
on the theories of Zero Point Energy, and then created documents and
leaflets to pass out to the guests. They did all they could to prepare a
detailed presentation.
Jim had returned home, but Tom stayed on and pitched in to help
with the seminar preparations. There was much work to do, and Paulus
was no slacker. He and Tom worked together and gathered additional
work lights, flashlights, and a mountain of food and supplies for the
expected guests. After Paulus felt comfortable with the supplies, he
turned his attention to the old farmhouse. His first objective was to
prepare sleeping quarters on the second floor. The farmhouse was large,
but they still needed more space, so he and Tom worked hard to clean
out the attic to make room for several new twin beds. When they were
finished, the attic looked like a small military barracks.
When the sleeping arrangements were complete, Paulus and Tom
wasted no time, in turning the large family room into a meeting hall.
They then tightened security with an updated alarm system, which
included motion sensors and cameras mounted in key locations in and
around the farmhouse.
Friday was to be the big day, but Larry got a surprise on Thursday
afternoon when a small aircraft landed, unannounced, on the grass
strip. He and Paulus climbed into the pickup truck and raced across
the field to se who had landed. As they approached the small craft,
Larry recognized Johnathan Wheeler, one of the invited guests.
Paulus pulled the pickup in close to the plane, and Larry climbed
out of the truck. “John, it’s good to see you.”
The two men shook hands and Larry turned to inspect the tiny,
home-built aircraft. “Is this yours?”
“It sure is. I spent three years building this baby, and I never pass
up an opportunity to take her out.”
“Is it a kit plane?”
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“No, it’s my own design. I don’t like to brag but she’s a dream to
fly.”
Larry was impressed with the quality of John’s work. “Wow, she
sure is a looker. Bob will be drooling all over this baby. Come on,
let’s grab your luggage and get you settled in. You’re a bit early but
that’s ok, you can help us get ready. As far as I know, everyone is flying
commercial, but you always did like to make a big entrance.”
John laughed as he tossed his bags into the bed of the truck. “Let’s
just say, I’ve got class.”
Larry opened the truck’s passenger door. “Climb aboard, John.
We’ll get you settled in and put you to work.”
The big day finally arrived, and Paulus was in true form with a
hardy breakfast for the new arrivals. As soon as breakfast ended, he
directed everyone to the meeting room where Larry and Bob were
hastily putting the finished touches on some last minute changes.
While everyone was signing in, Paulus made certain that each of
the guests signed a non-disclosure form.
Larry waited patiently for everyone to sign in and become
acquainted. At 9:20 a.m., he invited his guests to find a seat. He then
took his position behind the podium, next to a large high definition
television set, and motioned for Paulus to close the doors. Before him
were some of the brightest minds on the planet. He wondered how
they would react to what he was about to share with them.
Larry gestured for everyone to quiet down. “If I may have
everyone’s attention! I would like to thank all of you for coming to my
home. For those of you who do not know me, my name is Doctor Larry
Johnson. I hold degrees in Aeronautical Engineering and Astrophysics,
and I am currently retired, or at least I was until two weeks ago.
“I’d like to acknowledge my colleague, Doctor Robert Hicks
who holds degrees in Nuclear Physics and Astrophysics, and who is
currently working at the Michael Air Force Base in Utah. I could not
have assembled this meeting without him, and I’d like to thank him
for his leadership.”
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countries. The list of problems that we might talk about is endless, but
we’ve invited you here to offer you a chance to be part of the solution
to the world’s energy problems.
“I’d like to start out by saying that you have been invited to
observe and participate in a recent discovery made by two college
professors from the Brooklyn College of Natural History, Doctor James
Flanagan and Doctor Thomas Nellings. Doctor Flanagan chose not to
participate in researching this discovery, but Doctor Nellings is here,
and I am going to turn this portion of the introduction over to him.
“However, let me say something about Tom Nellings. Two weeks
ago, he was supposed to return to his work at the college, but he
simply could not turn his back on what he and Doctor Flanagan had
discovered. Tom has taken a one-year sabbatical to participate in this
venture. He believes that this discovery is important enough to put his
career on hold, and with that being said, I’ll yield the floor to Tom.”
Larry gestured for Tom to take the podium. “Come on, Tom.
Don’t be shy.”
Tom made his way to the podium. “Thank you, Larry. I didn’t
know I would be speaking today, so you’ll forgive me if I seem
unprepared.”
Tom rubbed his chin, “Hmm, where do I start? I’ll begin by saying
that Jim and I had no intention of making any discovery. We came to
Mammoth Cave to do a routine archeological examination of some
recently discovered artifacts. However, within a few days, we found
ourselves hip deep in a technology that we simply did not understand.
Doctor Flanagan and I shared our discovery with Doctor Johnson, and
after he inspected the site, he promptly called his colleague and friend,
Doctor Hicks.
“Overwhelmed by what they saw, they decided to create the non-
profit Zero Point organization and invite some of the brightest and best
people they could find, to assist in researching this new technology.
That’s why you’re here today.
“I am here to offer my service as an anthropologist and translator
of ancient languages. This is no small sacrifice for me and in one way
or another it will probably end my teaching career, but some things are
more important than the individual. It will be up to you to investigate
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the many technical aspects of this fantastic discovery. I know that most
of you are currently committed your own research and perhaps you’re
pushing the envelope of knowledge, but let me say this; ‘you ain’t seen
anything yet.’
“There is much to see and much to learn here. I will be available
when you need my professional services. Thank you.”
There was a moment of silence when Larry returned to the podium
and Tom took his seat. “Thank you, Tom.”
Larry faced his small audience. “Ladies and gentlemen, I know
that you’re wondering what anthropology or archaeology could have in
common with a breakthrough in energy research.”
Larry motioned for Paulus to assist him, and together they slid
the podium to the right. “Excuse me, but we want to be certain that
everyone has a clear view of the television screen.”
Paulus handed Larry the remote control for the Digital Video
Player, and Larry continued. “We’ve prepared a short slide presentation
for you. In it, you will see some, and I stress some of the discovery made
by Doctors Flanagan and Nellings. Before I begin the slide presentation
I must tell you…” Larry paused and gazed at the audience, “You’re
going to see some technology that dates back thousands of years, but
hang on, you’re at the doorway of a new age.”
Larry pressed “play” on the remote, and a photo of the stone
monolith appeared on the television screen. “This stone monolith was
discovered several hundred feet under ground, in a hidden cavern at
Mammoth Cave. Tom tells me that the hieroglyphs refer to an ancient
race of alien visitors called, Anunnaki. The entire content of the stone
has not been translated, but it does make reference to certain god-like
beings and their celestial chariots.”
Larry paused to allow the guest’s time to view the stone. “I know
that this archaeological find may not peak your interest, but this stone
is actually a doorway and the beginning of our venture. For behind this
door is a passageway leading to this.”
Larry pressed the remote, and a photo of the dome structure
appeared on the screen. “This is a picture of a structure that was
discovered behind the stone monolith. It’s sitting in an immense
cavern where it’s been in complete darkness for thousands of years.”
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One by one, the scientists returned to their seats, and after several
moments of disruptive chitchat, Larry continued, “I can see that we
have your attention, but please, let’s simmer down.” The room grew
quiet and all eyes focused on Larry.
“I knew that these pictures would cause a stir, but let me assure
you that this is not a hoax. You will be able to inspect this equipment
first hand. After that, you can draw your own conclusions. I realize that
you must have many questions, but please allow me to continue. In
due time, I’ll answer as many of your questions as I can.”
Several of the guests whispered among themselves, but Larry
patiently waited for the noise to subside. “If I may, I would like to
continue.” He pushed a button on the remote and displayed the final
photo.
“This next image highlights a column in the center of the dome.
You can see it’s not that large, but we believe it is the central power
station for the structure. Based on my own inspection, I believe this
column contains a Zero Point Energy Module.”
“Oh my,” said Yoshio. “Have you completed any testing?”
“No. That is why we have invited you folks to this meeting. This
is a hand’s on seminar. What I mean is that we are looking for qualified
people to investigate and research this equipment. I know that you
have careers, but this is an opportunity of a lifetime.”
Larry paused to consider his next words carefully. “We currently
have no funding. Nevertheless, we are testing the waters for financial
support, and eventually there will be a payday. We are offering each and
every one of you the chance to partake in this discovery, but before you
make any decisions, I’d like you to spend the next few days inspecting
some of the equipment.”
“Why don’t you apply to the Department of Energy for a federal
grant?” said Paul White.
Bob hastened to Larry’s side. “Excuse me, but I’d like to answer
that. This discovery has the potential to change the course of human
history. It may eventually take us to the stars, but if you have ever
participated in a government research program, you know that if the
military gets a whiff of this, it’ll be classified, and we’ll never see it
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When the visiting scientists made their first trip to the beta site, all of
the lingering doubts quickly transformed into unbridled enthusiasm.
A day-long flurry of questions, theories, and opinions fueled the
excitement, and by evening, most of the visitors had committed
themselves to the project. Their reaction was predictable, and Larry
was satisfied that he and Bob had chosen the right people.
The following day, Larry placed a phone call to an old acquaintance,
Allen Duncan, CEO of Global Energy Research and Development.
Larry hoped to play on Allen’s keen business sense to obtain the
necessary funding for the Zero Point project.
Allen was a risk taker, but he was no fool. His eye for opportunity
and good business judgment had carried him to the top management
position at Global Energy. From there, he commands a multinational
group of energy-related corporations and subsidiaries. Larry knew that
much would depend on this one phone call.
Sitting at his desk, Allen Duncan pondered his next corporate
acquisition. Population growth was placing more and more pressure on
the world’s energy resources. Speculators were driving the price of oil
through the roof, but amid the turmoil, there was money to be made.
Diversity was the key in this business, and Allen was riding a wave of
recent company takeovers, which positioned Global Energy as one of
the largest energy conglomerates on the planet. The potential profits
were staggering, but Allen knew this golden opportunity for riches
would, one day collapse as the world’s supply of oil dwindled.
The feminine voice of Allen’s secretary suddenly blared through
the telephone-intercom on his desk. “Mr. Duncan, there is a call for
you from Larry Johnson on line two. He say’s it’s very important that
he speak to you.”
“Thank you. Put him through.”
A small light on Allen’s phone flashed as he reached for the
receiver. He pressed the button for line two and exclaimed, “Larry, is
that really you?”
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The third and final day of the seminar arrived, and Bob escorted
most of the visiting scientists to the Beta site, while Larry stayed behind
with Tom Nellings and Amber Wright. Larry gathered Tom and Amber
onto the front porch to wait for Allen Duncan’s arrival. As they sat
around the small table for some chitchat, the conversation eventually
focused on a tea stained napkin which contained a scribbled list of
necessary equipment to begin their research.
Satisfied with their wish list, Amber poured herself a glass of tea
and nervously glanced at her watch. “It’s kind of chilly this morning.”
Larry grinned. “That’s the fourth time you’ve looked at your
watch, in the past five minutes. Don’t worry. Paulus is on his way home
with Allen.”
“I know. I guess I’m a little apprehensive. There’s a lot riding on
this meeting.”
“Look, I know Allen; he’s a shrewd business man, a real shark.
Once he understands the situation and the potential for profits, I’m
confident we’ll get the funding for this project. I’ve seen him in action.
When he has a goal, there’s no stopping him.”
Tom was staring at the gate at the end of the driveway. “Here they
come!”
“I told you not to worry,” said Larry.
Paulus parked the car in front of the farmhouse and Allen Duncan
stepped out. Larry rose out of his chair and greeted Allen with a friendly
handshake.
“It’s good to see you, Allen.”
“Hello, Larry.”
“How was your flight?”
“Oh, the usual hurry up and wait. You know.”
“Well come and join us on the porch. I’d like to introduce you to
my guests.”
Larry directed Allen to the patio table and a comfortable wicker
chair. “This is Doctor Amber Wright. Miss Wright is a Molecular
Physicist and this is Doctor Thomas Nellings of the Brooklyn College
of Natural History.”
“Nice to meet you, Mister Duncan,” Amber said.
Allen looked at Amber and smiled. “Please, call me Allen.”
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emphasize his next words. “There is enough Zero Point Energy in this
empty cup, to boil away the Earth’s oceans”
Allen’s eyes widened. “Wow, are you telling me that you can
harness this random energy?”
“No. I’m telling you that it’s already been done. We are currently
in possession of the hardware necessary to send humanity to the stars.
Look, Allen, I’m not talking decades, I mean we could go to the stars
this afternoon.”
Allen sat up straight in his seat. “Hold the phone! You’re saying
that this technology has already been proven? You can actually do what
you say?”
Amber tried to hide her astonishment. Why was Larry telling
Allen that we could go to the stars this afternoon? The dome structure
was not a space ship, and Larry knew it. “Excuse me, Larry. Perhaps we
should show Allen what we have. It would only take an hour or so to
visit the site.”
“No, I don’t have time for that,” said Allen. I’ve got to be out
of here in an hour. I’ll tell you what.” Allen removed a map from his
jacket pocket and handed it to Larry. “As you know, I don’t like to leave
a stone unturned, especially in business, so I’ve come here prepared.
There’s an abandoned military base in Texas. Global Energy acquired
the facility over ten years ago. It’s roughly a hundred miles west of San
Angelo. I’ve marked it on that map. It’s not easy to find, but it’s there,
and it does have an airstrip. That base can provide the seclusion you
need.”
Allen pulled a white business envelope from his jacket pocket,
“This is a letter giving you permission to be on the base, but I should
warn you that the facility has been abandoned for years. It’s kind of
rough, but I’m sure it will do. I’ll get the electric power turned on as
soon as I get back from DC.
“Don’t call anyone else for funding. If what you say is true, Global
Energy will fund your research. For now, get your equipment setup and
call me when you’re ready. I’ll bring the bean counters, and you can
make your presentation to them. Don’t let me down.”
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Amber was stunned. She held out a small stack of eight by ten
pictures. “We’ve got some photos of the hardware. Would you like to
see them?”
“No thanks, I’ve got to catch a plane. If Larry Johnson say’s he
has an unlimited source of energy, that’s good enough for me.” Allen
rose from his seat and shook hands with Larry. “By the way, there’s
a check in that envelope. It should be enough to get you started. I’ll
arrange to keep you supplied with anything you require, but I need
practical results to gain long term funding. I’d love to sit around and
talk, but I really do have to be going. Paulus, can you drive me back to
the airport?”
“Yes sir, right this way.”
Allen stood and shook hands with Amber and Tom. “Nice
meeting you folks. I’m looking forward to seeing you in Texas.” He
skipped down the steps and stepped into the car.
Silence settled in as Tom stood on the edge of the porch and
watched the car as it disappeared from site. He then turned and gawked
at Larry. “What just happened?”
Amber laughed aloud. “Boy, that was something!”
Larry stared at the envelope in his hand and nodded. “That’s
Allen.” He pulled the white permission sheet from the envelope and
unfolded it. Just as Allen said, there was a check folded inside with the
paper. Larry looked at the amount. His eyes bulged, and he whistled
loudly. “Take a look at this.”
Amber grasped the check and held it in both hands. “Oh my
goodness! This will get us started!”
Tom moved next to Amber and stared. “Holy cow, a million
dollars!”
It was late afternoon when Larry and Amber entered the family
room to hash out the details of moving the equipment to Texas. A
sudden commotion coming from the kitchen interrupted their
thoughts, and they looked towards the doorway as Bob stepped into
the family room. Grinning ear to ear, Bob slipped into the recliner as
the boisterous group of scientists began filtering into the family room.
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“Yes, I don’t see an immediate need for a flight test engineer, but
I’d be happy to make a commitment if and when you do need my
services.”
Larry chuckled. “I’ve got something that I’d like to show you.
We are reluctant to show it to the others until we’re certain of their
commitment to the project.”
Curiosity had always been the fuel for John’s career. He could not
resist asking, “What exactly do you have?”
Larry hesitated. How was he was going to tell John that they had
an alien spacecraft and that they wanted him to fly it to Texas. “Oh my,
where do I start? I guess…” Larry took a deep breath. “Sorry, let me
start over. I’ll just tell you like it is. We have an advanced aircraft, and
we need a pilot.”
John laughed aloud. “Well, why didn’t you say so? Where is it?”
“Come back to the house, and we’ll talk.”
“All right, but it’s going to cost you. I’m hungry.”
“Don’t worry John, we’ll feed you. Let me help you with your
bags.”
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Thank you for previewing these sample chapters of Zero Point – Power of the gods.