Beyond This Time: A Time-Travel Suspense Novel (49 page)

“My father, David Shaw, gave me the letter, Ruthe. Shortly before
¼
” She paused and looked about the room. “He verified its authenticity.”

“
Verified
? Come on, Dr. Shaw, don’t you find this,” Ruthe motioned toward the letter. “A bit irrational? The United States Navy conducting secret experiments?
Invisibility
experiments in 1943? I would have thought their concerns would have been directed toward fighting the war. Besides, I seriously doubt the technology needed to pull off something that advanced even existed.”

Jewel placed her grandfather, Roger Shaw’s, letter on the night table. She had wondered if Ruthe’s hyper-rational mental makeup would prevent her from taking the leap of faith. But, it was too late to withdraw, the information had been presented. However, Jewel refused to allow Ruthe’s derisive attitude to dictate the direction of this discussion. There were three additional team members whose views had yet to be voiced. However, in order to maintain her position of authority, Jewel felt she must address Ruthe’s concerns.

“I’ll take your doubts in order, Ruthe,” she said, using her most intimidating professorial tone. “One: Verification. This letter was placed in my father’s hand in 1983, via the fisherman who personally witnessed a materialization of the
Eldridge
.”

Ruthe rolled her eyes. “An eyewitness, isn’t that an amazing coincidence? And convenient. Did you
see
the note thrown from the ship?” Ruthe asked, her tone skeptical.

“Unfortunately, neither my father nor I attended that particular—” Jewel cleared her throat. “I
have
seen the ship on numerous occasions.”

Ruthe snorted. “Of course you have.”

“Knock it off, Ruthe,” Steven Hill said. “Quit giving Dr. Shaw such a hard time, let her go on with her explanation. We’ll have plenty of time for Q and A afterwards.”

“Thank you, Steven,” Jewel said, smiling at her defender. “In 1983, the National Security Agency immediately discredited the fisherman’s testimony, informing the news media it was a hoax. The man became angry at being made a fool of in the press and on national television, so he withheld the letter he’d found inside the whiskey bottle from the investigators. He held onto it, until he ran into my father nine months later.”

“Ran into your father?” Ruthe asked.

“Yes, my father was lecturing at a physics convention in Las Vegas. The fisherman worked as a dealer in one of the hotel casinos, he saw my father’s name on a bulletin board in the hotel lobby listing the date and time of his lecture, and contacted him. They met a few days later and the fisherman passed on the letter, as requested by my grandfather.”

Ruthe shook her head. “A strange world. Full of odd little coincidences.” She got to her feet. “Too bad I don’t believe in coincidences.”

“Sit down, Ruthe,” Jewel ordered. “I haven’t finished my explanation.” She paused, waiting until the young woman complied before continuing. “To answer your second question, regarding the Navy’s involvement in the Rainbow Project in 1943—Yes, it happened. It is my intention, with everyone’s help, to resolve the situation by amplifying the earth’s magnetic field, compressing space-time and bring the
Eldridge
and her crew home. Permanently.”

“So you’re really convinced the
Eldridge
will turn up here, in the park?” Ruthe asked.

“The data we have collected over the past week is irrefutable evidence. You can double check, if you feel it’s necessary. There have been significant changes in the gravitational and magnetic measurements. This is not the first time I’ve charted spikes.” Jewel looked directly at Ruthe. “My father and I were at Lake Mead in 1987. We saw the ship and, from a distance, my grandfather, Roger. Unfortunately, before my father could do anything more than wave hello, the ship disappeared.”

“A personally confirmed sighting, excellent,” said William Ramp, brushing a shock of jet-black hair from his blue eyes. “What more can we ask for, Ruthe?”

“I have to admit,” Ruthe responded, “it appears Roger Shaw’s rudimentary calculations, as to date and location, have been proven to be reasonably accurate.”

“Not so rudimentary,” Steven Hill said. “The man got the job done.”

Jewel smiled at the exchange. “Global measurements, over the past six weeks, have shown a gradual increase in fluxuation within the earth’s magnetic field. And, in a very
specific
location,” she continued, not wanting to lose Ruthe now that she was beginning to come around. “In twenty-four hours, with your help, we should have that narrowed to within a quarter mile. Guys, we are within hours of the earth’s 23-year gravitational peak and when that occurs
¼
.”

“The
USS Eldridge
will materialize,” Eric said. “Right in front of our eyes.”

“And this time it won’t be written off as a Halloween hoax,” William declared. “Not with five independent scientists as witnesses.”

Steven Hill nodded. The expression on his freckled face unreadable.

“Does your nod mean you’re with us or against us, Steven?” Jewel asked.

“I’m in.” His gaze swept the group. “We’re all in.”

Jewel looked at Ruthe, waiting for the fallout from Steven’s blanket declaration. “And you, Ruthe? Still on the team?” She hoped the young woman signed on, not only for her expertise but also for her friendship. They’d become close over the past year and Jewel didn’t have that many friends, she’d hate to lose one.

Ruthe sighed, her internal struggle to overcome her need for absolute certainty clearly obvious. “Mathematics is based on logic. Nothing about this
experiment
is logical.”

“That is precisely why you were chosen, Ruthe,” said Jewel, “it’s your job to
prove
the impossible. Show the academic world that logic can coexist with the phenomena.”

“Ruthe’s not the only physicist and mathematician working on the project,” Steven reminded Jewel. “If she opts out, I can handle things alone.”

Jewel smiled, she knew of nothing more hierarchical than the mathematical culture when it came to ranking individual merit and prestige. Yet the ranking was ever changing, in constant flux with new challenges erupting regularly. Both Ruthe and Steven were accustomed to being touted as the brightest and best, but now they were constantly bumping up against one another. To them, this competitiveness was like breathing air. They needed it to live.

“Your excellence is open for debate, Steven,” Ruthe teased. “However, I’m afraid you’ll have to carry the burden another time. I’m staying.”

Steven stood and walked to where Ruthe sat, then extended his hand. “Shall we consider the gauntlet thrown? May the best
man
win?”

Ruthe accepted his hand and his challenge with a wry grin. “May the best
academician
win.” She turned to Jewel, “Dr. Shaw, what say we bring the
Eldridge
home?”

* * *

The Colonel double checked the door, making certain it was secured before opening the safe and retrieving the photocopy. He sat on the hard wooden chair and smoothed the creases from the paper, mulling over the problems it presented.

For now, he’d let events unfold without interference.

The Colonel folded the paper in half and tore it into small bits, then walked into the bathroom and flushed the pieces down the toilet.