Artifact

The Shadow Commitee

Chapter 25

"It looks like most of them have left," said Doctor Brown as he, Captain Niles and Neil approached the hanger in Niles rental car.

"Only three cars left," said Neil.

"That looks promising," said Niles. "I was afraid their meeting would have lasted into the night."

"I can't wait to see what else the Russian node can tell us," said Neil.

"We should all talk to Ray too," said Niles refering to Colonel Matheson. "We should see how he wants to proceed."

"Proceed with what?" asked Niles as they exited the car.

"With telling the others," replied Niles. "I saw them touching the objects. I know they felt something."

"We should let them come to us," said the doctor. "It's too risky to do otherwise."

"I don't understand this secrecy you and Ray are insisting on," said Niles. "If it was up to me, we would be telling the whole world that we made contact."

The three suddenly ended their conversation as they entered the hanger. Inside they found CIA representative Lynne Abrams and Congressman Hesston standing alone without their usual cluster of aides and assistants on opposite sides of the three original objects while Senator Juana Doyle was standing near the far wall with her arms crossed. The hanger was unusually quiet without the large crown of earlier guests.

"Oh good you're back," said Matheson as he approached Niles.

"Sorry, sir, we went for an early dinner," replied Niles. "I guess if you needed us back, you could have texted or called. I had my cell on me."

"I told him that was not necessary," said Hesston.

"I'm interested in these missing files that Colonel Matheson has been telling me about," said Abrams.

"Yes, ma'am," replied Niles. "Please come up to the library and I will show you."

"Oh," replied Abrams as she glanced back at the objects and then the others and reluctantly left the hanger.

"I'm interested in this support structure that you're are building," said Hesston as Abrams and Niles climbed the metal staircase up to the library. 

"I think I can help with that," said Neil anxiously. "I'm not really the one responsible for building it, but I have been working with Captain Niles and the base personel," he added as he crawled underneath the platform supporting the central Ellesmere Island object. "The Antarctica object is mounted on what essentially a rolling gurney. We can move it around by tightening and loosening the cables. The Ellesmere Island object is fixed in it's locations, but the platform is mounted on this threaded shaft from an aircraft jack. We can rotate it and can raise and lower it. This gave us enough movement to match the two up and move them within and inch of each other. Each of the objects is attached to..."

Neil stopped abruptly when he turned to look at Congressman Hesston. While Matheson and Brown were watching him intently, Hesston was staring blankly forward. Matheson was kneeling down with his hands on his knees, but Hesston was squatting down with one hand raised above the platform to support himself. Matheson noticed the Congressman's blank stare and immediately stood up.

"Sir, are you okay?" asked Neil.

"Yes, yes of course," replied Hesston.

"You were touching it, weren't you?" said Matheson.

Hesston did not reply.

"What do you feel when you touch it?" asked Matheson.

"I'm not sure," whispered Hesston. "It's like I remember things."