Part 5 (1/2)

”It's better than nothing.”

”We have something. Alpha.”

”Alpha isn't talking.” Bartley's voice had lost some of its certainty, though.

”Give me time to work with her,” Thomas said. ”See if I can break her defenses. She reacts to me more

than anyone else.”

Bartley gave a crude laugh. ”She likes you, eh, Wharington?”

Thomas scowled, more annoyed then he should have been. ”She's a machine, remember? She's incapable

of 'liking.' ”

”So why does she respond to you, hmmm?”

”I don't know.”

Bartley exhaled noisily. ”I'll wait a week.”

”Three weeks.”

”h.e.l.l, Wharington, might as well be three years.”

Thomas waited.

”Two weeks,” Bartley said.

Thomas suspected that was all he would get. ”All right. Two.”

”Good luck,” Bartley said. ”With that barracuda, you're going to need it.”

Jamie was in the office of Thomas's second in command, C.J. Matheson. When Thomas came out, after his talk with Bartley, he found his granddaughter in the small chair he had brought in this morning, one he had dug out of the bas.e.m.e.nt at home. Matheson had set up an empty packing crate as a desk for her, and she was busy coloring in a NIA notebook. The guards had given it to her while Thomas was getting her visitor's badge processed. Now she wore her holobadge on a silver chain around her neck. She normally didn't stay put for long, but she had been out here nearly twenty minutes, apparently bemused enough by her coloring and her surroundings that she wasn't fidgeting.

Matheson was working at his desk. He served as the conduit to Thomas from the heads of divisions within the agency. Thomas had asked for him in this position and considered Matheson one of his best officers. They had become friends as they realized how much they had in common. Both had grown up in the rural Midwest, Thomas in Iowa and C.J. in Kentucky, each the oldest son of a farmer. Thomas's father hadn't liked it when Thomas chose the Air Force Academy instead of a local university, but he seemed proud of his son. Matheson had gone to the University of Kentucky on an ROTC scholars.h.i.+p, which delighted his family. His interest in computer science bewildered them, but they beamed when he talked about his work. Thomas enjoyed his visits with C.J.'s family, and his parents welcomed Matheson into their home.

”Hey, C.J.,” Thomas said.

Matheson looked up at him. ”How is the senator this morning?”

Thomas grimaced. ”Same as always. In a hurry.”

Jamie jumped out of her chair and ran over to him. ”Grampy, look!” She held up her notebook, showing him a page.

”Ah.” He peered at the picture she had drawn, a black object and some grey triangles. ”That's very nice.”

”It's kitty hawk,” she explained.

If he looked hard enough, Thomas could see a cat with wings flying over mountains. ”Well, good job.

Good job.” He wasn't certain what to say, but she seemed satisfied with his response.

Straightening up, Thomas found Matheson smiling. As soon as he saw Thomas looking at him, Matheson hid his grin.

Self-conscious, Thomas said, ”Thanks for keeping an eye on her.”

”No trouble at all,” Matheson said.

Jamie reached up and took Thomas's hand. Then she waved at Matheson. ”Bye.”

C.J. smiled at her. ”Have a good morning, Miss Harrows.” Thomas felt conspicuous walking through the halls of the NIA with a three-year-old, but Jamie was clearly enjoying herself. Soon they were out in the bright November afternoon, and she ran through the chilly sunlight, laughing and twirling. Striding after her, Thomas managed to catch her before she went any place off-limits. Then he took her to the security trailer. They entered it through a Hughes Arch, which checked them for radiation, extra metal or plastic, and any signals that shouldn't come from a human body. This morning, Jamie had been so excited about the base, talking about everything, she had barely noticed the arch. But now she started to fidget.

”I want to go,” she said.

”We have to wait until it's done,” Thomas told her.

”Go now!” She stamped her foot.

Thomas picked her up and settled her into the crook of his arm. ”Don't you want to know about the

ghost?”

Her eyes widened. ”What ghost?”

He motioned at the arch with its glinting lights. ”This was named after a mysterious man called Hughes.”

”Was he the ghost?”