Witness [A First Contact Romance]

25. Unspoken Threats

Earth

2027

Theo plastered his hands against the table and studied the pictures below him. The conversation with Vehru's replica had put the entire world into an intelligence lockdown. They'd had to go old school, very old school, and now lived under the rule of paranoia. Could the Replica hear them? What did she know? It wouldn't be possible to keep everything from a super intelligent AI, but they had to try their best.

"I think they're posing for a picture," Theo said and tapped the triangular flying object. "We've never had such a perfect image as this."

"We don't pay you to speculate on what they're doing and why. Talk science." General Price was in a worse mood than normal.

"Someone has to say it," Theo whispered. "You're all thinking it. Vehru, her Replica, whoever is doing this wants us to see what we're up against. It's a threat."

Price's nostrils twitched. "Do you have anything useful to share?"

"This is not my expertise. You know that. Why am I really here?"

Ordinarily, Theo would hold his temper better and remain patient. These were not ordinary days. The very marrow of his bones buzzed with stress. He could hardly sleep at night. And he hadn't had an update on his wife in two days. Since so little was known about the control that the Replica of Vehru had over Rory's mind, the government decided to limit the information she had access to, in case there was a way to monitor her thoughts. When Theo was called upon, he had to leave Rory behind at home. The last thing he wanted was to be away from her with all of this happening, especially when he couldn't even talk to her on the phone for fear of his location being tracked or his conversation monitored.

"President Saito trusts you. You're a smart man. We have plenty of expert opinions. But you're in a unique position as Rory's husband and as someone who has the highest level of security clearance."

"Exactly why you should listen to me when I say they're sending a message."

"I know." His voice lowered. "I assure you that we're aware and dealing with it."

"The incidence of UFO sightings have increased, but they're not new. What's new is that they're letting us get an abundance of data on them. You've had no success in shooting one down. We're outmatched. They probably want us to surrender before the war even starts."

"Well, that's never happening."

"What's telling is that they're tipping their hands on the flying objects but not on how the AI has infiltrated all of our systems while evading detection. It's all strategic." Theo stared at the image of the craft flying up from beneath the ocean. "So, where are they coming from?"

"We assume space."

"But you've considered other possibilities."

The general's jaw tightened.