Tuesday–Pasadena
Rick wakes early. The previous night's meteor shower was magnificent. Thousands of shooting stars lit up the night sky. Rick wishes he still had access to the EELT (European Extremely Large Telescope Array) in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile. He'd like to get a better look at that group of asteroids and find out where they're headed.
He didn't sleep well. Questions tormented his dreams. Should he alert his colleagues? Should he check again before calling an alert? He would hate to look stupid, jumping to conclusions.
Rick stands by the bed, watching Courtney curled in blankets sleeping. He considers crawling back in bed to snuggle with her but lets her dream.
Instead, he works on his VUE lens looking for news of new asteroid discoveries. There is nothing. No news. No warnings. All is quiet. Everything is fine. But Rick feels that something is off.
He checks his e-mail scanning through newsletters, promotions from retailers—and an e-mail from Homeland Security. The e-mail is not just from Homeland Security, but from the Assistant Director of the Science and Technology Special Programs Division.
Dr. Munday,
The National Science Foundation forwarded your grant proposal to Homeland Security and our research department brought to my attention. I believe the subject of your submission is very intriguing.
The Science and Technology Division has a seminar scheduled for tomorrow.
A key speaker has cancelled at the last moment. I hope you can fill this important slot in the schedule. I apologize for the short notice, but I believe the seminar participants will be very interested in learning about your area of study.
Prepare to give your presentation to an audience of your peers. Please confirm your willingness to take part in this exciting seminar. Since this is a last-minute request, we will send you an electronic flight ticket and hotel accommodations (see vouchers attached).
Sincerely,
Jordan Musgrove, Ph.D.
Assistant Director of Science and Technology
Special Programs Division
A window pops up at the top of the e-mail asking Rick to confirm receipt. Rick clicks accept.
Rick then reviews the e-mail attachments. The plane ticket is from Los Angeles to Dulles International Airport in Washington, DC, and he's booked for the evening flight.
Rick reads the e-mail a second and third time. It doesn't say they approved his grant, but they want him to present at the seminar. What an opportunity! In this environment of budget cuts and cutbacks, the government sent a plane ticket and hotel voucher.
Rick doesn't care if he's a fill-in or a last-minute replacement. Someone read his proposal, was interested, and forwarded it Homeland's Science and Technology Division. This could be the opportunity of a lifetime.
His band vibrates. He doesn't recognize the caller, but he answers. "Hello?"
"Dr. Richard Munday?" asks a voice.
"Yes."
"This is Darby Caledero. I work with the office of the Director of Homeland Security Science and Technology Division. I received notification you read the e-mail sent to you."
"Yes, I did. It's quite a shock. I mean a privilege to be invited."
"Then we will expect you in Washington in the morning?"
YOU ARE READING
Bridge to Nowhere
Science FictionAn asteroid storm is coming that will destroy Earth. A mysterious group within the government led by Colonel Cruikshank knew the storm was coming. They took extreme measures to keep the storm secret while building underground cities to protect the f...
