Plot Line by Alton Gansky

and Quinn were more casual. Quinn,
ever the Californian, wore Nike sneakers, blue jeans, and a tan
polo shirt. Betty was a woman with simple tastes wearing a black
ankle-long cotton duster covering a simple gray pantsuit.
    “Yes, sir. The general was advised of your
arrival.”
    Devlin glanced around the empty room as if
to ask, “Well, where is he?”
    “I’m sure he’ll be here any minute.” Taylor
was stone-faced.
    “He’s here right now,” came a gruff baritone
voice from the doorway. General Ben McLain stormed into the
conference room like a surging tide. All eyes turned to him. After
shaking hands and making introductions, McLain said, “Let’s sit
down and get to work. Since the Pentagon insisted you come, I
assume they’ve told you about our problem.”
    “I’ve been briefed,” Devlin said. “Has
anything changed in the last six hours?”
    “We haven’t found him, if that’s what you
mean, Mr. Chambers. We have helicopters searching the area but
they’ve come up empty handed. As you know, there’s very little
topside but dirt and more dirt. This facility is located here for
two reasons: Existing underground caves and the absence of towns
and highways. If Dr. Rehnquist left the base, he’s not going to get
very far. He’ll die in the desert.”
    “Could he have commandeered a car?” Betty
asked.
    “Every vehicle associated with the place is
accounted for as well as every car, truck, helicopter, and
motorcycle that has come close to the base. We run a tight
operation here.”
    “What about his home?” Quinn asked.
    McLain glowered. “Yes, we even thought to
check his home. The scientists that work here do so for four weeks
at a time. They can’t leave the base. We provide everything they
need.”
    “If Dr. Lindquist is not outside, then he
must be inside. Yet, he hasn’t been found. How is that,
General?”
    McLain leaned back in his chair, closed his
eyes for a moment then spoke as a weary father would speak to a
stubborn child. “This base is different from most underground
facilities. It is largely natural and not dug from native rock. The
walls are limestone, carved by countless years of erosion. Carlsbad
Caverns, one of the largest caves of its type in the world is only
twenty-two miles from here. Our country has scores of such caverns.
This one has been kept secret. The only way we could do that
successfully, was to use what nature provided and not bring in
large, easy to identify equipment. Consequently, there are caverns
connected to caverns, most are secured or unreachable, still many
exists where a man, properly motivated, could hide.” He paused,
then added, “We’ll find him.”
    “I have no doubt, General,” Devlin said,
“but I have to assume the worst. It’s our job to presume Rehnquist
has found a way out and, if so, he presents a real danger to your
project and to certain persons in the Pentagon and Congress.”
    McLain nodded reluctantly then conceded,
“You have our support.”
    There was a heavy pause, sodden with
tension. “How do they feel about all this?”
    McLain stared at Devlin as if he could pull
back flesh and bone and peer right into his brain. A moment later
he shifted his gaze to Quinn and Betty. “Such matters are on a need
to know basis. This project has an above Top Secret
classification.”
    “General,” Devlin said. “I know you received
commands from the Pentagon to render any help we request. I also
know you were informed of our security clearance.”
    “What about them,” McLain said nodding at
Devlin’s associates.
    “They’ve been cleared and briefed. We are on
the same team, General. We serve the same government, we have the
same goals.”
    McLain exchanged a glance with Captain
Taylor, then said flatly, “They’re unhappy.”
    “How unhappy?” Devlin pressed.
    “Controlled. No problems, but they’ve made
their displeasure known.”
    “Can they help us?” Devlin asked.
    “I haven’t asked, they haven’t