Part Eight

His name was Hiram Ledbetter. His wife Constance was also his chief partner in this project. Blackpool and Aaron already knew this, as well as that she was his largest source of investment. Though there were many other investors, some of them rather surprising.

"The most telling of the items are in the vault," said Ledbetter, ushering all of them in that direction. "That's one reason I rented this building! This stuff is valuable and needs protection!"

The vault was actually roomy enough for the four of them to stand without crowding, largely because the safe deposit boxes had been removed. There was a smaller, stand alone safe against the far wall. It seemed to be of the same late Thirties or early Forties vintage as the large vault. It didn't appear to have been moved since that time, despite having wheels, since those had sunk into the flooring. Ledbetter deftly worked the combination, then brought out a padded tray with a strange object on it.

"I found this out in the woods," said Ledbetter. "The cream of the crop! It was in a crater, which is perhaps centuries or even millennia old, but still showing signs of burning. Which means the fire must have been really intense!"

He held up the irregular lump of dark material.

"Meteoric iron," said Blackpool, guessing.

"Ah, but it's not! Analysis says this is actually a sophisticated titanium alloy, similar to those used in the aerospace industry today!"

He let them handle it. It was, indeed, extremely light. On close inspection it appeared to be some sort of technical device in a case, which had been telescoped by an impact and exposed to great heat.

"I also found several smaller pieces there, plus I have since collected a few others from around the world. They're all in the safe. Some of the things I found the owners wouldn't part with, but I have a list and photos and certificates!"

"The location where you say you found this in your documents is downwind from the Wright-Patterson test facility," said Aaron. "This probably fell from something they launched."

"No, this was thousands of years old!" said Ledbetter, insistently. "That fits in with the other evidence I've found! This includes not only physical artifacts but ancient writings, including the Bible! All of it indicating that aliens came to Earth thousands of years ago to plant their seed here, so we will eventually become worthy of joining their stellar federation! So even if this is more recent, it's got to be from one of the UFOs they studied there in the Fifties!"

"There are a few verified instances of apes - chimpanzees, gorillas, and so forth - becoming empowered," said Aaron. "If these aliens have only been working on empowering humans for a few thousand years, how do you explain those?"

"Why do you care about that?" said Ledbetter, honestly not seeing the problem.

"Why would these mythical aliens bother also altering our distant relatives?"

"Who knows?! Who cares?!"

"There have been investigations of the possibility of aliens intervening in human evolution before this," said Aaron. "None found any supporting evidence."

"Yeah, but they haven't uncovered the things I have!"

He started talking about the "correlations" he had found between concepts and descriptions of events from religious writings and folklore around the world, tying each into his hypothesis of alien visits. He apparently had a very good memory, not needing to produce any written references to quote his sources. However...

"Actually, you have 'uncovered' nothing new," said Aaron, firmly. In fact, for him, he was being downright blunt. Blackpool wondered if he were upset at the man for attributing several biblical miracles to his aliens. "Neither is your 'analysis' of what you've uncovered new. Unfortunately, neither is your willful ignorance of the evidence and logical analyses of same which disprove your contentions. All you have which actually supports your claims is belief in your ideas."

"You're a fine one to talk about belief!" Ledbetter yelled, red in the face.

"Could you please just shut the Hell up?" said Constance, tiredly. "Every time you open your mouth the average IQ in the room drops."

Ledbetter spun around and stomped off.

"I'm sorry," said Constance, with a much-put-upon sigh. "When he gets rolling he loses all sense of proportion. Now, what were your questions?"

"First and foremost," said Blackpool, "where is that crater where he found these items?"

* * *

Unknown to all in the bank, the building was under observation by definitely unfriendly eyes. A small office in the third floor of the building across the street was empty of furniture except for a card table and some matching folding chairs, and a folding cot. Plastic bags full of trash were piled in one corner, holding the remains of many takeout meals. The windows were painted, except for one small area of one pane which had been scraped clear. A spotting scope on a mount peaked through the clear spot. A man with a radio sat in one of the folding chairs, looking through the scope. Though he currently couldn't see anything, he also listened to one of the bugs planted in the bank. He paused for a moment to respond to a radio query.

"He's in the bank, but he's suspicious. He's in his human disguise. He also brought Blackpool with him."

"We're not set up for Blackpool," said the team leader, sounding worried, over the secure radio link. "We're not set up to take Malak in the bank. He must go to the site! He has to!"

"Hold on. It sounds like they're leaving. Okay, now I can see them entering the alley. Blackpool stepped into the shadows and disappeared. Malak just... disappeared. I suspect they're on the way to the site."

The man on the other end of the conversation was obviously not happy that both were coming. What could he do, though, except wait for an opportunity?

* * *

The two empowered men tramped through the woods for nearly an hour before finding the location. They were starting to suspect the tale was entirely fictional, but when they finally found the site it was obvious. Not only were there the remains of a crater with signs of burning around it, but someone had obviously dug extensively in the crater.

"No way that's even a century old," said Blackpool.

"We could check to see if we can correlate his discoveries here with anything which happened at Wright-Pat within the past couple of decades," said Aaron, shrugging.

"I'll forward that to my superiors at the Agency," said Blackpool. "I think I've wasted enough of my own time on this."

"Well, I have a suspicion about Mr. Ledbetter," said Aaron, frowning, speaking in a low voice. "I suspect someone sold him a bill of goods. Someone with powers."

"Do tell."

"You have asked before about the difference between what I do and mind control," said Aaron, nodding. His tone became increasingly formal. "He has all the symptoms of mind control. Of course, some mental illnesses also cause that sort of distorted view of reality. So can simple greed. However... call it a familiarity with all those things, but I think he was influenced."

"If so, who did that, and why?" said Blackpool, showing anger which was a fraction of what Aaron was containing.

"So far I only have supposition. I suspect one of the empowered wanted to promote the belief that humans are the recipients of alien genetic manipulation. With the resulting empowered being their designated rulers of the world."

"Not the first time I've encountered that idea," said Blackpool, nodding. "Some of those responsible for spreading that rumor actually believe that is the 'secret' behind empowerment. Many of them were non-empowered who wanted someone else to fix their problems."

"Whoever did that to him," said Aaron, his tone promising dire consequences, "wanted someone to believe he believed it."

"I do need to get back," said Blackpool, though there was some regret in his tone.

"You go on. I want to check a few more things." Aaron grinned at him. "If nothing else, I'm enjoying the peace and quiet."

"I know what you mean," said Blackpool, as he stepped into shadow. "What marvelous woods for a walk."

Aaron was enjoying himself. He had spent a large part of his early life - from his childhood into his teens - in the woods. He found many things there he couldn't find in civilized surroundings. Once more, the urge to simply fly away to some isolated area and live the life of a hermit came to him. However, right now he was not looking for something which was far from civilization, but rather something which was very uncivilized.

First, Aaron made a more thorough examination of the hole and its immediate surroundings. Then he began spiraling outwards, looking for more potential pieces of "alien technology." At first, he didn't find anything obviously artificial. However, after nearly half an hour his attention was suddenly attracted by a flashing light. Curious, he moved closer. As he approached, the flashing became a rapid pulsing, changing color and growing larger to produce a pattern. Aaron stopped a few feet from it and stared, seemingly entranced.

Suddenly, a net sprang upwards from under the leaf litter where he stood. It closed rapidly and yanked Aaron into the air. He grabbed the net, and found that it was actually made from small links of inertium.

Men swarmed around, quickly lowering the net and wrapping it in rope, neatly packaging Aaron. He only offered token resistance.

They covered him - net, ropes and all - in a tarp and carried him for some distance through the woods. Actually, thanks to Aaron's passive sonar and innate navigation sense, he knew exactly how far, and even the route. It occurred to him that a half dozen men carrying a large bundle through public woods was almost as attention-attracting as carrying a man in a net, but he was actually counting on these henchmen not being very bright.

They tossed him roughly into the back of a nondescript van. Two went in with Aaron, to keep an eye on him... so they weren't completely stupid, or at least could follow orders. The rest climbed into the front and off they went. Aaron was not oblivious to the similarities with Melody's kidnapping of the year before. Hopefully, his capture would have a better outcome.

* * *

Blackpool wasn't worried. Aaron had clearly implied that he wanted to follow a lead. Then, after Blackpool had returned to the redoubt, the other empowered had sent a signal which meant Aaron was voluntarily going off the air. Presumably so his radio wouldn't be detected.

Blackpool considered the device in his hand. The new coms were a marvel. They had a range of hundreds of miles, excellent security, and while they were bulkier than the ear buds would relay to and from those while being carried in a pocket or purse. They also connected to a set of covertly placed repeaters which covered most of the Northern Hemisphere and much of the Southern.

No, Blackpool wasn't worried. Though he made a mental note to check on Aaron in a couple of hours. Just to be certain.

* * *

The van ride was long and circuitous. Eventually, the vehicle entered a structure. Still bound and wrapped in the tarp, Aaron was carried into an elevator, which went deep under the ground. Finally, he was roughly thrown onto a concrete floor, in what Aarons's sonar told him was a small room inside a slightly larger one. His captors quickly exited what he quickly realized was a cell, on the way out slamming shut a barred door which seemed like something from an old-fashioned jail. The entire rest of the room containing the cell was concrete, as well, except for a steel security door to the hallway outside.

Aaron, still in the tarp, bound by rope and inside the net of tiny inertium links, was still able to note that his captors were wearing uniforms of the sort workers at a utility company might wear. After this much time around them, Aaron could also tell that they also had some sort of ear plugs. Presumably to keep his persuasion from working on them. They laughed and jeered. When Aaron didn't respond most soon left. However, two of the men remained after the steel door was secured.

"I suppose you're very pleased with yourselves," said Aaron, after a few minutes of silence.

The two men jumped, obviously surprised he had addressed them.

"Oh, yeah," said one of the men, smirking, as he replied to the muffled voice. "The big boss will be down here soon to decide what to do with you. I think he wants to end you personally."

"The person who runs this organization is here?" said Aaron, surprised. "In this building?"

"Well, yeah," said the first man, though the second tried to silence him. "This is our headquarters."

"Thank you," said Aaron, rising up through the net and rope and tarp.

Before they could react he stepped out, grabbed each of them and pulled them naked into the cell. As their empty uniforms collapsed, he again stepped out of the cell. Not even turning to look back, he left the room and exited through the closed door, vanishing in the process.