Read Online Olympus Device 1: The Olympus Device by Joe Nobody - Free Book Online
Authors: Joe Nobody
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surveillance cameras showed you walking through the building with a rather rough looking character, and we thought you might be being forced to act against your will.”
Mitch laughed, partly at the description of Dusty, partly because he’d anticipated immediate arrest. “No, I wasn’t being forced to do anything. As far as the man who was with me, he was a colleague of sorts.”
Shultz started to say something else, but was interrupted by the beating-disturbance of an approaching helicopter. The agent turned to Mr. Fancy Uniform and said, “Well, so much for calm, cool and collected – Houston is in the building.”
Mitch watched the copter fly low over the skyline of College Station, the pilot evidently spotting a safe place to land the noisy machine. When normal conversation was again possible, the FBI man asked, “Professor, would you please accompany me? My superior has just arrived from Houston , and I’m sure he’ll want to speak with you.”
“Do I have a choice ?” Mitch asked, a hint of defiance in his voice.
“Sir, I don’t see any reason why you would wish to hinder an investigation. Am I missing something?”
The meaning was clear to Mitch – come along nice , or we’ll find a reason to bring you along. He was beginning to seriously dislike law enforcement.
Shultz moved to the sedan and opened the back door, another strong hint that he wanted Mitch to come along. The professor complied with the lawmen’s request.
A few minutes later, the men were back in the lab underneath Anderson Hall. Mitch’s initial reaction to the throng of law enforcement poking and prying in his lab was protective. “What are all these men doing in here, Dean Floss? They should all leave immediately before something is damaged.”
Floss ignored the protest, instead pulling Mitch aside. “What the hell happened in here, Mitch?” the dean asked in a low voice.
“I was asked by a colle ague to evaluate a new invention, and it damaged the ballistic tube. I was going to fill out my report after I had a cup of coffee.”
Before Floss could comment further, Shultz and another man approached. He didn’t offer his hand. “Professor Weathers, I need to know where this man is,” said the newcomer as he pointed to a n enlarged photo of Dusty, obviously taken by one of the campus’s numerous security cameras. “We know he was in the lab with you and is carrying some sort of weapon.”
“And who might you be, sir?”
“I am Special Agent in Charge Monroe, FBI. I am responsible for the Central-South region.”
“Well, Agent Monroe, I don’t know where that man is. I parted company with him at the coffee shop some time ago, and I don’t believe he was carrying any sort of weapon.”
Monroe’s face flushed red, and the man actually leaned closer to Mitch. “I don’t have time for this professor. We know that a rifle-shaped object was fired into that tube over there, which Dean Floss claims is practically indestructible. Furthermore, I have the United States Aerospace Defense Command barking up my backside over what they perceive as a nuclear, or near-nuclear event. If that’s not dangerous, I don’t know what is.”
Mitch held his ground, “There was no nuclear event, sir. You’ll detect no radiation or other evidence of any sort of isotope in this lab.”
Monroe held up another photograph, this one showing an image of the rail gun. “Exactly what is this device, Professor?”
“You don’t want to know.”
For a moment, Monroe didn’t think he had heard the response correctly. His confusion didn’t last long. “I most certainly do want to know, Professor … and I want to know right now .”
“Trust me, Agent Monroe – no , you don’t. No laws have been broken here. I had zero pre-knowledge that the test we performed would generate any side effects detectable by Homeland Security. I will fill out the proper paperwork in due course as per the regulations.”
Monroe shifted his weight back
Mitch laughed, partly at the description of Dusty, partly because he’d anticipated immediate arrest. “No, I wasn’t being forced to do anything. As far as the man who was with me, he was a colleague of sorts.”
Shultz started to say something else, but was interrupted by the beating-disturbance of an approaching helicopter. The agent turned to Mr. Fancy Uniform and said, “Well, so much for calm, cool and collected – Houston is in the building.”
Mitch watched the copter fly low over the skyline of College Station, the pilot evidently spotting a safe place to land the noisy machine. When normal conversation was again possible, the FBI man asked, “Professor, would you please accompany me? My superior has just arrived from Houston , and I’m sure he’ll want to speak with you.”
“Do I have a choice ?” Mitch asked, a hint of defiance in his voice.
“Sir, I don’t see any reason why you would wish to hinder an investigation. Am I missing something?”
The meaning was clear to Mitch – come along nice , or we’ll find a reason to bring you along. He was beginning to seriously dislike law enforcement.
Shultz moved to the sedan and opened the back door, another strong hint that he wanted Mitch to come along. The professor complied with the lawmen’s request.
A few minutes later, the men were back in the lab underneath Anderson Hall. Mitch’s initial reaction to the throng of law enforcement poking and prying in his lab was protective. “What are all these men doing in here, Dean Floss? They should all leave immediately before something is damaged.”
Floss ignored the protest, instead pulling Mitch aside. “What the hell happened in here, Mitch?” the dean asked in a low voice.
“I was asked by a colle ague to evaluate a new invention, and it damaged the ballistic tube. I was going to fill out my report after I had a cup of coffee.”
Before Floss could comment further, Shultz and another man approached. He didn’t offer his hand. “Professor Weathers, I need to know where this man is,” said the newcomer as he pointed to a n enlarged photo of Dusty, obviously taken by one of the campus’s numerous security cameras. “We know he was in the lab with you and is carrying some sort of weapon.”
“And who might you be, sir?”
“I am Special Agent in Charge Monroe, FBI. I am responsible for the Central-South region.”
“Well, Agent Monroe, I don’t know where that man is. I parted company with him at the coffee shop some time ago, and I don’t believe he was carrying any sort of weapon.”
Monroe’s face flushed red, and the man actually leaned closer to Mitch. “I don’t have time for this professor. We know that a rifle-shaped object was fired into that tube over there, which Dean Floss claims is practically indestructible. Furthermore, I have the United States Aerospace Defense Command barking up my backside over what they perceive as a nuclear, or near-nuclear event. If that’s not dangerous, I don’t know what is.”
Mitch held his ground, “There was no nuclear event, sir. You’ll detect no radiation or other evidence of any sort of isotope in this lab.”
Monroe held up another photograph, this one showing an image of the rail gun. “Exactly what is this device, Professor?”
“You don’t want to know.”
For a moment, Monroe didn’t think he had heard the response correctly. His confusion didn’t last long. “I most certainly do want to know, Professor … and I want to know right now .”
“Trust me, Agent Monroe – no , you don’t. No laws have been broken here. I had zero pre-knowledge that the test we performed would generate any side effects detectable by Homeland Security. I will fill out the proper paperwork in due course as per the regulations.”
Monroe shifted his weight back
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