Angela had spoken on a deeper level about the video than he’d originally concluded. In any case, he was staying out of this discussion. He’d had his moment in the sun and would just as soon spend some time in the shade. Instead, he’d worked his way over to Web’s side while Chang was speaking. He leaned down a bit and spoke quietly to Web as he handed him the drive, “I put a high resolution copy of the video on this drive.”
Web took the drive and stood. “Please continue this discussion without me. I’m going to update the CO. If you come to an agreement supported by the facts as we know them in my absence, please interrupt me immediately.” He gestured for Sam and Jack to follow him before proceeding to his office. Once there, he told Sam and Jack to take a seat.
“I’m about to report what we’ve found. The report will be sent immediately to the NCA. Is there any reason I should not send this video?” He asked Sam pointedly.
“I’m not sure what you mean, Web," Sam replied.
“I mean you’re the only one who knows for sure how this video was constructed. To the best of your knowledge, do you believe it represents what will happen later tonight?”
“I can only tell you that it represents what the aliens communicated to us would happen tonight. As I told you before, I had no way of knowing what the program would do when we ran it.”
“Is there any chance this video could be infected; that it could be the means the anomaly is using to get out of containment?”
Sam was genuinely impressed, “That is a really good question.”
Web looked at Sam intently, trying to determine if he was setting him up.
Sam continued, “It is possible, in the sense that anything is possible, but I don’t think so. I made the video. Like every file I transfer from our networks, I scanned it before and after copying it. It is as secure and clean as I know how to make it. Perhaps you should suggest it be run on an isolated machine just in case,” Sam offered.
Web continued looking at Sam for several seconds before saying, “Okay. Please close the door on your way out.”
Once again, Sam left without saying another word.
Forty minutes later, Web reentered the east conference room. The team was no closer to an explanation than they had been when he’d departed, “Listen up everybody.” The conversations in the room quickly faded to silence.
“We’ve received orders to go to the projected landing site. It is now,” he glanced at his watch, “21:12. We will be departing the SCIF at 21:30. Buses are on their way to transport us to the airfield where we will be met by two Chinook helicopters. They will fly us to an observation site one click away from where we expect the anomaly to arrive in just under four hours. It is a two-hour flight. Because we will be traveling heavy and moving as quickly as possible, we will have to refuel along the way; so we have very little time if we are to arrive before the anomaly does. We are going to arrive before it does. Be on the main bus at 21:30 or lose your chance to continue to make history today.”
Dan started to ask a question, but Web cut him off. “We’ll have plenty of time for questions during the flight. Use the next fifteen minutes wisely.”
Everyone in the room started moving for the door. When Sam arrived, Web told him to go see Jack in his office. Sam left to go do so.
When Sam arrived at Jack’s office, Jack was assembling his load-bearing vest. He did not offer Sam a seat. Instead, he continued to work with his hands as he glanced up at Sam. “You’re not going with the team to Kansas, Sam.”
“What are you talking about, Jack?”
“The first contact team is going. You are not a member of that team. We’ll take it from here. Take some time off.” Two security force specialists appeared in the doorway as Jack said this. He turned to them, “Please escort this gentleman to his car.”
“This is ridiculous," Sam said.
“Go home, Sam. We
Web took the drive and stood. “Please continue this discussion without me. I’m going to update the CO. If you come to an agreement supported by the facts as we know them in my absence, please interrupt me immediately.” He gestured for Sam and Jack to follow him before proceeding to his office. Once there, he told Sam and Jack to take a seat.
“I’m about to report what we’ve found. The report will be sent immediately to the NCA. Is there any reason I should not send this video?” He asked Sam pointedly.
“I’m not sure what you mean, Web," Sam replied.
“I mean you’re the only one who knows for sure how this video was constructed. To the best of your knowledge, do you believe it represents what will happen later tonight?”
“I can only tell you that it represents what the aliens communicated to us would happen tonight. As I told you before, I had no way of knowing what the program would do when we ran it.”
“Is there any chance this video could be infected; that it could be the means the anomaly is using to get out of containment?”
Sam was genuinely impressed, “That is a really good question.”
Web looked at Sam intently, trying to determine if he was setting him up.
Sam continued, “It is possible, in the sense that anything is possible, but I don’t think so. I made the video. Like every file I transfer from our networks, I scanned it before and after copying it. It is as secure and clean as I know how to make it. Perhaps you should suggest it be run on an isolated machine just in case,” Sam offered.
Web continued looking at Sam for several seconds before saying, “Okay. Please close the door on your way out.”
Once again, Sam left without saying another word.
Forty minutes later, Web reentered the east conference room. The team was no closer to an explanation than they had been when he’d departed, “Listen up everybody.” The conversations in the room quickly faded to silence.
“We’ve received orders to go to the projected landing site. It is now,” he glanced at his watch, “21:12. We will be departing the SCIF at 21:30. Buses are on their way to transport us to the airfield where we will be met by two Chinook helicopters. They will fly us to an observation site one click away from where we expect the anomaly to arrive in just under four hours. It is a two-hour flight. Because we will be traveling heavy and moving as quickly as possible, we will have to refuel along the way; so we have very little time if we are to arrive before the anomaly does. We are going to arrive before it does. Be on the main bus at 21:30 or lose your chance to continue to make history today.”
Dan started to ask a question, but Web cut him off. “We’ll have plenty of time for questions during the flight. Use the next fifteen minutes wisely.”
Everyone in the room started moving for the door. When Sam arrived, Web told him to go see Jack in his office. Sam left to go do so.
When Sam arrived at Jack’s office, Jack was assembling his load-bearing vest. He did not offer Sam a seat. Instead, he continued to work with his hands as he glanced up at Sam. “You’re not going with the team to Kansas, Sam.”
“What are you talking about, Jack?”
“The first contact team is going. You are not a member of that team. We’ll take it from here. Take some time off.” Two security force specialists appeared in the doorway as Jack said this. He turned to them, “Please escort this gentleman to his car.”
“This is ridiculous," Sam said.
“Go home, Sam. We
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